Sha-Lai Williams, PhD, LCSW
Dr. Sha-Lai Williams, an associate professor in the School of Social Work at University of Missouri – St. Louis, received her PhD from The Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis in 2013. Her research interest focuses on issues related to race/ethnicity, mental wellness and utilization of mental health services, particularly among African Americans and emerging adults. She has also examined issues of religiosity/spirituality and drug/alcohol use among African American women as well as factors associated with cultural awareness/sensitivity among social work and helping professionals.
Dr. Williams currently teaches undergraduate and graduate courses such as Social Work Practice with Individuals, Families, and Groups and Human Behavior in the Social Environment, utilizing her expertise as an accomplished facilitator of several nationally recognized training curricula and her experience teaching Masters-level courses at The Brown School. She enjoys interacting with and mentoring undergraduate students, serving as an advisor for master’s level students and those involved with the Behavioral Health Workforce Education Training (BHWET) program at UMSL. In addition, Dr. Williams is an active participant in the School of Social Work as well as the UMSL community.
With nearly 30 years of clinical and academic experience, Dr. Williams gained 12 years of practice experience in residential care facilities, non-profit agencies, and private practice, providing direct clinical practice to individuals, families, and groups affected by mental illness prior to pursuing her doctoral degree. She is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) in Missouri, and has previously served as a supervisor to provisionally licensed clinical social workers in North Carolina. Dr. Williams received her Masters of Social Work from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her Bachelors of Social Work from North Carolina State University.