2024 PhD Cohort

Mary Coyle

Mary Coyle received her undergraduate degree from Fordham University and her master’s in social work from The Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College. She is currently the Director of Social Work in the Criminal Defense Practice at Brooklyn Defender Services. There, she manages a team of over 30 social workers and works closely with the Senior Director of Interdisciplinary Practice. Mary’s specialty is mitigation writing and she has written hundreds of mitigation reports for pre-trial and post-conviction clients at various public defender organizations. Notably, she was a mitigation specialist with the Juvenile Life Without Parole project at the Defenders Association of Philadelphia and assisted in the resentencing hearings of dozens of individuals sentenced to life without parole as juveniles. She trains dozens of staff members each year in mitigation writing and conducts various writing workshops and presentations. She has presented her work nationally at social work conferences and trained staff at other public defender organizations in mitigation writing. Mary is thrilled to be a part of Adelphi’s School of Social Work’s doctoral program and she looks forward to the journey ahead!

Sharmaine Francis

Shamaine earned both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Social Work from Long Island University’s Brooklyn campus. Shamaine has a background in case management and nonprofit administration. She has been a School Social Worker for over a decade and currently works for New York City Public Schools (NYCPS). Shamaine is interested in examining the impact of Social Workers in leadership positions in K-12 education. She resides on Long Island with her husband and their 2 daughters.

Yvette Jones

Yvette Jones, LMSW is a licensed social worker and a NYSPEP Certified Parenting Educator. She has worked as the Clinic Coordinator for the Derner Child and Family Center, and is co-author of two articles in the Journal of Infant, Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy: ”Meeting the Needs of Children from Disadvantaged Households” and “Using Weaving Thoughts Peer Supervision Method to Generate a Nested Mentalization frame.” Her areas of focus are the impact of trauma on the mental health of children and families.

Neil Ramsahai

Neil earned his MSW from Stony Brook University, graduating from the School of Social Welfare. Right after completing his studies, he received his state license as an LMSW. He specializes in treating individuals who suffer from severe mental illness and addiction disorders. Neil started his Social Work career working at a homeless shelter in Sunnyside Queens, before joining Creedmoor Psychiatric Center in 2022. In 2024, Neil was honored as the Social Worker of the Year by Creedmoor. Neil currently holds a CASAC-T and has ambitions of becoming a CASAC-Advanced Counselor. Neil enjoys spending time with friends and family. He is a movie enthusiast as well. A Beautiful Mind and Vanilla Sky are among Neil’s favorite films.

Gwendolyn Taylor

Gwendoyln is a dynamic speaker, writer, and leader. Through her poetry and spoken word, Gwendolyn empowers women to be authentic by writing and telling their true stories. Gwendolyn’s academic journey is a testament to her commitment to learning and growth. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Medgar Evers College, a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership from Nyack College, and a Master’s in Social Work from Silberman School of Social Work, Hunter College. Her professional credentials include being a New York State Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC), New York State Credentialed Prevention Counselor (CPP), certified Christian Counselor, and licensed Chaplain through the International Chaplains Association Chaplain Corps. Gwendolyn is the Director of Prevention Programs and the Center Director of Hope Leadership Academy at the Children’s Aid Society in New York City. Gwendolyn is also a licensed Minister and a distinguished author of Picked to Survive, a testament to her life’s journey as an ovarian cancer survivor.