Cristina Wilson, Ph.D.

Henry M. and Judith M. Zachs Chair in Social Work, Professor, Director of the Ph.D. Program

Cristina Mogro-Wilson is the Henry M. and Judith M. Zachs Chair in Social Work, professor, and director of the Ph.D. Program at the University of Connecticut School of Social Work. She’s also a faculty member in the School’s Puerto Rican and Latin@ Studies Project. A nationally recognized Latina scholar, her research focuses on health disparities, cultural humility, and strengthening Latino families, with particular attention to parenting, resilience, and the prevention of substance use.

Dr. Mogro-Wilson’s scholarship examines the cultural, familial, and structural factors that influence parenting practices and child and youth outcomes in Latino communities. Her work has made significant contributions to understanding how culture shapes parenting, identifying modifiable factors that support family functioning, and advancing prevention and intervention strategies for substance use and other risk behaviors. Her recent research focuses on engaging Latino fathers and developing family-centered, sustainable intervention models that promote resilience and well-being, particularly during periods of stress and uncertainty.

She is co–principal investigator on multiple federally funded projects totaling more than $20 million from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Department of Education, and the Health Resources and Services Administration. Her current work includes a multi-site randomized controlled trial examining family well-being in rural and urban communities, as well as national training initiatives focused on improving services for children with disabilities and advancing equity in early childhood systems.

Since 2022, Dr. Mogro-Wilson has served as editor-in-chief of Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services, a leading journal in social work research with a legacy spanning more than a century.

Dr. Mogro-Wilson’s research is widely published, with studies appearing in Journal of Social Work Education, Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research, Families in Society, Social Work Research, American Journal of Public Health, Ethnicity & Health, Children & Schools, and Advances in Social Work, among others.

Dr. Mogro-Wilson teaches extensively in both the MSW and Ph.D. programs, with courses spanning research methods, program evaluation, survey and mixed methods research, and advanced statistical analysis.

She brings a strong commitment to strengths-based practice and to empowering at-risk and underserved populations. Her work centers on promoting resilience, strengthening family systems, and creating environments in which children and youth can thrive.

Dr. Mogro-Wilson earned her Ph.D. from the University at Albany, State University of New York; an MSW from the University of Michigan, with a concentration in interpersonal practice with children, youth, and families; and a BA in psychology from Fairfield University.

She is a member of the Society for Social Work and Research, the National Association of Social Workers, the Council on Social Work Education, and the National Hispanic Science Network.

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