I am the Course Lead and Lecturer for the Social Work BA(Hons) course. I have been a Social Worker since 2002, having practiced in several states in America, the UK and New Zealand. I am a licensed Psychotherapist in the state of California and I try to bring some of that experience to my lectures.
After graduating from the University of Washington in Seattle, I spent about 5 years in the UK working in child safeguarding. I then moved to New Zealand for about 2 years, then returned to America for an additional 10 years during which I worked with children in foster care, military families, and veterans. I returned to the UK in 2016 where I worked for the Priory Hospital before coming to Staffordshire University in 2018.
I am completing my PhD at Staffordshire University, specifically researching the intersection of social work and mental health in practice. I am interested in several areas, but specifically PTSD and extreme or abnormal psychologic conditions.
Professional memberships and activities
- Registered with Social Work England
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Board of Behavioral Sciences
- Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
Academic qualifications
- PhD Candidate “How Social Workers Engage with Mental Health Concepts in Practice”, Staffordshire University.
- Postgraduate Certificate in Higher and Professional Education, Staffordshire University.
- Practice Education in Social Work, Anglia Ruskin University
- Masters of Social Work, University of Washington
- BA Criminal Justice, Eastern Washington University
Expertise
- PTSD
- Criminal Psychology
- Military Mental Health
- Personality Disorders
Research interests
- The intersection of Social Work/Mental Health
- History of Psychiatry
- Criminal Psychology
- Power Dynamics in Health Care
Teaching
Undergraduate
- Study Skills
- Values and Ethics
- Understanding Organisations
- Readiness for Supervised Practice
- Practice Learning I
Apprenticeship
Health and Social Care
- Professional Issues
- Healthy Individual Through the Lifespan