Forum Moderator & Panelist
Teresa Hargrave, MD, Emeritus Associate Professor,
SUNY Upstate Department of Psychology
Teresa Hargrave is a highly accomplished pediatrician and child psychiatrist. She has a diverse background in public health and reproductive physiology, and her passion lies in helping our suffering community understand that the path to healing runs through the supports it gives to our babies from conception through the first five years of life.
Teresa’s journey in medicine led her to Bolivia where she spent three years as a Maryknoll Lay Missioner, practicing family medicine in a rural Quechua village. 36 years ago, Teresa returned to the States and worked as a pediatrician at Syracuse Community Health Center for 13 years. During this time, she became increasingly overwhelmed by the mental health needs of her patients, which led her to retrain in child and adolescent psychiatry at Upstate.
For the past eleven years, Teresa has been a part of Project TEACH, where she consults with clinicians who see children to help them assess and manage the mental health needs of their patients. In 2020, Teresa “retired” as an Emeritus Associate Professor of Psychiatry, having left an indelible mark on the field of child psychiatry.
Teresa is a proud mother of four children who graduated from Syracuse City Schools. Her dedication to the well-being of children and families has been a driving force throughout her career. She continues to be an inspiration in the medical community.
Forum Panelist
Anne Napper, Executive Director,
Child Care Solutions, Inc.
Anne has extensive expertise in the field of education with over 30 years of working in Early Childhood Education. She grew up in upstate New York and began her career while pursuing her degree in Education/Psychology Child Life.
Anne started as an Early Head Start Teacher and worked her way up to Head Start Director, prior to becoming the Executive Director of Child Care Solutions, Inc.
Anne’s philosophy is that Early childhood education is the foundation upon which the future of every individual and society as a whole is built. This philosophy is rooted in the belief that the early years of a child’s life are not just a preparation for the future but a crucial and unique stage of life deserving of care, respect, and intentional nurturing.
Forum Panelist
Monica Dilone LMSW, Public Health Social Worker,
Onondaga County Health Department
Monica grew up in New York City with her parents and three brothers. She decided to become a social worker when she was 16 years old after watching her mother work at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Hospital, assisting countless patients navigate the healthcare system.
She graduated from Binghamton University in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and continued her studies at Syracuse University where she received her master’s degree in Social Work in 2011. She served foster care children and youth who had medical, physical, emotional, and/or developmental challenges at Elmcrest Children’s Center for four years before joining the Onondaga County Health Department in 2015.
Currently, she provides therapeutic and case management services through the Healthy Families Program, which provides services to pregnant and parenting families, and other community members, promoting prenatal, postpartum, interconception, reproductive, and family health. She works alongside an amazing team of community health workers, nurses, educators, parents, medical providers, and community agencies who all work towards improving the lives of women, children, and families in Onondaga County. Their goal is to help moms have healthy babies and help families give their babies a healthy start in life. Monica is very excited to have received her certification as a Lactation Consultant this year and is dedicated to the promotion, protection, and support of breastfeeding.
When she’s not working, she loves spending time with her husband, Andres, and their very active two-year-old daughter, Luna. In her spare time, she enjoys yoga, dancing, reading, video games, crafting, and hand-making jewelry.