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
Secondary faculty
Jamie Banducci
Vanessa Cortez
Kasey David
Neil Driscoll
Danielle Huntsman
Craig R. Jackson
G. Victoria Jackson
Elaine Karas
Veronica Kelley
Allison Maxwell
Kristen Miller
Georgina Mora Yoshioka
Martha Parra
Kristen Slagter
Emeritus faculty
Terry Forrester
Ignatius Yacoub
