Lab Director
Dr. Samantha Brown is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies as well as the School of Public Health at Colorado State University. Her research focuses on the pathways through which adversity shapes the health and development of children and families experiencing psychosocial risk, such as risk for child maltreatment or poverty. Samantha’s recent work focuses on key biological and behavioral correlates, such as stress physiology and sleep, that may be implicated in child maltreatment as well as the role of parent-child interactions in buffering children from the negative consequences of early adverse experiences. Samantha also translates this work into the development and testing of family-oriented intervention for families involved with human services, with a specific concentration on mindfulness- and trauma-informed randomized controlled trials. Samantha is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Colorado and her clinical experience includes domestic violence and substance abuse counseling and child welfare casework.
Current Team
Alumni
Kelly Brown
Kelly Brown is a graduate student in the Masters of Social Work program at CSU. She earned her master’s of Education degree from Arizona State University and a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Psychology from Montana State University. Kelly is interested in the psychological well-being of parents of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Outside of school, Kelly loves to spend her time hiking, reading, cooking, and traveling.