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research staff
All staff members at FIPP are involved in research activities on a daily basis. FIPP also has several employees that are responsible for writing grants, designing studies, conducting research activities, analyzing data, and disseminating the information in many forms and venues. See below for more information regarding specific FIPP researchers and their interests.
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M'Lisa L. Shelden, P.T., Ph.D.
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Dr. Shelden is the Director of the Family, Infant and Preschool Program (FIPP) in Morganton, North Carolina. She received her degrees in physical therapy and early childhood special education from the University of Oklahoma. M'Lisa is a graduate Fellow of the ZERO TO THREE National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Their Families and a recipient of the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research Mary E. Switzer Merit Fellowship. Dr. Shelden has coauthored several articles related to early intervention teamwork and book chapters related to physical therapy personnel preparation and service delivery and use of a primary service provider approach to teaming. She has coauthored several texts, including Physical Therapy under IDEA, as well as Coaching Families and Colleagues in Early Childhood Intervention and The Early Childhood Coaching Handbook. M'Lisa has consulted with over 30 states and numerous programs across the country and presents nationally on topics related to evidence-based practices, coaching, use of a primary service provider approach to teaming, and provision of services in natural environments.
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Dathan D. Rush, Ed.D., C.C.C.-S.L.P.
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Dr. Rush is the Associate Director of the Family, Infant and Preschool Program (FIPP) in Morganton, North Carolina. He received his degree in speech-language pathology from Oklahoma State University and his doctoral degree from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Dr. Rush has served as an editorial board member of Infants and Young Children and has published articles in the area of in-service training, coaching, supporting children and families in natural learning environments, and teaming in early intervention. Dr. Rush coauthored the texts Coaching Families and Colleagues in Early Childhood Intervention and The Early Childhood Coaching Handbook. Dathan has also written several book chapters on topics related to coaching and use of a primary service provider approach to teaming. Dr. Rush has consulted with over 30 states and numerous programs across the country and provides training on evidence-based early childhood practices related to how to coach, implement a primary service provider approach to teaming, and provide early intervention supports and services within natural environments.
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Frances A. Davis, M.A., L.P.A.
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Ms. Davis has a Bachelor of Arts degree in special education and a Masters in developmental psychology. She has 20 years of experience providing early intervention supports to infants, young children and their parents in family homes, child care and preschool settings, and public schools. Ms. Davis has taught child development and general psychology courses at both the university and community college levels and has been the lead presenter for national and international conferences and several local in-service training activities. As a NC Licensed Psychological Associate and FIPP EHS early intervention team member, Ms. Davis also provides infant-toddler mental health supports to Alexander, Burke, and Caldwell counties Early Head Start practitioners and families. As a senior research associate, Ms. Davis provides supervision, coordination, and support to practitioners in research-to-practice projects at FIPP. Her current research activities focus on the early intervention practices that promote parent-child interactions important for the development of cognitive and social-emotional competencies in infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.
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Brad Faircloth, Ph.D.
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Dr. Faircloth received his Ph.D. in developmental psychology from the University of Notre Dame where he studied the effects of marital conflict on children. Dr. Faircloth has published several articles as well as presented results of the Happy Couples, Happy Kids program at numerous national research conferences (Society for Research in Child Development, Society for Prevention Research, Society for Research in Adolescence, and The Gatlinburg Conference) and has been invited to speak locally, at the state level, in community settings, at churches, and through schools/universities regarding marital conflict and children. His current job responsibilities include serving as a senior research associate at FIPP, the Fatherhood program researcher, Happy Couples Happy Kids program facilitator, as well as conducting program evaluation, grant writing, and research dissemination.
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Laura H. Hansen, M.S., P.T.
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Ms. Hansen graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and received her Master's in Rehabilitation Science from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. Ms. Hansen has worked as physical therapist in many settings, including early intervention and school settings. As a research assistant, she performed multiple assessments over time for children born prenatally exposed to drugs and with infants and toddlers with severe motor impairments. Ms. Hansen works as a research associate, researching and presenting on methods to disseminate and use evidence-based practice information in early childhood settings. She has also developed online training for early intervention practitioners on a variety of topics and engages in formative and summative evaluation of professional development. Her research interests also include providing supports in natural learning environments, use of assistive technology to promote participation in everyday activities in home and community settings, and providing therapy supports in inclusive Early Head Start classrooms.
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Sarah Sexton, M.Ed.
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Ms. Sexton received her B.S. in Early Childhood Education from Boston University in Massachusetts, her M.A. in Special Education from Bank Street College in New York, and her M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from Bank Street College as well. Ms. Sexton has worked in the field of education for 17 years, including 15 years serving in management and leadership positions. For the past 9 years, Ms. Sexton has served as an EHS Director for FIPP. While with FIPP, Sarah has conducted numerous training events nationally, including Birth to Three Early Head Start institute, Zero to Three National Training Institute, Region IV Head Start conference, North Carolina Family Literacy Conference, FIPP Center for Professional Development, and dozens of other presentations. Ms. Sexton has authored several articles and publications. Ms. Sexton currently serves as the Director of FIPP Early Head Start's National Early Childhood Center of Excellence, one of only 10 in the country.
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Maureen Schepis, Ph.D.
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Ms. Schepis received her Ph.D. in Education from George Mason University with a specialization in teacher training and assistive technology. She holds a doctoral level special education teacher license and is a doctoral level Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA-D). She has devoted her career in applied behavior analysis to the field of developmental disabilities, focusing in the areas of early intervention and language development, autism spectrum disorders, and assistive technology. Maureen is the author of over 35 research articles published in peer-reviewed journals, as well as numerous book chapter publications and several manuals. She has served as the President of the North Carolina Association for Applied Behavior Analysis. She is the recipient of the North Carolina Fred S. Keller Research Award and the NC Assistive Technology Award. She has received numerous federal and state grants to support program development and research. She currently is the Project Director for the North Carolina Infant-Toddler Program Assistive Technology Project.
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