Staff Biographies

Dr. Jean Kelly, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Family and Child Nursing at the University of Washington, the Director of the Promoting First Relationships Program, and the Co-Director of the Center for Infant Mental Health and Development. Dr. Kelly is also the Director of NCAST-AVENUW, an organization that develops and disseminates research-based practice originating from the Department of Family and Child Nursing and the Center on Human Development and Disability. Dr. Kelly is an affiliate of the Center for Human Development and Disability, as well as the Chair of the Early Intervention Task Force. She is a past Co-Principal Investigator of the NICHD Study of Early Childcare and Youth Development. Dr. Kelly is on the governing board of the Washington State Child Care Resource and Referral Network and is past Chair of the Governor-appointed Advisory Council to the Washington State Infant-Toddler Early Intervention Program.  Dr. Kelly has directed research and training programs focused on young children's social and emotional health for over two decades, and has published numerous articles and chapters on promoting children's social and emotional development.

Jenny McSharry, MA, is an Early Childhood Consultant for the Promoting First Relationships program, and Jenny received her Master of Education degree in counseling from the University of Puget Sound.  While pursuing her degree, Jenny was introduced to the Promoting First Relationships curriculum and was inspired to focus her studies around early childhood development.  Jenny is thrilled to have the opportunity to offer relationship-focused intervention to caregivers and their children. She is currently working on multiple Promoting First Relationships grant-funded projects, and she teaches the PFR curriculum in workshop formats.

Julie Nagel, LICSW, is an Early Childhood Consultant for the Promoting First Relationships program. She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Social Work from Western Michigan University in 1983. In 1986 she received her Master's degree in Social Work from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She graduated from the certificate program in Infant Mental Health from the University of Washington in August, 2003. Since receiving her Master’s degree, she has worked primarily in the mental health field; her roles have included: Intensive Day Treatment therapist with 2-5 year old children, child and family therapist, coordinator of the Interagency Coordinating Council, coordinator of the Snohomish County Child Study Teams, and collaborator on federal grant projects focusing on implementation of Public Law 99-457. Julie was also a mental health consultant for the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program, and served as a consultant with the Snohomish County Success By Six Project.

Monica Oxford, MSW, PhD, is a Research Associate Professor of the School of Social Work at the University of Washington and the Director of Program Development at NCAST-AVENUW, as well as a Promoting First Relationships-trained Early Childhood Consultant. Dr. Oxford's area of research focuses on parenting and child outcomes for vulnerable families living in challenging contexts. Dr. Oxford is interested in how context, child characteristics, and parenting practices combine to inform particular patterns of child outcomes and how intervention practice impacts to promote both parent and child well-being.

Jennifer Rees, MSW, is an Early Childhood Consultant for the Promoting First Relationships program.  She has spent a large part of her career working with children and families as a Research Coordinator for the NICHD Study of Early Childcare and Youth Development, as well as counseling teens and their families in school settings.  Jennifer also has experience in vocational rehabilitation and physical therapy.  Her projects with Promoting First Relationships have included training childcare providers and mental health professionals, as well as caseworkers and families in transitional housing environments.  Jennifer continues to use her PFR training skills in facilitating workshops and providing intervention services to providers and parents, including families affected by autism.

Diana Sandoval, MS, is an Early Childhood Consultant with the Promoting First Relationships program. She holds a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Rehabilitation Medicine/Occupational Therapy from the University of Washington. After working in early intervention programs with children and their families, Diana worked in health policy and systems development in the Children with Special Health Care Needs program in the Washington State Department of Health. Her interest in making a difference for children and families, both at the individual and systems level, found a perfect fit when she began working with Promoting First Relationships in the year 2000. Other interests and experience include nurturing children’s spiritual development, social justice education in elementary-aged children, and issues of diversity and cultural competency.

Jennifer Duval, BA, is the Program Coordinator for Promoting First Relationships, and the Development Coordinator for NCAST-AVENUW at the University of Washington. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Sociology, with a focus on family relationships. She has worked as a Research Coordinator for the NICHD Study of Early Childcare and Youth Development, conducting daycare, preschool, and elementary school observations. Her research experience also includes studies of Peer Interactions and of Childcare for children with Special Needs. Ms. Duval was a Court Appointed Special Advocate for abused and neglected children of King County, and is a certified Labor Support Person (doula). She currently maintains the budgets of PFR training grants, assists with program and materials development, oversees the organization of the PFR offices, acts as liaison to funding sources, recruits training sites, maintains the PFR website, and helps facilitate on-going team training.