EDUCATION
09/03-06/09 Northwestern University
Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Division of Psychology. Chicago, IL
Program accredited by the American Psychological Association
Doctor of Philosophy, June 19, 2009; Licensed Clinical Psychologist in Maryland
Dissertation Title: The role of incarceration in HIV/AIDS risk behaviors: a longitudinal study.
09/96-05/00 Georgetown University
Washington, DC
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, May 27, 2000; Cum Laude
Majors: Finance and Technology Management; Minor: Psychology
Work Experience
12/22-Present National PTSD Program Manager. Office of Mental Health, VA Central Office. Washington, DC.
5/17-Present Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) Regional Trainer and Consultant. Office of Mental Health, VA Central Office. Washington, DC.
2016-Present Clinical Assistant Professor. University of Maryland in the Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine. Baltimore, MD.
12/21-12/22 Special Assignment to the Office of Mental Health. VA Central Office. Washington, DC.
7/13-12/21 Supervisory Psychologist and Trauma Recovery and Dialectical Behavioral Services Program Manager.
VA Maryland Healthcare System. Baltimore, MD.
12/10-7/13 Baltimore PTSD Clinical Team Leader. VA Maryland Healthcare System.Baltimore, MD.
2/10-12/10 Serving Returning Veterans Mental Health Coordinator. VA Maryland Healthcare System. Baltimore, MD.
7/08-2/10 Psychology Intern and Postdoctoral Fellow. VA Maryland Healthcare System.Baltimore, MD.
Relevant Trainings
Basic Training in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy. April 2025. EMDRIA approved training from the EMDR Center of the Rockies.
Implementation Facilitation Training: VA Workshop; participating in learning collaborative. August 2020.
Written Exposure Therapy for PTSD: received certificate and consultation from the Veterans Affairs in August 2019.
Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Depression: received certificate and consultation from the Veterans Affairs in December 2019.
Train the Trainer Workshop by Dr. Chard in Cognitive Processing Therapy: received a certificate from the Veterans Affairs in May 2017.
Motivational Interviewing (MI): received certificate and consultation from the Veterans Affairs in August 2012.
Prolonged Exposure (PE) Therapy: received certificate and consultation from the Veterans Affairs in June 2011.
Cognitive Processing Therapy: received certificate and consultation from the Veterans Affairs in December 2010.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: received supervised training and education.
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT): received supervised training and education in full DBT model.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: received supervised training and education.
Emotion Focused Couples Therapy: received supervised training and education.
Current Grant Funded Projects
Title: SMART Therapist Training: A Hybrid Factorial-SMART Design
Funding Source: VA HSR&D
Dates: April 2025-April-2030
Role: Consultant
Selected Peer Reviewed Publications
Phalen, P., Grossmann, J., Bruder, T, Yeon, J., Calmes, C, McGrath, K, Malouf, E., James, A., Romero, E., Bennett, M. (2022). Description of a Dialectical Behavior Therapy program in a Veterans Affairs Health Care System.Evaluation and Program Planning. June: 92, 10298
Drapalski, A., Aakre, J., Brown, C., Romero, E., Lucksted, A. (2021). Ending Self Stigma for PTSD: Results of a Pilot Randomized Trial. Journal of Traumatic Stress Disorders 34(1):69-80
Porter, E., Romero, E., Barone, M. (2018). Description and Preliminary Outcomes of an In Vivo Exposure Group Treatment for PTSD. Journal of Traumatic Stress Disorders 31: 410-418.
Selected Presentations
Pollack, S. , Romero, E. (2024, May). Office of Mental Health PTSD Program Updates. Presentation at PTSD Mentor Program Workshop: PTSD Specialty Care: Balancing, Access, Quality and Complexity. Dallas, TX.
Romero, E., Cuccurullo, L. (2021, December). Best Practices in PTSD Clinical Care: How to Optimize Recovery after Trauma. 3.0 Hour CEU credit. Organizer: Sheppard Pratt Hospital, Baltimore, MD.
Romero, E., Allman, P. (2021, June). Implementing Evidence-Based PTSD Practice: Practical Tips to Optimize Clinical Outcomes. 5.5 Hour CEU credit conference. Organizer: Chesapeake Health Education Program, Inc., Martinsburg, VA.
Romero, E., Butz, S. (2019, November). PTSD and End of Life Considerations. Gilchrist Hospital System Educational Lecture Series. Baltimore, Md.
Collie, C, Resnick, S., Hoff, R., Maieritsch, K., Romero, E. (2019, August). What are We Learning From Implementing Measurement Based Care in the Veterans Health Administration? In Lysell. (Discussant), Symposium presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association.
Romero, E., Bowen, Sudol, McCarthy. (2019, April). Measurement Based Care and Program Evaluation. Presentation at PTSD Mentor Training: Implementing Suicide Prevention, Evidence-Based PTSD Practice, and Whole Health/Recovery. Orlando, FL.
Selected Honors and Awards
2022 VA Special Contribution Award for efforts on a legislative report.
2022 National VA Psychology Leadership Conference Russell B. Lemle Psychology Leadership Award, nominated by six former supervisees.
2020 VA Special Contribution Award for efforts to capture COVID-19 related telework on the PTSD National Dashboard, nominated by National Center for PTSD Mentoring leadership.
2020 Gold pin awarded for outstanding leadership and management during COVID-19 pandemic, nominated by Trauma Recovery Program (TRP) clinical staff.
2019 VA Special Advancement for Achievement Award for ongoing involvement in several research projects and consistent outstanding performance, nominated by Veterans Affairs Maryland Health Care System leadership.