Christina J. Groark
3607 McCrady Road
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15235
(412) 823-9092
EDUCATION
Ph.D.University of Pittsburgh1985-1989Special Education/Research
M. Ed.University of Pittsburgh1975-1976Special Education
B.A.Alliance College 1972-1973 Psychology
Hunter College 1970-1972 Psychology/Education
EMPLOYMENT
Associate Professor, Psychology in Education, Program in Applied Developmental Psychology, School of Education, University of Pittsburgh / 2001-PresentUniversity of Pittsburgh Office of Child Development, School of Education, University of Pittsburgh (1986–1992, Director of Community Relations; 1992-Present, Co-Director) / 1986-Present
Adjunct Faculty, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Pittsburgh / 1994-2010
Planning and Evaluation Associate, Allegheny County Mental Health/Mental Retardation Drug and Alcohol Programs / 1985-1986
Research Associate, Project Coordinator, University/Agency/Parent Connection to Provide Service to Infants with Disabilities (U.S. Office of Education), University of Pittsburgh, School of Education / 1985-1986
Director, Children’s Services, Association for Retarded Citizens of Allegheny County / 1979-1985
Program Coordinator, Community Living Arrangements, Valley Community Services / 1978-1979
Preschool Mainstream Project Director, Association for Retarded Citizensof Allegheny County / 1976-1978
HONORS and AWARDS
University of Pittsburgh School of Education Faculty Research Award / 2009University of Pittsburgh Chancellor’s Distinguished Public Service Award / 2004
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CONSULTANTSHIPS
Editorial
Reviewer, Children and Youth Services Review / 2016Reviewer, Journal of Social and Personal Relationships / 2015-Present
Reviewer, Child and Adolescent Mental Health / 2014-Present
Reviewer, International Perspectives in Psychology: Research, Practice, Consultation / 2014-Present
Reviewer, Journal of Child and Family Studies / 2014-Present
Reviewer, Infant Mental Health Journal / 2009-Present
Reviewer, Journal of the International Association of Special Education / 1998-Present
Organizations
Consultant, Universities Children’s Policy Collaborative, a collaboration among Penn State University, Temple University, and the University of Pittsburgh (to provide scientific information to help improve child and family policy and programs in Pennsylvania). / 2003-PresentConsultant, Cornell University Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research / 2011
Consultant, University of Minnesota Youth, and Families Consortium; Chair of External Evaluation Committee, President’s Initiative on Children, Youth, and Families; and the Center of Excellence in Children's Mental Health. / 2007-2009
Consultant, Marywood University, Scranton, PA, for replication of Office of Child Development/University-Community collaborative activities / 1998-2001
Consultant, Human Service Policy Development, Universidad Jose Matias Delgado, El Salvador / 1998-2000
Consultant, Allegheny County Empowerment Zone application to develop the human services section of the successful $3,000,000 application / 1994
Consultant, Policy Development, Human Services, City Council, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation / 1992-1996
Consultant, Strategic Planning for Families and Children, Allegheny General Hospital / 1992-1994
Consultant, Policy Development, Family Loan Program, Collaboration between Pittsburgh National Bank and Community Human Services / 1990-1992
Consultant, NEC*TEC (National Early Childhood * Technical Assistance System), University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC / 1988-1990
Consultant, Community Human Services, USDHHS/Heinz Endowment project, Families Facing the Future / 1985-1989
Consultant, Community Human Services, Mainstream Child Care Services (to provide technical assistance in an inclusion model for children with mental health disabilities). / 1982-1984
Committees
Member, Advisory Committee, Community Engagement Centers (CEC), University of Pittsburgh / 2017-PresentMember, Advisory Board, Brain 2.0 Series: Moving from Brain Research Findings to Action / 2016-Present
Member, Mayor’s Consortium on Early Childhood / 2014-Present
Member, Faculty Assembly, University of Pittsburgh School of Education / 2013-2016
Member, Design team for school-wide EdD degree / 2013
Member, Advisory Council for California Center for Infant-Family and Early Childhood Mental Health, Sacramento, CA / 2012-Present
Member, Hong Kong Baptist University, International Advisory Board / 2011-Present
Member, University-Based Child and Family Policy Consortium, Duke University / 2010-Present
Member, National Advisory Board, Purdue University Military Families Research Institute / 2009-Present
Member, Perinatal Periods of Risk Committee, Allegheny County Health Department, Maternal and Child Health Program (to improve the health and well-being of urban women, children, and families by strengthening the public health organizations and leaders in their communities) / 2002-2009
Member, Data and Reporting Committee, Education Policy and Issues Center, Harrisburg, PA (to advise and assist EPI in developing strategies toward realizing the goal that all fifth grade students in southwestern Pennsylvania will be proficient in reading, writing, and mathematics academics standards) / 2000-2003
Member, Collaboration Project Advisory Committee, Robert Morris College Center for Nonprofit Management (to provide leadership in supporting and strengthening community-wide collaborative efforts between public and private organizations and residents) / 1999-2002
Member, State Fiscal Analysis Initiative, Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children (to provide timely, accessible, and credible analysis of state budget and tax issues that impact low and modest income persons to state decision makers, media, and the general public) / 1999-2002
Member, Learning Partnerships, The Heinz Endowments (to develop and implement strategies for a comprehensive early care and education system for children ages birth to eight years and their families) / 1999-2000
Member, Starting Points Evaluation Advisory Group, Carnegie Corporation of New York / 1996-1999
Member, Community Advisory Board, The UCLID Center (University, Community, Leaders, and Individuals with Disabilities), University of Pittsburgh / 1995-2009
Member, Early Childhood Education Planning Committee, United Way of Allegheny County / 1995-1997
Member, Allegheny Family Support Policy Board and Executive Committee / 1994-Present
Member, Managed Care Steering Committee; Chair, Special Needs Population Working Group, Jewish Healthcare Foundation / 1994-1996
Member, Child Health Needs Assessment Advisory Committee, Allegheny County Health Department / 1994-1995
Member, Board of Directors, Allegheny Children's Initiative (a joint venture serving youth with severe mental health problems) / 1993-1999
Member, Advisory Committee, Child Care Partnerships, Pittsburgh / 1993-1995
Co-Chair, Institutional Review Board, Early Learning Institute / 1993-1995
Co-Chair, Education and Child Development Field of Services Allocation Committee (member since 1991), United Way of Allegheny County / 1993-1995
Member, Program Investment Committee, United Way / 1993-1995
Member, Early Childhood Advisory Committee, PA Partnerships for Children, Harrisburg, PA / 1992-1997
Member, Pittsburgh City School Restructuring Task Force / 1992-1994
Member, Allegheny County 2001: Strategic Planning/Human Services / 1991-1992
Member, Portfolio on Prevention of School Dropout, United Way of Allegheny County / 1991-1992
Member, Study Group on Infant Mortality, Jewish Health Care Foundation / 1991-1992
Member, National Advisory Board, Philadelphia Children's Network / 1990-1993
Member, Strategic Planning Committee, Parents League for Educational Adjustment (PLEA) / 1990-1992
Chairperson, Governmental Relations, PA Division of Early Childhood/CEC / 1988-1990
Member, PA State Interagency Coordinating Council (Governor appointed) / 1987-1990
Co-Chair, State Personnel Preparation Committee for Early Intervention / 1987-1990
Member, Allegheny County Commission on Children / 1987-1990
Co-Chair, Statewide Policy and Planning Subcommittee on Early Intervention, State Department of Public Welfare / 1986-1987
GRANTS
Pennsylvania Project LAUNCH, The purpose of LAUNCH is to provide support for the creation of infrastructure to support services for low-income children from conception to eight years of age and their families. Pennsylvania Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) [$1,510,205]. / 2014-2019Principal Investigator, University of Pittsburgh Office of Child Development; to provide core services of dissemination, training, services, program evaluation, and networking in areas pertaining to children, youth, and families: Howard Heinz Endowment [$500,000 (2013-2016), $500,000 (2011-2013), $500,000 (2005-2007), $300,000 (1999-2001), $300,000 (1995-1998), $400,000 (1992-1994), $525,000 (1989-1992); R.K. Mellon Foundation $300,000 (2010-2013), $300,000 (2004-2006), $600,000 (2001-2004), $300,000 (1998-2000)]. / 1989-Present
Faculty Advisor, Faculty and Student Research Grant, Caregiver Characteristics and Perceptions, Quality of Interactions with Children, and Children's Development in Family-Like OVC Care in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. University of Pittsburgh, School of Education [$3000]. / 2016
Co-Principal Investigator, United Way Children and Youth Impact Area [$60,000]. / 2015-2016
Co-Principal Investigator, United Way Financially Struggling Families and Adults [$60,000]. / 2014
Principal Investigator, Communication Alliance, The Grable Foundation [$50,000]. / 2014-2015
Principal Investigator, USAID on framework for gender-sensitive indicators Summer 2013 in global child welfare; to develop guidance and indicators on this topic for USAID mission staff in Europe and Eurasia; JBS International
[$4,000]. / 2013
Principal Investigator, Russian Adoption Training, the Russian Federation’s 2012 mandate requires all parents desiring to adopt to receive 30-80 hours training. This University program trains educators to provide this training and tests parents for course completion documentation. / 2012-2013
Co-Principal Investigator, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Long-Term Effects of Early Social-Emotional Experience; to follow the development of children from orphanages who are transferred to adoptive or foster families or reunified with their biological parents to determine the longer-term benefits of having experienced a better early social-emotional environment ($2,398,837 direct costs, five years.). / 2008-2012
Co-Principal Investigator, Improving Orphanages in Latin America, Whole Child International, Nicaragua, $176,000 (2010-2012), $135,940 (2008-2009), San Salvador, $156,930 (2006-2007), $135,682 (2005-2006). / 2005-2012
Principal Investigator, Howard Heinz Endowment and the Richard. K. Mellon Foundation, The Early Childhood Initiative Demonstration Project; a three-year project to demonstrate that a coordinated and cost-efficient system can be created to deliver high quality early childhood services in low-income neighborhoods in Pittsburgh, $8,000,000. / 2001-2004
Principal Investigator, Penn State University, The Research Team for Governor Schweiker’s Early Care and Education Task Force; a ten-month grant to conduct a survey of higher educational institutions, a survey of early care providers, a comprehensive review of literature, and to act as research consultants to the Task Force and the Governor’s Policy Office, $285,000. / 2002
Co-Principal Investigator, Howard Heinz Endowment, Interdisciplinary Fellowship Training Program in Evaluation and Policy; a three-year certificate program managed by Dr. Hidenori Yamatani, School of Social Work, $396,000. / 1998-2001
Co-Principal Investigator, National Institute on Child Health and Human Development, Effects of Improving Caregiving on Early Mental Health; a five-year grant to study the effects of improving the care of infants and young children in Russian orphanages, $2,844,000 direct costs. / 2000-2005
Co-Principal Investigator, Howard Heinz Endowments, Effects of Improving Caregiving on Early Mental Health; a grant to study the effects of improving the care of infants and young children in Russian orphanages, $300,000. / 1998-2004
Principal Investigator, Allegheny County, Family Service System Reform; a four-year grant to promote development of strong families and communities by building upon the family support model and enhancing local governance to systematically change the way current systems function, $2,000,000. / 1996-2000
Principal Investigator, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Starting Points; a four-year grant to promote efficient policy retention, development, and implementation during political transitions at the state, county, and city levels, $300,000; continuation grant $200,000. / 1996-2000
Principal Investigator, Allegheny County, Systems Reform; a four-month contract to plan the county-wide family services system strategy for the next five years, $28,000. / 1996
Principal Investigator, Fayette County Mental Health/Mental Retardation, Systems Reform; a seven-month contract to plan this rural county-wide system reform strategy and to provide leadership training, $7,480. / 1996
Principal Investigator, Howard Heinz Endowment, Starting Points Match, a four-year grant (see purpose above), $400,000; continuation match grant $300,000. / 1996-2000
Principal Investigator, Department of Health and Human Services, Early Head Start; a five-year grant to provide experimental intervention services to the birth-to-three population in three low-income neighborhoods, $7,000,000. / 1995-2000
Principal Investigator, Howard Heinz Endowment, Family Centers Training and Evaluation Project; a two-year grant to oversee a statewide evaluation project of family support centers and to assist in the development of a training video, $500,000. / 1994-1996
Principal Investigator, Allegheny County Department of Health, Healthy Start Project; a one-year contract to oversee the provision of technical assistance for the development of a $30,000,000 campaign coordinating health care providers and local governments with business and private philanthropy to expand and improve the morbidity and mortality of infants in Allegheny County, $90,000. / 1993-1994
Program Director, Allegheny Singer Research Institute, Allegheny Health Services, Inc., Statewide Evaluation for EI Services; a one-year grant to design and begin implementation of a statewide monitoring and evaluation service for state funded programs serving children with disabilities ages birth to six years, $85,000. / 1990-1991
Project Administrator and Consultant, Howard Heinz Endowment, Overcoming the Odds - Report on Children At Risk in Allegheny County; a report documenting demographics, inventoried programs, data, and recommendations to be used as a planning tool for policymakers, $15,000. / 1990
Principal Investigator, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Comprehensive Child Development Program; a six-year grant to conduct a research study to provide congress with empirically-based information that documents the progress of children in low-income families when services are coordinated and follow “best practices,” $9,000,000. / 1989-1995
Principal Investigator, Howard Heinz Endowment, Comprehensive Child Development Program Match; a six-year grant (see above), $1,260,000. / 1989-1995
Principal Investigator, Allegheny County MH/MR contract, Alliance for Infants--Intensive Neonatal Follow-Up, Assessment, Nursing, Training, and Services; to develop an empirically-based service demonstration following best practices in screening, tracking, and data and service coordination for children with disabilities or at-risk of developing disabilities, $12,600,000. / 1989-1996
Principal Investigator, Western Region Project Director, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Mainstreaming Project, $270,000. / 1982-1984
Principal Investigator, Children's Services/ARC, Allegheny Infant/Toddler Program, Developmental Centers, $300,000. / 1979-1985
U.S. Office of Education, ESPRIT, ARC/Allegheny, $250,000. / 1979-1982
PUBLICATIONS
Books and Monographs
Groark, C. J., McCarthy, S. K., & Kirk, A. R. (2014). Early child development: From theory to practice. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Publishers.
Krogh, S. L., & Groark, C. J. (2013). A bridge to the classroom and early care: A capstone. San Diego, CA: Bridgepointe Publishers.
Groark, C. J., & Song, L. (2012). Health and nutrition of children. San Diego, CA: Bridgepointe Publishers.
Groark, C. J. (Ed.) (2011). Early childhood intervention: Shaping the future for children withspecial needs and their families (Vols. 1-3). Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO/Praeger.
McCall, R. B., van IJzendoorn, M. H., Juffer, F., Groark, C. J., & Groza, V. K. (Eds.) (2011). Children without permanent parental care: Research, practice, and policy. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, Serial No. 901, 76(4).
St. Petersburg-USA Orphanage Research Team (2008). The effects of early social-emotional and relationship experience on the development of young orphanage children. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 73, Serial No. 291 (3) (C. J. Groark is a member of this Team).
Groark, C. J., Mehaffie, K. E., McCall, R. B., & Greenberg, M. T. (Eds.) (2007). Evidence-based programs and practices for early childhood care and education. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Chapters
Groark, C. J., & McCall, R. B. “The Development of Children During and After Institutionalization”. In Bornstein, Marc H. (Ed.). (in press, Jan 2018). The SAGE Encyclopedia of Lifespan Human Development. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.
Groark, C. J., & McCall, R. B. “Modern International Child Welfare Systems”. In Bornstein, Marc H. (Ed.). (in press, Jan 2018). The SAGE Encyclopedia of Lifespan Human Development. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.
Kirk, A., Groark, C. J., & McCall, R. B. (in preparation). Institutional care environments for infants and young children in Latin American countries. In A. V. Rus, S. R. Parris, and E. Stativa (Eds.), Child maltreatment in long-term residential centers: History, research, and current implications. New York, NY: Springer.
Wanless, S. B.,Groark, C., Hatfield, B. (2012). Assessing Organizational Readiness. In J. Durlak, R. Weissburg, & T. Gullotta (Eds.), Handbook of Social Emotional Learning. New York, NY: Guilford Publications.
Engle, P., Groza, V., Groark, C. J., Greenberg, A., Bunkers, K. M., & Muhamedrahimov, R. (2011). Children without parental care. In R. B. McCall, M. H. van IJzendoorn, F. Juffer, C. J. Groark, and V. K. Groza (Eds.), Children without permanent parents: Research, practice, and policy. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, Serial No. 301, 76(4),190-222.
Eichner, J., Groark, C. J., & Palmov, O. (2011). Early intervention: International policies and programs. In C. Groark (Ed.) Early childhood intervention: Shaping the future for children with special needs and their families, Volume 1 (pp. 37-70). Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO/Praeger.
McCall, R. B., & Groark, C. J. (2010). Challenges and issues in designing applied research. In V. Maholmes and C. Lomonaco (Eds.), Applied research in child and adolescent development: A practical guide (pp. 101-129). New York, NY: Taylor & Francis.
Groark, C. J., & McCall, R. B. (2008). Community-based interventions and services. In M. Rutter et al. (Eds.), Rutter’s child and adolescent psychiatry, 5th edition (pp. 971-988). London, GB: Blackwell Publishing Company.
McCall, R. B., & Groark, C. J., (2007). A perspective on the history and future of disseminating behavioral and social science. In M. K. Welch-Ross and L. G. Fasig (Eds.), Handbook on communicating and disseminating behavioral science (pp. 15-32). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Kaczmarek, L., & Groark, C.J. (2007). Early intervention practices for children with and at risk for delays. In C. J. Groark et al. (Eds.). Evidence-based programs and practices for early childhood care and education (pp. 25-55). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Barnard, W. M., & Groark, C. J. (2007). Demonstration programs and successful outcomes. In C. J. Groark et al. (Eds.). Evidence-based programs and practices for early childhood care and education (pp. 88-101). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Groark, C. G., & McCall, R. B. (2005). Integrating developmental scholarship into practice and policy. In M. H. Bornstein and M. E. Lamb (Eds.), Developmental psychology: An advanced textbook, 5th edition (pp. 570-601). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Groark, C. J., & Daponte, B. O. (1999). The state of the child in Allegheny County. In R. Bangs (Ed.), The state of the region. Pittsburgh, PA: University Center for Social and Urban Research, University of Pittsburgh.
McCall, R. B., Groark, C. J., Strauss, M. S., & Johnson, C. N. (1998). Challenges of university-community outreach to traditional research universities: The University of Pittsburgh Office of Child Development experience. In R. M. Lerner and L. A. K. Simon (Eds.), University-community collaborations for the twenty-first century: Outreach scholarship for youth and families (pp. 203-230). New York: Garland.
McCall, R. B., Green, B. L., Strauss, M. S., & Groark, C. J. (1997). Issues in community-based research and program evaluation. In I. E. Sigel and K. A. Renninger (Eds.), Handbook of child psychology, Vol. 4 (5th Edition) (pp. 955-997). New York: Wiley.