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Transitions to Adulthood Center for Research Enters New Chapter

Date Posted: Thursday, August 20, 2026

The Transitions to Adulthood Center for Research is entering a new chapter with Drs. Marsha Ellison and Michelle Mullen leading the Center.

Marsha and Michelle bring years of collaboration and deep experience, strong commitment, and complementary strengths to this role. Their leadership will help guide the Center as it continues its mission of research and knowledge translation focused on enhancing outcomes of youth and young adults with mental health conditions. Michelle and Marsha are co-PIs of The Learning and Working RRTC, which remains the Center’s primary grant and a central part of the work moving forward.

As the Center looks ahead, we are excited for the perspective and momentum Marsha and Michelle will bring. Their leadership will support continued collaboration, growth, and impact across the Center’s research and dissemination efforts.

As of July 1, Dr. Kathryn Sabella stepped away from her role as director to focus on her own research program, Social Contexts and Behavioral Health, which includes the CIRC Center and BRYT grants.

We are grateful for the work that has brought us to this moment and look forward to what comes next. Please stay connected through our newsletters and social media for future updates.

We thank Kathryn for her dedication and stewardship and wish her the best of luck with her new endeavour.

About Drs. Marsha Ellison, PhD, and Michelle Mullen, PhD

white middle aged woman with short brown hair and glasses Marsha Ellison, PhD, is a Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UMass Chan Medical School and co-Principal Investigator of the Learning and Working RRTC within the Transition to Adulthood Center for Research. She also directs the Technical Assistance program and the Communications program at the Implementation Science and Practice Advances Research Center (iSPARC), where she supports the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health (Mass DMH), its leadership, workforce, and contracted providers through research, training, evaluation, and dissemination.

With more than 30 years of experience, Dr. Ellison has devoted her career to services research and practice for adults, youth, and young adults with serious mental health conditions and for Veterans, with a special focus on education and employment supports. She has led exploratory studies, pilot projects, randomized controlled trials, and policy analyses centered on recovery-oriented interventions. She guides the translation of research knowledge into practical, accessible resources for educators, policymakers, individuals with disabilities, and other stakeholders.

white woman with blonde curly hair and glassesMichelle Mullen, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry in the Department of Psychiatry at UMass Chan. She is the Director of HYPE (Helping Youth on the Path to Employment) at UMass Chan. She is a co-Principal Investigator of the Learning and Working Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (L&W RRTC) within the Transition to Adulthood Center for Research.

She is the Director of HYPE (Helping Youth on the Path to Employment) at UMass Chan. She was previously an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation and Counseling Professions at Rutgers University and the Director of its Center for the Study and Promotion of Recovery. Dr. Mullen has been PI of two large NIDILRR research grants on the transition to employment among transition-aged youth with serious mental health conditions (SMHC). She has also developed over 20 supported education and career services programs and provided extensive training to improve the outcomes of college students with SMHC.