Faculty

Mercedea Bern-Klug

Mercedes Bern-Klug, M.S.W., Ph.D.

Title/Position
Professor
John A. Hartford Geriatric Social Work Scholar
American Association of Social Welfare and Social Work, Fellow
Fulbright Faculty Scholar - Mexico
Professor Bern-Klug is a gerontological social work scholar who focuses on improving care for older adults with advanced health conditions, including dementia. She studies how to better support medical decision-making as the end-of-life approaches, including working with family members who may serve as surrogate decision-makers. Mercedes is working to enhance the role of nursing home social workers.
Aislinn Conrad

Aislinn Conrad, M.S.W., Ph.D.

Title/Position
Assistant Professor
Dr. Conrad's research examines the social determinants that reduce child maltreatment and promote family wellbeing. Past projects include linking material hardship (food/housing insecurity) to child abuse, and validating the Spanish version of the Protective Factors Survey. 
Stephen Cummings

Stephen Cummings, M.S.W., A.C.S.W., L.I.S.W.

Title/Position
Clinical Associate Professor,
Distance Education Administrator,
MSW Program Director
Stephen Cummings is a clinical associate professor with over 20 years of practice in social service fields, including 10 years as a licensed social worker in a Trauma I level hospital setting. His areas of interest include ethical use of technology in social work practice, clinical supervision, and preparing students for the social work licensure exam.
Megan Gilster

Megan E. Gilster, M.S.W., Ph.D.

Title/Position
Associate Professor
PhD Program Director
Dr. Gilster is an Associate Professor of Social Work, and Research Fellow in the Social and Education Policy Research Program in the University of Iowa Public Policy Center. Her research addresses how community and neighborhood conditions matter for the well-being of residents.
May Guo

May Guo, Ph.D., FGSA

Title/Position
Associate Professor
Dr. Guo's work addresses the intersection between immigration and aging, examining the well-being of older immigrants in the changing family and neighborhood contexts.
Carolyn Hartley

Carolyn Hartley, Ph.D.

Title/Position
Associate Professor
Motier Haskins

Motier F. Haskins, M.S.W.

Title/Position
Associate Professor of Instruction
Motier F. Haskins' primary teaching goal is to help social work students develop an increased awareness of their values, interests, strengths, and motivations so that they are compassionate and effective practitioners, confidently represent their expertise in interprofessional work settings, and critically engage with complex social problems.
Kara Houser

Kara Houser, M.S.W., L.I.S.W.

Title/Position
Clinical Assistant Professor
Julia Kleinschmit

Julia Kleinschmit, M.S.W.

Title/Position
Clinical Professor
Sioux City Practicum and Program Administrator
Since 1999, Julia Kleinschmit has primarily taught in and coordinated the three-year, Part-Time M.S.W. Program in Sioux City. She teaches Research, Policy, Discrimination Oppression and Diversity, Organization and Community Practice, and Integrated Theory and Practice. Her interests include Disproportionate Minority Contact, especially in regards to reducing the number of Native children in the child welfare system and the number of children of color in juvenile detention.
Miriam Landsman, PhD: Middle aged white woman with brown hair in a pink shirt

Miriam Landsman, Ph.D.

Title/Position
Director, School of Social Work
Associate Professor
Executive Director, National Resource Center for Family Centered Practice
Co-Director, Iowa Consortium for Substance Abuse Research and Evaluation
Dr. Landsman is the Director of the School of Social Work, the Executive Director of the National Resource Center for Family Centered Practice and the Co-Director of the Iowa Consortium for Substance Abuse Research and Evaluation. Her primary areas of research are family-centered approaches to child welfare and the child welfare workforce.
harmony linden in a blue and black blazer

Harmony Linden, M.S.W., L.I.S.W.

Title/Position
Resilience and Trauma-Informed Perspectives Certificate Coordinator
Clinical Assistant Professor
Billie Marchik

Billie Marchik, M.S.W.

Title/Position
Clinical Assistant Professor
Des Moines Practicum Administrator
Alison Oliver

Alison Oliver, M.S.W.

Title/Position
Associate Professor of Instruction
BA Program Director
Nadia Sabbagh

Nadia Sabbagh Steinberg, L.M.S.W., Ph.D.

Title/Position
Clinical Assistant Professor
Coordinator for Aging and Longevity Studies Program
Sara Sanders

Sara Sanders, Ph.D.

Title/Position
Dean, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Professor
Hartford Faculty Scholar
Dr. Sara Sanders is the Dean of the University of Iowa College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and formerly served as Director of the School of Social Work. Her research interests pertain to gerontology and end-of-life.
Yolanda Spears

Yolanda D. Spears, M.S.W., L.M.S.W.

Title/Position
Clinical Associate Professor
Coordinator, Certificate in Critical Cultural Competence
Christopher Veeh

Christopher A. Veeh, Ph.D.

Title/Position
Assistant Professor
Yi (April) Wang

Yi (April) Wang, Ph.D.

Title/Position
Assistant Professor
Dr. Yi Wang’s research focuses on the neighborhood-level determinants of health disparities in later life. Her work examines how contextual features influence older adults’ wellbeing (i.e., physical, mental, cognitive health) and explores the underlying mechanisms (e.g., the mediating roles of activity engagement and coping resources) for racial/ethnic minority and older immigrants.
sarah witry, a white woman with brown hair, wearing a blue shirt and glasses

Sarah Witry, M.S.W., L.M.S.W.

Title/Position
Clinical Assistant Professor,
Practicum Education Director,
Iowa City and Online Field Administrator
Professor Witry has 12 years of experience in non-profit management, program development, and program assessment and evaluation focusing on food security, anti-poverty, and housing security services. She is now the Practicum Education Director and is passionate about inspiring and supporting social work students to act as change agents in the field and in their future work as professionals.