She completed her B.S. degree in psychology at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana; her M.A., M.Ed., M.Phil. and Ph.D. in counseling psychology from Columbia University, Teachers College; and an APA-accredited clinical/ community psychology internship at Yale University School of Medicine, The Consultation Center. Following a research post-doctoral fellowship at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington DC, Dr. Conner completed a Global Mental Health: Trauma and Recovery Certification Program sponsored by Harvard University Medical School, Program on Refugee Trauma and the Ministry of Health of Italy. Dr Conner has clinical and research expertise in the areas of grief and bereavement, health disparities, HIV/AIDS, sexual health, drug abuse among adolescents, youth activism and social justice, empowerment focused-psychotherapy, indigenous forms of coping, and resilience.