1. You’ve described health, behavioral health, and leadership as the “three-legged stool” of UT Social Work’s future. How do you define leadership as part of the school’s mission?
The School of Social Work at The University of Texas at Austin prepares leaders who transform lives. That is our mission.
We educate students to lead with values and excellence — whether in direct practice, policy, research, or education. Our graduates lead in C-suites and soup kitchens, in boardrooms and on neighborhood benches. Thoughtful, reflective and values-driven leadership strengthens every setting and advances our mission.
To fulfill this charge, we recruit and appoint faculty — and admit, educate and launch graduates — who value innovation and ingenuity; who lead by example; and who know how to build relationships, support people and navigate complex systems for lasting impact.
As artificial intelligence and other technologies rapidly reshape society and human experience, UT Social Work is leading by equipping our faculty, staff and students to use emerging technologies in pursuit of positive, meaningful goals. At the same time, we are committed to ensuring these tools are used ethically — remaining person-centered, client-focused, and grounded in our core values.
Transforming lives requires the ability to truly see people — their strengths, their potential and their capacity to change their own lives and the lives of others for good. Texas Social Work prepares leaders who see in all these ways.
2. What role do partnerships play in successful leadership, such as UT Social Work’s collaborations with Dell Medical School and the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health? Are others taking notice?
Our partnerships with Dell Medical School and the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health are central to our mission and impact. They position UT Social Work as a leader in building the health and behavioral health workforce in Texas and beyond, while improving access, delivery and outcomes across a broad landscape of need and opportunity. These collaborations are mutually beneficial and deeply enriching. We are stronger — and more effective — when we work together. Nationally, UT Social Work is helping lead efforts to integrate the humanities and their values into both social work and medicine.
Our success with UT partners has sparked interest from institutions across the country. In November, I was honored to speak with colleagues at the University of Georgia, including leaders from its Schools of Social Work and Medicine. Georgia has recently launched a medical school and will open a nursing school next year, and our conversations around interprofessional education and health partnerships have been both productive and energizing.
We are expanding our reach in health, behavioral health, leadership and the medical humanities — and there are exciting opportunities ahead.
3. Speaking of mentoring and leading, how is UT Social Work viewed nationally for its leadership?
We’re viewed favorably. In matters of leadership, we are partnering with schools of social work nationwide, and these relationships strengthen not only our institutions, but the profession as a whole.
We are collaborating with our colleagues at the University of North Carolina, the University of Chicago, the University of Washington and Boston College, among others. These connections promise to enhance research and teaching, expand global engagement, and deepen our national impact. UT Social Work welcomes opportunities that help transform lives for good.
4. You recently joined the national board of advisors for the Parkinson’s Foundation. Tell us about that work.
It is a profound honor to serve an organization so deeply committed to individuals and families affected by Parkinson’s disease.
As someone living with Parkinson’s — and as a scholar focused on chronic illness — I am proud to support a mission that touches so many lives, including my own.
Since 1957, the Parkinson’s Foundation has invested more than $474 million in research and clinical care. The organization serves approximately one million Americans living with Parkinson’s disease, with nearly 90,000 new diagnoses each year.
As a board member, I work alongside other leaders to help guide the Foundation’s strategic direction — advancing research, improving care, and moving us closer to a cure. Social work plays a critical role in this effort, and I am committed to ensuring that perspective remains central to our strategy.
BONUS
What music are you listening to and playing these days?
Lately, I’ve been playing classic heavy metal with my School of Rock friends — including a recent show at the Spiderhouse Ballroom featuring songs like “Doctor, Doctor” by UFO, “Man on the Silver Mountain” by Rainbow, and “Symphony of Destruction” by Megadeth.
I’m also loving my time with JAMBS, a band my daughter and I formed with friends. We play regularly around Austin, including a monthly residency at the Carousel Lounge and shows at the Cactus Café. Our sets include covers like “Colors” by the Black Pumas and “She Talks to Angels” by the Black Crowes — along with an increasing number of JAMBS originals.
