Meet the experts

Dr. Sarah-SoonLing Blackburn is an educator, speaker and professional learning facilitator. She has designed and facilitated talks and workshops with schools and organizations across the country. Sarah is a LinkedIn Learning instructor and the author of a forthcoming book about Chinese American History for middle-grade students.

Clara Cappiello has wide experience in the field of early childhood education, both in the USA and Latin America.  For over 19 years she managed the training and professional development function of a migrant Head Start program that served close to 5,000 children in 10 states.  She also provided leadership and direction to the agency education services and led the development and implementation of a dual-language curriculum that authentically reflected migrant farmworker families’ language and culture. 

Born and raised in Colombia and with children raised in two languages, Clara is passionate about topics related to bilingual development and cultural diversity.  She has worked as a teacher's aide, teacher, center director, early childhood education instructor, university professor, and technical assistance provider.  Clara also worked with an international foundation with whom she supported early childhood programs in Latin America, USA, and Europe.  She is a seasoned presenter and trainer and has been a speaker at Spanish radio and television shows. Clara holds a Bachelor and a Master’s degree and a Training Specialist Graduate Certificate.

Stephenie Howard, PhD, LCSW, is an assistant professor at Norfolk State University with the School of Social Work and the founder and president of Communities in Power. She serves on the Child Abuse and Neglect Advisory Committee for Family and Children’s Trust Fund (FACT) of Virginia; the Child Welfare Advisory Committee for the Virginia Department of Social Services; and the Council on Racial, Ethnic, and Cultural Diversity (CRECD) for the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Her research area is at the intersection of domestic violence and child maltreatment, examining children’s exposure to domestic violence. She has authored publications in the areas of trauma, domestic violence, and child welfare. She has practice experience in domestic violence counseling and child protective services and teaching experience in undergraduate and graduate counseling and social work.