Dr. Pickering’s program of research is on elder abuse and neglect prevention, and aims to understand the dynamics and development of abuse, neglect and high-risk caregiving in order to identify effective intervention strategies. Clinically, Dr. Pickering’s expertise and training is in geriatric nursing with an emphasis on public health, with past experience as a Long Term Care Ombudsman. Her research training includes expertise in qualitative methodology and a background in gero-feminism, mixed-methods and community-based research. Recently, Dr. Pickering completed a secondary-prevention project for the State of Michigan which taught abuse, neglect and caregiving assessment skills to in-home and community-based professionals through a virtual-reality training program. Currently in a project funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Dr. Pickering is leading a team of community agencies in the implementation of a coordinated community response team which provides an array of multisector services to older adults at-risk of victimization as a primary prevention strategy. Dr. Pickering is a member of the UT Health Science Center San Antonio School of Nursing “Caring for the Caregiver Program” which aims to help support the local community’s caregiving needs through research, service and practice.