Malena A. Nygaard, Ph.D.

Malena A. Nygaard, Ph.D., is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Lab for Youth Mental Health in the Department of Psychology at Harvard University. She Co-Directs a randomized clinical trial of the FIRST treatment protocol (Weisz & Bearman, 2020) and provides consultation to community clinicians. Dr. Nygaard earned her Ph.D. in School Psychology from Indiana University, Bloomington where she was the research team lead for the School-Based Mental Health Research and Training Initiative. Dr. Nygaard completed her pre-doctoral internship training in the School Mental Health track at the National Center for School Mental Health in Baltimore, Maryland.  

Dr. Nygaard's research and practice focus on the implementation of evidence-based mental health services for youth and families. Her work focuses on school mental health and trauma-informed multi-tiered systems of support. She is particularly interested in employing mixed methods and an implementation science framework to examine the continuity and coordination of care for students with intensive socioemotional needs through Mental Health Action Plans (MHAPs). Ultimately, Dr. Nygaard seeks to promote equitable access to culturally-responsive, trauma-informed, and strengths-based mental health care within schools and community contexts. 

Dr. Nygaard is originally from Dallas, Texas and enjoys spending time with friends and family (including her twin nieces), outdoor exercise classes, watching reality TV, listening to podcasts, and finding the best latte in town.