Update: Aug. 3, 2016

Re-envisioning update #1: Focus groups, Sue Spieker professorship

Read our latest news below, and please feel free to share this information.

Focus group sessions

Please mark your calendar for our next meetings with the Infant Mental Health Community and Barnard Center friends and supporters.

Session 1
3 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 8, 2016
Magnuson Health Sciences Center, T-332 (located off the School of Nursing lobby)Reservations are requested by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 6. Email bcimhd@uw.edu.

Session 2
10 a.m. to noon, Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2016
Magnuson Health Sciences Center, T-332 (located off the School of Nursing lobby)
Reservations are requested by 5 p.m. Monday, Sept. 19. Email bcimhd@uw.edu.

Dr. Pam Mitchell, executive associate dean, and Jen Thompson, chief operating officer, will facilitate the meetings. The agenda for both meetings is the same and includes:

• Background about the Barnard Center and the decision to pause operations
• Group discussion about center sustainability
• Group input on the center’s mission and goals in context of current field needs, political climate and Kathryn Barnard’s original intent

Discussion notes will be posted after the meeting. We look forward to your suggestions and input!

Spieker awarded Barnard Professorship

Dr. Susan J. Spieker has been awarded the Kathryn Barnard Endowed Professorship for Infant Mental Health.

This endowment enhances the university’s ability to recognize distinguished faculty who advance knowledge related to infant and early childhood mental health and development. It rewards a faculty member whose commitment reflects the standards of academic excellence of the UW School of Nursing and provides support for activities, such as teaching, research, practice and public education about infant and early childhood mental health and development.

Dr. Spieker brings deep dedication to research, teaching, and public service and a distinguished record in all three. Her research has focused on infant and child social development with particular emphasis on vulnerable populations, where infants face adverse circumstances. This follows a pioneering research trail blazed by Dr. Kathyrn Barnard, whose memory is honored with professorship.

Congratulations to Dr. Spieker! 

Interim director

Dr. Monica Oxford has been named interim director at the Barnard Center during the re-envisioning process. She has stepped into this role in addition to her responsibilities as a faculty member in our Family and Child Nursing department and director of NCAST programs. Dr. Oxford has spent the last three months getting up to speed on the Barnard Center’s day-to-day operations and will be integrally involved in the re-envisioning process.

Questions, comments

We look forward to working with key stakeholders in the Infant Mental Health field, supporters, alumni and the community during this process. If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact Jen Thompson at thomjenn@uw.edu or 206.616.3905.