Marlena Minkos, Ph.D., NCSP, BCBA
Dr. Minkos is a licensed psychologist, nationally certified school psychologist, and board certified behavior analyst with over 15 years of experience supporting children and adolescents in clinical and educational settings across the state of Connecticut. She earned her masters degree in school psychology from the University of Massachusetts Boston and her doctorate from the University of Connecticut. Throughout her career, Dr. Minkos has been motivated by a deep commitment to supporting educators, strengthening schools, and improving the lives of children. She has assisted with the development of evidence-based programming at both the individual student and systems levels, with a particular emphasis on data-based decision making and implementation of multi-tiered systems of support to address academic, social-emotional, and behavioral outcomes. Dr. Minkos served as the project evaluator for the Connecticut School Climate Transformation Grant and has facilitated professional development on a variety of topics related to school behavioral health. In addition, she has published several peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters, presented at national conferences, and taught graduate level courses in the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut.
Selected Publications
Minkos, M. L., Trudel, S., & Winter, E. (2023). Adaptation of universal behavioral supports within an alternative educational setting. Journal of Special Education, 57(2), 118-128. DOI: 10.1177/00224669221140568
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Freeman, J., Minkos, M. L., & Traverso, K. S. (2022). Leveraging multi-tiered systems of support to enhance educational leadership. White paper prepared with support from the CT School Climate Transformation Grant. https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/SDE/Social-Emotional-Learning/MTSS_Leadership.pdf
Dukes III, L. L., Messina, A. F., Gelbar, N. W., & Minkos, M. L. (2021). How can schools respond long-term to COVID-19? International Journal of Social Policy and Education, 3(6), 91-102.
Minkos, M. L. & Gelbar, N. W. (2021). Considerations for educators in supporting student learning in the midst of COVID-19. Psychology in the Schools, 58, 416-426. DOI: 10.1002/pits.22454
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Maykel, C. & Minkos, M. L. (2020). Physical activity interventions in the school setting. In Bray, M. A. & Maykel, C. (Eds.), Mind-Body Health: School-Based Interventions. American Psychological Association.
Minkos, M. L., Chafouleas, S. M., Bray, M. A., & LaSalle, T. P. (2018). Brief report: A preliminary investigation of a mindful breathing intervention to increase academic engagement in an alternative educational setting. Behavioral Disorders, 43(4), 436-443. DOI: 10.1177/0198742917740870
Minkos, M. L., Sassu, K. A., Gregory, J. L., Patwa, S. S., Theodore, L. A., & Femc-Bagwell, M. (2017). Culturally responsive practice and the role of school administrators. Psychology in the Schools, 54(10), 1260-1266. DOI: 10.1002/pits.22072