Doctoral Students

Current Students

• Saira Afzal
• Caleb Baukman
• Christina Belknap
• Quinn Cao
• Ivy Rose Cardillo
• Sandy Castillo Guiracocha
• Jeanne Chang
• Deborah Fitzgerald Correll
• Christine Marie Egizi
• Kara Mia Vigilia Escobar
• Mariana Folco
• Stephanie S. Franklin
• Jim Grilli
• Marie Anntoinette Hall
• Katie King
• Lindsey Norton
• Andrea October
• Ann Perepezko
• Kal Skye
• Dawn M. Watson

Saira Afzal

Saira Rabia Afzal is a PhD Candidate at the Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research of Bryn Mawr College. Her research centers on developing and implementing youth suicide prevention and intervention strategies, with particular focus on marginalized populations. She is committed to improving access to mental health care services for youth and ensuring that these services are delivered in effective and culturally responsive ways. She is interested in utilizing mixed methods to investigate the complex nature of youth suicide and its impact on youth, families, and communities. Read Saira Afzal's Biography

Caleb Baukman

Caleb Baukman is a social worker and educator with a deep passion for social justice. Caleb has over 10 years of experience working with children, students, and young adults in a variety of settings. Before becoming a PhD student at Bryn Mawr College, Caleb provided social work services through a nonprofit organization at Fleetwood Area Middle School. At Fleetwood, Caleb specialized in individual case management and worked toward increasing feelings of belonging and social emotional learning schoolwide. He received his BSW from Kutztown University in 2019 and his MSW from Howard University in 2020 with a concentration in mental health. Caleb has done extensive work in empowering and supporting young people of color by providing leadership opportunities, mentoring, and creating spaces to celebrate their individual cultures and identities. Caleb’s research is focused on the intersections of identity, resiliency, and education in relation to young people.  Read Caleb Baukman's Biography

Christina Belknap

Christina Belknap is a licensed clinical social worker and doctoral student. She received an MSW from the University of Pennsylvania in 2017, where she was selected for a competitive PEARLS Fellowship, a Program in Mental Health Education Assessment, Recovery and Leadership for Social Workers. Belknap is a practicing clinician working primarily with adults, couples, and families in areas of mental health, trauma, and substance use. She is trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy (EMDR) and certified in faith-based spiritual counseling. Belknap is currently a facilitator for the GSSWSR CONNECT Wellness program and a teaching assistant at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy and Practice. Read Christina Belknap's Biography

Quinn Cao

Quinn Cao holds a BA in English from the University of Virginia and an MSW from Virginia Commonwealth University. They have received the McPherson Award for Excellence from Bryn Mawr College, as well as the Elaine Rothenberg Social Work Award and the School of Social Work Service and Leadership Award, both from Virginia Commonwealth University.  Read Quinn Cao's Biography

 Ivy Rose Cardillo

Ivy Rose Cardillo (she/her) is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (Oregon) who has spent the entirety of her career focused on supporting parents. After receiving her Master of Social Work degree from Smith College School for Social Work, Ivy Rose worked within a reproductive health clinic offering therapy and case management to birthing parents. Read Ivy Rose Cardillo's Biography 

Deborah Fitzgerald Correll

Deborah Fitzgerald Correll, M.S.S., J.D., received her master’s in social services from the Bryn Mawr College Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and the Temple University Beasley School of Law, Deborah returned to school to study clinical social work after practicing as an attorney and mediator for over twenty years.  Read Deborah Fitzgerald Correll's Biography

Christine Egizi

Christine is a licensed clinical social worker with more than a decade of experience in behavioral health, clinical practice, and nonprofit leadership. She previously served as the Senior Director of Atlantic Homeless Alliance and Justice Involved Services at Jewish Family Service, where she oversaw homeless services—including Atlantic County’s Coordinated Entry system—justice-involved programming, a mental health and substance use co-response partnership with the Atlantic City Police Department, and the agency’s social-service partnership with Central Municipal Court.  Read Christine Egizi's Biography

 Kara Mia Vigilia Escobar

Kara Mia is a licensed social worker in New Jersey. She holds a BA from New York University, with magna cum laude honors, and MSW from Columbia University’s School of Social Work. Her most recent work as a certified screener, serving persons in crisis, will ground her research with clinical experience and experiential knowledge. She is currently in her second year of doctoral studies at Bryn Mawr College’s Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research. Read Kara Mia Vigilia Escobar's Biography

Mariana Folco

A native Spanish-speaker from Argentina, Mariana Folco holds an MSW with clinical concentration from the University of Pennsylvania and a BS from Boston University. She has spent a decade working in nonprofit organizations, bilingual social service agencies, and youth development programs. A lifelong athlete and longtime coach, Folco has worked as a facilitator and adjunct instructor to integrate trauma-informed practices into youth programs, particularly those that use sport as a tool for development and community building. She currently also serves as a field instructor for the Sport Social Work Certificate program through the Alliance of Social Workers in Sports. Read Mariana Folco's Biography

Stephanie S. Franklin

Stephanie S. Franklin is a doctoral candidate at Bryn Mawr College’s Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Baltimore School of Law. Stephanie is an attorney and President and CEO of the Franklin Law Group, P.C., a Maryland law firm whose work includes child welfare and civil and human rights litigation and advocacy. In October 2026, Governor Wes Moore appointed her as an Expert Attorney Member of the Maryland Reparations Commission.  Read Stephanie S. Franklin's Biography

Jim Grilli

Jim Grilli is a licensed clinical social worker, artist, and writer. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of the Arts, participated in the Independent Study Program at the Whitney Museum of American Art, and earned his Master of Social Work from Temple University.  Read Jim Grilli's Biography

 Marie Anntoinette Hall

Marie is a licensed social worker in Virginia, Maryland, Washington D., and Pennsylvania. She holds a BA from Virginia State University, with magna cum laude honors, and MSW from Columbia University’s School of Social Work. She is currently in her second year of doctoral studies at Bryn Mawr College’s Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research. Marie’s research interests focus on school social workers engagement with ethical decision making, making do, social emotional learning, and adolescent identity development. Read Marie Anntoinette Hall's Biography 

Katie King

Katie is a licensed clinical social worker who has over a decade of experience providing clinical support to various populations and has intensive training in providing trauma-informed and trauma-focused services to children and families, in particular.  Katie received her Master of Social Work (clinical concentration) and Master of Public Health (global health concentration) from Temple University. Read Katie King's Biography

Lindsey Norton

Lindsey Norton received her Masters of Social Service and Masters of Law and Social Policy from Bryn Mawr’s Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research. She has spent more than five years performing clinical research at the University of Pennsylvania and the Penn Center for Community Health Workers. Read Lindsey Norton's Biography

Andrea October

Andrea October is the Trauma Resilience Training Coordinator for Philadelphia's Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services, providing trauma trainings and consultation. Her research areas include trauma intervention with communities of color and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) education. Read Andrea October's Biography

Ann Perepezko

Ann Perepezko is a licensed social worker and School Intervention Coach at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia's Center for Violence Prevention. In this role, Perepezko partners with schools throughout Philadelphia to implement school-based interventions that improve children's social and emotional skills and promote positive peer relationships. Read Ann Perepezko's Biography

Kal Skye

Kal Skye received their master’s degree in social work with a clinical concentration from the University of Kansas and has worked in various social work settings, including child welfare, refugee resettlement, and hospice care. Read Kal Skye's Biography

Dawn M. Watson

Dawn M. Watson is a licensed social worker with an interest in macro social work practice. She holds a BA in Political Science from Penn State Erie, the Behrend College, and MSW from Millersville University. Her prior professional roles include children and youth services, public welfare, and human services administration. Read Dawn Watson's Biography