Sarah Taylor, MSW, PhD Faculty Profile

Photo of Sarah Taylor

Sarah  Taylor, MSW, PhD

Professor and Chair

Department of Social Work

Dr. Sarah Taylor (she/they) has over 25 years of experience in mental health, education, and disability equity through research, teaching, workforce development, and community and organizational practice. She has been serving as Chair of the Department of Social Work since Fall 2019. She has appreciated the opportunity to learn in this role and to be of service to colleagues and students. In their work as chair, they emphasize collaboration, transparency, and work-life balance for social work faculty, staff, and students. This is especially important in a field where burnout is common and turnover negatively impacts clients. Social work is an applied discipline that promotes social justice and values human worth and dignity. Rooted in these values, Dr. Taylor's research is collaborative, multi-disciplinary, and participatory, and involves qualitative methods that capture diverse perspectives and experiences. Dr. Taylor earned their PhD in Social Welfare and MSW from UC Berkeley.  

Current projects include:

  • PhD. Social Welfare, UC Berkeley
  • M.S.W. Social Welfare, UC Berkeley
  • B.A. Sociology, Vassar College NY; General and Departmental Honors; Phi Beta Kappa

Not teaching this semester.

Journal Articles (Peer-Reviewed)

*Denotes current or former student

Singh, R., Yakas, L., Wernick, L., Kattari, S.K., Slayter, E., & Taylor, S. (accepted). Anti-ableist and disability justice pedagogies in social work education. Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare, Special Issue on Disability Justice in Social Work.

Slayter, E., Kattari, S.K., Yakas, L., Singh, R., Goulden, A., Taylor, S., Wernick, L., Simmons, L, & Prince, D (2022).  Commentary: Beyond ramps, curb cuts, and captions: A call for disability justice in social work. Social Work.

Gamba, R.J., Wood, L.M., Ampil, A., Engelman, A., Lam, J., Schmeltz, M.T., Pritchard, M.M., Santillan, J.K.A., Rivera, E.S., Ortiz, N., Ingram, D., Chayne, K., & Taylor, S. (2021). Investigating the feasibility of a restaurant delivery service to improve food security among college students experiencing marginal food security, a head-to-head trial with grocery store gift cards. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

Gamba, R. J., Schmeltz, M. T., Ortiz, N., Engelman, A., Lam, J., Ampil, A., Pritchard, M., Santillan, J., Rivera, E., Wood, L., Ingram, D., Cheyne, K. & Taylor, S. (2021). “Spending all this time stressing and worrying and calculating”: Marginal food security and student life at a diverse urban university. Public Health Nutrition, 1-19.

Guzzardo, M., Khosla, N., Adams, A.L., Bussmann, J., Engelman, A., Ingraham, N., Gamba, R., Jones-Bey, A., Moore, M., Toosi, N., & Taylor, S. (2020). “The ones that care make all the difference”: Perspectives on student-faculty relationships. Innovative Higher Education.

Khosla, N., Gamba, R., Taylor, S., Adediji, L., Bovey, J.*, Engelman, A., Jones-Bey, A., Kwan Lan, T.*, Vo, H.*, Washington, V.*, & Inch, E. (2019). Academic goal-setting among college students experiencing food insecurity, housing instability, and other challenges in a diverse public university. Journal of Social Distress and the Homeless 29(1), 3-15.

Taylor, S., Wright, A.C., Pothier, H.*, Hill, C.*, & Rosenberg, M.* (2019).  It’s like I have an advantage in all this: Experiences of advocacy by parents of children with disabilities from professional backgrounds. Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare, 46(3), 159-183.

Taylor, S., Barr, B. D., O'Neal-Khaw, J., Schlichtig, B., & Hawley, J. L. (2018). Refining your queer ear: Empowering LGBTQ+ clients in speech-language pathology practicePerspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups3(14), 72-86.

Taylor, S., Battis, C., Carnochan, S., Henry, C., Balk, M., & Austin, M. (2018). Exploring trauma-informed practice in public child welfare through qualitative data-mining of case records. The Journal of Public Child Welfare, 13(3), 325-344. A limited number of full-text copies are available at this link: https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/US9tPNZxsmf2XhFPEeR2/full

Henry, C., Liner-Jigamian, N., Carnochan, S., Taylor, S., & Austin, M. (2018). Parental substance use: How child welfare workers make the case for court intervention. Children and Youth Services Review, 93, 69-78. 

Taylor, S. and Conley Wright, A. (2017). The role of not-for-profit organisations in supporting advocacy and leadership in parents of children with disabilities: A cross-national perspective. Third Sector Review, 23(2), 81-107.

Taylor, S., Carnochan, S., Pascual, G., & Austin, M.J. (2016). Engaging employers as partners in subsidized employment programs. Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare, 43(1), 149-170.

Carnochan, S., Taylor S., Pascual, G., & Austin, M.J.. (2014). Employer-employee relationships in subsidized employment programs: The role of soft skills. Families in Society, 95(3), 187-194.

Wright, A. C., & Taylor, S. (2014). Advocacy by parents of young children with special needs: Activities, processes, and perceived effectivenessJournal of Social Service Research40(5), 591-605.

Benton, A., Androff, D., David-Barr, B., and Taylor, S. (2012). Of quant jocks and qual outsiders: Doctoral student narratives on the quest for training in qualitative research. Qualitative Social Work, 11(3), 232-248.

Taylor, S. (2011). Educational and vocational exploration in vulnerable youth. Child and Youth Services, 32(4), 355-379.

Taylor, S. & Anthony, E. (2011). Infusing early intervention for substance use into community mental health services for transitioning youth. Social Work in Mental Health, 9(3), 163-180.

Anthony, E., Taylor, S., & Raffo, Z. (2010). Early intervention for substance abuse among youth and young adults with mental health conditions: An exploration of community mental health practices. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 38(3), 131-141.

Cosner Berzin, S. & Taylor, S. (2009). Preparing foster youth for independent living: Collaboration between county independent living programs and community-based youth-serving agencies. Journal of Public Child Welfare, 3(3), 254-274.

Taylor, S. Engaging and retaining vulnerable youth in a short-term longitudinal qualitative study. (2009). Qualitative Social Work: Research and Practice, 8(3), 491-308.

Stone, S., Austin, M., Berzin, S., Taylor, S. (2008). Exploring the knowledge base of HB&SE using the concept of reciprocity. Journal of Human Behavior and the Social Environment, 16(3), 89-106.

Cohen, E., Adams, N., Dougherty, R., Clark, J.D., Taylor, S. (2007). The intersection of transformation and quality in mental health treatment: Implementing the California Learning Collaborative. International Journal of Mental Health, 36(2), 21-35.

Carnochan, S., Taylor, S., Abramson-Madden, A., Han, M., Rashid, S., Maney, J., et al. (2006). Child welfare and the courts: An exploratory study of the relationship between two complex systems. The Journal of Public Child Welfare, (1)1, 117-136.

Taylor, S. (2006). Educating future practitioners of social work and law: Exploring the origins of inter-professional misunderstanding. Children and Youth Services Review. (28)6, 638-653.

Carnochan, S., Ketch, V., De Marco, A., Taylor, S., Abramson, A., & Austin, M. (2005). Assessing the initial impact of welfare reform: A synthesis of research studies. The Social Policy Journal, 4(1), 3-31.

Hastings, J., Taylor, S., Austin, M. (2005). The status of low-income families in the post-welfare reform environment: Mapping the relationships between poverty and family. The Journal of Health and Social Policy, 21(1), 33-63.

Taylor, S., Austin, M., & Mulroy, E. (2005). Evaluating the social environment component of human behavior and the social environment courses through an analysis of course outlines. The Journal of Human Behavior and the Social Environment, 10(3), 61-84. (Reprinted in The conundrum of human behavior in the social environment, by M. Feit and J. Wodarski, Eds., 2005, Binghamton, NY: Haworth.)

Taylor, S., Mulroy, E., & Austin, M. (2005). Social work textbooks on human behavior and the social environment: An analysis of the social environment component. The Journal of Human Behavior and the Social Environment, 10(3), 85-110. (Reprinted in The conundrum of human behavior in the social environment, by M. Feit and J. Wodarski, Eds., 2005, Binghamton, NY: Haworth.)

Book Chapters and Other Academic Contributions

Taylor, S. (2021) Review of South Bronx Battles: Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Renewal by
Carolyn McLaughlin," The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare, 48(4) https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/jssw/vol48/iss4/9

Woods, D.R., Taylor, S., Austin, D., Beck, J., Chung, K., Couch, S., Davis, E.M., Fauth, B., Geron, K., Ireland, D.K., Kupers, E., Massey, M., Rowley, A.J., Stein, J., & Weiss, J. (2015). Building an inclusive, accessible, and responsive campus at California State University East Bay, 2010-2015. Perspectives on Communication Disorders and Sciences in Culturally Linguistically Diverse Populations, 22(2), 44-63.

Stone, S., Anyon, Y., Berzin, S., Taylor, S., & Austin, M. (2012). Human behavior and the social environment: Exploring conceptual foundations in Thyer, B., Dulmas, C., and Sowers, K. (Eds.) Human Behavior in the Social Environment: Theories for Social Work Practice.

Clark, H.B., Taylor, S., and Deschenes, N. (2010). Transition to Independence Process (TIP) Model: Understanding youth perspectives and practices for improving their community life outcomes in Cheney, D. (Ed.) Transition of secondary students with emotional or behavioral disorders: Current approaches for positive outcomes. (2nd Edition). Arlington, VA: Council for Exceptional Children, Division on Career Development and Transition & The Council for Exceptional Children.

Stone, S., Cosner Berzin, S., Taylor, S., & Austin, M. (2008). Human behavior and the social environment: Exploring conceptual foundations In B. Thyer (Ed.), Comprehensive handbook of social work and social welfare, Volume 2: Human behavior in the social environment. Indianapolis, IN: John Wiley and Sons.

Public Engagement

Essays and Other Writings

Taylor, S. (2021, March 19). My son has intellectual disabilities. He deserves a rich and challenging curriculum. First person essay published by Chalkbeat.

Taylor, S. (2019, July 1). School’s out for summer and my kid will be carrying celery. Commentary published by EdSource.

Taylor, S. (2018, April 24).  Comments on the Alameda Unified School District Strategic Plan for Special Education. Parent participant perspective shared at the Board of Education Meeting. (Recording; speech begins at 20.07; Text available as a blog post on The Medium).

Media/Public Engagement

Cal State East Bay News. (2023, December 11). Cal State East Bay launches inclusive post-secondary education program.

Cal State East Bay News. (2023, May 17). What the world needs now is social workers: How a Grant is helping Cal State East Bay meet the demand.

Cal State East Bay News. (2022, March 16). Self care: Lessons learned after two years of the pandemic.

Kelliher, R. (2022, March 21). Why campuses are including caste in anti-discrimination policies. Diverse Issues in Higher Education. 

Hameed Naik, R. (2022, February 1). ‘Watershed’: Dalits hail US university’s caste discrimination ban. Aljazeera News.

Feulner, N. (2017, December 11). Going further than food and shelter. East Bay Today (Publication of Cal State East Bay).

 

PEER-REVIEWED CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS (since 2015)

*denotes current or former student

Crutchfield, R., Maguire, J., Taylor, S., & Trawver, K. (2022, November). Equity gaps and student basic needs: A call to social work educators. Interactive workshop at the Annual Council on Social Work Education Conference, Anaheim, CA.

Taylor, S., Chin-Newman, C., Kupers, E., Kashinath, S., Baird, P., & Engelman, A. (2022, February). Building an inclusive campus culture through collaborative multidisciplinary initiatives. Oral Presentation at the Annual Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability and Diversity. Virtual conference hosted by the Center on Disability Studies (CDS), College of Education, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.

Chin-Newman, C., Baird, P., Engelman, A., Jacobs, M., Solorzano, M., & Taylor, S. (2021, October.) Forging new visions for disability equity. Oral presentation at the California State University Network for Student Success conference.

Khosla, N., Engelman, A., & Taylor, S. (2020, March). How do we level the playing field for students with disabilities in higher education? Sixty-minute breakout session at the Annual Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability and Diversity, Honolulu, HI.

Ampil, A., Pritchard, MM., Santillan, JKA, Solis-Rivera, E., Ortiz, N., Lam J., Schmeltz, MT., Engelman, A., Ingram, D., Cheyne, K., Taylor, S., Gamba, RJ. (2020, February). “Spending all this time stressing and worrying and calculating, and you know that just kind of sucks:" Marginal food security and student life. Co-author of poster presentation delivered by colleagues at the Intersegmental Basic Needs Summit by the California Higher Education Basic Needs Alliance (CHEBNA), Costa Mesa, CA.

Ingraham, N., Woods, D., Jones-Bey, A., Gamba, R., Guzzardo, M., Khosla, N., Engelman, A., Scharberg, M., Taylor, S., & Inch, E. (2019, November). Supporting students with complex and overlapping challenges through a mixed methods learning collaborative. Co-author of oral presentation delivered by N. Ingraham in the symposium on Academics Promoting Social Justice with and for Students at the National Women’s Studies Association Annual Conference, San Francisco, CA.

Taylor, S., Inch, E., Jones-Bey, A., Adediji, L., Bovey, J., Engelman, A., Gamba, R., Khosla, N., Kwan Lan, T., Bergeron, S., Lindfors, A., Ingram, D., Scharberg, M. Bananas and apples: Student strategies for coping with basic needs challenges in the SF Bay Area.(2019, October). Oral presentation in the panel, Basic needs in a statewide university system: Meeting students where they are at the Annual Program Meeting of the Council on Social Work Education, Denver, CO.  

Taylor, S., Khosla, N., Gamba, R., Adediji, L., Bergeron, S.*, Bovey, J.*, Engelman, Ingram, D., Jones-Bey, A., Kwan Lan, T.*, Lindfors, A.*, Scharberg, M., & Inch, E. (2019, July). Goal attainment in college students. Oral presentation at the International Conference for Social Development, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Taylor, S., Kashinath, S., Khosla, N., Gamba, R., Brown, C., Engleman, A., Adediji, L., Bovey, J.*, Kwan Lan, T.*, Lindfors, A.*, Bergeron, S.*, Ingram, D., Jones-Bey, A., Scharberg, M., & Inch, E. (2019, March). Going to college with a disability: Building on strengths and addressing challenges to support student success. Two-hour breakout session at the Annual Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability and Diversity, Honolulu, HI.

Taylor, S., Khosla, N., Gamba, R., Bergeron, S.*, Bovey, J.*, Kwan Lan, T.*, Engelman, A., Adediji, L., Lindfors, A.*, Ingram, D., Jones-Bey, A., Scharberg, M., & Inch, E. (2019, March). Enhancing strengths and addressing challenges to support student success. Fifty-minute oral presentation at the Annual California State University Symposium on Teaching and Learning, Fresno State University.

Winter, J., Maerz, B., Taylor, S., Goh, S., Vugia, H., & Kashinath, S. (2019, March). Creating an interprofessional simulation and education program for multiple health care disciplines at a large state university. Co-author of poster presentation delivered by colleagues at the Region One Sigma Theta Tau International Education, Research & Leadership - Global Excellence in Nursing Conference, Sacramento, CA.

Henry, C., Liner-Jigamian, N., Carnochan, C., Taylor, S., & Austin, M. (2018, September). Parental substance use: How child welfare workers make the case for court intervention.  Co-author of poster presentation delivered by C. Henry at the 22nd International Congress on Child Abuse and Neglect, Prague, Czech Republic.

Taylor, S., Battis, C., Carnochan, S., Henry, C., Stanczyk, A., & Austin, M. (2018, January). Linking immigrant youth in child welfare with mental health services. Poster presentation at the annual Society for Social Work Research Conference, Washington, D.C.

Taylor, S. & Wright, A. (2017, October). Once upon a time in an IEP: Stories of educational advocacy by parents of children with disabilities. Sixty-minute breakout session at the Annual Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability and Diversity, Honolulu, HI.

Taylor, S. Carnochan, S., Stanczyk, A., Battis, C., & Austin, M.J. (2017, May). Linkages between child welfare and mental health: Promising practices and challenges. Oral presentation at the 4th International Conference on Practice Research, Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

Taylor, S. & Wright, A. (2016, November). The role of non-profit organisations in supporting the advocacy activities of parents of children with additional needs. Oral paper presentation at the Australian and New Zealand Third Sector Research Conference, University of Sydney, Australia.

Taylor, S. & Cohen, E. (2016, June). Evaluation of an innovative recovery-oriented behavioral health program. Oral paper presentation at the 27th Annual Network for Social Work Management Conference, Los Angeles, CA.

Taylor, S. & Wright, A. (2016, April). Advocacy activities by parents of children with disabilities: Exhilarating, empowering, and exhausting. Oral paper presentation at the annual Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability and Diversity, Honolulu, HI.

Taylor, S. Carnochan, S., Pascual, G., & Austin, M. (2015, January). Engaging employers as partners in subsidized employment programs.  Oral paper presentation at the annual conference of the Society for Social Work Research Conference, New Orleans, LA.

INVITED COMMUNITY-BASED PRESENTATIONS (since 2015)

Inclusive post-secondary education programs. (2023, November). One of three panelists presenting on inclusive post-secondary education programs for a community event organized by the North Region Special Education Local Planning Area (SELPA) Community Advisory Committee.

Taylor, S. (2022, October). 16 years (or is it 48?) into this Fragile X Journey. Guest lecture for the UCSF Genetic Counseling Program per invitation from Program Director Cynthia Morgan.

"I don't agree with the IEP [Individualized Education Program]. Now what?" (2022, March). One of four panelists for a virtual parent education event organized by the Education Committee of the North Region Special Education Local Planning Area (SELPA) Community Advisory Committee.

Weissinger, E., Carnochan, S., Taylor, S.,  Liner-Jigamian, Henry, C., & Austin, M. (2018, May). Applying qualitative data-mining (QDM) techniques to child welfare data. Co-author of sixty-minute oral presentation delivered by colleagues at the 21st Annual National Human Services Training Evaluation Symposium, California Social Work Education Center, Berkeley, CA.

Taylor, S. (2018, February). How providers can support advocacy and leadership in parents of children with disabilities. National webinar and follow-up Facebook Live event in March for the Military Families Learning Network.

Taylor, S. (2018, January). You shouldn't have to be a rocket scientist to access services for kids with disabilities.  National webinar for Family Voices of California.

Taylor, S. (2017, December; 2016, September; 2015, January & June). Resilience, coffee, and community: How parents advocate for children with special needs. 2017, December: Alameda Special Education Family Support Group Workshop, Alameda, CA. 2016, September: Noah's Shoalhaven, Parent Room Workshop Series, Nowra, Australia. In 2015, both presentations  were with Family Voices of California, Parent Advocate Training Series, in two different formats. January, in-person: Oakland, CA: Family Education Resource Center. June, online: Webinar with over 60 participants from across the U.S.

Taylor, S. (2017, April & September). Being a Professor at a Teaching/Research University. Panelist on a presentation for doctoral students and post-doctoral fellows at Stanford University (April) and UC Berkeley (September).

Taylor, S. (2017, April & 2016, September). Cultural sensitivity in working with LGBTQ+ communities. September 2016: Guest lecture in a course on diversity taught by L. Keevers in the Department of Social Work at University of Wollongong, Australia. April 2017: Guest lecture in a course on diversity taught by N. Mahendra in the Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders at San Jose State University.

Sisler, S. & Taylor, S. (2017, March). Integrating primary care and behavioral health. Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services Intern Training Seminar. San Leandro, CA. (Also presented in 2015, April with N. Schapiro and 2016, April with Miller, A.)

Taylor, S. (2016, November). Narrative analysis of parental advocacy in educational settings. Oral presentation as part of the Early Start Research Institute seminar series, University of Wollongong, Australia.

Keeton, V. & Taylor, S. (2016, January). The intersection of physical and behavioral health. Guest lecture for a course on Child/Adolescent Behavioral and Mental Health Conditions taught by N. Shapiro at the University of California, San Francisco.

Taylor, S., Pizzi, D.*, Crispino, N.*, & Mozell, V.* (2015, June). Hope, family, and possibility: A collaborative program evaluation photovoice project. Oral presentation at the Arc of California Annual Executive Meeting. Sacramento, CA.

Taylor, S. & Mazid, S. (2015, May). Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services (ACBHCS) Workforce Education and Training (WET) needs assessment survey. Bay Area Mental Health and Education Workforce Collaborative. Oakland, CA: ACBHCS.

PRESENTATIONS AT CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, EAST BAY, HAYWARD, CA (since 2015)

Adams, L., Bussmann, J., Engelman, A., & Taylor, S. (2021, November). Listening to our students: Supporting student success through Learning Framework faculty resources. Faculty development workshop.

Taylor, S. (2021, February). Building disability justice for youth into our post-pandemic future. Guest lecture for an advanced graduate seminar taught by K. Nicholas in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences.

Taylor, S. (2017, October and 2020, May). You shouldn't have to be a rocket scientist to access services for kids with disabilities.  Oral presentation for the Diversity and Inclusion Student Center (2017) and Guest lecture for an advanced graduate seminar taught by K. Nicholas in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences (2020).

Taylor, S., Adams, L., Adediji, L., Bussmann, J., Engelman, A., Gamba, R., Guzzardo, M., Moore, M., Ingraham, N., Jones-Bey, A., Kashinath, S., Khosla, N., McClain, Z., & Toosi, N. (2019, August). Supporting faculty to support our students: Tools for balancing empathy and rigor. Presentation at Back to the Bay.

Taylor, S. (2019, May; 2018, April; & 2014, October). Two pots of coffee: Parenting a child with a disability. Guest lecture for an advanced graduate seminar taught by S. Kasinath in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences.

Dobb, L., Taylor, S., Seitz, J., & Weiss, J. (2019, April). Research here, research now. Invited to co-present at a workshop organized by the Office of Faculty Development about action research and scholarship of teaching and learning on our campus. 

Taylor, S., Jones-Bey, A., Gamba, R., Khosla, N., Bovey, J.*, Ingram, D., Engelman, A., & Kwan Lan, T.*, & Inch, E. (2018, August). I’m barely just hanging in: Who our students are and how to support them. Invited keynote presentation at Back to the Bay.

Seitz, J., Perry, B., Jackson Kimball, D., Ramirez, L., & Taylor, S. (2018, August). How to get it done: Balancing teaching and research. Panel presentation at Back to the Bay.

Woods, D. & Taylor, S. (2017, December & September). Microaggressions. Co-presenter of a workshop offered by the University Office of Diversity, Leadership and Employee Wellness. December: Counseling Services; September: New faculty and department chairs.

Woods, D. & Taylor, S. (2017, September). Unconscious bias. Co-presenter of a workshop offered by the University Office of Diversity, Leadership and Employee Wellness for diversity advocates on faculty search committees.

Austin, D., Gray, M., Taylor, S., & Williams, S. (2017, September, May, & March). Racial equity ally training. Co-presenter of a workshop offered by the University Office of Diversity, Leadership and Employee Wellness and Diversity and Inclusion Student Center. (September presentation will be an abbreviated version.)

Taylor, S. (2016, May & 2013, May). Cultural sensitivity in working with LGBTQ+ communities. Guest lecture in a course on diversity taught by N. Mahendra in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences.

Baird, P., Czirkelbach, K., Kasinath, S., & Taylor, S. (2016, January). Invisible disabilities. Oral presentation for the Diversity Development Series.

Couch, S., Page, K., Wageman, S., Brady, K., & Taylor, S. (2015, September). All about the money: Finding money for research. Oral presentation at Back to the Bay faculty conference.

Taylor, S. & Woods, D. (2015, March & September). Culturally inclusive and responsive teaching and learning. Oral presentation for the First Year Faculty Experience workshop series. 

Keeton, V. & Taylor, S. (2015, May). Minding the gap: Providing comprehensive care through the integration of primary care and behavioral health. Oral presentation at the Social Work Department's Annual Field Instructor Appreciation Luncheon.

Principal Investigator, Harvey L. and Maude C. Sorensen Fellowship Program in Childhood Mental Health. 2024-present. The Harvey L. and Maud C. Sorensen Foundation.

Principal Investigator, BSW Development/Social Work Education Capacity Expansion (SWECE), 2023-present. California Department of Health Care Access and Information.

Principal Investigator, MSW Expansion/Social Work Education Capacity Expansion (SWECE), 2023-present. California Department of Health Care Access and Information. 

Sub-Award Co-Investigator, CSU Inclusive Post-Secondary Education Pilot Programs, 2022-present. Sub-award through CSU Long Beach. Lead PI: Kristin Powers. Sub-Award PI: Talya Kemper.

Collaborator/Sub-Award PI, Behavioral Health Workforce Education And Training (BHWET) Program, 2017-present. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), M01HP31330-01-00. Sub-award through CalSWEC/UC Berkeley. PI: Maxwell Davis.

Sub-Award PI, Title IV-E Child Welfare Training Program, 2019-present. Administration for Children and Families of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services via the California Department of Social Services via CalSWEC/UC Berkeley. PI: Linda Burton.

Lead Researcher/Co-Investigator, Pioneers for Hope Learning Framework, 2017-2021, Stupski Foundation. Principal Investigator: Provost Edward Inch.

Sub-Award PI (2018-2019)/Project Coordinator (2017-2018), Mental Health Stipend Program, 2017-2018. Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development via California Social Work Education Center. 

Collaborator/Sub-Award PI, Interprofessional Nurse Practitioner Education for the Collaborative Care of Children with Chronic Conditions (INPEC5), 2014-2017. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), HRSA-14-066. Sub-award through UCSF. PI: Naomi Schapiro.

Principal Investigator, Integrated Behavioral Healthcare Social Work Field Placement Project, 2013-2014. Council on Social Work Education/New York Community Trust. 

Principal Investigator, Diversity and Social Justice Faculty Fellows Pilot Program, 2013-2014, Programmatic Excellence and Innovation in Learning (PEIL) grant, California State University, East Bay. Co-Principal Investigators: Julie Beck, Colleen Fong, and Rose Wong.

Co-Principal Investigator, Diversity and Social Justice Grant Project, 2012-2013, Programmatic Excellence and Innovation in Learning (PEIL) grant, California State University, East Bay. Principal Investigator: Julie Beck; Co-Principal Investigator: Colleen Fong.

Sub-Award Principal Investigator, Mental Health Curriculum Content Analysis Project, 2010. Zellerbach Foundation, sub-award through Loma Linda University. PI: Bev Buckles.

Project Coordinator, CalSWEC Mental Health Stipend Program, 2009-2011. California Social Work Education Center. Co-Principal Investigators: Evaon Wong-Kim and Dianne Rush Woods.

Post-Doctoral Fellow, Prevention Science Research Training Program, National Institute of Health, National Institute for Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, T32 AA014125-04, Program Director: Genevieve Ames.

Associate Research Scientist, Family Strengths in Preventing Adolescent Drug Use, 2007-2009. National Institute of Health, National Institute for Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, R01 AA015523-01A2, Principal Investigator: Brenda Miller.

FELLOWSHIPS AND AWARDS

Research Fellow, May 2016-September 2018, Bay Area Social Services Consortium, University of California, Berkeley. Fellowship for serving on the leadership team of a multi-county project evaluating the integration of child welfare with mental health service for children and parental substance abuse services for parents.

Research Fellow, January-December 2017, Rainbow Community Center, Concord, CA. Collaborating on a research project to build a model of internalized stigma in LGBTQ+ communities.

Endeavour Fellow, Australian Government Department of Education and Training. Awarded a fellowship to serve as a visiting scholar at the University of Wollongong School of Health and Society and Early Start Research Institute from September-December 2016. 

Service Award, Arc of Alameda County, 2015. Award for the photovoice project, Hope, Family, & Possibility.

Person of Change Award, CSUEB Diversity and Inclusion Student Center, 2014.

Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor Award, 2007

Fahs-Beck Fund for Research and Experimentation, Dissertation Fellow, 2006

University of California at Berkeley Dean’s Normative Time Fellowship, 2006

University of California at Berkeley Summer Grant, 2005, 2006

Vassar College Fellowship for Graduate Study, 2000, 2004, 2005

School of Social Welfare Fellowship, University of California at Berkeley, 2000-2004

Selected recent service commitments

Community Service

  • Board of Directors, Ala Costa Centers, Member (2014-present)
  • Board of Directors, Arc of the East Bay, Vice President (2014-2020), Chair of the Program Sub-Committee (2011-2020), Member-at-large, (2010-2014)
  • Special Education Steering Committee, Alameda Unified School District, 2019.
  • Special Education Strategic Planning Group, Alameda Unified School District, March 2017-April 2018.

University-wide

  • Co-facilitator, Faculty Collaborative Workshops, Spring 2023 and Spring 2024. Co-facilitator of four-week faculty book clubs supported by the CSUEB Office of Faculty Development and Center for Disability Justice Research. In Spring 2023, we read Care Work: Dreaming Disability Justice by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha. In Spring 2024, we are reading Year of the Tiger: An Activist's Life by Alice Wong.
  • Disability Justice Working Group, Member, 2020-present
  • College of Health Implementation Task Force, Member, 2022-2023
  • Fifth College Feasibility Task Force, Co-chair: 2021-2022
  • Faculty Learning Community on Advancing Disability Justice, Member, 2021-2022
  • Faculty Affairs Committee, Member: 2017-2021; FAC Special Subcommittee on Disruptive Behavior, Co-chair: 2018-2019
  • Faculty Learning Community on Supporting Students Experiencing Complex and Overlapping Challenges, Faculty in Residence: 2018-2019
  • Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Faculty Advisory Committee, 2018-2020
  • Pioneer Pledge Task Force, Member: 2018-2019
  • Co-Facilitator, Faculty Diversity and Inclusion Curriculum Development Project, 2017-2018
  • Committee on Research, Chair: 2013-2016; Member: 2012-2013
  • Renaissance Scholars Advisory Board, 2010-2012 & 2015-2016
  • Principal Investigator Advisory Committee, 2014-2016
  • Faculty in Residence, Faculty Learning Community on Culturally Responsive and Inclusive Teaching, 2014-2015
  • Diversity and Social Justice Assessment Project Member, 2014-2015

College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences

  • Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences Community Advisory Board Member, 2019-present
  • Public Affairs and Administration, Tenure-Track Search Committee Chair, 2022-2023
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies Tenure and Promotion Committee Member, 2022-2023
  • Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Retention Committee member, 2019-2020; 2020-2021, 2021-2022
  • Public Affairs and Administration, Retention Committee member, 2020-2021, 2021-2022
  • Criminal Justice Dept Retention Committee, 2018-2019 (Chair) & 2015-2016
  • Sociology Dept Retention Committee member, 2017-2018
  • Ethnic Studies Dept Retention Committee member, 2017-2018
  • Curriculum Committee Member, 2014-2016

Department of Social Work

  • Curriculum Committee, Co-Chair: 2018-2019; Chair: 2011-2013; 2014-2015; Member: 2009-2011
  • Student Performance Committee, Chair: 2018-2019
  • Retention Committee, Chair: 2018-2019
  • Re-affirmation Committee, Member: 2017-2018
  • Quarter-to-Semester Conversion Committee, Co-chair, 2015-2016
  • Research Sequence, Chair: 2013-present; Co-Chair: 2010-2011; 2012-2013; 2017-present; Member: 2011-2012
  • Retention Committee, Chair, 2015-2016
  • Assessment Committee, Chair: 2013-2014; Member: 2009-2010; 2014-2016
  • Mental Health Concentration Co-Chair, 2009-2012; 2014-2016
  • Admissions application reviewer, 2009-present
  • Departmental Faculty Search Committees:
    • Tenure-Track, Diversity Advocate: 2019-2020; Chair: 2017-2018; Member: 2013-2014, 2014-2015
    • Field Director Search Committee, Chair, Spring 2015

Professional Service

  • IDD-TRANSFORM Core Advisory Board, Member (2022-present). Project focused on Building a Patient-Researcher Collaborative for Health Research About Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities led by Dr. Holly K. Tabor at Stanford University. 
  • Editorial Board Member, Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare, 2019-present
  • Discussant for a symposium organized by Carolan, K. Pathways to equity and inclusion: Examining work, poverty, and wellbeing among people with disabilities. (2020, January). Society for Social Work and Research.
  • Current Ad Hoc Reviewer for:
    • Qualitative Social Work
    • Journal of Behavioral Health Services and Research
    • International Journal of Qualitative Methods
    • PLOS One
    • Exceptionality
    • American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology
  • Professional memberships
    • Council on Social Work Education
    • Influencing Social Policy
    • Society for Social Work and Research


Recent Professional Development

  • Completion of the Leadership Academy of Deans and Directors (LADD), a year-long training experience offered by the National Association of Deans and Directors in Social Work (NADD), 2022-2023.
  • Member, Faculty Learning Community on Disability Justice with Faculty-in-Residence Dr. Shubha Kashinath, 2021-2022
  • Media training, Cal State East Bay, February 2022.
  • Completion of a two-week online course: Quality Matters: Applying the QM Rubric (APPQMR), August 2019
  • Chairs Academy, California State University, East Bay, Hayward, CA, August 2019
  • Completion of TeamSTEPPS Fundamentals course, Samuel Merritt University, October 2018
  • Participated in Research to Policy Boot Camp, Society for Social Work and Research, Washington, DC, March 2017

Community-Based Professional Consulting 

  • Independent Evaluation Consultant, Alameda County Behavioral Health, Oakland, CA: CHOICES for Community Living Program Evaluation, 2010-2015
  • Independent Evaluation Consultant, Alameda County Behavioral Health, Oakland, CA: Workforce, Education, and Training Survey Development, 2014-2015
  • Independent Evaluation Consultant, Bay Area Social Services Consortium, Berkeley CA: Subsidized Employment Evaluation, 2011-2014