ZERO TO THREE Announces Winners of Third Annual Emerging Leadership Award
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Meet the 2025 Winners of Our IECMH Emerging Leadership Awards
The Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) Emerging Leadership Award honors a diverse group of early- and mid-career professionals leading transformative work in IECMH practice, policy, and research.
These contributions are crucial in fostering the social, emotional, and developmental well-being of young children and enhancing early intervention efforts for those facing risk and adversity.
This year, we celebrate three exceptional leaders who are pioneering advancements in IECMH services for young children and their families. Their work ensures that these services are relationship-centered, inclusive, equitable, culturally attuned and financially accessible.
Yes, babies have mental health.
Emerging Leadership Award - Practice
Dr. Janina E. Fariñas
Founder and CEO, La Cocina
Dr. Janina E. Fariñas is the founder and CEO of La Cocina, an award-winning Latine nonprofit offering culturally affirming training and mental health services for Latine families. With expertise in pediatric neuropsychology and liberation psychology, she develops innovative approaches to address sociopolitical challenges impacting Latine communities.
Dr. Fariñas created La Cocina’s Liberation-Based Reflective Consultation® framework and is a member of ZERO TO THREE’s IECMH Diversity Collective. An immigrant from El Salvador, she resides in Fort Collins, Colorado, with her family.
Emerging Leadership Award - Policy
Sarah Barclay Hoffman
Program Manager, Children’s National Hospital
Sarah Barclay Hoffman is a policy leader in improving mental health outcomes for children and families. At Children’s National Hospital, she manages community mental health initiatives and advocates for equitable early childhood mental health policies.
She has secured funding to expand access to developmental and mental health care for families in Washington, DC. Sarah’s expertise spans perinatal mental health, pediatric primary care integration, and public systems reform. A member of the 2016-2018 Fellowship class, Sarah lives in DC with her husband and two sons.
Emerging Leadership Award - Research
Dr. Diana Morelen
Associate Professor, Clinical Child Psychology, Department of Psychology, East Tennessee State University
Dr. Diana Morelen is an associate professor of psychology at East Tennessee State University and a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in perinatal and infant mental health. She is committed to breaking the intergenerational transmission of trauma through evidence-based prevention and intervention programs.
Dr. Morelen integrates trauma-informed, relationship-based approaches to promote resilience and wellbeing for communities and professionals. She lives in northeast Tennessee with her family, drawing on personal experiences with perinatal anxiety, neurodiversity, and NICU parenting to inform her work.
ZERO TO THREE Announces Winners of the 2nd Annual Emerging Leadership Award
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