Dr. Beason is an assistant professor in the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and a licensed clinical and community psychologist at the National Center for School Mental Health. Beason’s research interests relate to academic achievement, positive racial/ethnic identity, adaptive social and coping skills, and sense of community among youth and young adults.

Beason has served as a school mental health clinician in the Baltimore City Public School System for several years, providing supports that promote positive mental health for all as well as early intervention and treatment services for youth experiencing mental health conditions. Clinically, Beason is trained as a generalist with specialized training in providing trauma-informed treatment in schools. Beason serves as the director of Cultural Responsiveness, Anti-Racism and Equity within the National Center for Safe Supportive School.Beason also is a co-developer of a national curriculum for educators to promote culturally responsive and equitable mental health support in classrooms.