Kristin Beylo, Coordinator, Family Violence Prevention Council
Kristin is the Coordinator of the Family Violence Prevention Council of Broome County- a collaborative function of the Broome County government which works to address and reduce incidents of child abuse, elder abuse, and domestic abuse since 1985. She has worked at Broome County Department of Social Services since 2011. She is the current chair of Broome County’s Youth Bureau and sits on the Broome Tioga Child Fatality Review Team, Broome Overdose Action Collaborative, and several local and state planning committees. She is certified as an NYS Mandated Reporter trainer, John Hopkin’s School of Nursing Lethality and Danger Assessment in intimate partner violence, and is a Safe Sleep Ambassador. She is committed to helping families impacted by poverty avoid unnecessary government survilience through education and access to basic needs!
Kelley Cook, LCSW-R, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work, Binghamton University College of Community and Public Affairs
Kelley has nearly 20 years of experience as a social worker, providing teaching and education, individual and family therapy, leadership, crisis intervention, case management, and clinical supervision. Kelley is an Assistant Professor in Binghamton University’s Department of Social Work and conducts research on suicide prevention and mental health issues. Her teaching and practice is largely grounded in preventative, client-centered, and strengths-based approaches, and she is particularly interested in research aimed at improving the mental health and well-being of youth.
Patricia Follette, Ed.D., Former Superintendent,Whitney Point Central School District
Patricia Follette, Ed.D., retired as the Superintendent of the Whitney Point Central School District in June 2021 after serving the district for thirteen years. During her 33-year career in education, Patricia was also a Reading Recovery Teacher Leader and the Supervisor of Curriculum, Instruction, and Educational Leadership at Broome-Tioga BOCES. She started her career as an elementary and literacy teacher in the Union-Endicott School District. An alum of Binghamton University, Patricia earned her M.S. and Ed.D. in Education. She is currently a consultant for Binghamton University’s Community Schools Technical Assistant Center (TAC). She continues to promote school and community collaborations to ensure that all students have the support they need to be successful.
Keisha Wint, PhD, LCSW, Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work, Binghamton University College of Community and Public Affairs
Keisha is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Work at Binghamton University and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Her research interests are based on 20 years of experience as a social work practitioner serving in schools, communities, and private practice. Dr. Wint’s current research focuses on understanding factors that strengthen child-teacher relationships. She explores educational experiences of young children who have experienced marginalization in schools, namely Black preschool boys. Dr. Wint’s recent study includes identifying tools and resources for preschool educators to effectively communicate with young children about grief-related experiences. Her goals as a research scholar are to collaborate with community stakeholders to develop and execute translational research which improves educational outcomes for young children starting early in the life course.
Sam Bligen, Assistant Director, Office of Diversity Programs in Engineering, Cornell University
As the Assistant Director of Inclusive Graduate Student Success & ACS Ezra’s Bridge Program (ezrasbridge), Samuel assists the college in managing and executing the Ezra’s Bridge Program, as well as graduate and undergraduate student success initiatives. Samuel earned his Bachelor’s from SUNY Oswego and his MSW from Binghamton University in 2015. He has significant experience working with students at the K-12, undergraduate, and graduate levels but also working with students and families within the community during his tenure as a District Community Schools Social Worker & Coordinator. Samuel has also served as an Adjunct Lecturer, Program Creator/ Developer /Director, and as an Associate Director in the Multicultural Resource Center within the Department of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI).