Dr. Megan Finno-Velasquez is an Associate Professor at New Mexico State University's School of Social Work with almost 20 years of experience in child welfare and immigration research. She served as Director of the Center on Immigration and Child Welfare (2017-2023) and Director of Immigration Affairs for New Mexico's Children, Youth & Families Department (2019-2023). Her research focuses on improving service access and outcomes for immigrant families involved with child welfare systems, using community-based participatory approaches that center the voices of those most impacted. She has published extensively on immigration and child welfare topics. Her recent work examines workforce resilience, secondary trauma, and collective care for professionals serving vulnerable populations. Dr. Finno-Velasquez holds a PhD from USC and is a Certified Mindfulness Meditation Teacher and Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner, integrating contemplative approaches into her scholarship and teaching.