Faculty and Research
At Simmons School of Social Work, you will learn from faculty who are leaders in their fields, mentors in and out of the classroom, and nationally recognized scholars in social work. Our faculty conduct research that addresses social issues, works to create equity and justice, and advances social work teaching and practice.
Our Faculty
Our faculty are world class scholars who do research that addresses social issues, works to create equity and justice, and advances social work teaching and practice. As shown through their publications, funding, and engagement in sharing their work with a variety of audiences, our faculty are respected leaders in the field.
Faculty lead our simulation experiences to provide students with opportunities to practice clinical skills. As active and prolific scholars, their research works to solve social challenges, advance the field of social work pedagogy, and change practice.
Social Work Faculty
Dean
Michael LaSala
Dean, School of Social Work
Full-time Faculty
Joanna Almeida
Professor and Eva Whiting White Endowed Chair
Celia Arias
Assistant Professor of Practice and Onground MSW Practicum Education Specialist
Gary Bailey
Professor of Practice and MSW Program Director
Emilé Baker
Associate Professor of Practice
Jeremy Brown
Associate Professor of Practice and Online MSW Practicum Education Specialist
Jeannine Chester
Associate Professor of Practice and Associate Director of Onground MSW Practicum Education
Gordon Chinamasa
Associate Professor of Practice and Associate Director of the BSW Program
Aqueela Culbreath-Britt
Associate Professor of Practice and Director of On-ground BSW Practicum Education
Curtis Davis
Associate Professor of Practice and Associate Director of the DSW Program
Noelle C. Dimitri
Assistant Professor
Jacqueline Dyer
Associate Professor of Practice and DSW Director
Kristen Ethier
Assistant Professor
Abbie Frost
Associate Professor
Tanya Frost
Associate Professor of Practice and Assistant Director of Online MSW Practicum Education
Rebekah Gibbons
Associate Professor of Practice
Renada Goldberg
Assistant Professor
Daren Graves
Professor
Johnnie Hamilton-Mason
Professor
Eugenia Knight
Associate Professor of Practice and Director of MSW Practicum Education
Peter Maramaldi
Professor and Social Work Alumni Fund Endowed Chair
Olivia Montgomery
Associate Professor of Practice and Onground MSW Practicum Education Specialist
Samuel Odom
Associate Professor of Practice
Erika Peter-Harp
Associate Professor of Practice and Assistant Director of Onground MSW Practicum Education
Tiffany Pinckney
Associate Professor of Practice and BSW Program Director
Kelly Pratt
Associate Professor of Practice
Michelle Putnam
Professor and Jennifer Eckert '08 School of Social Work Chair
Vanessa Robinson-Dooley
Professor and Director of the PhD Program
Christina M. Sellers
Associate Professor
Amy Skeen
Professor of Practice and Associate Director of Online MSW Practicum Education
Jeffrey Steen
Assistant Professor
JENNIE SUCILSKY
Associate Professor of Practice
Leah Hart Tennen
Professor of Practice and Director of Student Support Services
Kristie Thomas
Professor and PhD Program Director, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Vee Williams
Associate Professor of Practice and Assistant Director of Online MSW Practicum Education
Research at the School of Social Work
Faculty engage students in research to advance their knowledge, develop their skills, and address social issues. At Simmons, our research is aimed at changing lives and creating lasting change.
Center for Innovation in Clinical Social Work (CICSW)
The Center for Innovation in Clinical Social Work (CICSW) builds on the national leadership of Simmons Social Work faculty in advancing research, practice, and teaching in behavioral health. The Center focuses on innovation in three main areas: substance use education and research, with a particular focus on vulnerable and underserved populations; technology, including patient simulation and telebehavioral health; and behavioral health workforce development in the emerging model of integrated primary care and behavioral health in urban and rural areas. CICSW aims to be the epicenter of innovation in the arena of emerging technologies and clinical social work practice.
Student Engagement in Research
Through the SSW’s ambitious Social Work Fellowship program, MSW and Ph.D students receive stipends to collaborate with Social Work faculty on their research projects. Students get hands on experience with all parts of the research process; indeed, several students have earned co-authorship on faculty publications. Recent Social Work Fellowship research topic areas include: community based participatory research with domestic violence agencies; substance use in the LGBTQ population; cancer screening with women of color and community services for immigrant populations.