College of Education and Human Development

School of Social Work

Sue Abderholden Sue Abderholden

The Executive Director at NAMI Minnesota since 2001, Sue has held leadership positions at Arc of Minnesota, Minnesota office of US Senator Paul Wellstone, and PACER Center.

Saida Abdi Saida Abdi

Refugee youth and families; refugee and immigrant mental health; trauma systems therapy; building culturally responsive interventions

Saida Abdi

Lisa Albrecht Lisa Albrecht

Lisa Albrecht, an activist educator and writer, is professor emeritus in the School of Social Work at the University of Minnesota, where she founded an undergraduate program in Social Justice.

Lisa Albrecht

Michael Baizerman Michael Baizerman

Michael Baizerman, PhD, is professor emeritus at the University of Minnesota School of Social Work.

Michael Baizerman

Alison Bey Alison Bey

  • Curriculum Developer, Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy
  • she, her, hers
  • beyxx016@umn.edu

Alison has an MEd from the University of Minnesota and has been working in the field of Adult Education for about 10 years.

Alison Bey

Joan Blakey Joan Blakey

  • School of Social Work Director
    Professor and Gamble Skogmo Endowed Chair
  • blak0014@umn.edu

Dr. Blakey holds a BS and MSW from the University of Minnesota and a PhD in social work from the University of Chicago.

Joan Blakey, PhD, smiles in a professional portrait with a city skyline in the background. She is wearing a ponytail and a black turtleneck.

Steve Carlson Steve Carlson

Steve joined the Center in 2014 as a Clinical Trainer. Prior to this he served as the Director of Training at a local Minnesota non-profit.

Steve Carlson

Mimi Choy-Brown Mimi Choy-Brown

Community mental health services research, implementation science, clinical supervision, qualitative, multilevel, and mixed methods research, trans-theoretical recovery-oriented, evidence-based, anti-oppressive practices.

Mimi Choy-Brown

Katrina Cisneros Katrina Cisneros

Katrina Cisneros (she/her) is a Senior Teaching Specialist, full-time faculty member and life-long learner at the School of Social Work, University of Minnesota Twin Cities.

Katrina Cisneros

Katy Cobb Katy Cobb

Katy Cobb, LISW, comes to the University of Minnesota with over a decade of experience in non-profits settings throughout the Twin Cities, primarily working in supervisory and managerial roles.

Molly Cooney Molly Cooney

Molly teaches at Minneapolis College (MCTC). She is a queer writer, and mama who spends as much time as possible outdoors.

Image of Molly Cooney

Denise Cooper Denise Cooper

Denise supports the Outreach efforts of CASCW.

Denise Cooper

Cliff Dahlberg Cliff Dahlberg

  • Curriculum Media Specialist, MN Child Welfare Training Academy
  • he, him, his
  • dahlb056@umn.edu

Cliff earned his Master of Social Work degree from the University of Minnesota. He is dually licensed as a graduate social worker (LGSW) and alcohol and drug counselor (LADC).

Marti DeLiema Marti DeLiema

  • Assistant Professor
    Associate Director of Education for the Center on Healthy Aging and Innovation
  • she, her, hers
  • 612-625-8798
  • mdeliema@umn.edu

Aging, retirement security, elder abuse and neglect, elder financial exploitation, and financial fraud

Assistant Professor Marti DeLiema smiles in a professional portrait, wearing a navy blue shirt.

Rae Dillon Rae Dillon

  • Academic Advisor: Youth Studies, SSW minors, and the Youth Development Leadership Program
  • she/her/hers
  • mill4780@umn.edu

Rae Dillon, our academic advisor, has served in the education field for over thirteen years (youth programs, public schools, education nonprofits, & higher education). Most recently, she was an academic advisor at Inver Hills Community College

Rae Dillon, headshot

Malaika Eban Malaika Eban

Malaika works at the Legal Rights Center, a non-profit public defense firm in Minneapolis. In her role as Director of Community Strategy, she leads community engagement related to legal system transformation.

Image of Malaika Eban

Jeffrey Edleson Jeffrey Edleson

Edleson is a professor emeritus at the University of Minnesota School of Social Work, served as its director of research. Edleson founded the Minnesota Center Against Violence and Abuse.

Jeffrey Edleson

Rob Edwards Rob Edwards

Rob is Chief Executive Officer of the nonprofit Homeward Bound. He has been serving the non-profit human-services sector for more than 25 years.

Image of Rob Edwards

Katie Erickson Katie Erickson

Katie has a BSW from MN State University Moorhead and an MSW from right here at the University of MN School of Social Work.

Image of Katie Erickson

Kyle Evans Kyle Evans

Kyle comes to us from the University of Minnesota, Morris campus bringing with him five years of progressive higher education experience.

Crystal Fernandez Crystal Fernandez

  • Executive Administrative Office Specialist, Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare
  • crystal@umn.edu

Crystal supports Title IV-E students at the University of Minnesota, School of Social Work.

Crystal Fernandez

Jane Fields Jane Fields

  • Evaluation and Certification Supervisor, Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy
  • she, her, hers
  • jfields@umn.edu

Jane has more than two decades of experience working with project leaders, staff members, participants, and communities in evaluating program designs, implementation, and impact as both an internal and external evaluator.

Jane Fields

Kaia Forde Kaia Forde

Kaia Forde works primarily on the messaging, marketing, and communication materials to be used be within and outside of the CASCW.

Kaia Forde

Liz Fronsoe Liz Fronsoe

  • Outreach Specialist, Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare
    PLX Coordinator (Interim), Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare
  • efronsoe@umn.edu

Liz serves as interim coordinator for the Phoenix Learning Xchange (PLX) program and as an Outreach Specialist.

Liz Fronsoe

Stacy Gehringer Stacy Gehringer

Stacy leads the Outreach efforts at CASCW, the Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare. She manages communication, training events, faculty partnerships, center collaborations, awards, CW360°, and policy tracking.

Stacy Gehringer

Priscilla Gibson Priscilla Gibson

  • Professor Emeritus
    Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker
  • 612-624-3678
  • pgibson@umn.edu

Cultural Competence, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Qualitative Research Methods, Social Justice

Jane Gilgun Jane Gilgun

  • Professor Emerita
    Principal Investigator, The Meanings of Violence to Perpetrators, funded by the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station, 1985 to 2021, and other funders
  • 612-625-1220
  • jgilgun@umn.edu

Jane Gilgun is a professor emerita, School of Social Work, where she was a professor from 1984 to 2021.

Jane Gilgun

Emily Gus Emily Gus

  • Research Coordinator, Center for Practice Transformation
  • she, her, hers
  • emilygus@umn.edu

Emily Gus joined the Center for Practice Transformation (CPT) as a Research Coordinator, with an MPH in Community Health Promotion from the University of Minnesota.

Emily Gus

Wendy Haight Wendy Haight

Professor Haight completed her undergraduate degree in Psychology at Reed College, and her PhD at University of Chicago, where she studied developmental, cultural psychology.

Wendy Haight

K.C. Harrison K.C. Harrison

KC Harrison is a senior lecturer in the youth studies undergraduate program.

Ezgi Havsoy Ezgi Havsoy

Ezgi Havsoy is an Evaluation and Certification Specialist at the Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy, where she evaluates training programs and supports certification processes to ensure they effectively meet the needs of child welfare…

C.David Hollister C.David Hollister

Study of immigrants, homelessness, and child welfare Study of impacts on immigrants of welfare-to-work transitions under the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) Ongoing follow-up studies of MSW child welfare graduates career experiences 1991 -…

C.David Hollister

Yuanyuan Hu Yuanyuan Hu

Yuanyuan Hu is an assistant professor at School of Social Work. Her research interests focus on advancing behavioral health equity by implementing integrated behavioral health and human services for underserved BIPOC populations, particularly older…

Yuanyuan Hu smiles in a professional portrait wearing glasses and a black suit.

Kelly Johnson Kelly Johnson

Kelly Johnson joined the Center for Practice Transformation (CPT) and the School of Social Work (SSW) as an Operations Coordinator with a BA in Sociology and Cultural Anthropology from the University of Wisconsin- La Crosse.

Kelly Johnson

Lolita Johnson Lolita Johnson

  • Curriculum Supervisor, Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy
  • she, her, hers
  • 612-301-9769
  • howa0052@umn.edu

Lolita has over 20 years of leadership, training, and design experience that relates to adult education and development.

Lolita Johnson

Sydney Johnson Sydney Johnson

Dr. Johnson leads the design and implementation of research and evaluation projects at the Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare.

Sydney Johnson

Katie Johnston-Goodstar Katie Johnston-Goodstar

Social and political contexts of urban and Indigenous youth development, Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR), Youth and Media, Critical and Indigenous Pedagogies, History of youth work and social work in urban and Indigenous communities.

Katie Johnston-Goodstar

Linda Jones Linda Jones

"The Kids Capacity Initiative Pilot Project." The purpose of this project is to develop, implement, and evaluate a strengths-based approach to treatment foster care.

Linda Jones

Yewon Kang Yewon Kang

Assisting with university-supported academic technology platforms and tools (e.g., Canvas, Zoom, Kaltura, etc.)

Yewon Kang smiles in a professional portrait, wearing a cream colored sweater over a white shirt.

Deb Klein Deb Klein

Deb has joined the Practicum Team as a Practicum Coordinator. She will be engaging with our MSW students in the classroom and the community as they engage in Foundation and Specialization Practicum experiences.

Deb Klein, practicum coordinator, wears black glasses and a blue vest. She has long brown hair.

Amy Krentzman Amy Krentzman

Alcohol and other substance use disorders, addiction treatment and recovery, 12-step programs, sober living houses, spirituality, gratitude, forgiveness, positive psychology, journaling to support addiction recovery, recovery in rural communities,…

Kurt Hattenberger Kurt Hattenberger

Kurt holds degrees in instrumental music education (B.M. St. Olaf College) and saxophone performance (M.M. University of Minnesota).

Traci LaLiberte Traci LaLiberte

  • Executive Director of the Multidisciplinary Institute for Child Welfare
  • 612-624-2279
  • lali0017@umn.edu

Child Welfare, Disability, Evaluation, Policy, Systems Change

Traci LaLiberte

Nora Lee Nora Lee

  • Administrative Operations Professional with the Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy
  • she, her, hers
  • 612-301-9792
  • nmlee@umn.edu

Nora started with the Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare June 2011 as the Executive Office and Administrative Specialist.

Nora Lee

Courtney Lezanic Courtney Lezanic

Courtney currently works at Mental Health System as a group and individual therapist, the Teen Program Coordinator and to offer supervision to staff and interns. Courtney is teaching SW8152 Social Work Methods with Families & Groups.

Image of Courtney Lezanic

Peter Li Peter Li

Peter Li contributes to the development and evaluation of assessment tools for professional certification in the Academy.

Peter Li, certification and evaluation specialist at the Multidisciplinary Institute for Child Welfare, wears black glasses and a gray button up shirt.

Elizabeth Lightfoot Elizabeth Lightfoot

Elizabeth Lightfoot is Distinguished Global Professor Emeritus at the University of Minnesota’s School of Social Work. She was on faculty at the University of Minnesota from 1999 to 2021, and was the doctoral program director from 2006 to 2021.

Elizabeth Lightfoot

Julia Lodge Julia Lodge

Julia has over 15 years of experience in marketing and strategic communications and she leads the planning and execution of the communication efforts for the Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare (CASCW).

Julia Lodge smiles in a professional portrait wearing a blue shirt.

Hannah MacDougall Hannah MacDougall

Hannah MacDougall is an assistant professor in the School of Social Work. She holds a BA with a major in social work from Saint Olaf College, an MSW from Columbia University, and a PhD from the University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social…

Hannah MacDougall

Michelle Mattison Michelle Mattison

Michelle Mattison, LICSW, LMSW, RYT-500 is a Detroit native with a deep commitment to yoga, social justice, and improving health outcomes in underserved communities.

Michelle Mattison, On-Campus MSW Program Director, smiles in a professional portrait. She wears black glasses and a blue turtleneck.

Joseph Merighi Joseph Merighi

  • Associate Director of the School of Social Work
    Associate Professor
  • he, him, his
  • jmerighi@umn.edu

End-stage renal diseases, Medication adherence, Chronic illness, Social work practice in health care settings.

Joseph Merighi

Stuart Miller Stuart Miller

  • Evaluation and Certification Specialist, MN Child Welfare Training Academy
  • he, him, his
  • ssmiller@umn.edu

Stuart recently completed his PhD in psychology at Kansas State University. Much of the focus of his research was on the psychology of prejudice as well as the scholarship of teaching and learning.

Deborah Moore Deborah Moore

Youth work theory, practice, qualitative research, youth participatory evaluation and program evaluation and counter-oppresion theory and practices.

Deborah Moore smiles wearing a cream colored sweater and sitting next to a black cat.

Shiheina Munye Shiheina Munye

  • Engagement and Communications Specialist, Center for Practice Transformation
  • munye006@umn.edu

Shiheina Munye joined the Center for Practice Transformation (CPT) and the School of Social Work (SSW) as a Community Engagement Coordinator with a BS in Health Promotion & Equity and Community & Environmental Sociology.

Shiheina Munye

Timothy Nichols Timothy Nichols

  • Web and Digital Specialist, Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare
  • he, him, his
  • 612-625-7468
  • nich0121@umn.edu

Tim has been with the University of Minnesota since 2012 and has experience working with website management, Drupal, Salesforce and Google Analytics.

Timothy Nichols

Bill O'Connor Bill O'Connor

  • Communications Director, Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy
  • he, him, his
  • 612-301-9788
  • oconn301@umn.edu

Bill leads the communication strategy for the Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy (MNCWTA), which is a partnership between the Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare (CASCW) and the Child Safety and Permanency Division at the Minnesota…

Bill O'Connor

Katie Pape Katie Pape

Katie Pape has been with Canvas Health since 2005. She currently serves as the Director of Child and Family & Adult Intensive Services at the agency, which focuses on program development, grant writing, and building collaborative relationships with…

Peggy Pond Peggy Pond

  • Academic Support Services Professional
  • she, her, hers
  • 612-624-3700
  • ppond@umn.edu

I have many roles in SSW! My main focus is assisting all of our School of Social Work's academic programs, both undergraduate and graduate.

Peggy Pond

Heidi Presslein Heidi Presslein

  • Director of Practicum Education
    Senior Teaching Specialist
  • she, her, hers
  • 612-624-4262
  • pres0051@umn.edu

Heidi is a full-time, 12-month, faculty member. She is the Director of Practicum Education and a Sr. Teaching Specialist.

CEHD Headshots, Fall Assembly 2025

Jean Quam Jean Quam

Over the years my research has included work on serious and persistent mentally ill older adults, including founding two group homes for this population with other faculty at the School of Social Work.

Jean Quam

Ginny Ramseyer Winter Ginny Ramseyer Winter

  • Associate Professor

My research examines body image, weight stigma, and health.

Ginny Ramseyer Winter smiles in a professional portrait wearing a grey shirt and a gold necklace.

James Reinardy James Reinardy

Dr. Reinardy has been a faculty member at SSW-UMN since 1993 where he has served in administrative positions and well as teaching and research.

James Reinardy

Lynette M. Renner Lynette M. Renner

  • Professor
    Gamble-Skogmo Land Grant Chair in Child Welfare and Youth Policy
    Director of the PhD Program
    Director of Graduate Studies
    Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Family Violence
  • she, her, hers
  • 612-624-8795
  • renn0042@umn.edu

Family Violence, Intimate Partner Violence, Child Maltreatment, Mental and Behavioral Health, Help-Seeking, Family-Based Interventions, Youth Development

Lynette Renner

Julie Rohovit Julie Rohovit

  • Director of the Center for Practice Transformation; SSW Community Faculty
  • rohov001@umn.edu

Julie is one of the founders of the University of Minnesota School of Social Work's Center for Practice Transformation.

Julie Rohovit

Molly Rojas Collins Molly Rojas Collins

  • Director of Undergraduate Studies
    Senior Teaching Specialist
  • 612-626-7346
  • colli038@umn.edu

Molly Rojas Collins is Director of Undergraduate Studies and Senior Teaching Specialist at the UMN School of Social Work.

Ronald Rooney Ronald Rooney

Professor Rooney's special areas of scholarship and research relate to work with reluctant and involuntary clients in a variety of settings including public child welfare.

Ronald Rooney

Michelle Seymore Michelle Seymore

Michelle D Seymore holds a Master's in Public Administration and Bachelor of Psychology. She worked her way up to management positions to lead reform efforts in child protection and kinship/shelter care.

Michelle Seymore smiles in a professional portrait wearing a brown suit and glasses with thick black frames.

Patricia Shannon Patricia Shannon

Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR), Evaluation, Immigration, Intervention Science, Loss and Trauma, Mental Health

Patricia Shannon

Suzanne Shatila Suzanne Shatila

Suzanne Shatila, DSW, MSSW, LGSW, is the Director of Distributed Learning. Dr. Shatila was involved in mezzo and macro-level social work practice with human services, children's services, and community-based nonprofits prior to moving into higher…

Suzanne Shatila, MSW, smiles in a professional portrait. She is wearing a houndstooth jacket and gold chains.

Liz Snyder Liz Snyder

  • Director of Training Partnership, Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy
    Co-Director, Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy
  • she, her, hers
  • 612-301-9808
  • snyde276@umn.edu

In addition to being Co-Director of the Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy (MNCWTA), Liz is the Director of Training Partnerships at the Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare (CASCW).

Liz Snyder

Jill Stiber Jill Stiber

Jill Stiber is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) and has been awarded the national credential of Board Certified Diplomate in Clinical Social Work by the American Board of Examiners in Clinical Social Work (BCD).

Jill Stiber

Jessica Toft Jessica Toft

My research examines two sides of the same coin: how neoliberalism works to limit the professional authority of social work, and how social work can and has used democratic ideas and actions to protect and extend professional authority.

Jessica Toft, PhD wears a black sweater and black glasses in a professional headshot.

Kenny Turck Kenny Turck

Kenny serves as Executive Director with DIRT GROUP Global, and is a psychotherapist with Behavioral Health Advocacy Services He enjoys nature, music, art, growing food, cooking, preserving, reading, writing, singing/guitar, photography, DOGS, and did…

Image of Kenny Turck

Mark Umbreit Mark Umbreit

Professor Umbreit is an internationally recognized practitioner and scholar with more than 40 years of experience as a mediator, peacemaker, trainer, teacher, and researcher.

Mark Umbreit

Michael Van Wert Michael Van Wert

  • Clinical Trainer and Research Associate, Center for Practice Transformation
    SSW Community Faculty
  • he, him, his
  • vanwe027@umn.edu

Michael Van Wert joined the University of Minnesota School of Social Work's Center for Practice Transformation in 2022.

Michael Van Wert

Keely Vandre Keely Vandre

  • PACC Coordinator, Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare
  • she, her, hers
  • 612-626-3831
  • shal0035@umn.edu

Keely coordinates the Permanency & Adoption Competency Certificate (PACC) program offered through the Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare, supporting advanced level training for mental health and child welfare professionals, and increasing a…

Keely Vandre

Sandra Vega Carrero Sandra Vega Carrero

  • Curriculum Developer, Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy
  • she/her/hers
  • vegac001@umn.edu

Sandra Vega Carrero is an experienced eLearning and adult education professional with 12+ years of expertise in project management and instructional design.

Ross VeLure Roholt Ross VeLure Roholt

  • Director, Youth Development Leadership Program
    Associate Professor
  • he, him, his
  • 612-624-8785
  • rossvr@umn.edu

Community Engagement, Counseling, Mental Health, Adolescents/Youth, Community Engagement, Evaluation

Ross VeLure Roholt

Jeff Waid Jeff Waid

Child Welfare, Positive Youth Development, Prevention Science, Intervention and Services Research

Jeff Waid

Kate Walthour Kate Walthour

As Director of Professional Education in the Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare (CASCW), Kate manages the Title IV-E Child Welfare Program for MSW students including admissions, stipends, advising, and advanced curriculum.

Kate Walthour

Nate Whittaker Nate Whittaker

Please, call me Nate! I am a scholar-activist; a principled advocate in solidarity with historically oppressed populations.

Nate headshot

Oliver Williams Oliver Williams

Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR), Cultural Competence, Family Violence, Social Services, Specific Cultures (African American)

Oliver Williams

Jennifer Wiseman Jennifer Wiseman

  • Associate Director of Training and Operations, Center for Practice Transformation
    Community Faculty
  • wisem017@umn.edu

As Associate Director of Operations, Jen oversees the daily and strategic administrative operations of the Center for Practice Transformation and supervises processes for monitoring all projects including contract management, invoicing, deliverables,…

Jennifer Wiseman

Jennifer Witt Jennifer Witt

Please, call me Jen (she/they)! I teach and organize at the intersections of gender, racial, disability, youth, and class justice with a focus on deconstructing structures of violence in teaching and practice via transformative justice, critical…

Jennifer Witt

Jihee Woo Jihee Woo

Social determinants of mental health; lower-wage healthcare workers; Asian American health disparities; workplace conditions and unionization

Jihee Woo

Jillian Wright Jillian Wright

  • Associate Director of Community Engagement, Center for Practice Transformation
  • she/her/hers
  • 6123015361
  • wrig0331@umn.edu

Jillian Wright is the Center for Practice Transformation's Associate Director of Community Engagement, and continues work as a clinical trainer.

Jillian Wright smiles in a professional portrait. She has brown hair, wears black glasses and a black shirt with white polka dots.

Qi Zhou Qi Zhou

child welfare, workforce development, leadership, collaboration

Qi Zhou, Title IV-E Researcher, smiles in a profile picture. She is wearing dark glasses and a black shirt.
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