Home/About/Media/ZERO TO THREE Announces 2025 Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Emerging Leadership Awards

ZERO TO THREE Announces 2025 Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Emerging Leadership Awards

MEDIA CONTACTS: 

Gina Davis, gdavis@zerotothree.org; 202-864-2934

Morgan Brill, mbrill@westendstrategy.com; 845-596-5328

ZERO TO THREE Announces 

2025 Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Emerging Leadership Awards

National nonprofit recognizes innovators in policy, practice and research 

who are working to give babies a strong start in life

WASHINGTON, DC—ZERO TO THREE, the country’s leading nonprofit working to ensure all babies and toddlers have a strong start in life, today announced three outstanding professionals honored with its 2025 Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Emerging Leadership Award. This year’s recipients are:

 

  • Policy: Sarah Barclay Hoffman from Children’s National Hospital; 
  • Practice: Dr. Janina E. Fariñas from La Cocina; and 
  • Research: Dr. Diana Morelen from East Tennessee State University. 

 

“These are visionary leaders working tirelessly in the infant and early childhood mental health field to promote the healthy social, emotional and developmental well-being of babies and toddlers,” said Lynette Aytch, director of ZERO TO THREE’s Leadership Development Institute. “It’s such an honor to recognize them and the critically important work they do, on the ground, day to day.”

 

Now in its fifth year, the Emerging Leadership Award acknowledges professionals who have made significant contributions to the field of infant and early childhood mental health and highlights those serving diverse populations. Recipients demonstrate significant visionary and innovative work to transform practices, policies and systems at the local, state or national level in promoting infant and early childhood mental health.

 

POLICY AWARD

Sarah Barclay Hoffman, program manager, Children’s National Hospital 

As a program manager, Barclay Hoffman leads mental health policy and advocacy with the Community Mental Health CORE team at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, DC. She also serves as policy director for the Early Childhood Innovation Network, developing solutions that ensure law, policy and public financing support for the health and mental well-being of young children, parents and caregivers. She is an expert in perinatal and infant and early childhood mental health, integration of mental health in pediatric primary care, community-based mental health and child- and family-serving public systems. “At the heart of my work is infant and early childhood mental health. When our public policies prioritize safe, stable and nurturing relationships, our young children and families can flourish for generations. I am deeply humbled and honored to be the recipient of ZERO TO THREE’S 2025 Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Emerging Leadership Award in Policy.” 

 

PRACTICE AWARD

Dr. Janina E. Fariñas, founder and chief executive officer at La Cocina

Dr. Fariñas is a pediatric neuropsychologist, counselor and founder and chief executive officer of La Cocina, a nonprofit training institute and community mental health practice center. Infant and early childhood mental health equity is central to her work in community-led social and emotional wellness. “A truly equitable vision of infant and early childhood mental health is our best hope for creating a world rooted in lasting peace. As a Latina immigrant who has spent years advancing culturally affirming infant and early childhood mental health in my many homes and intersecting communities, I feel the weight of this mandate deeply and believe this award signals the promise of justice alongside the courage needed to transform visions of equity into change-making actions.” 

 

RESEARCH AWARD

Dr. Diana Morelen, associate professor, Department of Psychology, East Tennessee State University

Dr. Morelen is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in perinatal and infant mental health. She serves as a reflective consultant for Tennessee’s Infant Mental Health Association, was on the founding board of Postpartum Support International (Tennessee) and has served on the leadership team of the Strong BRAIN Institute. Dr. Morelen is a clinical scientist committed to breaking the intergenerational transmission of trauma, adversity and mental illness through evidence-based prevention and intervention programs. “The Emerging Leadership Award feels like a much-needed nutrient to my growth as a developing scientist-practitioner. The opportunity to learn from and work alongside such caring, thoughtful and visionary professionals will expand my village and expand my knowledge, skills, and professional network so that I can continue to use my gifts, skills and privilege to develop and disseminate evidence-based practices to take better care of babies, caregivers, and communities.”

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