SSW - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Curriculum Developer, Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy
Alison has an MEd from the U of MN and has been working in the field of Adult Education for about 10 years. Alison is from Saint Paul, and currently lives in Minneapolis with her husband and young daughter.
Job Titles:
- Researcher Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare
Job Titles:
- Director of Operations, Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare
Andrea provides support to the CASCW Executive Director, working to align the budget, human resources, data systems, research-related operations, facilities, technology, and other operational areas with the center's strategic goals, including the…
Job Titles:
- Communications Director, Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy
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…
Job Titles:
- IV - E Program Coordinator, Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare
Job Titles:
- Executive Administrative Office Specialist, Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfar
- Executive Administrative Office Specialist, Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare
Crystal supports Title IV-E students at the University of Minnesota, School of Social Work.
Job Titles:
- Operations Administrator
- Curriculum and University Operations Specialist, Child Welfare Training Academy
Emily Batts is the Curriculum and University Operations Administrator for the Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy.
In this role, Emily supports the curriculum team in administrative tasks and assists them in developing and maintaining processes. She also oversees hiring, onboarding, and University processes related to the Academy Community Trainers and University of Minnesota staff.
Job Titles:
- Research Coordinator, Center for Practice Transformation
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.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor
- Assistant Professor in the
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 Work, Policy, and Practice. She was previously a postdoctoral associate from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. Her research interests pertain to health policy and the role of health systems in addressing social needs of communities. Specifically, she studies nonprofit hospital community benefit policy and its potential to promote health equity. The goal of her research is to identify policy revision that redirects resources to directly benefit community-identified needs with particular focus on communities that have been historically and systematically oppressed.
Job Titles:
- Communications and Marketing Manager
Job Titles:
- Evaluation and Credentialing Supervisor With the Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy
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.
Job Titles:
- Associate Director of Training and Operations, Center for Practice Transformation SSW Community Faculty
Job Titles:
- Associate Director of Community Engagement, Center for Practice Transformation
- Center for Practice Transformation 's Associate Director of Community Engagement
Jillian Wright is the Center for Practice Transformation's Associate Director of Community Engagement, and continues work as a clinical trainer.
Job Titles:
- Associate Director of the School of Social Work Associate Professor
Job Titles:
- Curriculum Developer With the Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy
Josh is from St. Paul and currently lives on the West Side. He has previously worked as a trainer, adviser, and teacher. Josh enjoys uncovering the connectedness of seemingly disconnected things and brings an artistic lens to his work.
Job Titles:
- Director of the Center for Practice Transformation SSW Community Faculty
Julie is one of the founders of the University of Minnesota School of Social Work's Center for Practice Transformation.
Job Titles:
- Graphic Designer, Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfar
- Graphic Designer, Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare
Kaia Forde works primarily on the messaging, marketing, and communication materials to be used be within and outside of the CASCW.
Job Titles:
- Human Resources Specialist
Job Titles:
- PACC Coordinator, Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare SSW Communications
Job Titles:
- Operations Coordinator, Center for Practice Transformation
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.
Prior to joining CPT, Kelly was working as a case manager for those with developmental disabilities. As a case manager she provided support and advocacy for individuals with disabilities and their support teams. Kelly assessed clients' needs, coordinated services, and ensured access to appropriate resources and care, promoting the well-being and independence of those she served.
Kelly is excited to join CPT and contribute her experience to support the Center's mission of providing high-quality professional development opportunities for the behavioral health workforce.
Job Titles:
- Curriculum Supervisor With the Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy
Lolita has over 20 years of leadership, training, and design experience that relates to adult education and development.
Job Titles:
- Professor Director of the PhD Program Director of Graduate Studies
Job Titles:
- Curriculum Developer, Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy
Job Titles:
- Clinical Trainer and Research Associate, Center for Practice Transformation SSW Community Faculty
Michael Van Wert joined the University of Minnesota School of Social Work's Center for Practice Transformation in 2022.
Job Titles:
- Curriculum Developer, Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy
Job Titles:
- Administrative Operations Professional With the Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy
Nora started with the Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare June 2011 as the Executive Office and Administrative Specialist. She assists with the outreach, professional education, and program operations components of the Center.
Job Titles:
- Academic Support Services Professional
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.
Job Titles:
- Professor Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker
Job Titles:
- Academic Advisor, Has Served in the Education Field for over Thirteen Years ( Youth Programs, Public Schools, Education Nonprofits, & Higher Education )
- Academic Advisor: Youth Studies, SSW Minors, and the Youth Development Leadership Program
Rae Dillon, our new academic advisor, has served in the education field for over thirteen years (youth programs, public schools, education nonprofits, & higher education).
Job Titles:
- Practicum Education Program Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Director of Outreach, Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare
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.
Job Titles:
- Center in 2014 As a Clinical Trainer
- Clinical Trainer, Center for Practice Transformation
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. He has had a full career in the mental health field spanning nearly forty years. His focus has included clinical work as a psychologist and psychotherapist in a variety of community mental health settings.
Job Titles:
- Master of Social Work Program Director
Suzanne Shatila, DSW, MSSW, LGSW, is the MSW Program Director. 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 education…
Job Titles:
- Web and Digital Specialist, Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare
Tim has been with the University of Minnesota since 2012 and has experience working with website management, Drupal, Salesforce and Google Analytics.
Job Titles:
- Professor and Gamble - Skogmo Chair in Child Welfare and Youth Policy