Gina McGovern PhD is an assistant professor of Human Development and Family Studies at Central Michigan University. She studies the effective practices of adults who work with youth, especially those that support the development of youth’s social-emotional skills and ethnic-racial identity. Her research is applied and has contributed to the development of training curriculum that facilitates the implementation of effective practices in youth-serving organizations. She is currently supporting the Chicago-based Hip-Hop F.I.R.M. to develop and deliver professional development experiences, youth programming, and a research agenda that promotes the positive development of Black youth. Her applied experience includes managing product development, performance reporting, and research initiatives at the David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality and serving for five years as a middle school math teacher.