Qais Alemi, PhD, MPH, MBA

PhD, Social Policy and Social Research - Loma Linda University, 2013

  • Psychosocial needs of populations affected by political violence
  • Stigma, prejudice, racial, and religious discrimination
  • Immigrant and refugee acculturation, adjustment, identity, and resiliency
  • Mental health help-seeking behaviors

Kelly Baek, PhD, MSW

PhD, Social Policy and Social Research - Loma Linda University, 2018

  • Mental health
  • Culturally-sensitive interventions
  • Program development and evaluation
  • Community-based research

Christi Bell, MSW, LCSW

MSW, Social Work - California State University, San Bernardino, 2014

  • Child welfare
  • Child abuse and neglect
  • LGBTQ+ youth in the foster care system
  • Trauma-informed parenting
  • Trauma-informed practice with children
  • Trauma-informed management in the workplace
  • Preventing burnout and compassion fatigue in social work settings

Monte Butler, PhD, MSW

PhD, Social Work - University of Utah, 2003

  • Social work administration
  • Medicare

Kimberly R. Freeman, PhD, MSW

PhD, Clinical Psychology - Loma Linda University, 1999

  • Child mental health
  • Assessment
  • Childhood trauma
  • Adolescent self-harm
  • Community based wellness

Talolo Lepale, MSW, MBA, LCSW

Master of Social Work - Loma Linda University, 1999
Master of Business Administration - University of Redlands, 2003

  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
  • Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
  • Individual psychotherapy
  • Team building
  • Psychosocial oncology
  • Medical social work
  • Working with adults and older adults
  • Trauma, anxiety, depression, grief, and end-of-life

Susanne Montgomery, PhD, MPH, MS

PhD, Health Behavior/EPI - University of Michigan, 1987

  • Research design and analyses
  • Translational research (clinical and applied)
  • Community involved and based research
  • Health disparities research
  • Program evaluation and evaluation research

Larry Ortiz, PhD, MSW

PhD, Sociology - State University of New York, Buffalo, 1987

  • Race and ethnic studies
  • Critical theory
  • Latino/a issues
  • Community practice
  • Program evaluation
  • Social justice practice

Department of Social Work and Social Ecology