Our Faculty and Staff | School of Social Work

Combining professional experience, scholarship, and research, our nationally and internationally renowned faculty develop innovative programs and approaches, provide critical insight into the profession, and develop teaching materials that are used widely in social work education.

UConn School of Social Work faculty frequently serve as presenters at regional, national and international conferences. They are widely published and engage in the development and dissemination of innovative research. They serve on editorial boards and as committee members on regional and national peer review committees for granting agencies, journal publishers, and University, national and international meetings. Involved in a wide range of service activities in professional social work organizations and in the community at local and national levels, our faculty hold leadership positions as officers and board members of professional organizations.

In addition to our full-time faculty, Adjunct instructors are hired to teach on a limited basis. They are selected for their expertise, teaching experience, and ability to use practice experience to inform their teaching.

The UConn School of Social Work staff is dedicated to supporting you and the work of the School. Learn more about our faculty and staff by clicking on their bios below.

Faculty

S. Megan Berthold, PhD

Professor

megan.berthold@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3656

Room 318 HSSW

F. Tony Bonadio, PhD

Assistant Research Professor

Innovations Institute

tony.bonadio@uconn.edu

David S. Byers, MSW, Ph.D.

Associate Professor and Director of the MSW Program

david.byers@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3635

Room 307 HSSW

Patricia Carlson, PhD

Assistant Research Professor

patricia.carlson@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3637

Room 216 HSSW

Kelsi Carolan, PhD

Assistant Professor

kelsi.carolan@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3680

Room 224 HSSW

Laura Curran, Ph.D.

Dean

laura.curran@uconn.edu

959-200-3648

Room 303 HSSW

Caitlin Elsaesser, PhD

Associate Professor

caitlin.elsaesser@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3671

Room 221 HSSW

Kimberly Estep, MA

Director for Systems Design and Implementation Strategies and Assistant Extension Professor

Innovations Institute

kimberly.estep@uconn.edu

Megan Feely, PhD

Associate Professor

megan.feely@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3625

Room 214 HSSW

Robert Fisher, PhD

Professor

robert.fisher@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3623

Room 212 HSSW

Ann Marie Garran, PhD

Associate Professor

annmarie.garran@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3651

Room 326 HSSW

Alex Gitterman, EdD

Professor

alex.gitterman@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3655

Room 312 HSSW

Elizabeth Greeno, PhD

Associate Research Professor

Innovations Institute

elizabeth.greeno@uconn.edu

Deborah Harburger, MSW

Director of Policy and Financing and Assistant Extension Professor

Innovations Institute

deborah.harburger@uconn.edu

Scott Harding, PhD

Interim Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Associate Professor and Co-Director, PhD Program

scott.harding@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3628

Room 301 HSSW

Nina Rovinelli Heller, PhD

Professor and Dean Emerita

nina.heller@uconn.edu

Gio Iacono, PhD

Assistant Professor

gio.iacono@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3624

Room 213 HSSW

Joy Learman, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor in Residence

joy.learman@uconn.edu

Regina Lester-Harriat, LMSW

Assistant Professor in Residence

regina.lester-harriat@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3677

Room 323 HSSW

Kathryn Libal, PhD

Associate Professor and Director, UConn Human Rights Institute

kathryn.libal@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3633

Room 313 HSSW

Hsiu-Ju Lin, PhD

Associate Research Professor

hsiu-ju.lin@uconn.edu

(860) 418-6662

Margaret Lloyd Sieger, PhD

Associate Professor

margaret.lloydsieger@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3653

Room 310 HSSW

Elizabeth Manley, LSW

Senior Advisor for Health and Behavioral Health Policy and Assistant Extension Professor

Innovations Institute

elizabeth.manley@uconn.edu

Jennifer Manuel, Ph.D.

Associate Professor and Associate Dean for Research

jennifer.manuel@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3612

Marlene Matarese, PhD

Associate Research Professor

Innovations Institute

marlene.matarese@uconn.edu

Paula Nieman, PhD

Assistant Professor in Residence and BSW Program Director

paula.nieman@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3659

Room 308 HSSW

Nathanael Okpych, PhD

Associate Professor

nathanael.okpych@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3622

Room 211 HSSW

Meg Paceley, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

meg.paceley@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3481

Room 209 HSSW

Rupal Parekh, PhD

Assistant Professor

rupal.parekh@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3627

Room 317 HSSW

Kathryn Parr

Assistant Research Professor

Office of Early Childhood

kathryn.parr@uconn.edu

Jon Phillips, PhD

Assistant Professor

jon.phillips@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3630

Room 218 HSSW

Lisa Werkmeister Rozas, PhD

Professor

lisa.werkmeister_rozas@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3654

Room 311 HSSW

Lesly Sanchez-Villar, LMSW

Assistant Professor in Residence

lesly.sanchez-villar@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3657

Room 314 HSSW

Sukhmani Singh, PhD

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

sukhmani.singh@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3675

Room 321 HSSW

Tanya Rhodes Smith, MSW

Instructor in Residence and Director, Nancy A. Humphreys Institute for Political Social Work

tanya.smith@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3631

Room 219 HSSW

Ellen Smith, PhD

Associate Professor in Residence

ellen.smith@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3634

Room 222 HSSW

Denise Sulzbach, JD

Director of the TA Network and Assistant Extension Professor

Innovations Institute

Denise.sulzbach@uconn.edu

Rebecca Thomas, PhD

Professor and Director, Center for International Social Work Studies

rlthomas@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3681

Room 327 HSSW

Wendy Ulaszek, PhD

Associate Research Professor

wendy.ulaszek@uconn.edu

(860) 418-6762

Cristina Wilson, PhD

Professor and Interim Co-Director, PhD Program

cristina.wilson@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3674

Room 320 HSSW

Innovations Institute Director Michelle Zabel

Michelle Zabel, MSS

Executive Director of the Innovations Institute and Associate Extension Professor

Innovations Institute

michelle.zabel@uconn.edu

Staff

Kathy Birnie, LMSW

Program Assistant

Office of Student and Academic Services

kathy.birnie@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3603

Room 106 HSSW

Nicole Campbell, DSW

Director of Field Education

Field Education Department

nicole.campbell@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3615

Room 304 HSSW

Kelley Citroni, MS

Administrative Program Support

Office of Research and Scholarship

kelley.citroni@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3645

Room 206 HSSW

Tessa Cugno, BA

Administrative Services Assistant 4

Office of the Dean

tessa.cugno@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3648

Room 305 HSSW

Isalena Gilzene, MSW

Placement Coordinator

Field Education Department

isalena.gilzene@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3606

Room 112 HSSW

Abigail Jackson, BA

Associate Director of Alumni Relations, Social Work & Law

ajackson@foundation.uconn.edu

(959) 200-3657

Room 314 HSSW

Carlton Jones, MS

Director of the Office of Student and Academic Services

Office of Student and Academic Services

carlton.jones@uconn.edu

Room 108 HSSW

Ziba Kashef, BA

Publicity/Marketing Administrator

Publicity/Marketing

ziba.kashef@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3629

Room 220 HSSW

Maria Koistinen, MSW

Placement Coordinator

Field Education Department

maria.koistinen@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3607

Room 112 HSSW

Chelsea Lebron, BA

Educational Program Assistant II

Office of the Dean

chelsea.lebron@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3649

Liane Lussier Smith, LCSW

Placement Coordinator

Field Education Department

liane.lussier-smith@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3608

Room 112 HSSW

Natalie Maddox (O'Connor), BA

Program Coordinator

Office of Student and Academic Services

natalie.o'connor@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3604

Room 106 HSSW

Steve Marchillo, BA

Assistant Dean of Finance and Administration

stephen.marchillo@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3614

Room 204 HSSW

Milagros Marrero-Johnson, MSW

Director of Strategic Programming

Office of the Dean

milagros.marrero-johnson@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3606

Room 318 HSSW

Eunices Pineda, MSW

Educational Program Assistant 2

Office of Student and Academic Services

eunices.pineda@uconn.edu

Room 106 HSSW

Carmen Ragland

Administrative Program Support

Office of Continuing Education and Professional Development

carmen.feliciano_ragland@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3617

Room 206 HSSW

Beth Sharkey, MSW

Associate Director

Office of Continuing Education and Professional Development

beth.sharkey@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3620

Room 208 HSSW

Iris Strong, BA

Administrative Services Specialist III

Office of Finance and Administration

iris.strong@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3619

Room 207 HSSW

Nancy Urcinas

Administrative Services Specialist II

Field Education Department

nancy.urcinas@uconn.edu

(959) 200-3610

Room 112 HSSW