Shaina Swain (She/Her)

Senior Research Associate II

Staff
Butler Institute for Families

Specialization(s)

early childhood, behavioral health

Professional Biography

“If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put foundations under them.” –Henry David Thoreau

Every researcher has questions they want answered. Every community service worker is interested in how the answers can actually benefit them. Shaina is interested in the data- and research-driven solutions to these health and social issues, and in serving as a conduit between research and practice.

Shaina serves as a research and evaluation specialist with more than a decade of experience in program design, implementation, and evaluation, particularly as they pertain to child, adolescent, and young adult well-being. Having previously worked in direct service, state government, and academia, she is happiest when working in translational research spaces supporting evidence-based practice. Since joining Butler in 2020, she has maintained a diverse portfolio of work on community-, state-, and federally-funded contracts that span over $3 million in investment in the fields of positive youth development; substance use prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery services; trauma-responsive workforce development; college campus safety and well-being initiatives; gambling prevention and harm reduction; and state systems evaluation. Her professional service includes serving on the Colorado Providers Association (COPA) Certified Prevention Specialist credentialing committee and previous terms as both the Training Workgroup lead and Co-Chair of the Colorado State Epidemiological Outcomes Workgroup on the Attorney General’s Opioid Task Force.

Outside of the office, Shaina can usually be found either engaged in soccer, both coaching and playing, or exploring the great outdoors with her husband and two dogs.

Degree(s)

Purdue University, MS – Health & Kinesiology (Sport & Exercise Psychology)

Colorado College, BA – Psychology (Environmental Issues minor)

Licensure / Accreditations

Colorado Certified Prevention Specialist (CCPS II; since 2020)

Featured Publications

Brock-Baca, A.H., Gomez, E.D., & Swain, S.R. (2026). Strengthening workforce resilience through trauma-informed support. Child & Family Journal of Innovative Practice & Research, 7(1), 1-4.

Riciputi, S., McDonough, M.H., McDavid, L., & Snyder, F.J. (2020). Staff support promotes engagement in a physical activity-based positive youth development program for youth from low-income families. Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology, 9, 45-57.

Ruiz, Y. Riciputi, S., Guilamo-Ramos, V., & Alexander, S.C. (2020). Examining dual method contraceptive use among Midwestern parenting Latinx teens: Perspectives from adolescent parents, caretakers, and nurses. Public Health Nursing, 37, 647-654.

Riciputi, S., Boyer, P., Snyder, F.J., McDonough, M.H., & Blankenship, B.T. (2019). Formative evaluation of a pilot afterschool physical activity-based positive youth development program for 5th and 6th grade students. Health Promotion Practice, 20, 269-281.

Ruiz, Y., Riciputi, S., Guilamo-Ramos, V., & Alexander, S.C. (2019). Exploring views about LARCs among parenting rural Latinx teenagers, their mothers, and providers: Implications for sexuality education and care. American Journal of Sexuality Education, 14, 165-185.

Riciputi, S., & Erdal, K. (2017). The effect of stereotype threat on student-athlete math performance. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 32, 54-57.

Riciputi, S., McDonough, M.H., & Ullrich-French, S. (2016). Participant perceptions of character concepts in a physical activity-based positive youth development program. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 38, 481-492.

Performances

Presentations

Rienks, S., Glick, J., Leake, R., Mendoza, M., Silverstein, M., & Swain, S.R. (Accepted for October 2026). Preparing the addiction workforce to address gambling disorder: A mixed-methods evaluation of a graduate-level social work course. Addiction Health Services Research Conference 2026. Salt Lake City, UT.

Swain, S.R., Brock-Baca, A., & Tvardek, M. (August 2026). An introduction to the new Colorado Thriving Families Toolkit regional data reports. Strengthening Colorado Families & Communities Conference. Keystone, CO.

Swain, S.R., Brock-Baca, A., Tvardek, M., Zulu, G., & Lammie, K. (April 2026). Innovating community data use: A dual-tool approach for child maltreatment prevention. Colorado Public Health Association Culture of Data Conference. Denver, CO.

Swain, S.R., Jenio, F.Z., & Silverstein, M. (September 2024). A comparison of PrEP knowledge among individuals of different gender identities and sexual orientations. The STI Prevention Conference. Atlanta, GA.

Silverstein, M., Brooks, L., Swain, S.R., Jefferson, K., Pearson, H., & Ihrig, H. (March 2022). How we built this: Improving treatment access and engagement for Hispanic/Latinx clients. The American Society for Addiction Medicine 53rd Annual Conference. Orlando, FL.

Riciputi, S., Liu, S., & Proctor, J. (April 2020). Data state of mind – Improving data literacy across sectors to inform public health in Colorado. Colorado Public Health Association Culture of Data Conference. Denver, CO.

Caldwell, A., & Riciputi, S. (May 2019). Putting prevention to work for those who need it most: A health equity approach to primary prevention of substance abuse. Shared Risk and Protective Factors Conference. Keystone, CO.

Ruiz, Y., Riciputi, S., McDonough, M.H., McDavid, L., & Snyder, F.J. (November 2018). Substance use communication and person-level antecedents of substance use expectancies among multi-ethnic preadolescents from low-income families. American Public Health Association Annual Meeting. San Diego, CA.

Riciputi, S., Snyder, F.J., Boyer, P., McDonough, M.H., Blankenship, B.T., Ruiz, Y., McDavid, L., Wynkoop, R., Thomas, J., Nicley, D., & McKee, R.K. (November 2017). 4-H PALS: A physical activity-based positive youth development program for urban youth. National Association of Extension 4-H Agents Annual Conference. Indianapolis, IN.

Blankenship, B.T., McDonough, M.H., Snyder, F.J., Riciputi, S., & McDavid, L. (March 2017). Predictors of bullying in a summer positive youth development camp. Society of Health and Physical Educators Conference. Boston, MA.

Riciputi, S., McDonough M.H., & Snyder, F.J. (June 2016). Relationship quality, engagement, hope, and self-worth in a physical activity-based positive youth development program. North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity Conference. Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Riciputi, S., & Erdal, K. (June 2015). The effect of stereotype threat on student-athlete math performance. North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity Conference. Portland, OR.