School of Social Work

E-mail:‪ rdayt3@mail.missouri.edu
Hometown:‪ Monroe, Louisiana, Ouachita Parish
Hobbies:‪  soccer, volleyball, basketball, traveling, reading, outdoor recreational activities (especially jogging), and community service with my church.
Professional/Research Interests: ‪ Health/health care disparities among African Americans and families; Asian & Pacific Islander communities; cross-cultural health research; social policy analysis; quantitative data analysis; cultural adaptations in behavioral interventions for minority youth; multicultural social work practice; Latino and Hispanic communities; mentoring relations; youth and adolescent mental health; cultural factors that impact the experience of mental illnesses as it pertains to service utilization;  and ethical integration of faith into social work practice.

"Since 2006, I have been working in both rural and community mental health organizations in various capacities, but primarily as a clinical case manager through mental health rehabilitation programs with adults and their families in my home state of Louisiana.  I earned my MSW from the Baylor University School of Social Work with a specialization in multicultural social work practice. My social work training has allowed for me to learn ways to stimulate community engagement and involvement particular among members of underserved and low-socioeconomic communities.   Upon moving to Southeast Arkansas, I began working within the Arkansas school district as a school-based therapist providing therapy to behaviorally challenged children, adolescents, and their families.  This work experience subsequently, lead me to begin developing a research interest in youth and adolescent mental health and service delivery.

Recently, I have served as Assistant Director for a local nonprofit organization titled 2nd Chance @ Life whose targeted population is disadvantaged, low income and underserved persons in Southeast Arkansas. This recent social work experience motivated me to begin contemplating pursuing doctoral studies in social work here at University of Missouri. When I think of the social work profession, I think of the quote stated by theologian, St. Francis of Assisi, 'Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.'"

E-mail: mahwf@mail.missouri.edu
Hometown: Ghana
Hobbies: Cooking, playing soccer and watching basketball.
Professional/Research Interests: Child labor; human trafficking; and community development/organization.

"I received a BSW from the University of Ghana in 2006 and a MSW from Washington University in 2010. I am an international student from Ghana working towards a PhD in Social Work. I came into the PhD program having served as a practicum student helping low-income people access health services in St. Louis. I hope to do research that will help improve the lives of low-income people after my PhD program."

E-mail: gagela@health.missouri.edu
Hometown: Camdenton, Missouri
Hobbies: Photography, beekeeping, canoeing, reading, and attending live music events.
Professional/Research Interests: Medical social work; women’s health; psychosocial aspects of Cystic Fibrosis; social work and technology.

"I am a Senior Research Specialist in the University of Missouri’s Department of Family and Community Medicine. I work with an interdisciplinary team of researchers on a randomized control trial using a telehospice intervention. Previously, I worked as a PRN social worker with the University of Missouri Health Care System. During my MSW practicum and time as a PRN social worker, I served the Cystic Fibrosis (CF) population and became interested in the psychosocial aspects of the disease. My dissertation topic, the pregnancy intention of women with CF, grew from my shared interest of women’s health and the CF population. I am a self-proclaimed 'geek' and adore all things technology-based. My future research agenda will incorporate this love of technology with my love of social work research and practice."

E-mail: freesera@missouri.edu
Hometown: Dallas, Texas
Hobbies: College football, traveling, reading, outdoor recreational activities (especially camping), outdoor and indoor projects around the house.
Professional/Research Interests: Mental health service delivery to suicidal adolescents; factors influencing adolescent and family coping; factors that reduce the hospitalization recidivism rate for suicidal adolescents; and effectiveness of applying behavioral models to suicidal behaviors.

"I received my BSW from the University of Texas in Arlington. As a BSW student, I worked with the HIV/AIDS population primarily as a group facilitator and outreach prevention educator. I received my MSW from the University of Missouri and have my LCSW. Since 1999, I have been working in community mental health in various capacities, but primarily as a clinical therapist with adolescents and their families. In the last five years, I have become extensively trained in dialectical behavioral therapy and my primary focus has been working with chronic suicidal clients (adults and youth)."

E-mail: ivesonc@missouri.edu
Hometown: Columbia, Misssouri
Hobbies: Reading, biking, yoga, camping and listening to ALL kinds of music.
Professional/Research Interests: Funding of social welfare policy; service delivery; decision-making in disenfranchised populations, organizations and legislative bodies.

"I spent 10 years in business before receiving my MSW from Washington University in 1995. Another 10 years was spent working in child advocacy, including: child welfare, early care and education, health, mental health and family policy. Over the years I served on a number of coalitions, collaboratives, task forces and work groups that included state agency personnel, providers and consumers. I’ve served in both professional and volunteer capacities, including board service with several nonprofit organizations. In 2009, I joined the faculty at the School of Social Work and am certain that completion of the doctoral program will improve my teaching and provide insights that may improve public policies and service delivery for underserved populations."

E-mail: ej3mf@mail.missouri.edu
Hometown: Seoul, South Korea
Hobbies: Watching movies, doing nail art, driving, and walking.
Professional/Research Interests: Elderly populations; diversity; mental health; and organization structure and management.

"I am an international student from South Korea. I received a BSW and MSW from the Seoul Women’s University in South Korea in 2006 and 2009, respectively. I came to the US to achieve my dream. I received a second MSW from University of Missouri in 2012 and now am working toward a PhD. During my training as an MSW student, I developed my abilities in critical thinking and writing, and researching. I do not have any formal work experience, but I have had several practicums and volunteer experiences, which have helped me become accustomed with actual field practice and making connections between school and the real world. I hope to become an influential researcher who will improve the happiness of all kinds of people."

E-mail: mcgeee@umkc.edu
Hometown: Kansas City, Missouri
Hobbies: Cooking and gardening.
Professional/Research Interests: Intersection between poverty, race, class, and gender; homeless family assistance; HIV/AIDS; and family planning.

"I received a BSW from Central Missouri State University in 2000 and my MSW from the University of Kansas-Lawrence in 2003. I also received an Associate degree in Human Services from Longview Community College in 1995. I am a Research Associate at the UMKC School of Nursing where I oversee a retention program for students underrepresented in healthcare professions in an effort to ensure that every student is equipped with the necessary academic and non-academic resources to complete the Nursing education program. I bring my own personal experience living in public housing and receiving government benefits to my work with low-income and underserved individuals. As Director of Social Services for reStart Inc., one of the largest homeless shelters in the area, I was responsible for daily operations of the shelter and identifying community resources for clients. I coordinated community-based projects including education, support and mentoring for at-risk individuals and groups, such as the homeless, women living with HIV/AIDS and families living in poverty. I currently serve on the REACH Healthcare Foundation Board of Directors and am the Vice President of the Missouri-Kansas National Association of Black Social Workers. I have lectured on effective support for ethnically diverse students and how to increase cultural competency in the nursing education program."

E-mail: mdpelts@aol.com
Hometown: Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Hobbies: Finding creative, affordable ways to travel, college football and home remodeling projects.
Professional/Research Interests: Mental health services with veterans; mental health services for youth (specifically youth that identify as a sexual minority); and the intersection of poverty and crime and breaking the cycle.

"I received a BS in Social and Rehabilitation Services from the University of Southern Mississippi and a MSW from Portland State University where I trained with the Portland Veterans Administration Medical Center, Outpatient Mental Health Clinic, Cascade AIDS Project and worked as a research assistant. Prior to beginning the doctoral program at MU, I worked with the State of Washington providing clinical mental health services. I also worked for several years administering social programs in Tennessee and Florida."

E-mail: ajrzqd@mail.missouri.edu
Hometown: Dallas, Texas
Hobbies: Running, hiking, biking, and camping! Really anything that gets me outside.
Professional/Research Interests: Violence against women; sexual assault and domestic violence; trauma and resiliency; military sexual trauma; veteran women.

"I received a BS in Human Environmental Sciences and a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree from the University of Missouri, and am currently enrolled as a MSW/PhD student in the School of Social Work. I have a strong passion for research, particularly qualitative research and mixed methods, and have trained under faculty from the School of Health Professions, Sinclair School of Nursing, the VA, and the Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention Center. In addition to my experience as a Graduate Research Assistant, I worked as a civilian contractor for both the Air and Army National Guard in Missouri. My experience with the National Guard, and my family background as a military dependent, inspired me to work with veteran women. During my training as an MPH student, I used a qualitative, participatory action research method called photovoice, to help participants conceptualize their circumstances, and work towards a position of strength and empowerment.  I hope to employ this method as part of my dissertation research that will look at PTSD among female survivors of Military Sexual Trauma (MST)."  

E-mail: jas4626@bjc.org
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Hobbies: Spending time with friends, listening to live jazz with a good bottle of wine, driving a fast car (300ZX), going to gym, long jogs around Forest Park.
Professional/Research Interests: Health disparities; health prevention; and health issues particularly with HPV and HPV related cancer.

"I came to Missouri from California to pursue my Master of Social Work degree. I had always wanted to be a Medical Social Worker. It just so happened that an opportunity arose where I was invited to join a study team as a data collector. Knowing very little about research, I thought this would be a great opportunity to gain a new skill. This soon became my passion and ultimately my career. I work in the Department of Research at Barnes Jewish Hospital. As the only Social Worker in the department, I bring valued and respected perspectives to research and evidence based practice. In 2007, I began my doctoral journey at Mizzou. Although I have lived in Saint Louis for many years, I am very much an LA girl. In fact, the licence plate on my car states 'STIL LA'. I have two cats, Jessie James and Chubba Wubba Junior, whose antics are a great stress reducer."

E-mail: ftvt7@mail.missouri.edu
Hometown: Mt. Clemens, Michigan
Hobbies: Animals, family, euchre, traveling, reading, enjoying good food.
Professional Interests: Human-animal bond as a therapeutic tool.

"I earned my Bachelors is Social Work at Northern Michigan University and my Masters in Social Work at the University of Michigan. I was drawn to the University of Missouri from Michigan because of Mizzou’s Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction (http://rechai.missouri.edu/). I am passionately interested in studying the human-animal bond from a social work viewpoint. I strongly believe that professionally working with an animal can be a powerful therapeutic tool in the appropriate environment. As a social worker I enjoy working with a variety of diverse populations and the human-animal bond area of study can be applied to a plethora of individuals and groups."

E-mail: Klwv39@mail.missouri.edu
Hometown: Birmingham, Alabama
Hobbies/Interests: Traveling, reading, sports, discovering new eateries, outdoor recreational activities, cooking/baking, socialite, and faith based activities
Professional/Research Interests: Children, Adolescents and their families, Child Welfare, child welfare policy and reform, child and adolescent mental health, school based therapy, juvenile court, community social work, spirituality in social work

"I received my BSW degree from Alabama State University in Montgomery, Alabama. As a BSW student, my interest in community social work began when I became a member and later president of; the Whitney Young Social Work Club, which prompted me to get out into the community and get involved. I later became a member of the Young Democrats, NAACP, and the Upward Bound Program just to name a few. I received my LBSW license while working in the area of child welfare for the state of Alabama. I left the field of child welfare to pursue my MSW degree from the University of Alabama in the area of Children, Adolescents and their Families. Before completing my degree, I served as the president of the National Association of Christian Social Works (NACSW); I was chosen to be a social work ambassador to the campus chapter of the International Justice Mission (IJM) and in conjunction with these endeavors, I established the Northeast chapter of the National Association of Black Social Workers, (NABSW). Since 2008, I have served as a social work consultant for a nonprofit organization titled 2nd Chance @ Life whose targeted population is disadvantage, low – income and underserved persons in Southeast Arkansas. After moving to Arkansas, I worked in a school setting as a school based therapist providing therapy to behaviorally challenged children and or adolescents and their families. I received my LMSW license before moving to Missouri to pursue a PhD in social work. If I could sum up all the words spoken by my beloved professors and all the education I have gained thus far I would say this, 'It’s not enough to be present, you must do something' but Mohandas Gandhi said it best, 'You must be the change you want to see in the world'."