1984 Alumna Advocates for the Vulnerable

Advocacy in action is the blueprint for Class of 1984 alumna Stephanie Zanker-Rivera as she works to help others in her role  as a behavioral health clinical manager with the State of Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. She also serves as the Director of the Young Parents Program.

The Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) promotes and administers comprehensive, recovery-oriented services in the areas of mental health treatment and substance abuse prevention and treatment. The department works frequently with a variety of advocacy groups to ensure that those in programs are provided with efficient services that foster self-sufficiency, dignity and respect. Stephanie assumed her position in 2013 and has represented the department on several statewide committees.

Stephanie is also dedicated to raising awareness and combating human trafficking. She has been appointed designee on the Trafficking In Persons Council and is the representative on the Governor’s Task Force on Justice for Abused Children (GTFJAC) for Commissioner Nancy Navarretta. She has presented the “Young Parents Program” at local and national conferences along with human trafficking training sessions to thousands of participants. 

“Human trafficking is not like it is in the movies,” notes Stephanie. “The signs are harder to spot, as some victims continue to carry on with a ‘normal life,’ and recognizing key indicators of human trafficking is the first step in identifying victims and helping to save a life.”

With over 32 years of experience in the psychology and mental health field, Stephanie maintains that it is important to provide the highest quality services possible and create a “community of care” that fosters mutual respect for all individuals involved.

Stephanie graduated from Boston University in 1988 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology. She went on to obtain her master’s degree in counseling psychology from Northeastern University and a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) in clinical psychology from the University of Hartford. She also completed a certificate program in Women in Leadership in Behavioral Health with the Yale University School of Medicine. 

In addition to her professional work, Stephanie was recently sworn in as a Justice of the Peace and has been an extra in three different Christmas movies on the Hallmark Channel along with appearing in a commercial for Lipper International. 

Stephanie currently resides in Cheshire, Conn., and has three children: daughter Marissa, son Gabriel, and stepson Corey. She is the younger sister of Class of 1983 alumnus Dr. Michael Zanker.