Angela Bellas

angela.bellas@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• BASC 5350 – Analysis of Social Welfare Policy and Social Service Delivery Systems
• BASC 5362 – Human Behavior in the Social Environment: Macro and Micro Theories
• BASC 5390 – Macro Foundation Practice
• CORG/POPR 5300 – Advanced Macro Practice
• CORG 5301 – Essential Theory and Intervention Practice in Community Organization
• RSCH 5341 – Advanced Research: Program Evaluation
• SWEL 5377 – Urban Policy Issues

Lisa Bianchi

ewo24006@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• IGFP 5301 – Practice with Individuals, Groups and Families
• SOWK 3501 – Social Work Practice with Individuals & Families

Kevin Borrup

kevin.borrup@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• BASC 5333 – Research Methods for Social Work Practice
• RSCH 5341 – Advanced Research: Program Evaluation

Antoinette Brown, LMSW, C-SSWS

antoinette.brown@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• SWEL 5318 – Child & Adolescent Trauma and Mental Health

Bio:

Antoinette Brown has worked for over 13 years with youth and families in various capacities, including working as a School Social Worker where she also served as a co-facilitator for equity and diversity professional development study circles, participated in curriculum/course design and implementation, taught social emotional classes fostering diversity and leveraging pedagogical techniques for varied learning styles, supervised undergraduate and graduate level students from multiple Universities. For two years she worked with a Human Service agency specializing in work with youth involved with DCF and the Juvenile Justice System.

Antoinette has several years of experience as a Psychotherapist serving the continuum of children to adults. As a therapist, she meets each client with empathy, respect, and a commitment to understanding their unique journey. She believes that individuals are more than their challenges and strives to create a collaborative space where clients feel empowered to grow and evolve into the best versions of themselves. Her therapeutic approach draws from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Solution-Focused techniques, offering practical, goal-oriented support to help clients navigate life’s complexities and create meaningful change.

In her personal time, she enjoys all things family, sports and engaging in her the community in different capacities.

Tamanique Byrd

plu25002@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• SOWK 3502 – Social Work Practice with Groups

Susan Cardillo-Cunningham, DSW, LCSW

afg25001@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• IGFP 5302 – Advanced Practice with Individuals, Groups, & Families: Theoretical Approaches

Bio:

Dr. Susan Cardillo-Cunningham is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 29 years of experience in child welfare working at the CT Department of Children and Families. Dr. Cardillo-Cunningham has held various roles focusing on staff development, training, and collaborating with community partners to improve outcomes for children and families. Over the years she has also provided supervision to BSW and MSW social work interns. In addition to her public service career, Dr. Cardillo-Cunningham maintains a private practice providing counseling and consulting services. Her research centers on the mental health of athletes across the lifespan, with a particular focus on the unique challenges and help-seeking behaviors of collegiate student-athletes.

Lukas Champagne, MSW

lukas.champagne@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• BASC 5350 – Analysis of Social Welfare Policy and Social Service Delivery Systems
• BASC 5360 – Human Behavior in the Social Environment: Macro and Micro Theories
• BASC 5390 – Macro Foundation Practice

Bio:

Lukas Champagne, MSW, earned his MSW (AM) degree from the University of Chicago with an emphasis in Global Social Development Practice. Following a nearly 20-year career as a cook and laborer, during which he volunteered as a youth advocate in family court for children in foster care, Lukas completed a BA in sociology, with a minor in human rights. During his graduate studies in Chicago, he worked with immigrant and refugee youth as a policy analyst and political organizer, to change Language Access policy in Chicago Public Schools. Lukas also worked in Johannesburg, South Africa, analyzing and developing policy and direct practice interventions to address breakdowns in Foster Care placements, and as a case manager for 0-3-year-olds and their families on Chicago’s south side. He is currently employed as an intensive case manager for refugees in New Haven experiencing medical, legal, and mental health barriers during the resettlement process.

Lukas has published work related to the treatment of the Black Power Movement within social work histories, as well as on settlements and neighborhood centers with Dr. Robert Fisher; on refugee solidarity practice with Dr. Scott Harding and Dr. Kathy Libal; and is presently involved in several projects related to experiences of the criminal legal system with Dr. Sukhmani Singh.

Lukas’s dissertation research aims to put critical race theory in conversation with exclusion framing in the immigrant and refugee incorporation literature, to examine political and civic participation as well as critical consciousness for communities of color with refugee pasts.

Charles Chear

charles.chear@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• BASC 5390 – Macro Foundation Practice

LaQueshia Clemons, LCSW

fju25001@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• BASC 5362 – Human Behavior in the Social Environment: Macro and Micro Theories

Bio:

LaQueshia Clemons is a LCSW, Trauma of Money Certified, and Financial Counselor, who guides individuals and couples towards financial well-being and emotional resilience. As the founder of Freedom Life Therapy and Wellness, she helps clients explore money-related emotional and behavioral patterns. Through engaging workshops and speeches, LaQueshia empowers others to understand their unique money stories, emphasizing the profound influences shaping financial decisions. Featured in media outlets like Word in Black, Nerd Wallet, and Yahoo Finance, her dynamic and warm approach transforms lives and fosters healthy money relationships. Outside work, LaQueshia enjoys cooking, adding zest to life through culinary adventures.

Brittany Cooper, LCSW, MSW

brittany.cooper@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• BASC 5300 – Human Oppression
• IGFP 5302 – Advanced Practice with Individuals, Groups, & Families: Theoretical Approaches

Bio:

Brittany Cooper is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, adjunct professor, speaker, consultant, and founder of Power of Choices, a behavioral health private practice in Hartford, CT. A UConn School of Social Work alumna and Certified Psychedelic-Assisted Integrative Therapist and Educator, she brings more than 12 years of clinical experience to her work. Brittany leads a diverse team of clinicians providing culturally responsive, holistic care with a focus on trauma recovery, clinical excellence, and community healing. She is dedicated to educating and supporting BIPOC communities, mentoring emerging social workers, and facilitating trainings on wellness, ethics, psychedelics, and entrepreneurial leadership. Her work bridges mental health, social justice, and entrepreneurship with a deep passion for the transformative healing of psychedelic medicine.

Maria (Fernie), Cosgrove

maria.cosgrove@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• HBEL 5381 – Child Maltreatment: History, Theory, Prevention and Intervention
• SOWK 3101 – Human Behavior and Social Environment II

Jillian Desiderio

min24003@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• BASC 5362 – Human Behavior in the Social Environment: Macro and Micro Theories
• IGFP 5301 – Practice with Individuals, Groups and Families

Victoria DeVeau, DSW, MSW, LCSW

victoria.deveau@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• IGFP 5302 – Advanced Practice with Individuals, Groups, & Families: Theoretical Approaches

Bio:

Dr. DeVeau is a licensed clinical social worker in Connecticut. She earned her MSW from UConn and DSW from University of Kentucky where she has been teaching in their online MSW and DSW programs for over three years. Clinically she specializes in trauma treatment, and her DSW capstone project examined developmental trauma disorder. Her research interests currently include complex trauma and dissociation. Dr. DeVeau has dedicated her career to working with individuals and families across the lifespan in congregate care, school, hospital, outpatient, and college settings. In addition to teaching, Dr. DeVeau works full-time in Eastern Connecticut State University's counseling center. She also sits on Eastern's Institutional Review Board and Minority Recruitment and Retention Committee. Dr. DeVeau owns a private practice and provides supervision to provisionally licensed clinicians. Additionally, she is contracted by the Connecticut Department of Public Health to review licensure violation complaints.

Monica Echevarria, DSW, LCSW

rmc24002@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• BASC 5300 – Human Oppression
• SOWK 4100W – Senior Seminar

Bio:

Dr. Monica Echevarria, LCSW, is a bilingual licensed clinical social worker with over 15 years of experience in mental health, education, and immigration-focused services. She owns a private practice where she provides psychotherapy, conducts immigration psychosocial evaluations, offers clinical supervision, and develops culturally responsive trainings. Dr. Echevarria is passionate about empowering future social workers and advocating for equitable access to care in diverse communities.

Spencer Evans, LMSW

spencer.evans@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• BASC 5391 – Micro Foundation Practice

Bio:

Spencer Evans, LMSW received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from St. Edward’s University. While there, it was a class titled “Child Abuse and Neglect” that piqued her interest and ignited her passion for the field of social work. Spencer went on to receive her MSW from Texas Christian University where she worked as a GRA to help advance the knowledge and treatment of those with intellectual and developmental disabilities and the secondary traumatic stress that is often experienced by those working with unhoused individuals. In addition to this, Spencer devoted a lot of her individual assignments, research, and spare time to advocating for the LGBTQIA+ community. Spencer also served as an intern for two hospitals in the Dallas-Fort Worth area to learn more about case management, therapeutic approaches, and effective collaboration as it relates to helping families and individuals who have experienced trauma and chronic illnesses.

With the knowledge gained from her background, Spencer hopes to identify the challenges many face in medical settings regarding healthcare policies and healthcare professionals. Spencer strives to reduce the trauma those in marginalized communities experience as a result of their identities and previous challenges in healthcare settings. Based on her previous research and practice working directly with clients, Spencer hopes to advance the knowledge and treatment of those who are a part of the LGBTQIA+ community, have chronic conditions, and/or have experienced trauma.

Shekh Farid, MSW

shekh.farid@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• HBEL 5300 – Substance Use I

Bio:

Shekh Farid, MSW, is a PhD candidate at the UConn School of Social Work. His research will focus on exploring the relationship between adolescent mental health and their risk-taking behaviors. He hopes to understand the underlying mental health issues that influence adolescent minds and lead them towards risk-taking behaviors. He also intends to design and conduct experiments with community-based models and intervention strategies to reduce the risks for substance misuse among adolescents, particularly within the changing context of developing countries. By studying and advocating for a healthier community support network, he seeks to foster an environment that empowers the youth and helps them navigate the mental health challenges during adolescence.

Farid holds both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Social Welfare from the University of Dhaka. Equipped with a solid educational foundation, he then embarked on his journey by joining BRAC—the world’s largest international development organization renowned for its ability to design and implement successful community-based solutions to social problems. His passion for working with the underserved has been solidified through his experience in several community-based programs in rural Bangladesh. Prior to starting his PhD, he also worked as a Statistical Officer for the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics for nearly five years.

Farid envisions a future where his contributions to the social work field will support the youth and protect them from mental health problems and substance abuse disorders, while also guiding them away from risky behaviors.

Rachael Farina, LMFT

rachael.farina@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• BASC 5333 – Research Methods for Social Work Practice
• BASC 5362 – Human Behavior in the Social Environment: Macro and Micro Theories

Bio:

Rachael currently works in private practice as a licensed marriage and family therapist and holds a license in Connecticut and Massachusetts. She completed her master's degree from the University of Connecticut in Human Development and Family Sciences (HDFS) in 2018 and is currently a PhD candidate at UConn. Throughout her doctoral program, Rachael's research interests have been adolescent and adult pornography consumption, Parent and child communication regarding sex/pornography, and sexual behavior, beliefs, and attitudes. She has published work in encyclopedias, academic journals, and has been featured in popular media sources such as Cosmopolitan, Men's Health, and Forbes Health.

In addition to her private practice, Rachael currently works for Rushford of Hartford HealthCare as a mobile crisis clinician where she works collaboratively with first responders to assist people in the community experiencing psychiatric emergencies. Previously, Rachael was the evening supervisor for the Mobile Response Team at River Valley Services operated by the State of Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS).

Aside from teaching at the UConn School of Social Work, Rachael also teaches at Middlesex Community College and Manchester Community College in the Department of Psychology and at Southern Connecticut State University in the Department of Marriage and Family Therapy. In the past, she taught at UConn Storrs in the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences and at Western New England University in the Department of Psychology.

Anne Foley, M.S.W., M.A.

anne.foley@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• BASC 5333 – Research Methods for Social Work Practice
• BASC 5350 – Analysis of Social Welfare Policy and Social Service Delivery Systems
• BASC 5362 – Human Behavior in the Social Environment: Macro and Micro Theories
• BASC 5390 – Macro Foundation Practice
• POPR 5310 – Program Planning, Development, & Evaluation
• POPR 5312 – Political Advocacy
• SOWK 3200 – Social Welfare Policy and Services

Bio:

Anne Foley has over thirty years of experience as a Connecticut state government policymaker, overseeing statewide administrative policy and state agency implementation of policies, programs, and initiatives in all areas of health and human services. Anne has been responsible for four Governor's health and human services legislation for over 25 years. Major initiatives included Medicaid expansion and conversion to self-insured, supportive housing, creation of the Department of Housing, nursing home rebalancing, and planning and implementation of Access Health CT.

Elizabeth J. Goldsborough, MSW, LMSW

elizabeth.goldsborough@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• BASC 5333 – Research Methods for Social Work Practice

Bio:

Elizabeth Jurczak Goldsborough (Liz) is a doctoral candidate at the University of Connecticut School of Social Work and a predoctoral fellow in the NIH/NIDA-funded Behavioral Sciences Training in Drug Abuse Research (BST) program at New York University. Her research interests include tobacco and substance use treatment and interprofessional collaboration within health and social service systems. Her work is informed by her experience as a medical social worker and guided by a commitment to health equity.

Goldsborough earned her BA and MSW from Rutgers University and is a licensed social worker in New York and New Jersey. Prior to beginning her PhD, she worked as a Clinical Research Counselor at the Yale School of Medicine. A first-generation college student and a 1.5 generation immigrant, she grew up in Poland and New York City.

Kelly Robinson-Ha, MSW, LCSW, LICSW

kelly.ha@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• BASC 5300 – Human Oppression

Bio:

Kelly Ha, MSW, LCSW, LICSW is a Double Husky, earning both her BA and MSW from the University of Connecticut, along with a Certificate in Foundations of Public Health. With over four years of diverse clinical experience in medical social work, outpatient therapy, and private practice, Kelly specializes in anti-racist social work, racial trauma, generational healing, high-achiever burnout, and imposter syndrome.

Kelly has been recognized as a 100 Women of Color Honoree and Hartford's Finest. She actively mentors emerging social workers and students through Act to Change, and contributes to community empowerment as a scholarship committee board member of the American Savings Foundation and co-founder of #IAmNotAVirus, a mental health and anti-racism initiative. Committed to ongoing professional development, Kelly integrates evidence-based, culturally responsive, and trauma-informed care into both her clinical practice and advocacy work to support marginalized communities and foster generational healing.

Robert Haswell, LCSW

robert.haswell@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• BASC 5391 – Micro Foundation Practice
• HBEL 5300 – Substance Use I: Intro to Alcohol and Other Drugs
• IGFP 5303 – Advanced Practice with Individuals, Groups and Families, Across Settings and Populations
• IGFP 5346 – Clinical Conditions with Adults and Older Adults
• RSCH 5341  – Advanced Research: Program Evaluation

Bio:

Robert Haswell, LCSW is a current PhD student at the School of Social Work. Robert earned his MSW from the University of Connecticut and has, for the past ten years, specialized in the provision and supervision of treatment programs for adults experiencing severe substance use and mental health issues. He is currently the Director of Outpatient Services at Wellmore Behavioral Health in Waterbury where he oversees the integration of behavioral health and primary care services. Robert’s research interests include the sociology of punishment, incarceration, social inclusion, and citizenship. He is interested in social work’s role in the development, implementation and evaluation of interventions designed to promote the social integration of the formerly incarcerated and other marginalized groups. He plans to utilize his dissertation to explore Connecticut’s decarceration efforts and to assess how concepts of social inclusion and citizenship are perceived by the actors involved in this process.

Daisy Hernandez

byl25003@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• BASC 5393 – Emerging Issues in Mental Health and Substance Use

Melanie Hoffman

hec25002@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• IGFP 5345 – Clinical Conditions with Children and Adolescents
• IGFP 5346 – Clinical Conditions with Adults and Older Adults

Leah Holle, MAR, LCSW, CEDS

leah.holle@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• BASC 5333 – Research Methods for Social Work Practice
• BASC 5391 – Micro Foundation Practice
• IGFP 5301 – Practice with Individuals, Groups and Families

Bio:

Leah Holle, MAR, LCSW, CEDS is interested in studying how religious and spiritual beliefs can serve as risk factors in the development of mental health disorders, with a particular focus on eating disorders. She seeks to understand and bring awareness to the racial, social and economic inequities regarding accessibility of eating disorder treatment within marginalized communities. Additionally, Leah is committed to increasing competencies within social work practice regarding treating religious and spiritual trauma, and eating disorders.

Leah earned her MSW from the University of Connecticut and her Master of Arts in Religion from Yale University. Over the past six years, Leah has specialized in treating eating disorders throughout all levels of care, and earned her certification as an Eating Disorder Specialist from iaedp. She has led trainings on eating disorders throughout Connecticut, and presented at iaedp’s international annual conference. She is currently the Clinical Team Lead for Young Adult Services at a DMHAS-funded community mental health center where much of her clinical experience has informed her passion for creating accessible and comprehensive care for eating disorders, and spiritual/religious trauma within non-profit organizations.

Michelle Kenefick, LICSW, LCSW, SEP

gts25001@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• IGFP 5302 – Advanced Practice with Individuals, Groups, & Families: Theoretical Approaches

Bio:

Michelle A. Kenefick, LICSW , LCSW, SEP is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 30 years of experience in trauma-informed, attachment-based care. She is the founder and Executive Director of Sound Counseling Center, LLC, offering relational psychotherapy and consultation across Connecticut, Maine, and Vermont. Michelle is certified in Somatic Experiencing, trained in EMDR, Emotionally Focused Therapy, and Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy.

An experienced educator and trainer, Michelle currently serves as adjunct faculty at Fordham University and formerly at Hartford International University, where she teaches graduate courses on trauma, suicide prevention, addiction and clinical practice. She has also held leadership roles in juvenile justice, children's and adolescent mental health and community adult mental health. She is a former President of the NASW Connecticut Chapter. Michelle is deeply committed to healing-centered care, professional training, and systemic change.

Shane King

vps25003@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• BASC 5391 – Micro Foundation Practice

Liane Lussier-Smith

liane.lussier-smith@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• BASC 5391 – Micro Foundation Practice
• SOWK 3501 – Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families

Gus Marks-Hamilton

gustaf.marks-hamilton@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• BASC 5390 – Macro Foundation Practice
• CORG 5370 – Grassroots Organizing

Milagros Marrero-Johnson

milagros.marrero-johnson@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• BASC 5300 – Human Oppression
• SOWK 2000 – Social Justice in the Social Work Profession

Yvonne Mbewe, LCSW

yvonne.mbewe@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• HBEL 5300 – Substance Use I: Intro to Alcohol and Other Drugs
• SOWK 2000 – Social Justice in the Social Work Profession

Bio:

Yvonne Mbewe, LCSW originally from Lusaka, Zambia, has spent her career delving into childhood trauma and multisystemic interventions to trauma and abuse. Currently, her research assesses human trafficking legislation and social service implementation for trafficked child laborers in Zambia. Yvonne’s research questions are designed to uncover insights into the efficacy of implemented strategies, unintended consequences, and recommendations for enhancing the future outcomes of trafficked children.

Yvonne’s desire to be a catalyst for social change was influenced by her work as an advocate for youth engaged with the juvenile detention system and children victimized by sexual human trafficking. These transformative experiences culminated in Yvonne’s completion of a Masters in Social Work at New York University. Yvonne has worked globally and on a domestic level with immigrants/refugees impacted by HIV/AIDS, undomiciled substance users, financial and educational empowerment of women, and managing the social emotional learning needs of students and families in multiple New York City public schools. Yvonne currently serves as an Adjunct Lecturer with Columbia University’s School of Social Work.

Alicia Mendez

mmz24003@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• BASC 5350 – Analysis of Social Welfare Policy and Social Service Delivery Systems

Craig Mortley, MSc

craig.mortley@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• BASC 5300 – Human Oppression
• BASC 5350 – Analysis of Social Welfare Policy and Social Service Delivery Systems
• BASC 5390 – Macro Foundation Practice
• SWEL 5385 – Human Rights and Social Work

Bio:

Craig Mortley, M.Sc., research interests focus on the ethics of representation of queer refugees and displaced peoples, refugee narratives, access to a continuum of care for displaced people beyond crisis assistance, trauma and resilience of displaced people, social integration, transcultural social networks and belonging of forced migrants and determinants of health outcomes at the intersection of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender identity for people on the move.

Craig’s experience navigating the US asylum system and working with LGBTQ asylum seekers have influenced him to pursue a Ph.D. in social work to better under spatial influences on displaced peoples’ experience of community, belonging, and participation in social spaces of mutual accommodation. He is interested in equity-centered practices, refugee narratives, and refugee representation in decision-making spaces. Craig has a decade of experience as a refugee practitioner, activist, and community advocate for the rights and inclusion of people from forced migration and refugee backgrounds in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA. He has seven years of experience working in the field of gender-based violence, racial justice, gender equity, and social change. For the last four years, he has participated in academic-based scholar-practitioner collaboratives focused on refugee belonging, homemaking, and integration.

Laura Moynihan, LICSW, OSW-C, APHSW-C

laura.moynihan@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• IGFP 5302 – Advanced Practice with Individuals, Groups, & Families: Theoretical Approaches
• IGFP 5303 – Advanced Practice with Individuals, Groups and Families, Across Settings and Populations

Bio:

Laura Moynihan, LICSW, OSW-C, APHSW-C is a PhD student whose current research interests are centered within the psychosocial dimensions of pediatric oncology and palliative care. She specifically seeks to investigate factors that impact decision-making for adolescents and young adults with life-threatening and life-limiting illnesses. This interest evolved from her clinical work and she ultimately hopes to use this research to inform clinical intervention. Both her clinical work and research aim to examine the healthcare system and how systemic structure, privilege, racism, and biases contribute to healthcare inequities.

Laura earned from BA in Public Health from Brown University and her MSW degree with a focus on integrated medical and behavioral health care from the University of Michigan. After graduation she worked briefly as a Clinical Social Worker in Adult and Pediatric Nephrology before transitioning to her current role in Pediatric Oncology. As a medical social worker, she has the opportunity to work on interdisciplinary medical teams and hopes to bring more focus to psychosocial care within medical education as well.

Elisa Neira-Hamada, LMSW

zej25001@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• BASC 5350 – Analysis of Social Welfare Policy and Social Service Delivery Systems

Bio:

Elisa Neira-Hamada is Senior Director of Health Equity for the Connecticut State’s Office of Health Strategy (OHS). In her role, Neira focuses on advancing policies, programs and initiatives that reduce health disparities, address social determinants of health and increase healthcare quality and access and support for vulnerable communities.

Before joining OHS, Neira was Deputy Commissioner for Social Services at the New Jersey Department of Human Services, overseeing the Division of Family Development, the Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, the Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and the Office of New Americans. Under her leadership, the Department expanded access to food assistance for families, children and college students; made significant investments in making childcare more affordable; boosted and expanded support for deaf, blind, visually impaired and deafblind individuals; and focused efforts to make New Jersey communities more inclusive for individuals with disabilities. During her tenure, the Department also launched the Office of New Americans to support immigrants and refugees through legal services programs, languages access expansion and outreach and education.

Before joining state government, Neira worked in local government as Director of Human Services in Princeton administering income-assistance and emergency housing services. She played a key role in leading Princeton’s welcoming community efforts and was recognized for her work in building positive relationships between police and immigrant communities. Neira also led the development and implementation of Princeton’s first Community Needs Assessment to identify needs and service gaps of low-to-moderate income households.

Neira’s professional experience also includes working with adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in community residential and day program settings, deaf, blind and deaf-blind individuals, and immigrant and refugees. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work and Spanish Translation and Interpreting from Rutgers University and a Master of Social Work from Fordham University. She is a former Welcoming America fellow; serves on the board of the Rutgers School of Social Work Latino Initiatives for Service, Training and Assessment (LISTA); and the West Hartford’s Advisory Commission for Persons with Disabilities.

A native Spanish speaker, she was born in Ecuador and raised in Salem County. She now resides in West Hartford, Connecticut with her husband and parents.

Cindy Newman, MSW, MBA, LCSW

cindy.newman@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• BASC 5391 – Micro Foundation Practice

Bio:

Cindy Newman is a licensed social worker in Stamford, CT. She earned her MSW from Fordham University, her MBA from Southern New Hampshire University and her undergraduate degree in psychology with a minor in women’s, gender, and sexuality studies from the University of Connecticut. She is currently pursuing a doctorate in Social Work at Sacred Heart University with a research focus on trauma-informed pedagogy in post-secondary education. Cindy has vast experience in nonprofit management and leadership, crisis assessment and intervention, and treatment of substance use disorders, anxiety, depression and adjustment issues. She is trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) for schools, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Induced After Death Communication (IADC) for complicated grief, and has completed Level 1 training in ecotherapy.

Landon Osborn

landon.osborn@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• BASC 5390 – Macro Foundation Practice

Jason Ostrander

jason.ostrander@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• BASC 5333 – Research Methods for Social Work Practice
• BASC 5350 – Analysis of Social Welfare Policy and Social Service Delivery Systems

Ruth Pearlman, M.ED, MSW, LICSW

ruth.pearlman@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• HBEL 5352 – Grief & Loss
• IGFP 5303 – Advanced Practice with Individuals, Groups and Families, Across Settings and Populations
• IGFP 5345 – Clinical Conditions with Children and Adolescents
• IGFP 5346 – Clinical Conditions with Adults and Older Adults

Bio:

Ruth Pearlman has been a clinician in private practice for over 20 years. Ruth is primarily a grief therapist specializing in sudden, traumatic loss. She frequently teaches in the UConn SSW Continuing Education program as well as the Grief and Loss course at UConn SSW. While not at work, Ruth loves photography.

Krystal Rich

krystal.rich@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• BASC 5390 – Macro Foundation Practice
• SOWK 3201 – Advocacy for Social Policy Change

Victoria Rodriguez

edn25003@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• BASC 5391 – Micro Foundation Practice

Fizza Saghir, MSW

fizza.saghir@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• BASC 5350 – Analysis of Social Welfare Policy and Social Service Delivery Systems
• BASC 5390 – Macro Foundation Practice

Bio:

Fizza Saghir, MSW is a PhD scholar at UConn School of Social Work. She has been working at the intersection of human rights, governance, and policy-making. She holds a strong position against war, imperialism, and oppression and has remained engaged in peace-building as well as working with war and genocide-survivors including Afghan and Rohingya refugees. Her research interests center around human right violations in conflict zones of the world, the politics of war and hegemony, and forced migration.

Previously, as Chief Minister’s Fellow in the Government of Delhi, Fizza has handled significant managerial responsibilities in Delhi Government’s major projects covering multiple dimensions of child rights-education, health, violence, and abuse. From training and capacity-building of adolescents in the urban slums to advocacy for rights of domestic workers and from working on sexual and gender-based violence to engaging in community awareness on child abuse, she has been working with several vulnerable populations and marginalized communities.

Nordia Savage, LMSW

nordia.savage@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• BASC 5300 – Human Oppression

Bio:

Nordia is a program leader passionate about equity and creating opportunities for underserved communities. She designs data-driven programs that lift lives, mentor the next generation, and—when she’s not working—can be found traveling, hanging out with friends, or hunting down the best Jamaican food and tacos.

Jeffrey Schrenzel

ezs24002@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• BASC 5390 – Macro Foundation Practice

Shane Scott

shane.scott@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• BASC 5362 – Human Behavior in the Social Environment: Macro and Micro Theories
• BASC 5391 – Micro Foundation Practice
• HBEL 5370 – The LGBTQ Experience: Sexual and Gender Diversities
• IGFP 5301 – Practice with Individuals, Groups and Families

Moriah Thibodeau, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C, APHSW-C

moriah.thibodeau@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• BASC 5391 – Micro Foundation Practice

Bio:

Moriah Thibodeau has extensive experience working in inpatient psychiatric facilities with adults, children and pediatric patients. Her current work is focused on adults with an Oncology/Hematology diagnosis. Moriah's interests include Advance Care Planning, End of Life and Palliative Care and Chronic/Serious Illness support.

Tynisha Tyson

tynisha.tyson@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• DSEL 5320 – Direct Practice in School

Lauren Umeugo

zdm25004@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• BASC 5391 – Micro Foundation Practice

Felicia Velez, LMSW

felicia.velez@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• BASC 5391 – Micro Foundation Practice

Bio:

Felicia Velez, LMSW is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Connecticut School of Social Work, where she teaches Micro Foundations courses that connect theory to hands-on practice for incoming MSW students. With over 30 years experience in mental health counseling, medical social work, and child protection, she brings deep expertise in crisis intervention and culturally responsive care. Felicia is passionate about fostering culturally responsive care, building strong community connections, and preparing future social workers to make a meaningful impact.

Natasha Welz, DSW, LCSW

natasha.welz@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• BASC 5362 – Human Behavior in the Social Environment: Macro and Micro Theories
• IGFP 5303 – Advanced Practice with Individuals, Groups and Families, Across Settings and Populations

Bio:

Dr. Welz recently completed a doctorate in social work degree (DSW) with a capstone project focused on Black maternal mental health, specifically exploring the lived experiences of women of color related to suicidal ideation and identifying effective engagement and assessment strategies. Dr. Welz has extensive experience providing clinical mental health services to individuals, families and groups across various treatment settings including within UCONN Student Health and Wellness, where she utilizes a humanistic, person-centered, trauma informed approach to build therapeutic alliances with students with diverse identities and cultural experiences and to assess and address presenting concerns to optimize student mental health and overall wellness. Additionally, Dr. Welz has specific expertise in assessing and treating perinatal mental health concerns in private practice.

Pamela Washington, MSW, LMSW

pamela.washington@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• BASC 5300 – Human Oppression

Bio:

Pamela Washington is a graduate of UConn School of Social Work (2006) with a concentration in Group Work and Black Family Studies. Pamela retired from Child Welfare with the Department of Children and Families in 2022 after almost 30 years of service. Her professional work with DCF focused specifically with foster care and adoption family services. Pamela serves as an Academic Faculty Advisor to MSW students at UConn.

Patricia Wilcox, MSW, LCSW

patricia.wilcox@uconn.edu

Courses Taught:

• SPTP 5318 – Special Topics - Topic: Core Components and Skills for Trauma-Informed Practice
• SWEL 5318 – Core Concepts of Child and Adolescent Trauma

Bio:

Patricia D. Wilcox, LCSW, is Klingberg Family Centers' Vice President of Strategic Development, She specializes in improving systems that treat traumatized children and their families. She created the Restorative Approach™, a trauma- and relationship-based treatment method. She is a Faculty Trainer for Risking Connection® and an Adjunct Faculty at the University of CT School of Social Work and the University of St. Joseph’s School of Social Work. She trains internationally on trauma-informed care, has presented at many national conferences and has recently been offering training with her colleague Aminah Ali on topics supporting full inclusion in the workplace. She was the 2011 Connecticut Social Worker of the Year and in 2022 was designated a Soroptimist Exceptional Woman. She is the author of Trauma Informed Care: The Restorative Approach published by Levellers Press, as well as several articles.