Conversations with the people doing the work

This week on the Boston School Psychs Podcast, we are joined by Laura Shachmut, a school psychologist with Boston Public Schools, for a conversation about leadership, systems-level practice, and the evolving role of school psychologists in supporting students and school communities. Laura shares her professional journey, reflecting on the experiences that shaped her career and her passion for creating positive, student-centered learning environments. The discussion explores the many ways school psychologists can influence school systems beyond individual evaluations and counseling services. Laura highlights the importance of prevention, consultation, PBIS, and school-wide initiatives that pr

This week on the Boston School Psychs Podcast, we are joined by Dr. Andria Amador, Senior Director of Behavioral Health Services for Boston Public Schools, for an in-depth conversation about comprehensive school psychological services and the systems that support student success. Drawing on her leadership experience in one of the largest school districts in the country, Dr. Amador shares how Boston Public Schools has expanded and redefined the role of school psychologists to better meet the academic, behavioral, social, and emotional needs of students. The discussion explores the structure and vision of the Behavioral Health Services Department and the many ways school psychologists contribu

This week on the Boston School Psychs Podcast, we are joined by Dr. Carolyn Hall for an engaging conversation on leadership, school psychology practice, and the systems-level work that helps create meaningful change for students and school communities. Dr. Hall shares her professional journey into school psychology, reflecting on the experiences that shaped her path from work in adult psychiatric settings to her leadership role supporting school-based behavioral health initiatives within Boston Public Schools. The discussion explores the evolving role of school psychologists and the importance of developing systems that promote academic, behavioral, and social-emotional success for all stude

This week on the Boston School Psychs Podcast, we are joined by Dr. Jennifer Greif Green of Boston University and Cynthia Lê of Boston Public Schools for an in-depth conversation on Project Provide, a federally funded initiative designed to strengthen the school mental health workforce. Together, they share how this multi-million dollar grant is supporting the recruitment, training, mentorship, and retention of school psychologists, school counselors, and school social workers across the district. The discussion explores how Project Provide was developed through strong collaboration between Boston Public Schools, local universities, and community partners. Dr. Green and Cynthia explain how t

This week on the Boston School Psychs Podcast, we are joined by Dr. Anastasia “Stacy” Skalski, former Director of Professional Policy and Practice at the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), for a powerful conversation on advocacy, leadership, and the impact of the NASP Practice Model. With over 30 years of experience in the field, Stacy shares insights from her career connecting research, policy, and practice to strengthen school psychological services and improve outcomes for students. The discussion explores the NASP Practice Model and how it serves as a framework for delivering comprehensive, high-quality services in schools. Stacy breaks down the key components of the mo

This week on the Boston School Psychs Podcast, we are joined by Sarah Hayden and Mike Sweeney Morrison, school psychologists in Boston Public Schools, for a practical and engaging conversation about navigating the first year as a school psychologist. Together, they share real-world advice to help early career school psychologists build confidence, stay organized, and provide meaningful support to students and school teams. The discussion explores what “Day 1” actually looks like, from managing logistics and learning school systems to building relationships with teachers, staff, and administrators. Sarah and Mike offer practical strategies for handling multiple schools, balancing caseload dem

This week on the Boston School Psychs Podcast, we are joined by Katherine Cowan, former Director of Communications for the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), for an engaging conversation about advocacy, communication, and building the voice of school psychology. Together with Dr. Andria Amador, Senior Director of Behavioral Health Services for Boston Public Schools, the discussion explores how school psychologists can effectively communicate their impact and advocate for meaningful systems change. Kathy reflects on her 25 year career with NASP and shares key lessons on the importance of collaboration, strategic communication, and using data to support advocacy efforts. She

This week on the Boston School Psychs Podcast, we are excited to share a special crossover episode with The School Collective Podcast. Dr. Andria Amador, Senior Director of Behavioral Health Services for Boston Public Schools, is joined by fellow school psychologists and School Collective hosts Dr. Chris Ponce, Amy Shatila, and Brook Roberts for a collaborative conversation about leadership, mentorship, and the evolving role of school psychologists. Together, the group reflects on what they have learned from hosting podcasts and engaging with school psychologists across different contexts. The group shares stories from early career experiences, first NASP conferences, and the moments that he

This week on the Boston School Psychs Podcast, we are joined by María del Carmen Needham, bilingual school psychologist and passionate advocate for emerging bilingual students, for an insightful conversation about culturally responsive school psychology and supporting multilingual learners. Together with Dr. Andria Amador, Senior Director of Behavioral Health Services for Boston Public Schools, the discussion explores how relationships, advocacy, and thoughtful practices can help schools better serve students from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Carmen shares how her lived experience shapes her work with emerging bilingual students and families, and offers practical guidance for

This week on the Boston School Psychs Podcast, we’re joined by Dr. Byron McClure, nationally certified school psychologist, founder of School Psych AI, and co author of Hacking Deficit Thinking , for an inspiring and practical conversation about the future of school psychology. Together with Dr. Andria Amador, Senior Director of Behavioral Health Services for Boston Public Schools, the discussion explores how innovation and strengths based practices can expand the impact of school psychologists in meaningful ways. Dr. McClure shares the story behind School Psych AI and offers practical guidance for how school psychologists can begin using AI tools ethically and effectively in their daily wor

This week on the Boston School Psychs Podcast, we’re joined by Alex Freeman, CBHM/MTSS Coach for the Behavioral Health Services team in Boston Public Schools, for an in-depth conversation about leadership, coaching, and the evolving role of school psychologists within a large urban district. Alex shares how he decided to become a school psychologist and reflects on his professional journey from school-based practice to a district-level coaching role. He discusses how his work has expanded beyond traditional responsibilities to include coaching school teams, supporting tiered systems of support, and helping schools bring the Comprehensive Behavioral Health Model to life. The conversation high

This week on the Boston School Psychs Podcast, we’re joined by Hani Murad and Paola Enciso, school psychologists in Boston Public Schools and union representatives, for an in-depth conversation about union advocacy and its impact on educators and students across the district. Hani and Paola share their professional backgrounds and reflect on what motivated them to step into union advocacy roles. They discuss how union representatives advocate for school psychologists and other educators in Boston, including efforts to improve working conditions, ensure appropriate protections, and secure the resources staff need to effectively support students. The conversation highlights how union advocacy

This week on the Boston School Psychs Podcast, we’re joined by Dr. Sheila Desai , Director of Equity and Inclusive Practices at the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), along with Dr. Andria Amador , Senior Director of Behavioral Health Services for Boston Public Schools, for an in-depth conversation about strengthening culturally responsive practices in school psychology. Dr. Desai shares insights from her leadership at NASP, including recommendations and resources that support school psychologists in building equity-focused, culturally responsive systems. She discusses how culturally responsive practices extend beyond individual interactions and into broader school-wide app

This week on the Boston School Psychs Podcast, we’re joined by Dr. Achilles Bardos and Dr. Carolyn Hall for an insightful discussion about universal behavioral health screening and its impact on student wellbeing. Dr. Bardos, CEO and founding member of Edumetrisis, LLC, and co-developer of the Behavior Intervention Monitoring Assessment System (BIMAS-2), shares the story behind the tool’s development and how it has evolved over more than three decades to support prevention, progress monitoring, and data-driven decision-making. He explains how integrating technology into behavioral assessment has transformed how schools nationwide identify and support students’ social-emotional needs. Dr. Hal

This week on the Boston School Psychs Podcast, we’re joined by Arabiye Artola Bonanno and Pravash Kumar, school psychology doctoral interns completing their internship year in Boston Public Schools (BPS). BPS is the only school district in Massachusetts to offer a doctoral-level training program within the district, and we are proud that the program was recently awarded APPIC status. Together, they discuss how their internship has helped them bridge the gap between research and real-world practice, the rewarding experiences that have shaped their growth, and how collaboration with educators across settings strengthens student support. They also reflect on working within a highly diverse scho

This week on the Boston School Psychs Podcast, we’re joined by Dr. Amber Harris, NASP Treasurer and Assistant Professor at Louisiana State University Shreveport, along with Dr. Andria Amador, Senior Director of Behavioral Health Services in Boston Public Schools.Together, they explore the power of connection in school psychology such as how fostering relationships, advocacy, and community can strengthen and sustain the profession. Reflecting on her 15 years of experience as a school psychologist and her leadership at both the state and national levels, Dr. Harris shares meaningful insights on supporting one another in the field. The conversation also touches on the popular Facebook forum she

This week on the Boston School Psychs Podcast, we’re joined by Dr. Ivonne Borrero, Psy.D., Assistant Director of Behavioral Health Services for Boston Public Schools.With over three decades of experience, Dr. Borrero shares practical tips for supporting multilingual learners, drawing from her work as an assistant director, bilingual school psychologist, adjunct professor, and clinical psychologist. She discusses how school psychologists can foster inclusive practices, strengthen family collaboration, and promote equitable support for multilingual learners.

This week on the Boston School Psychs Podcast, we’re joined by Dr. Eric Rossen, Executive Director of the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), along with Dr. Andria Amador, Senior Director of Behavioral Health Services in Boston Public Schools. Together, we explore how NASP is advocating for school psychologists, helping build community, promoting meaningful discussions, and addressing challenges such as workforce shortages in school psychology. Dr. Rossen and Dr. Amador also share how the NASP Practice Model can serve as an advocacy tool to support an expanded, more comprehensive role for school psychologists, one that goes beyond assessment to utilize the full range of skil

Welcome to the Boston School Psychs Podcast! These conversations with Boston school psychologists highlight the people, practices, and partnerships that strengthen behavioral health and promote student well-being across Boston Public Schools. Episodes will be released every Wednesday, beginning with today’s episode. In our very first episode, we are honored to sit down with Dr. Andria Amador , Senior Director of Behavioral Health Services in BPS and the driving force behind the Comprehensive Behavioral Health Model (CBHM). A nationally recognized leader, Dr. Amador has led the transformation of behavioral health in Boston schools from a small pilot to a district-wide framework that is now sh