Children, Youth and Families Concentration

Fernanda Artimos de Oliveira is a doctoral student in Children, Youth, and Families concentration at the Heller School. She is a lawyer licensed to practice Law in Brazil since 2007 and holds a Master's Degree in Health Sciences from the Federal Fluminense University (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) where her research aimed to address the impact of public health programs and social policies on children with severe disabilities (Congenital ZIKA Syndrome) affected by the Zika virus epidemic, which peaked in Brazil between 2015 and 2017. Her research interests include examining the effects of public policies on vulnerable, at-risk populations (such as people with disabilities, those dealing with chronic diseases, or those requiring long-term care) and how the healthcare delivery system and the social safety net can ameliorate these inequities.                                               

Jessica Chaikof is a doctoral student in the Children, Youth, and Families concentration. Her research interests center in disability policy, in particular chronic illness, disability, and accessibility in higher education. Chaikof earned her MA in Sociology Research & Practice from American University and her BA in sociology along with a minor in chemistry from Wheaton College (MA). Currently, she is a co-investigator on a study examining the everyday impact of endometriosis on college students. In addition, Chaikof has been working closely with the Immigration Lab at American University in looking at how immigration and disability status intersect and play a role in accessing critical resources such as education, healthcare, and employment. Her experiences of living with a disability not only motivate her research but also are a strength that shapes and guides it.

Shaakira Parker is a doctoral student in the Children, Youth, and Families concentration. Her interest areas include early childhood policy, in particular the role of public policy in preventing and mitigating early childhood adversities for Black and low-income children, as well as the interconnection between family and neighborhood context, racial inequities, and healthy child development. Prior to pursuing her doctorate degree, Shaakira worked as an associate program officer in the Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, where she worked on a study focused on improving the child and adolescent healthcare system. Before that, she worked as a policy associate in the Child Health Advocacy Institute and the Early Childhood Innovation Network at Children's National Hospital, where she focused on policy, advocacy, and systems change to improve the public behavioral health system for children and families in the District of Columbia. Shaakira holds a Master of Public Health degree from the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health and a Bachelor of Science degree in child development from Vanderbilt University. 

Roberto S. Salva is a doctoral candidate and the current Sol Chick and Rosalind B. Chaikin Endowed Fellow in child and family policy. He holds an MPA from the National University of Singapore and a BS in Statistics from the University of the Philippines. Before coming to Heller, he led the EU-funded baseline study on child participation in the ASEAN and the ASEAN Member States; drafted guidelines on child participation for the deliberation of the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Women and Children; peer reviewed the Philippine study on violence against children, and consulted for various nonprofit organizations including The Asia Foundation, Save the Children and Consuelo Zobel Alger Foundation. Before that, he led a nonprofit organization for the deaf in the Philippines for six years and worked with urban poor communities through research and community organizing.

Kaitlin Stober is a PhD student in the Children, Youth, and Families concentration. She is interested in research that centers the voices, experiences, and perspectives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, particularly as it relates to inclusion in education and the community. Kaitlin serves as a Senior Research Specialist at the University of Illinois Chicago’s Institute on Disability and Human Development. There, she co-led the development of UIC’s Co-Op program, a fully inclusive and credit-bearing college program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She holds a MS in Disability Studies from Trinity College Dublin, and a BA in Sociology and Art from Elon University.

Armando Vizcardo is a doctoral student in the Children, Youth, and Families concentration. Armando received a Master’s in Public Policy from the Heller School at Brandeis University and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from UMass Boston. His research focuses on immigrants’ access to social safety net programs, assessing social inequities and its impact on the racial wealth gap, and examining how traditional welfare policies can work tangent with asset-building interventions. Prior to his candidacy, Armando worked at Abt Associates evaluating a range of social and public programs focused on housing, education, workforce development, and financial capability.