Natalie Romer

Overview

Natalie Romer (she/her) is a Senior Associate on WestEd’s Resilient and Healthy Schools and Communities team. Her work includes technical assistance, research, evaluation, and training focused on developing effective and efficient systems to support the social and emotional well-being of school communities.

Romer’s areas of expertise include school-based mental health, multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS); social and emotional learning (SEL); positive behavior interventions and support (PBIS); social, emotional, and behavioral intervention and assessment; design of instruction and evaluation; special education; cross-agency collaboration; and integrated behavioral health service models.

Romer currently provides leadership for the State-Wide Evaluation of California’s Mental Health Student Services Act Evaluation, Project Pathways—a federally funded Education Innovation Research program—and evaluation planning support for Massachusetts’ Behavioral Health Integrated Resources for Children Project (BIRCh Project). Examples of her prior work at WestEd include technical assistance, and evaluation support to state and district leadership teams and initiatives through the Center to Improve Social and Emotional Learning and School Safety, Atlanta’s Comprehensive School Safety Initiative, Project Cal-Well, and the Region 15 Comprehensive Center.

Romer has published her work in peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and publicly available resources and has given more than 70 conference presentations. Romer is a licensed psychologist, nationally certified school psychologist, and board-certified behavior analyst.

Romer has worked to support young people, families, and educators in schools, as well as university hospital, pediatric, and community-based settings. Prior to joining WestEd, Romer served as faculty in the Colleges of Behavioral and Community Sciences and Education at the University of South Florida, implementing state and federally funded projects, conducting research, and training graduate students.

Education

• PhD in school psychology, University of Oregon
• CAGS in school psychology, Northeastern University
• MS in applied educational psychology, Northeastern University
• BA in psychology and German, University of Rhode Island

Select Publications

Romer, N., Hollins-Sims, N., Owens-West, R., Perales, K., Walrond, N., Payno-Simmons, R., & McIntosh, K. (2023). Centering equity in data-based decision-making: Considerations and recommendations for leadership teams.Center to Improve Social and Emotional Learning and School Safety at WestEd and the Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports.

Derby, K., Romer, N., & McCullough, S. (2023). Family guide to supporting young people’s mental health and well-being: Information, tips, and resources. WestEd.

Romer, N., Valdez, A., Alcalá, L., Diaz, J., Gurrola, E., McClellan, P., & McCullough, S. (2022). Improving coordination and access to comprehensive school-based mental health services in California: A preliminary landscape analysis. WestEd.

Walrond, N., & Romer, N. (2021). Serving the whole person: An alignment and coherence guide for state education agencies. WestEd.

Kincaid, D., & Romer, N.  (2021). Positive interventions and supports: A framework for mental health promotion. In B. Doll, P. Lazurus, & S. M. Suldo (Eds.), Fostering the emotional well-being of our youth: A school-based approach. Oxford University Press.

Castillo, J. M., Romer, N., Thoman, S. E., & Latimer, J. D. (2021). Systems theory and systems change. In K. K. Kelly, S. A. Garbacz, & C. A. Albers (Eds.), Theories of school psychology: Critical perspectives (pp. 177–196). Routledge.

Romer, N., Green, A. L., & Cox, K. (2018). Educator perceptions of preparedness and professional development for implementation of evidence-based practices within a multi-tiered system of supports. School Mental Health, 10, 122–133.

Suldo, S. M., & Romer, N. (2016). Integrating positive psychology in multi-tiered systems of support. In S. M. Suldo, Promoting student happiness: Positive psychology interventions in schools (pp. 146–159). Guildford.