Faculty and Staff

Our Faculty

Teri abrams headshot

Thereasa Abrams


Assistant Professor

Nashville Campus
270 Polk Avenue Building
615-782-5191
tabrams1@utk.edu

Brittany Adams headshot

Brittany Adams


Online BSSW Field Coordinator Program
Assistant Professor of Practice

Knoxville Campus
534 Stokely Management Center
865-974-7502
blong8@utk.edu

patricia bamwine

Patricia Bamwine


Assistant Professor

Nashville Campus
278 Polk Avenue Building
865-974-3164
pbamwine@utk.edu

harlod benus

Harold Benus


Assistant Professor of Practice

Nashville Campus
272 Polk Avenue Building
615-782-3394
hbenus@utk.edu

Stan Bowie

Stan L. Bowie


Professor

Knoxville Campus
520 Stokely Management Center
865-974-0692
sbowie@utk.edu

lizzie bowland headshot

Lizzie Bowland


Director, DSW Program
Associate Professor

Knoxville Campus
509B Stokely Management Center
865-974-7830
sbowland@utk.edu

Allison Buzard

Allison Buzard


Assistant Dean of the Nashville Campus
Director, MSSW Nashville Program
Associate Professor of Practice

Nashville Campus
286 Polk Avenue Building
615-432-5248
abuzard@utk.edu

kate chaffin

Kate Chaffin


Assistant Dean for Faculty Development
Professor of Practice

Nashville Campus
280 Polk Avenue Building
615-782-6134
katechaffin@utk.edu

zebei chen

Zibei Chen


Assistant Professor

Knoxville Campus
527A Stokely Management Center
865-974-3969
Zchen75@utk.edu

doug coatsworth

Doug Coatsworth


Betsey Bush Endowed Professor in Behavioral Health
Associate Dean for Research

Knoxville Campus
221G UT Conference Center
dcoatswo@utk.edu

anne conway

Anne Conway


Urban Child Institute Endowed Professor
Associate Professor

Knoxville Campus
526 Stokely Management Center
865-974-8665
aconway3@utk.edu

courtney cronley

Courtney Cronley


Professor

Knoxville Campus
525 Stokely Management Center
865-974-7503
ccronle1@utk.edu

kim denton

Kim Denton


Assistant Director of Field Education
BSSW Field Coordinator
Associate Professor of Practice

Knoxville Campus
527L Stokely Management Center
865-974-6677
kddenton@utk.edu

allison diehl

Allison Diehl


Nashville MSSW Field Coordinator
Assistant Professor of Practice

Nashville Campus
264 Polk Avenue Building
615-432-5248
amilam7@utk.edu

gretchen ely

Gretchen Ely


Director, PhD Program
Professor

Knoxville Campus
509A Stokely Management Center
865-974-3802
geely@utk.edu

shandra forrest

Shandra Forrest


Associate Professor

Knoxville Campus
521B Stokely Management Center
865-974-6218
sforres6@utk.edu

bridget freisthler

Bridget Freisthler


Cooper-Herron Endowed Professor in Mental Health

Knoxville Campus
521 Stokely Management Center
865-974-3802
bfreisth@utk.edu

dashawna fussell-ware

Dashawna J. Fussell-Ware


Assistant Professor

Nashville Campus
dfussel1@tennessee.edu

mary gitau

Mary Gitau


Associate Dean for Equity and Inclusion
Associate Professor of Practice

Knoxville Campus
708 Stokely Management Center
865-974-1914
mgitau1@utk.edu

kristi gordon

Kristina Gordon


Associate Dean for Engagement

Knoxville Campus
388 Claxton Complex
865-974-0447
kgordon1@utk.edu

This position is shared with the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences.

mary held

Mary Held


Associate Professor

Nashville Campus
272 Polk Avenue Building
615-782-6132
mheld@utk.edu

christy hickman

Christy Hickman


Assistant Professor of Practice

Knoxville Campus
504 Stokely Management Center
865-974-3206
chickma1@utk.edu

alica hirt

Alicia Hirt


Online MSSW Field Coordinator
Assistant Professor of Practice

Nashville Campus
261 Polk Avenue Building
615-782-5192
Ahirt2@utk.edu

andrea joseph mccatty

Andrea Joseph-McCatty


ayesha keller

Ayesha Keller


Assistant Professor of Practice

Nashville Campus
Polk Avenue Building
akelle55@utk.edu

pam linden

Pam Linden


Research Associate Professor

Knoxville Campus
UT Conference Center
865-974-6698
plinden@utk.edu

rob lucio

Robert Lucio


Director, Online MSSW Program
Associate Professor

Knoxville Campus
506 Stokely Management Center
865-974-9129
rlucio@utk.edu

kim crane mallory

Kim Crane Mallory


Director of Field Education
Professor of Practice

Nashville Campus
Polk Ave. Building Rm 273
615-782-6157
kcrane@utk.edu

michael mason

Michael Mason


Betsey R. Bush Endowed Professor in Children & Families at Risk

Knoxville Campus
221H UT Conference Center
865-974-4198
mmason29@utk.edu

stephen mcgarity

Stephen McGarity


Assistant Professor

Nashville Campus
273 Polk Ave. Building
615-782-6150
mcgarity@utk.edu

lori messinger

Lori Messinger


Dean and Professor

Knoxville Campus
717 Stokely Management Center
865-974-6693
cswdean@utk.edu

robert mindrup

Robert Mindrup


Director of BSSW Programs
Clinical Associate Professor

Knoxville Campus
507 Stokely Management Center
865-974-8109
rmindrup@utk.edu

katherine montgomery

Katherine Montgomery


Assistant Professor of Practice

Nashville Campus
275 Polk Avenue Building
615-782-6154
kmontg16@utk.edu

javonda williams moss

Javonda Williams Moss


Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor

Knoxville Campus
709 Stokely Management Center
865-974-8109
jwill488@utk.edu

bill nugent

William R. Nugent


Professor

Knoxville Campus
513 Stokely Management Center
865-974-6544
wnugent@utk.edu

Ruben Parra-Cardona

Ruben Parra-Cardona


Roger and Carol Nooe Endowed Chair

Knoxville Campus
523 Stokely Management Center
865-974-8109
jparraca@utk.edu

ashley pennell

Ashley Pennell


Assistant Professor of Practice

Knoxville Campus
527F Stokely Management Center
865-974-3991
Awalke68@utk.edu

kristin ravi

Kristen Ravi


Assistant Professor

Knoxville Campus
527K Stokely Management Center
865-974-7500
kravi2@utk.edu

emily rodriguez

Emily Rodriguez


Assistant Professor of Practice

Knoxville Campus
527J Stokely Management Center
865-974-4898
erodri22@utk.edu

rachel ross

Rachel Ross


Online Field CoordinatorMSSW Program (Knoxville Area)
Professor

Knoxville Campus
532 Stokely Management Center
865-974-6593
Rcooper7@utk.edu

ragan schriver

Ragan Schriver


Director, MSSW Program
Professor of Practice

Knoxville Campus
508 Stokely Management Center
865-974-7513
rschriv1@utk.edu

amy shipp

Amy Shipp


Assistant Professor of Practice

Knoxville Campus
527G Stokely Management Center
865-974-3704
ashipp11@utk.edu

jenna smith

Jenna Smith


MSSW Online Field Coordinator
Assistant Professor of Practice

Nashville Campus
260 Polk Avenue Building
615-782-3398
jpember4@vols.utk.edu

Latausha Stevenson

Latausha Stevenson


MSSW Online Field Coordinator
Assistant Professor of Practice

Nashville Campus
263 Polk Avenue Building
615-782-6126
lsteve15@utk.edu

elizabeth strand

Elizabeth Strand


Endowed All Creatures Great and Small Clinical Associate Professor
Founding Director, Veterinary Social Work Program 

Knoxville Campus
2407 River Drive, Room A205
865-974-8387
estrand@utk.edu

phyllis thompson

Phyllis Thompson


Clinical Associate Professor

Knoxville Campus
527D Stokely Management Center
865-974-8109
pthomp11@utk.edu

katie veit

Katie Veit


Associate Professor of Practice

Nashville Campus
277 Polk Avenue Building
615-782-3383
kdorough@utk.edu

tami walker

Tami Walker


MSSW Online Field Coordinator
Assistant Professor of Practice

Nashville Campus
262 Polk Avenue Building
615-988-9488
twalker7@utk.edu

fei wang

Fei Wang


Assistant Professor

Knoxville Campus
527B Stokely Management Center
865-974-7511
fwang27@utk.edu

martina ward

Martina Ward


MSSW Field Coordinator
Assistant Professor of Practice

Knoxville Campus
531 Stokely Management Center
865-974-7512
mward21@utk.edu

tiffany washington

Tiffany Washington


Associate Professor

Knoxville Campus
522 Stokely Management Center
Tiffany.Washington@tennessee.edu

stephanie weatherstone

Stephanie Weatherstone


Assistant Professor of Practice

Knoxville Campus
527E Stokely Management Center
865-974-9125
sswain@utk.edu

stacia west

Stacia West


Associate Professor

ali winters

Ali Winters


Associate Professor of Practice

Nashville Campus
283 Polk Avenue Building
615-782-6135
awinter3@utk.edu

Nikola Zaharakis

Nikola Zaharakis


Research Assistant Professor

Knoxville Campus
UT Conference Center
615-782-6154
nzaharak@utk.edu

lisa zottarelli

Lisa Zottarelli


Clinical Associate Professor

Knoxville Campus
3524 Stokely Management Center
865-974-8470
lzottare@utk.edu


Our Staff

abiodun ajayi

Abiodun Ajayi


Instructional Designer

Knoxville Campus
530 Stokely Management Center
865-974-6665
aajayi1@utk.edu

katie banks

Katie Banks


PhD Administrative Assistant

Knoxville Campus
512A Stokely Management Center
865-974-6481
kbanks3@utk.edu

jodi baxter

Jodi Baxter


Knoxville MSSW Administrative Assistant

Knoxville Campus
511B Stokely Management Center
865-974-6665
jbaxte33@utk.edu

michaela broyles

Michaela Broyles


Internal Communications Manager

Knoxville Campus
718 Stokely Management Center
865-974-0300
mbroyl13@utk.edu

Daryl Chansuthus

Daryl Chansuthus


SWORPS Director

Knoxville Campus
224 UT Conference Center
dchansut@utk.edu

bee clevenger

Bee Clevenger


Academic Advisor

Knoxville Campus
516 Stokely Management Center
865-974-5144
bcleveng@tennessee.edu

hannah collins

Hannah Collins


Field Education Administrative Assistant

Knoxville Campus
529 Stokely Management Center
865-974-3175
hbrown22@utk.edu

natalie crippen

Natalie Crippen


Academic Process Specialist

Knoxville Campus
708A Stokely Management Center
865-974-3353
ncrippen@utk.edu

jason davis

Jason Davis


DSW Administrative Assistant

Knoxville Campus
510 Stokely Management Center
865-974-0510
jdavi203@utk.edu

johnson decembre

Johnson Decembre


Events Coordinator

Knoxville Campus
705 Stokely Management Center
865-974-0742
jdecembr@utk.edu

stephanie frierson

Stephanie Frierson


Nashville MSSW Administrative Assistant

Nashville Campus
296 Polk Avenue Building
615-256-1885
sfrierso@utk.edu

amanda gandy

Amanda Gandy


Director of Student Success and Advising

Knoxville Campus
514 Stokely Management Center
865-974-7063
agandy3@utk.edu

ali geicek

Ali Giecek


Financial Specialist

Knoxville Campus
865-974-6607
agiecek@utk.edu

michele griffin

Michele Griffin


Human Resource Specialist

Knoxville Campus
712 Stokely Management Center
865-974-0300
Mgriffi5@utk.edu

jay haley

Jay Haley


Chief of Staff

Knoxville Campus
716A Stokely Management Center
865-974-3351
jhaley9@utk.edu

tiffany harmon

Tiffany Harmon


Assistant Dean of Finance, Administrative, and Operations

Knoxville Campus
715 Stokely Management Center
865-974-3146
tharmon2@utk.edu

cassidy herbert

Cassidy Hebert


Field Education Administrative Assistant

Nashville Campus
266 Polk Avenue Building
615-782-6153
chebert8@utk.eduu

ashley hiatt

Ashley Hiatt


Director of Human Resources

Knoxville Campus
711 Stokely Management Center
865-974-6698
ahiatt@utk.edu

margaret huffstettler

Margaret Huffstetler


Academic Advisor

Knoxville Campus

515 Stokely Management Center
865-974-9131
mlindle1@utk.edu

margaret mcmillan

Margaret McMillan


Continuing Education Coordinator

Knoxville Campus
706 Stokely Management Center
865-974-1655
mmcmil13@utk.edu

Gina Middleton

Gina Middleton


Student Success Coordinator

Knoxville Campus
518 Stokely Management Center
865-974-3352
gcox@utk.edu

tammy modic

Tammy Modic


Advancement and Alumni Relations Coordinator

Knoxville Campus
704A Stokely Management Center
865-974-0768
tmodic@utk.edu

jen moore

Jen Moore


Social Media & Digital Content Manager

Knoxville Campus
722A Stokely Management Center
865-974-3291
jmoor217@utk.edu

tony murchison

Tony Murchison


Director of Outreach and Engagement

Knoxville Campus
707 Stokely Management Center
865-974-2349
tmurchis@utk.edu

ryan murr

Ryan Murr


Web Designer

Knoxville Campus
721 Stokely Management Center
865-974-8821
tmurr3@utk.edu

lachetis osborne brown

LaChetis Osborne-Brown


Online MSSW Administrative Assistant

Nashville Campus
274 Polk Avenue Building
615-782-3382
losborn6@utk.edu

kristen pearson

Kristin Pearson


Academic Advisor

Nashville Campus
287 Polk Avenue Building
615-256-1885
karnold4@utk.edu

macy pevy

Macy Pevy


Director of Admissions and Recruitment

Knoxville Campus
519 Stokely Management Center
865-974-3996
macyetter@utk.edu

stephanie piper

Stephanie Piper


Senior Director of Advancement

Knoxville Campus
702 Stokely Management Center
865-974-5363
spiper@utk.edu

jon rea

Jon Rea


Financial Analyst

Knoxville Campus
713 Stokely Management Center
865-974-8984
jrea4@utk.edu

Kelsi Robson

Kelsi Robson


HR Research Specialist

Knoxville Campus
Conference Center Building STE.224
600 Henley Street
krobson@utk.edu

kendra rudder

Kendra Rudder


Director of Communications and Chief Strategist

Knoxville Campus
722 Stokely Management Center
865-974-0507
krudder1@utk.edu

anny ryan

Ann Ryan


Administrative Coordinator

Knoxville Campus
704 Stokely Management Center
865-974-6693
mryan6@utk.edu

Jen Scagnelli

Jennifer Scagnelli


Director of Enrollment Services

Knoxville Campus
503 Stokely Management Center
865-974-1096
jenscag@utk.edu

marsha sliker

Marsha Sliker


Coordinator of Executive Office Operations

Knoxville Campus
709A Stokely Management Center
865-974-1074
msliker@utk.edu

amber mitchell spencer

Amber Mitchell-Spencer


Recruiting Coordinator

Nashville Campus
289 Polk Avenue Building
615-200-6471
amitch87@utk.edu

Malissa Teal

Malissa Teal


Online Student Services Specialist and Student Disability Services Nashville Liaison

Nashville Campus
295 Polk Avenue Building
615-782-6158
mteal2@utk.edu

angela thomas

Angela Thomas


Senior Communications & Marketing Specialist

Knoxville Campus
719 Stokely Management Center
865-974-8638
athom165@utk.edu

Ken Wagner

Ken Wagner


Information Technology Manager

Nashville Campus
290 Polk Avenue Building
615-782-6152
kwagner@utk.edu

Tiffany Toney

Tiffany Toney


Executive Office Operations, Nashville Coordinator

Nashville Campus
288 Polk Avenue Building
615-782-6159
ttoney3@utk.edu

Julie Williams headshot

Julie Williams


Executive Assistant to the Dean

Knoxville Campus
716B Stokely Management Center
865-974-0153
jwill564@utk.edu


Emeritus Faculty

Mary H. Bloch, Professor of Social Work
M.A.S.A., Ohio State University

Rebecca Bolen, Professor Social Work
PhD, University of Texas at Arlington

Thomas Cruthirds, Professor of Social Work
PhD, Tulane University 
letomcru@comcast.net

Sherry Cummings, Professor of Social Work PhD, University of Georgia 
scumming@utk.edu

David Dupper, Professor of Social Work
PhD, Florida State University
ddupper@utk.edu

Judith I. Fiene, Associate Dean and Associate Professor
PhD, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Gideon W. Fryer, Professor of Social Work
Ed.D., Columbia University

Charles Glisson, Chancellor’s Professor and Distinguished University Professor
PhD, Washington University

Ben P. Granger, Professor of Social Work
Ph.D., Brandeis University

Hisashi Hirayama, Professor of Social Work
DSW, University of Pennsylvania

Kate Mullins, Professor of Social Work
PhD, University of Chicago

Roger M. Nooe, Professor of Social Work
PhD, Tulane University
rnooe@utk.edu

Terri Combs Orme, The Urban Child Institute Endowed Professor
PhD, Washington University

John Orme, Professor of Social Work
PhD, Washington University
jorme@utk.edu
Connect with John on Google Scholar Citations or ResearchGate

James D. Orten, Professor of Social Work
D.S.W., University of Alabama

David Patterson, Professor of Social Work
PhD, University of Utah
dpatter2@utk.edu

Cynthia Rocha, Professor of Social Work
PhD, Washington University
crocha@utk.edu

Hia Rubenstein, Professor of Social Work
PhD, University of Chicago

Karen M. Sowers, Dean Emerita and Professor Emerita
PhD Florida State University
kmsowers@utk.edu

Marlys Staudt, Associate Professor of Social Work
PhD, Washington University
mstaudt@utk.edu

Eunice O. Shatz, Professor of Social Work
PhD, Brandeis University

Hugh Vaughn, Associate Dean and Associate Professor
Ed.D., Memphis State University