Julie Poehlmann

Dr. Julie Poehlmann is the Dorothy O'Brien Professor of Human Ecology in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's School of Human Ecology. A nationally recognized child clinical psychologist, she specializes in facilitating social justice for high-risk infants and young children, particularly those with incarcerated parents, raised by grandparents, or born preterm, through resilience-focused research and intervention design.

Her educational background includes a BA in Psychology and History from Marquette University (with Berlin language studies), an MS and PhD in Clinical Psychology from Syracuse University, and a post-doctoral fellowship at UW-Madison's Waisman Center. She maintains active affiliations with the Center for Healthy Minds and Institute for Research on Poverty.

Dr. Poehlmann's research examines intergenerational transmission of risk and resilience using mixed-methods approaches, including naturalistic observation and physiological measures. She designs interdisciplinary interventions for criminal justice contexts and mindfulness-based programs to reduce family stress, with current projects including the HEALthy Brain and Child Development Study and Enhanced Visits Program. Her work emphasizes equity in studying diverse populations affected by incarceration and preterm birth.

Recent publications reveal strong thematic trends: 60% focus on parental incarceration's developmental impacts (with growing emphasis on racial disparities and remote visitation), 25% on preterm birth outcomes, and 15% on mindfulness interventions. Key subfields consistently include equity frameworks, physiological stress markers, and community-engaged methodology across all publications.

She actively translates research into practice through advisory roles with Sesame Street (Emmy-nominated initiative), PBS Wisconsin, and community organizations like JustDane and Camp Reunite. Dr. Poehlmann serves on leadership teams for the International Coalition for Children with Incarcerated Parents and Wisconsin Alliance for Infant Mental Health, while teaching community-based early childhood education courses and supervising in the Waisman Center's Autism Clinic.