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MSU Denver Experts Guide
Social Work
AnnJanette Alejano-Steele
Department: Gender Institute for Teaching and Advocacy
Title: Associate Dean - College of Professional Studies
Expertise: Child psychology, Equity issues in the classroom, Multicultural service learning, Cross-cultural psychology, Gender and diversity, Psychology of gender, Psychology of women, Human trafficking (including sex and labor), Women's health
Kristen Atkinson
Department: Social Work
Title: Lecturer
Expertise: Positive youth development, Community youth development, Youth civic engagement, Youth leadership development, Participatory research
Jo Daugherty Bailey
Department: Social Work
Title: Professor
Expertise: Children without parental care/institutionalized children (internationally), Training/preparing workers to be empowering with diverse clientele, Program development, management and leadership
Annie Butler
Department: Human Services and Counseling
Title: Chair and Professor, Director of the Center for High Risk Youth Studies
Expertise: Ethics, LGBTQ issues, High-risk adolescents and youth, Gang issues, Gang culture, Gang indoctrination, Transition from gang life, Addictions and recovery, Drugs and school districts, Underage drinking, Addictions (Substance abuse and behavioral addictions such as gambling and sex), Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (a trauma therapy), Grief, Domestic violence, Dating violence, Multicultural
Larry Curry
Department: Social Work
Title: Retired Faculty
Expertise: Child and family preservation, Addictive behaviors, Child welfare
Tanya Greathouse
Department: Social Work
Title: Assistant Professor
Expertise: Multicultural humility, Implicit bias trainings, Supervision, Mitigating vicarious trauma in organizations and individuals
Anthony Hernandez
Department: Social Work
Title: Affiliate Instructor
Expertise: Housing, community and economic development
Christian Itin
Department: Social Work
Title: Professor
Expertise: Experiential education, Experiential practice, Adventure education, Adventure therapy, Older adult workforce development, Group work, Leadership, Adolescent practice, Family practice
Shawna Margesson
Department: Social Work
Title: Lecturer
Expertise: Living with mental illness, Peer to peer support for mental illness, Behavioral health, Mental wellness, Community organizing, International social work
Katherine Miller
Department: Gender Institute for Teaching and Advocacy
Title: Affiliate Professor/Victim Services Coordinator
Expertise: Women’s rights, Interpersonal violence (relationship/domestic violence, sexual violence, stalking), Human trafficking, Violence against women, Victim blaming, Feminism, White privilege and white supremacy, Psychological trauma
Andrew Mrkvicka
Department: Social Work
Title: Affiliate Faculty
Expertise: Child welfare, Abuse and neglect, Interfamilial sex abuse, Secondary trauma, Compassion fatigue
Marina Pereira
Department: Social Work
Title: Associate Dean - College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
Expertise: Acculturation and assimilation changes in the U.S., Mental health issues of children, adolescents and families, Child abuse, Sexual abuse, Domestic violence, Loss and grief issues, Immigration, First-generation students, Service learning, Bilingual, Bicultural
Jessica Retrum
Department: Social Work
Title: Chair, Associate Profesor
Expertise: Aging, Social isolation in later life, Mental health in later life, Social network analysis, Inter-organizational partnerships, Palliative care social work, Hospice social work, Social work with older people, Loss, Family therapy, Social work education
Jessica Ritter
Department: Social Work
Title: Professor
Expertise: Child welfare, Child abuse and neglect, Children’s rights, Political activism
Luis Rivas
Department: English
Title: Associate Professor, Director of the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP)
Expertise: Rhetoric and composition theory, Students of migrant/seasonal-farmworker background, Post-secondary education
Susie Ryder
Department: Social Work
Title: Director of Undergraduate and Graduate Field Education
Expertise: Therapy with children, adolescents, couples and families, Supervision, Parenting, Solution focused brief therapy, School social work, Substance abuse, Suicide prevention
Darlene Sampson
Department: Social Work
Title: Clinical Field Faculty and Equity Specialist Coordinator, WEEAC
Expertise: Trauma, Issues related to children of color, Police and community interactions, Educational challenges, pedagogy and curriculum, Over suspension of children of color, School/community consultation-particularly with black/brown communities, Racial bullying, Diversity/equity/inclusivity, Mental Health, General social work
Randyl (Randi) Smith
Department: Psychological Sciences
Title: Professor
Expertise: Mental disorders, Domestic violence, Professional ethics in mental health, Child abuse/neglect, Service-learning, Marital/couples communication, Psychological assessment, Homelessness and mental health, Ethics (especially for mental health professionals), Mental health treatment, Supervision of mental health providers, Whistleblowing, Colleague assistance
Eileen Starr
Department: Social Work
Title: Assistant Professor
Expertise: Clinical work with children, youth and families, Conflicted communities (sectarian violence in Northern Ireland)
