UNLV School of Social Work

Joanne Thompson, Ph.D., Director/Professor
Dr. Thompson holds a Ph.D. from Rutgers University, her MSW from the University of Arkansas, and Bachelor Arts from LaGrange College, LaGrange, Georgia. Prior to joining UNLV, she was Professor and Director of the School of Social Work, University of New England, Portland, Maine. She was also a member of the Social Work faculty at the University of Tennessee and University of Georgia. She served as a member of the Tennessee Board of Social Work Certification and Licensure and was the Director of the Office of Policy Analysis, Tennessee Department of Human Services. Dr. Thompson has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals, including Social Work, Journal of Progressive Human Services, Affilia, Journal of Social Work Education, and Administration in Social Work.
(Full Vita)

e-mail: joanne.thompson@unlv.edu

Vicky Albert, Ph.D., Associate Professor
At UNLV since 1998, Dr. Albert's current interests include social policy, income-maintenance policies and programs, program evaluation, and policy analysis.
(Full Vita)

Office: CDC 9 Room 928
e-mail: vicky.albert@unlv.edu
Phone: (702) 895-4289

Kathleen Ja Sook Bergquist, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
Dr. Bergquist completed her MSW at Norfolk State University and her Ph.D. in Counselor Education at the College of William and Mary in Virginia. She taught previously in the School of Social Work at Illinois State University for four years and currently teaches undergraduate and graduate pratice and HBSE course at UNLV. Her research focus is on international adoption, more specifically Korean and Chinese adoption, considering the implications of placing children in the diaspora as a child welfare practice.
(Full Vita)

Office: CDC 10 Room 1008
e-mail: kathleen.bergquist@unlv.edu
Phone: (702) 895-2449

Ramona Brinson (aka Ramona Denby), Ph.D., Associate Professor
Dr. Brinson’s teaching interests are direct practice, human behavior, child welfare, and culturally-specific practice. Dr. Brinson conducts research in the areas of child welfare, children’s mental health, juvenile delinquency, and culturally-specific service delivery.
( Brief Vita ) (Full Vita)

Office: CDC 10 Room 1002
e-mail: ramona.denby@unlv.edu
Phone: (702) 895-1336

Adrienne Ekas-Mueting, M.S.W., LCSW,
BSW Coordinator/Field Associate
As MSW Coordinator, Professor Ekas assists in the supervision and instructor of the School's field practicum courses and student practicums.

Office: CDC 10 Room 1010
e-mail: adrienne.ekas@unlv.edu
Phone: (702) 895-4336

William M. Epstein, D.S.W., Professor
Dr. Epstein has been at UNLV since 1992. His interests include social welfare, welfare reform, children's services, psychotherapy, social services, community organization and administration.
( Brief Vita ) ( Full Vita )

Office: CDC 9 Room 924
e-mail: william.epstein@unlv.edu
Phone: (702) 895-4348

Stacey Hardy-Desmond, Ph.D., J.D., LCSW
Assistant Director/Associate Professor/Field Director/Graduate Coordinator
Dr. Hardy-Desmond combines her education and experience in clinical psychology, law and social worker in focusing on forensic social work practice and multicultural issues including organizational culture. Other teaching and writing interests include applied clinical assessment and practice, experiential learning through field instruction, and supervision
( Brief Vita ) ( Full Vita )

Office: CDC 10 Room 1012
e-mail: stacey.hardy-desmond@unlv.edu
Phone: (702) 895-3313

Helene Jackson, Ph.D., Associate Professor
Dr. Jackson comes to UNLV from Columbia University School of Social Work as Director of Continuing Distance Education and Associate Professor and on the practice faculty where she taught foundations and advanced clinical practice. Prior to going to Columbia, she was Director of Field Education at Boston College Graduate School of Social Work. A native of Boston, MA, Jackson received her B.A. from Simmons College, her M.S.W. from Boston University, and her Ph.D. from Smith College.

( Brief Vita ) (Full Vita)

Office: CDC 10 Room 1022
e-mail: helene.jackson@unlv.edu
Phone: (702) 895-4894

Esther J. Langston, Ph.D., Professor
A member of the Social Work faculty since 1970, Dr. Langston's teaching and research interests include gerontology, persons of color, women's issues, and AIDS, especially among African-American women.
(Brief Vita)

Office: CDC 10 Room 1026
e-mail: esther.langston@unlv.edu
Phone: (702) 895-4338

Margaret Oakes, Ph.D., Associate Professor
A member of the Social Work faculty since 1997, Dr. Oakes' research interests include Latin and Central America, trauma (particularly in war), immigration, and mental health.
( Brief Vita ) ( Full Vita )

Office: CDC 10 Room 1014
e-mail: margaret.oakes@unlv.edu
Phone: (702) 895-1222

Mary Ann Overcamp Martini, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
Dr. Martini's primary interests are in mental health and disabilities, macro practice, legal issues and social work education. She joined the faculty in 2002 and currently teaches courses in human behavior in the social environment, research and social work practice.

Office: CDC 10 Room 1006
e-mail: mao.martini@unlv.edu
Phone: (702) 895-4603

Sandra Owens-Kane, Ph.D., Associate Professor
Dr. Owens-Kane became a tenure track faculty member in 2000. Dr. Owens-Kane's teaching interests include gerontological social work education, cross-cultural practice, and human behavior in the social environment. Dr. Owens conducts research in the areas of minority mental health, formal and informal caregiving of the elderly, organizational culture and change, and child welfare.
(Full Vita)

Office: CDC 10 Room d1004
e-mail: sandra.owens@unlv.edu
Phone: (702) 895-3311

Leroy H. Pelton, Ph.D., Professor
Dr. Pelton's research and teaching interests include child abuse and neglect, child welfare, and social welfare policy. He has been on the Social Work faculty since 1997.
(Full Vita)

Office: CDC 10 Room 1024
e-mail: leroy.pelton@unlv.edu
Phone: (702) 895-1329

Satish Sharma, Ph.D., Professor
At UNLV since 1982, Dr. Sharma's areas of expertise include research methods and statistics, foundations of social work and welfare, multi-cultural, international, and minority social work practice, social development and community organization, and Gandhian welfare thought.
(Full Vita)

Office: CDC 10 Room 1028
e-mail: satish.sharma@unlv.edu
Phone: (702) 895-1038

An-Pyng Sun, Ph.D., Associate Professor
At UNLV since 1997, Dr. Sun's research and teaching interests include substance abuse, multicultural practice, international social work, and social work education.
(Full Vita)

University of Nevada, Las Vegas Greenspun College of Urban Affairs School of Social Work

School of Social Work University of Nevada, Las Vegas Box 455032 4505 Maryland Parkway Las Vegas, NV 89154-5032 (702) 895-3311 telephone (702) 895-4079 facsimile			Faculty Joanne Thompson, Ph.D., Director/Professor Vicky Albert, Ph.D., Associate Professor Kathleen Ja Sook Bergquist, Ph.D., Associate Professor Ramona Brinson (aka Ramona Denby), Ph.D., Associate Professor Adrienne Ekas-Mueting, M.S.W.,LCSW, BSW Coordinator/Field Associate William M. Epstein, D.S.W., Professor Stacey Hardy-Desmond, Ph.D., J.D.,LCSW, Associate Professor/Field Director Helene Jackson, Ph.D., Associate Professor Esther J. Langston, Ph.D., Professor Margaret Oakes, Ph.D., Associate Professor Mary Ann Overcamp Martini, Ph.D., Assistant Professor Sandra Owens-Kane, Ph.D., Associate Professor Leroy H. Pelton, Ph.D., Professor Satish Sharma, Ph.D., Professor An-Pyng Sun, Ph.D., Associate Professor Staff Susan Braun, Program Officer Sophie Parise, Program Officer Sonia Taylor, Administrative Assistant Joi Taylor, Administrative Assistant Faculty Joanne Thompson, Ph.D., Director/Professor Dr. Thompson holds a Ph.D. from Rutgers University, her MSW from the University of Arkansas, and Bachelor Arts from LaGrange College, LaGrange, Georgia. Prior to joining UNLV, she was Professor and Director of the School of Social Work, University of New England, Portland, Maine. She was also a member of the Social Work faculty at the University of Tennessee and University of Georgia. She served as a member of the Tennessee Board of Social Work Certification and Licensure and was the Director of the Office of Policy Analysis, Tennessee Department of Human Services. Dr. Thompson has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals, including Social Work, Journal of Progressive Human Services, Affilia, Journal of Social Work Education, and Administration in Social Work. (Full Vita) e-mail: joanne.thompson@unlv.edu Vicky Albert, Ph.D., Associate Professor At UNLV since 1998, Dr. Albert's current interests include social policy, income-maintenance policies and programs, program evaluation, and policy analysis. (Full Vita) Office: CDC 9 Room 928 e-mail: vicky.albert@unlv.edu Phone: (702) 895-4289 Kathleen Ja Sook Bergquist, Ph.D., Assistant Professor Dr. Bergquist completed her MSW at Norfolk State University and her Ph.D. in Counselor Education at the College of William and Mary in Virginia. She taught previously in the School of Social Work at Illinois State University for four years and currently teaches undergraduate and graduate pratice and HBSE course at UNLV. Her research focus is on international adoption, more specifically Korean and Chinese adoption, considering the implications of placing children in the diaspora as a child welfare practice. (Full Vita) Office: CDC 10 Room 1008 e-mail: kathleen.bergquist@unlv.edu Phone: (702) 895-2449 Ramona Brinson (aka Ramona Denby), Ph.D., Associate Professor Dr. Brinson’s teaching interests are direct practice, human behavior, child welfare, and culturally-specific practice. Dr. Brinson conducts research in the areas of child welfare, children’s mental health, juvenile delinquency, and culturally-specific service delivery. ( Brief Vita ) (Full Vita) Office: CDC 10 Room 1002 e-mail: ramona.denby@unlv.edu Phone: (702) 895-1336 Adrienne Ekas-Mueting, M.S.W., LCSW, BSW Coordinator/Field Associate As MSW Coordinator, Professor Ekas assists in the supervision and instructor of the School's field practicum courses and student practicums. Office: CDC 10 Room 1010 e-mail: adrienne.ekas@unlv.edu Phone: (702) 895-4336 William M. Epstein, D.S.W., Professor Dr. Epstein has been at UNLV since 1992. His interests include social welfare, welfare reform, children's services, psychotherapy, social services, community organization and administration. ( Brief Vita ) ( Full Vita ) Office: CDC 9 Room 924 e-mail: william.epstein@unlv.edu Phone: (702) 895-4348 Stacey Hardy-Desmond, Ph.D., J.D., LCSW Assistant Director/Associate Professor/Field Director/Graduate Coordinator Dr. Hardy-Desmond combines her education and experience in clinical psychology, law and social worker in focusing on forensic social work practice and multicultural issues including organizational culture. Other teaching and writing interests include applied clinical assessment and practice, experiential learning through field instruction, and supervision ( Brief Vita ) ( Full Vita ) Office: CDC 10 Room 1012 e-mail: stacey.hardy-desmond@unlv.edu Phone: (702) 895-3313 Helene Jackson, Ph.D., Associate Professor Dr. Jackson comes to UNLV from Columbia University School of Social Work as Director of Continuing Distance Education and Associate Professor and on the practice faculty where she taught foundations and advanced clinical practice. Prior to going to Columbia, she was Director of Field Education at Boston College Graduate School of Social Work. A native of Boston, MA, Jackson received her B.A. from Simmons College, her M.S.W. from Boston University, and her Ph.D. from Smith College. ( Brief Vita ) (Full Vita) Office: CDC 10 Room 1022 e-mail: helene.jackson@unlv.edu Phone: (702) 895-4894 Esther J. Langston, Ph.D., Professor A member of the Social Work faculty since 1970, Dr. Langston's teaching and research interests include gerontology, persons of color, women's issues, and AIDS, especially among African-American women. (Brief Vita) Office: CDC 10 Room 1026 e-mail: esther.langston@unlv.edu Phone: (702) 895-4338 Margaret Oakes, Ph.D., Associate Professor A member of the Social Work faculty since 1997, Dr. Oakes' research interests include Latin and Central America, trauma (particularly in war), immigration, and mental health. ( Brief Vita ) ( Full Vita ) Office: CDC 10 Room 1014 e-mail: margaret.oakes@unlv.edu Phone: (702) 895-1222 Mary Ann Overcamp Martini, Ph.D., Assistant Professor Dr. Martini's primary interests are in mental health and disabilities, macro practice, legal issues and social work education. She joined the faculty in 2002 and currently teaches courses in human behavior in the social environment, research and social work practice. Office: CDC 10 Room 1006 e-mail: mao.martini@unlv.edu Phone: (702) 895-4603 Sandra Owens-Kane, Ph.D., Associate Professor Dr. Owens-Kane became a tenure track faculty member in 2000. Dr. Owens-Kane's teaching interests include gerontological social work education, cross-cultural practice, and human behavior in the social environment. Dr. Owens conducts research in the areas of minority mental health, formal and informal caregiving of the elderly, organizational culture and change, and child welfare. (Full Vita) Office: CDC 10 Room d1004 e-mail: sandra.owens@unlv.edu Phone: (702) 895-3311 Leroy H. Pelton, Ph.D., Professor Dr. Pelton's research and teaching interests include child abuse and neglect, child welfare, and social welfare policy. He has been on the Social Work faculty since 1997. (Full Vita) Office: CDC 10 Room 1024 e-mail: leroy.pelton@unlv.edu Phone: (702) 895-1329 Satish Sharma, Ph.D., Professor At UNLV since 1982, Dr. Sharma's areas of expertise include research methods and statistics, foundations of social work and welfare, multi-cultural, international, and minority social work practice, social development and community organization, and Gandhian welfare thought. (Full Vita) Office: CDC 10 Room 1028 e-mail: satish.sharma@unlv.edu Phone: (702) 895-1038 An-Pyng Sun, Ph.D., Associate Professor At UNLV since 1997, Dr. Sun's research and teaching interests include substance abuse, multicultural practice, international social work, and social work education. (Full Vita) Office: CDC 10 Room 1020 e-mail: an-pyng.sun@unlv.edu Phone: (702) 895-4349 Staff Susan Braun, Program Officer Office: CDC 10 Room 1001A Phone: (702) 895-1246 e-mail: sue.braun@unlv.edu Sophie Parise, Program Officer Office: CDC 10 Room 1018 Phone: (702) 895-1245 e-mail: sophie.parise@unlv.edu Sonia Taylor, Administrative Assistant Office: CDC 10 Room 1001A Phone: (702) 895-1247 e-mail: sonia.taylor@unlv.edu Joi Taylor, Administrative Assistant Office: CDC 10 Room 1001A Phone: (702) 895-5465 e-mail: joi.taylor@unlv.edu