Project GROW is led by a team of professionals dedicated to advancing training and practice in evidence-based, equity-centered school mental health service delivery.
Michelle Bastedo, M.Ed.
Project GROW MTSS Specialist, Delaware MTSS Technical Assistance Center · bastedom@udel.edu
Michelle Bastedo is an MTSS Specialist with the Delaware MTSS Technical Assistance Center. Michelle received her B.S. in education from the University of Delaware with a certification in elementary education and exceptional children and a minor in art. She completed her master’s degree in secondary and post-secondary counseling at West Chester University and her elementary school counseling degree at Wilmington University in Delaware. Before joining the Center, Michelle taught special education in California, Philadelphia, and Delaware at the elementary and secondary levels. Working as a school counselor, she focused on MTSS, social-emotional learning, and positive behavior support within her schools. Within the Center, Michelle specializes in integrating mental health services within MTSS and promoting individual and organizational well-being in schools.
Tana Connell, Ph.D., LMSW
Project GROW Faculty Partner, Delaware State University · tconnell@desu.edu
Dr. Tana Connell is an Associate Professor and the Master of Social Work (MSW) Program Director in the Department of Social Work at Delaware State University. She holds a Ph.D. and M.S.W. with an emphasis in social welfare from University at Albany. Dr. Connell has over ten years of social work practice experience with children and families in a variety of settings, including family preservation programs, residential treatment settings, and community-based organizations like Girl Scouts. She enjoys teaching courses in human behavior and the social environment, public health, and research methods. Her research interests include child abuse and substance abuse prevention. Dr. Connell is passionate about improving policies and practices that adversely impact underrepresented populations, and she aims to be an advocate for those who are in need. In her spare time, enjoys volunteering with at-risk youth and teaching classes on social-emotional development.
Marika Ginsburg-Block, Ph.D.
Project GROW Co-Director · marika@udel.edu
Dr. Marika Ginsburg-Block co-directs Project GROW. Dr. Ginsburg-Block is an associate professor and program coordinator for the School Psychology program in the School of Education at the University of Delaware. Dr. Ginsburg-Block holds a Ph.D. in School Community and Clinical Child Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. She teaches courses in counseling, family-school collaboration, field-based practicum and internship supervision in school psychology. Dr. Ginsburg-Block works closely with the Delaware Department of Education on several initiatives, including updating and providing technical assistance to LEAs on the state’s special education regulations. Dr. Ginsburg-Block’s research focuses on clarifying the mechanisms by which families contribute to the development of language and literacy skills in their young children.
Kris Scardamalia, Ph.D., LP
Project GROW Faculty Partner, University of Delaware · kristins@udel.edu
Dr. Kris Scardamalia is a faculty partner on Project GROW and an assistant professor of school psychology in the School of Education at the University of Delaware. Dr. Scardamalia specializes in psychological assessment of children and adolescents and previously served as director for the Maryland Psychological Assessment and Consultation Clinic in Baltimore City. She has extensive experience working as a school psychologist in public schools and juvenile justice settings with a passion for making education accessible for all learners. In collaboration with the national Mental Health Technology Transfer Center, Dr. Scardamalia has authored several national training curricula aimed at improving educator understanding of and skill in culturally responsive schools and classrooms. Dr. Scardamalia teaches assessment and diagnostic courses as well as supervises interns in their field placements.
Cecilia Till, Ed.S., NCSP
Project GROW Coordinator · cetill@udel.edu
Cecilia Till is the coordinator for Project GROW. She is a nationally certified school psychologist and graduate of the University of Delaware’s School Psychology program. Prior to obtaining her educational specialist degree in school psychology, Cecilia received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has over ten years of experience as a school psychologist in high-need schools. In these school communities, Cecilia supported the educational needs of students with diverse cognitive, social-communication, social-emotional, and behavioral needs in inclusive environments.
During her years in practice, Cecilia contributed to the establishment and enhancement of school and district-wide systems. She delivered professional learning presentations on a variety of topics, such as incorporating school climate data into action steps, Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) and Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) development, district-wide risk assessment practices, integration of social-emotional and behavior data into students’ Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), and perceptions of the school psychologist–administrator relationship. Cecilia also provided targeted problem-solving consultation to school psychologists, board-certified behavior analysts, administrators, and other educators in order to aid school teams in the development of interventions and reinforcement systems for students experiencing significant social-emotional and/or behavioral needs in inclusion settings. Additionally, she served as a lead school psychologist for one of the largest school districts in Delaware. Cecilia previously served as the Government and Professional Relations co-chair for the Delaware Association of School Psychologists and gathered data on school psychologist shortages across the state. Cecilia is committed to preparing school psychologists to serve diverse populations and is an ardent advocate for policies that result in equitable, inclusive, and improved outcomes for all learners.
Brittany Zakszeski, Ph.D., NCSP, BCBA-D
Project GROW Director · bnz@udel.edu
Dr. Brittany Zakszeski directs Project GROW. Dr. Zakszeski is an assistant professor in the School Psychology program in the School of Education at the University of Delaware. As a licensed psychologist, certified school psychologist, and board-certified behavior analyst, she teaches courses in behavioral and systems consultation; advises students in the Ed.S. (School Psychology), Ed.D. (Educational Leadership), and Ph.D. (Education, School Psychology) programs; and partners with schools to advance practice and conduct applied research. Dr. Zakszeski’s scholarship focuses on systemic approaches to promoting students’ and school personnel’s mental and behavioral health, and particularly ensuring equitable educational and health outcomes. Presently, she is engaged in research examining universal screening practices in middle and high school settings, efficient interventions for elementary and secondary students at risk of developing emotional disorders, profiles of student and personnel well-being throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and effects of school staffing shortages and state-level educational policies on organizational and individual outcomes.