Gloria Park Perin, MAPP, is the newest member of the Federation of Neighborhood Centers team, joining us in March of 2008.  Ms. Park Perin has held a variety of research positions at Columbia University, Temple University, and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia studying the most pervasive issues that plague youth today, including depression, suicide, and HIV.  She has a passion for youth work, and has direct service and program development experience with youth-focused organizations.  She completed her bachelor's degree in Psychology and Philosophy from Villanova University, and was a competitive figure skater for over 14 years.  She also received a master’s degree in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, where she serves as an assistant instructor.  As a current doctoral candidate at Temple University in Kinesiology/ Sport and Exercise Psychology, she is studying broader applications of positive psychology in the pursuit of promoting mind/body health and wellness with individuals and communities, youth development through sport and physical activity, and the implementation of evidence-based approaches and performance management to increase organizational capacity and improve service delivery.