Celebrate Social Work Doctoral Students!
The PhD process is a challenging one, and we believe that celebration is essential during the process! We would like to celebrate with you! This page is a space to highlight the recent accomplishments of social work doctoral students, including research, practice, or funding. Click the button below to nominate a colleague (or yourself) to be featured on SSWR DSC social media, newsletters, and this page.
Recent Doctoral Student Accomplishments
Congratulations Ogechi Kalu (She/her)
Image depicts BBRIDGE co-founders sitting on a grey couch on a stage with the host Daytime Buffalo Channel 4 News. They sit in front of a screen with the words “Daytime Buffalo”. From left to right: Chelsea Lovell (Host of Daytime Buffalo- WIVB-Nextstar.tv), Vanity Jones (Ph.D. Social welfare 2nd year), Joyce Jekayinoluwa (Ph.D. Global and Sexuality Studies 2nd year), Jennifer Elliott (Ph.D. Social welfare 3rd year) and Ogechi Christine Kalu (Ph.D. student Social Welfare 3rd year)
Ogechi Kalu, Jennifer Elliott, Vanity Jones (Students in Social Welfare), and Joyce Jekayinoluwa (PhD student in Global Gender Studies) were recently featured on WIVB Daytime Buffalo News Channel 4 to highlight their impactful research on intimate partner violence and its effects on the Black community. Additionally, on August 16th, 2024, they launched a research-based podcast titled BBRIDGE—Building Black Relationships by Initiating Development, Growth, and Empowerment. The podcast aims to bridge research, practice, and community engagement and is available on various streaming platforms
Learn more about Ogechi, Jennifer Elliott, and Vanity Jones. Learn more about Joyce Jekayinoluwa here.
Access the coverage and the podcast
The BBRIDGE podcast seeks to bridge the gap between research and practice using a trauma-informed lens. The BBRIDGE podcast is available on Spotify, YouTube , and Apple Access the News feature here.
About Ogechi
Ogechi is a third year doctoral student State University of New York at Buffalo. Ogechi’s research interests include intimate Partner violence and impact on children, teen-dating and healthy relationships, cultural responsiveness, trauma-informed interventions and policy advocacy.
Congratulations Jeesoo Jeon (She/her)
Jeesoo received The Richard A. Zdanis Research Scholarship Award ($5,000) from the School of Graduate Studies at Case Western Reserve University for her dissertation proposal in recognition of Research Creativity and Contribution to Academia. Jeesoo is a 6th year doctoral candidate at Case Western Reserve University.
About Jeesoo
“My long-term research agenda has two areas of focus: 1) investigating the role of social networks in preventing child maltreatment and promoting flourishing, (2) identifying how social resources may be impacted by structural resources such as economic and neighborhood conditions, and (3) improving community-based interventions and policies that aim to enhance the protective factors of families. My training in realist evaluation methods will underlie my continued research to rigorously evaluate mechanisms and contexts for programs to refine the community-based program for parents and families. My methodological skills encompass quantitative and qualitative research methods”
View Jeesoo’s Case Western Reserve University here, and view her list of publications on Google Scholar here.
Jeesoo’s Research Interests
Child maltreatment, Flourishing, Social Support, Housing instability
Image depicts Jeesoo Jeon, a Korean woman smiling at the camera. Jeesoo wears a blue button down shirt and stands in front of a mauve background.
Image depicts Sangeun Lee. She has shoulder length black hair and smiling and wearing a black dress and a loosely tied black and white patterned scarf. Sangeun is standing in front a building.
Congratulations Sangeun Lee (She/Her)
About Sangeun Lee’s AccomPlishment
As a newly selected member of 23rd committee of the National Institute for Unification Education (NIUN), Sangeun was invited to attend a symposium for overseas NIUN members by the Ministry of Unification, along with two dozen from the United States and Germany. The National Institute for Unification Education (NIUN) is an organization that raises awareness of inter-Korean relations and peaceful unification on the Korean Peninsula by providing timely education in Korea and abroad. Requested by the President of the Republic of Korea in 1980 to promote experts in unification education in 1980, the NIUN was embarked in 1988 with 850 members as its first committee directly governed by the Ministry of Unification. In 2022, it started its 23rd committee with 723 elected members all across the globe – 604 from Korea and 119 from the United States, Germany, Japan, and China. The symposium aims to expand preparation for peaceful inter-Korean unification with the Korean people and the international community.
During the seminar, Sangeun visited historical areas related to the Korean war, including the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) located at the center of the Korean peninsula. The DMZ was established on July 27, 1953, when the Armistice Agreement was signed during the Korean War. Being served as a buffer zone between the two Korean countries, it is often regarded as no man’s land since no military personnel, installations, or activities are allowed. The symposium includes lectures by professors and experts in the multi-disciplines from the NIUN regarding inter-Korean relations and national policies on peaceful unification on the Korean Peninsula and current status of North Korea and its changes. It lasted five days between September 26 and September 30. On the last day, during the comprehensive discussion session, Sangeun raised questions on how to promote awareness of the human rights situation in the North among social workers and social work researchers in the United States.
About Sangeun Lee
Sangeun Lee is a Ph.D. candidate at the Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research at Bryn Mawr College. Sangeun is a licensed social worker (LSW) and a certified case manager (CCM) who has been working with the Asian immigrant population since 2009. Sangeun was selected as a national policy fellow at the Network for Social Work Management (NSWM) and the recipient of the McPherson Presidential Award for Excellence at Bryn Mawr College in 2020. In 2021 and 2022, Sangeun was selected to attend the Doctoral Scholar Institute (DSI) by the Rutgers School of Social Work and the NSWM. Furthermore, Sangeun has published more than ten academic journal articles on Asian American immigrant populations, Asian human service workers, the COVID-19 pandemic and COVID-19 Racism, and ethnic-community engagement against COVID-19 Racism during her doctoral training.
Research Interests
Asian American immigrant populations with limited English proficiency, COVID-19 pandemic and COVID-19 racism, and community engagement against COVID-19 racism
Image depicts Binah Malka Stinnett-Bloemhof, smiling into the camera. The photo is a close-up of Binah’s face. She wears a navy top, brown rimmed glasses, and has wavy dark brown, shoulder length hair.
Congratulations Binah Malka Stinnett-Bloemhof (She/Her)
Congratulations Binah Malka Stinnett-Bloemhof (she/her) on receiving Jews of Color Initiative (JoCI) research grant. Binah is a 1st year social welfare & policy PhD Student at the Wurzweiler School of Social Work at Yeshiva University.
About Binah’s Accomplishment
“I have been awarded a research grant from JoCI (Jews of Color Initiative) to examine how self-identified Black Jewish women in the U.S experience and understand their prenatal Health Care experiences with regard to seeking out or working with a healthcare professional of their shared Jewish faith.The goal of the research is to add to the literature available about Jews of Color that is reflective of our shared lived experiences.By adding to the literature, this may assist social workers and medical professionals in addressing any bias they may have towards JOCs (in this case Black Jewish women) and how it impacts how they may practice their professions. The hope is this research can additionally be utilized by academic professionals specifically within the world of Social Work when engaging with, and teaching/preparing students to enter the profession and educate students about bias and the concept of intersectionality.”
About Binah Malta Stinnett-Bloemhof
Binah Malka Stinnett-Bloemhof is a newly admitted Ph.D. student at Yeshiva University’s School of Social Work. Prior to being admitted to her Ph.D. program Binah completed her MSSW (Masters of Social Work Science) at Columbia University where she served as a guest lecturer focusing on the impact of anti-black racism & anti-Semitism on human development. Additionally, she helped develop the social work school’s Jewish Caucus as a founding member, where she worked with fellow students to address the university’s response to anti-Semitism and anti-black racism. Binah is a seasoned Jewish communal professional, having worked in the field in an array of roles.
Binah Malka Stinnett-Bloemhof’s research interests:
Anti-Black Racism, Intersectionality, Anti-Semitism, Paternal/Maternal health
Recent Social Work Doctoral Student Graduates
2024-2025 Academic Year
Image depicts Dr. Angie Smith, a black woman standing in front of shrubbery and greenery. Dr. Smith smiles warmly at the camera and wears the graduation cap and gown for Alabama School of Social Work, which is black with red detailing..
Congratulations Dr. Angie Smith (She/her)!
Dr. Angie Smith recently graduated from the University of Alabama School of Social Work with her PhD. Her dissertation focused on Encounters of Police Violence and Illuminating the Voices of Black College Students affected by this.
Dr. Smith will be continuing her endeavors as a tenured track professor at Auburn University at Montgomery, where she will teach aspiring Social Work students and continue her research, with her research interests being police brutality, racism, advocacy, mental and public health.
Here are some of Angie’s recent publications:
Wilson, B. L., Tindall, J., Walker, D., & Smith, A. M. (2023). “Ain’t I a woman?”: a historical and contemporary analysis of state-sanctioned violence against Black Women in the United States. Journal of Gender Studies, 33(1), 84–99. https://doi.org/10.1080/09589236.2023.2236953
Smith, N. L., Smith, A. M., Mott, A., & Smith, B. D. (2023). Enhancing Supports for Novice Workers in Child Welfare: A Study of Coaching for Child Welfare Interns. Families in Society, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/10443894231185373
Image depicts Dr. Jenny Tanis, a white woman smiling at the camera. She stands in front of a light brown background and wears a soft green shirt.
Congratulations Dr. Jenny Tanis (She/her)!
Dr. Jenny Tanis recently graduated from Michigan State University’s School of Social work with her PhD. Jenny’s dissertation focused on exploring how state paid family leave act policies affect infant maltreatment rates. Jenny’s research interests include child maltreatment prevention, maternal and child health, maternal mental health, and reproductive justice.
Since graduating, Dr. Tanis has received an Assistant Professor position at Hope College’s Department of Sociology and Social Work.
Dr. Tanis’ recent publication in Child Abuse and Neglect has been featured in NPR and Futurity.
2023-2024 Academic Year
Congratulations Dr. Leo Kattari (He/They)
About Leo Kattari’s Accomplishment
Leo successfully defended their thesis titled "Motivators for Transgender and Gender Diverse Related Activism and Policy Action in the United States" in October 2023. Dr. Kattari will be starting at University of Michigan Dearborn in Spring 2024.
About Leo:
Leo Kattari (MSW) earned his Master of Social Work degree from the University of Denver. They are a passionate advocate for health equity and social justice with over a decade of experience in the areas of health education, organizational development, community mobilization and organizing, policy, public health data and evaluation. Leo’s work has an emphasis on health disparities, health policy, and advocacy through story-telling. They have provided presentations, trainings, and consultation services on leadership development, cultural responsiveness, putting data into action, and story-telling techniques throughout the U.S. to agencies such as the Mayo Clinic, various state and county health departments, and the U.S. Department of Human Service’s Office of Adolescent Health. He is invested in community driven and data informed action that advances health equity through public policy, funding priorities, and innovative systems change.
Image depicts Leo Kattari (He/They), smiling at the camera wearing a blue button down with small white polka dots. Leo is in front of a mauve colored wall and wears tortoise shell colored thin rimmed glasses.