Dr. Romano is an Associate Professor in the School of Communication Science and Disorders and she is the Director of the Communication and Early Childhood Research and Practice Center. Her research focuses on caregiver implemented interventions to support the development of infants and toddlers with disabilities and those at risk for delays, professional development approaches for early childhood providers, and interventions that target prelinguistic communication skills.
Education
- Florida State University, B.A., 2004 English Literature and International Affairs
- Florida State University, M.S., 2009 Communication Science and Disorders
- Florida State University, Ph.D., 2012 Communication Science and Disorders
- CCC-SLP
Research Interests
Embedded interventions for infants and toddlers, coaching caregivers and professional development for providers, early communication development
Teaching Interests
Normal communication development, Family-centered services, Intervention for infants and toddlers
Publications & Research
Select Recent Publications
Romano, M., Schnurr, M., Barton, E. E., Woods, J., & Weigel, C. (2023). Using peer coaches as community-based competency drivers in Part C early intervention. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 43(2), 89-102.
Abarca, D. L., Romano, M., & Rodriguez, E. (2023). Latin American mothers’ first-hand accounts of a statewide early intervention model: A Funds of Knowledge approach. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 02711214231158337.
Romano, M., Lorio, C., Delehanty, A., Eugenio, J., Abarca, D., Trivedi, B., Brown, J. (2022). Family routines within caregiver implemented interventions: A scoping review. Journal of Early Intervention. https://doi.org/10.1177/10538151211062206
Larson, A., Romano, M., Meyers-Denman, C., Eugenio, J., & Olsen, S. (2022). Exploration of web-based professional development to support caregiver coaching in telepractice. Perspectives- Telepractice. https://doi.org/10.1044/2021_PERSP-21-00089
Romano, M., Eugenio, H., & Kiratzis, E. (2021). Coaching childcare providers to use classroom wide strategies to support toddlers' gesture use with children experiencing early childhood poverty. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in the Schools, 52(2), 686-701. https://doi.org/10.1044/2020_LSHSS-20-00112
Lorio, C., Delehanty, A. & Romano M. (2021). A systematic review of parent–child shared book reading interventions for infants and toddlers. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education.
Romano, M., Eugenio, H. & Kiratzis, E. (2021) Coaching childcare providers to support toddlers' gesture use with children experiencing early childhood poverty. Language Speech and Hearing Services in the Schools, 52(2), 686-701.
Romano, M., & Schnurr, M. (2020). Mind the gap: Strategies to bridge the research-to-practice divide in early intervention caregiver coaching practices. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 0271121419899163.
Lorio, C. M., Romano, M., Woods, J. J., & Brown, J. (2020). A review of problem solving and reflection as caregiver coaching strategies in early intervention. Infants & Young Children, 33(1), 35-70.
Romano, M., Kaiser, A. P., Lounds-Taylor, J., & Woods, J. (2019) Rates of prelinguistic and early symbol use in young children with Down syndrome: Using a progress-monitoring tool to model growth. American Journal of Speech-language Pathology.
Romano, M. K., & Windsor, K. S. (2019). Increasing deictic gesture use to support the language development of toddlers from high poverty backgrounds. Early Childhood Research Quarterly.
Biel, C. H., Buzhardt, J., Brown, J. A., Romano, M. K., Lorio, C. M., Windsor, K. S., ... & Goldstein, H. (2019). Language interventions taught to caregivers in homes and classrooms: A review of intervention and implementation fidelity. Early Childhood Research Quarterly.
Romano, M., & Woods, J. (2018). Collaborative Coaching With Early Head Start Teachers Using Responsive Communication Strategies. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 38(1), 30-41.
Salisbury, C., Woods, J., Snyder, P., Moddelmog, K., Mawdsley, H., Romano, M., & Windsor, K. (2018). Caregiver and Provider Experiences With Coaching and Embedded Intervention. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 38(1), 17-29.
Ottley, J. R., Brown, J. A., Romano, M. K., Coogle, C. G., & Lakey, E. (2017). Feedback to enhance families’ competence and confidence. In C. M. Trivette & B. Keilty (Eds.), DEC Recommended Practices Monograph Series: Using Family Practices With All Families. Arlington, VA: Division for Early Childhood.
Friedman, M., & Woods, J. (2015). Coaching Early Head Start teachers to support child communication across daily classroom routines. Infants and Young Children, 28, 308-322.
Grants & Awards
Select Research Grants and Contracts
Reichow, B., Romano, M. (Co-PI), Snyder, P., Gurka, M., & Woods, J. (Jul 2021–Jun 2025). Initial Efficacy Trial of Florida Embedded Practices with Caregivers. Funded by Institute of Education Sciences. Total award $3,799,856.
Romano, Mollie (PI) R324L180013, IES Low-cost short duration evaluation grant 08/01/18-07/31/20.
Romano, M. (PI). Iowa Department of Education (2017-2023). Iowa Distance Mentoring Model (IA-DMM).