Originally an educator in urban schools, she began working as a family and child welfare social worker, where she developed her interest in innovative family-based intervention with multi-stressed families. Following this experience, she obtained her MSW degree at the School of Social Service Administration, University of Chicago, where she earned the Dixon Award for excellence in field practice. Mary's doctoral dissertation research on resilience factors in child protective social workers, earned the Irene Stiver Dissertation Award from the Jean Baker Miller Research Network at the Stone Center, Wellesley College. She has obtained several Federal Child Welfare Training Grants, and is an accomplished grant-writing consultant and workshop presenter. https://www.salemstate.edu/academics/schools/1623.php?id=5053