Education

• Ph.D. University of Southern California, Social Work
• MSW, Columbia University
• BA, University of California, San Diego, European History
• BS, University of California, San Diego, Psychology

Courses Taught

• • Generalist Social Work Theory and Practice
• • Research Methods for Social Work Knowledge and Practice
• • Macro Social Work Practice
• • Advanced Skills in Program Evaluation and Research with Urban Families
• • Social Work in the Adult Mental Health System

Selected Publications and Presentations

Journals

“Antecedents to Retention and Turnover Among Child Welfare, Social Work, and Other Human Service Employees: What Can We Learn From Past Research? A Review and Meta-Analysis” (2001), Social Service Review, 75(4), 625-661, with M.E. Mor Barak and J.A. Nissly.

“Outside of the corporate Mainstream and Excluded from the Work Community: A Study of Diversity, Job Satisfactions and Well-Being” (2002), Community, Work and Family, 5,2, 133-157, with M.E. Mor Barak.

“Stress, Social Support and Workers’ Intentions to Leave Their Jobs in Public Child Welfare” (2004), Administration in Social Work, 29,1, 79-100, with M.E. Mor Barak and J.A. Nissly.

“Birthing A Dissertation: A Window into the Research Process” (2005), Reflections: Narratives of Professional Helping, 11, 4, 24-30.

“Diversity Perceptions and Organizational Cultural in a County Child Welfare System” (2006), Children and Youth Services Review, 28,5, 548-577, with M.E. Barak and J.A. Nissly.

“The Assessment of Staff Satisfaction as Compared to Client Satisfaction in Two Departments of Social Service Residential Treatment Facilities” (At Press, Spring 2008), Journal of Social Work for Children and Youth, Volume 23 ¾, with J. Decker.

Recent Abstracts-Invited

“Rock the Classroom: Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Music Intervention Program on Academic Performance, Motivation and Self-Esteem of At-Risk Youth”, Abstract presented,  The International Federation of Social Workers World Conference, Munich, Germany, July30-August 2, 2006.

“The Impact a Music Intervention Program Has on Self-Esteem, Academic Success and Motivation to Learn on Local Youth: Could There be Global Implications?”, Abstract presented, 16th Annual International Sociological Association World Congress of Sociology, Durban, South Africa, July 23-29, 2006.

“Literacy, Music, Motivation and Self-Esteem of At-Risk Youth” Abstract presented, 13th Annual International Conference on Learning, Montego Bay, Jamaica, June 22-25, 2006.

“Keeping Students on the Right Path: How Service-Learning Helps Affirm the Career Choice of Social Work Students” Abstract presented, 1st Annual Conference on Community-Based Teaching and Research, March 3-4, 2006.

“What Students are Able to Gain from a Service Learning Based Course,” Abstract presented, 11th Annual Conference of the coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities, Torrance, October 3-5, 2005.

“Stress, Job Satisfaction and Social Support: What Relationship Do They Have to Workplace Turnover Intentions?” Abstract presented at 1st Annual Community, Work and Family Conference, Manchester, England, March 16-19, 2005.

“Child Welfare Workers Intentions to Leave: An Exploration of Organizational Climate and Workforce Diversity,” Abstract presented at 19th Annual San Diego Conference on Child and Family Maltreatment, San Diego, January 24-25, 2005.

Papers-Invited

“At-Risk Youth Positively Affected by Music Intervention Program: In Depth Interviews Show Improvements in Self-Esteem, Motivation to Learn and Attitude toward School,” 2nd International Conference on Sociology, Athens, Greece, May, 2008.

Research and Interests

• Exploring ways to empower at-risk youth and help them increase skills of self-esteem, motivation to learn, and knowledge necessary to be successful in life.

• Improving organizational structure, and increasing job satisfaction and work-family balance, to improve employee retention and decrease turnover in organizations.