Postgraduate Professional Development Programs

NYS Mandated Child Abuse Workshop
Speaker: Brian J. Harris, Psy.D., School Psychologist | Friday, October 9, 2026 | 10:00 am - 2:00 pm | Marillac Hall 403
Register Here

School Violence Workshop
Speaker: Kathleen P. Hurley, Psy.D., Neuropsychologist | Friday, November 13, 2026 | 10:00 am - 1:00 pm |
D'Angelo Center 416A 
Register Here

In keeping with its basic mission, St. John's University's Office of Postgraduate Professional Development Programs, in collaboration with Montclair State University encourages active participation from scholars, professionals, and researchers, some of whom are also members of the adoption triad, to shed light on the adoption process. As more and more families choose adoption, they are likely to face a wide range of issues for which they may be unprepared. The Adoption Initiative works to increase awareness and understanding in the professional and academic communities about these challenges, so that families have more resources to help them through the process. 

Since 2000, the Initiative has organized conferences/workshops that address adoption issues from a multidisciplinary, comprehensive, and multicultural perspectives which have resulted in several publications, including special issues in the Journal of Social Distress and Homeless and a comprehensive volume entitled The Handbook of Adoption: Implications for Researchers, Practitioners, and Families. These publications include information presented at our conferences, along with invited chapters from prominent scholars and professionals in the field of adoption. 

Randy Otto, Ph.D., ABPP 

Dr. Otto is licensed to practice psychology in New Mexico and Florida, is board certified in clinical psychology and forensic psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology. He earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Rochester, and master’s and doctoral degrees in clinical psychology from Florida State University. After serving as a clinical psychology intern at the Medical University of South Carolina, he completed 

a two year, NIMH-funded fellowship in the College of Law and Department of Psychology at the University of Nebraska, where he was awarded a master’s degree in legal studies. Dr. Otto joined the faculty in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine in May 2025, where he serves as Professor and Chief of the Division of Forensic Behavioral Sciences. 

Tim M. Tippins, Esq. 

Timothy Tippins is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Albany Law School and has served as an Adjunct Professor of Forensic Psychology at Siena College. He is a private practitioner who has engaged in matrimonial and family law practice for over 30 years. He now devotes his practice exclusively to serving as special counsel and consultant to other family law practiti

oners on a nationwide basis, serving as trial and appellate counsel, with special emphasis on the presentation and cross-examination of expert mental health testimony. 

Michael Vitacco, Ph.D., ABPP  

Dr. Vitacco is the co-founder of VP Forensic Psychology. He is a board-certified forensic psychologist who earned his doctorate in clinical psychology at the University of North Texas. He completed his predoctoral internship at a program jointly sponsored by the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and the United States Department of Justice. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship in forensic psychology at the University of Massachusetts School of Medicine. After his fellowship, he worked for several years at the Mendota Mental Health Institute in Madison, Wisconsin. Dr. Vitacco is currently a Professor at Augusta University in the Institute of Public and Preventive Health and the Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior. He is board-certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology. 

Joe Scroppo, Ph.D., J.D. 

Dr. Scroppo is a forensic psychologist and attorney. He is currently an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, and a Clinical Assistant Professor at the Hofstra University School of Medicine. Previously, he served as an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the New York University School of Medicine/Bellevue Hospital, and was former Director of the North Shore University Hospital Forensic Psychiatry Program. Dr. Scroppo has been appointed to New York's First and Second Judicial Departments' panels of certified expert witnesses in both criminal and family/juvenile proceedings and has served as an expert mental-health consultant in a wide range of civil and criminal litigation. Dr. Scroppo has consulted for the New York City Housing Authority, the New York City Corporation Counsel, the Federal Defenders, the Mental Hygiene Legal Service, and the New York—New Jersey Port Authority Police Department, and has worked as a Senior Forensic Psychologist for the New York City Family Court and as a Supervising Psychologist at the New York City Rikers Island Jail. Dr. Scroppo received a B.A. (cum laude) from the University of Chicago, his M.A. and Ph.D. from the Adelphi University Institute for Advanced Psychological Studies, and his J.D. (magna cum laude) from St. John’s University School of Law.  

Alan M Goldstein, Ph.D., ABPP 

Dr. Goldstein is a retired Professor of Psychology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice - CUNY and is a widely recognized expert and speaker on forensic issues. He is a Diplomate in Forensic Psychology of the American Board of Professional Psychology and a Fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Psychology. He serves as an expert witness for defense and prosecuting attorneys on the state and federal levels, where his work includes evaluations for validity of Miranda rights waivers, trial competence, criminal sentencing, issues related to criminal responsibility, death

 penalty litigation, and future risk of violence. He is also a consultant to a number of law enforcement agencies. 

Michael Perlin, J.D.  

Michael Perlin is a member of the New Jersey Bar since 1969 (state and federal courts) (retired, 2019); the United States Supreme Court Bar since 1980; the Third Circuit Court of Appe

als Bar since 1981; the New York Bar since 1985 (state court; admitted Third Department); the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Bar since 1987; the Bars of the Southern District and Eastern District of New York since 1987; the Second Circuit Court of Appeals Bar since 1987.

Kostas A. Katsavdakis, Ph.D., ABPP is a Licensed Psychologist and Diplomate in Forensic Psychology with the American Board of Professional Psychology. Dr. Katsavdakis has 30 years of experience with conducting Behavioral Threat Assessments, Forensic Evaluations as well as Clinical Assessment and Treatment for adult and juvenile populations.  

Dr. Piechowski is a board certified forensic psychologist and is licensed as a psychologist in six U.S. states (Maryland (#4827), Washington (#1000928), Virginia (#810005203), Massachusetts (#6769), New York (#12301), and New Jersey (#4335)). She is the 2016 president of the American Board of Forensic Psychology and previously served as chair of the American Psychological Association Committee on Professional Practice and Standards and the Committee on Legal Issues. She earned her Ph.D. at the University of Massachusetts in 1993. 

Dr. Hauser is a board-certified forensic psychologist employed at Whiting Forensic Hospital in Middletown, Connecticut. There, she oversees the competency restoration service and conducts forensic evaluations – competency, as well as general and sexual violence risk management – for the hospital. She is the Practice Sample Review Chair for the American Board of Forensic Psychology, is the Treasurer for the American Academy of Forensic Psychology, and previously represented Forensic Psychology on the Council of Specialties in Professional Psychology. Dr. Hauser also provides training and consultative services, both nationally and internationally, to practitioners and investigators in the areas of interviewing and credibility assessment, risk / threat assessment, and cognitive bias, as well as competency evaluation and restoration.  

Hon. Helen Gesmer  

Hon Gesmer received her bachelor's degree from Harvard College in 1972 and her J.D. from Yale Law School in 1976. Gesmer began her career in 1976 as a law clerk to the Hon. Joseph Tauro. She was elected judge of the New York City Civil Court in 2004. In 2004 she was assigned to the Kings County Civil Court and the New York County C

ivil Court. She also served the Bronx County Supreme Court and the New York City Criminal Court. From 2004 until 2011, she served on the Criminal Court of New York County and as an acting justice of the Supreme Court for the New York County Supreme Court. In 2011, she began serving on the New York Supreme Court 1st Judicial District until she was appointed to the appellate division in 2016. 

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Maureen Reardon, Ph.D., ABPP  

Dr. Reardon is one of only about 370 psychologists in the U.S. who have completed the rigorous credentialing and examination process of board certification in forensic psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology

 (ABPP). She is committed to promoting the highest standards of practice in forensic psychology not only in the quality of her work product, but also through active service and training activities. She has offered seminars and workshops for mental health and legal professionals on a variety of psycholegal topics, including forensic evaluation in capital cases, mental state defenses, involuntary treatment and commitment, diagnostic formulation, and expert consultation. She is Past President (2019) of the American Board of Forensic Psychology (ABFP) and for 10 years, served on the examination faculty for candidates seeking specialty board certification.  

Jemour A. Maddox, Psy.D., ABPP 

Dr. Maddux is co-developer of national APA forensic guidelines; one of fewer than 400 Board-Certified Forensic Psychologists; licensed in New York, New Jersey, and Maryland; and credentialed for practice in most of the U.S. through PSYPACT.

Dr. Maddux is the managing director of Lamb and Maddoux, LLC. He is board certified in forensic psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Psychology. His areas of interest include the assessment of harm, risk, and various abilities in family, civil, and police and public safety concepts. Primarily focused upon forensic practice, Dr. Maddux is an experienced evaluator having completed over 3,000 evaluations and affidavits in federal and state cases. He has served on multiple national committees charged with developing various policy statements, amicus briefs, and practice guidelines used by legal professionals and forensic practitioners throughout the United States. Dr. Maddux is a board member of the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC), which is the nation’s leading professional organization for child-maltreatment professionals. He is also a past President of the Forensic Division of the New York State Psychological Association. 

Hon. Daniel Conviser 

Hon. Conviser received his B.A. from Queens College in 1986 and his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School in 1990. He was a judge on the New York Court of Claims, appointed to the court by Governor Andrew Cuomo in 2007. He is also an Acting Justice for the New York County Supreme Court, Criminal Term in the 1st Judicial District of New York.