Meet the Project SWEET-SPED Team
Kimberly M. Knox
Principal Investigator, School Social Work Faculty
Kimberly M. Knox is an Assistant Professor at New Mexico State University, a licensed clinical social worker, and a Level-3 School Social Worker in NM. Her experiences as a School Social Worker-Related Service provider informed her research that intersections of School Social Work and Special Education. Her research focuses on identifying gaps in the preparation of school social work-related services to inform data driven responses to professional development needs in disability, advocacy, family engagement, and intervention.
Stacy Gherardi
Co-Principal Investigator, School Social Work Faculty
Stacy Gherardi is an Associate Professor at New Mexico State University and a licensed clinical social worker. Her experiences as a classroom teacher and a school social worker inform her research on the intersections between social work and educational policy. Her research is community-driven, focusing on theory, implementation, and evaluation in areas such as trauma-informed education, school social work, interprofessional practice in schools, inclusive education, and community schools.
Anita Hernandez
Affiliated Faculty
Dr. Anita Hernández is a professor of language, literacy, and culture, the Don and Sarah Kidd Endowed Chair for Literacy, and interim Associate Dean of Research at NMSU. A Mexican/Latina Spanish-English bilingual scholar, she earned her Ph.D. from Stanford University in language, literacy, bilingualism, and sociolinguistics. A former bilingual primary grade teacher, Dr. Hernández has served as P.I. on National Professional Development grants in California and New Mexico, mentored bilingual teachers toward their M.A. degrees, and led community initiatives including a Mother-Daughter Generaciones project and a Tech Goes Home program for Spanish-speaking families in local schools.
Angela Owens
Affiliated Faculty
Dr. Angela Owens holds a Bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies (Early childhood - 4th grade), dual Master’s Degrees as an Instructional Specialist in Early Childhood and Educational Administration, and a Ph.D. in Literacy/Biliteracy from The University of Texas at El Paso. She works as the Director of the Glass Family Research Institute for Early Childhood Studies and with early childhood and special education teacher candidates at New Mexico State University. Her research interests include caregiver experiences with the special education process, early childhood education, and inclusivity for all children. Her experiences range from teaching in K-12 and special education settings, as well as a professional development consultant, liaison for families who have children with special needs, and an elementary campus administrator. Dr. Owens can be contacted at avowens@nmsu.edu..