Meet the experts

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. 

Julia Luckenbill is an early childhood educator and author who works in Davis, California teaching adults and young children.  She writes and presents for the National Association for the Education of Young Children as well as in other venues.