Ann M. Stacks

Ann M. Stacks, Ph.D. is a Professor at Wayne State University, serving as Director of the Infant Mental Health Program and Associate Director at the Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute. Her research focuses on caregiving dynamics that foster early childhood social-emotional development, particularly for at-risk families. She integrates clinical practice, community engagement, and academic research to address infant mental health.

• Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health
• Michigan's Early Childhood Courts
• Early Head Start partnerships

Dr. Stacks holds licenses in marriage and family therapy and specializes in reflective functioning assessments. Her work bridges academia and policy through grants from SAMHSA, HRSA, and NICHD, addressing issues like trauma-responsive parenting and maltreatment prevention.

Scientific Awards:

• Esther Dean Callard Award
• Hiram E. Fitzgerald Emerging Scholar
• Betty Tableman Award

She has led grants totaling $4.5M+ across diverse domains: child welfare systems, trauma-informed court teams, and home-visiting programs. Her publications highlight the interplay between caregiver mentalization and infant outcomes, with community partnerships to scale interventions.