Department of Social Work and Social Ecology

The Department of Social Work and Social Ecology is an interdisciplinary academic unit that supports the institution’s commitment to human wholeness and its belief that one’s fullest development is achieved when all subsystems affecting the individual are understood and balanced. Both conceptually and pragmatically, the programs in the Department of Social Work and Social Ecology are guided by an overarching ecological (bio-psycho-social-spiritual) perspective and methodological framework that supports the use of scientific methods of problem analysis and program design.

A key component in this framework is the importance of interdisciplinary scholarship when studying the interrelated aspects of behavioral, sociopolitical, economic, and environmental problems. The result is an interdisciplinary teaching, learning, and practice environment brought together for the purpose of creating sustainable interventions directed toward improving the functioning of individuals, families, groups, organizations, institutions, and communities. As such, priority has been given to creating an academic milieu favorable to educating competent, ethical, and compassionate professionals and scholars for advanced practice and leadership roles—capable of respecting and addressing the needs of diverse populations.

Chair

Beverly J. Buckles

Executive associate chair

Kimberly Freeman

Primary faculty

Qais Alemi

Kelly Baek

Christi Bell

Beverly J. Buckles

Monte Butler

Kimberly Freeman

Talolo Lepale

Susanne Montgomery

Larry Ortiz

Lynn Raine

Secondary faculty

Jamie Banducci

Nikisha Brown

Vanessa Cortez

Neil Driscoll

Donna Gallup

Danielle Huntsman

Craig R. Jackson

G. Victoria Jackson

Elaine Karas

Veronica Kelley

Lisa Laras

Gabriela Navarro

Jessica Saran

Georgina Mora Yoshioka

Martha Parra

Kristen Slagter

Celia Fernandez Sutton

Emeritus faculty

Ignatius Yacoub

Clinical Educator

Robynn Mays