CSWE is pleased to announce Ramona Denby-Brinson, PhD, MSW, BSW, as the 2024 Carl A. Scott Lecturer at CSWE’s 70th Annual Program Meeting (APM). Dr. Denby-Brinson is dean and Kuralt Distinguished Professor of Public Welfare Policy and Administration in the School of Social Work at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Dr. Denby-Brinson's lecture, “Thank God the Apple Does Not Fall Far From the Tree: It's Time to Safeguard African American Families' Legacy,” illustrates how Carl A. Scott paved the way for generations of researchers and educators who in turn transformed social work practice. The backdrop to the lecture is a discussion of the U.S. child welfare system and the experiences of minoritized children and families. Using a multipronged approach of storytelling, music, art, data visualizations, and guided imagery, the audience will be challenged with the following proposition: Social movements of late might be well-served by an examination of our past practices.
Dr. Denby-Brinson has more than 30 years of experience in social work education and 20 years in administration. She completed her PhD at The Ohio State University. Prior to her academic career, she served children and families in various social service settings. Her scholarly interests include policy, programming, and treatment issues relevant to children and families, child welfare, children’s mental health, and culturally specific service delivery. Dr. Denby-Brinson is a nationally recognized expert in culturally adapted child welfare services. She has published extensively about kinship care, as well as the mental health and well-being of African American children who are foster-care-system involved.
She has been funded significantly from federal, state, and private sources to conduct research related to child and family well-being. Her work is articulated in peer-reviewed journal articles, books, chapters, technical reports, issue briefs, media presentations and professional papers and presentations. She has been active in several national social work professional associations, including the National Association of Social Workers, Council on Social Work Education, and the Society for Social Work and Research. Dr. Denby-Brinson has received numerous accolades for her scholarship and impact on the field, including the 2014 Harry Reid Silver State Research Award for her highly respected research that is responsive to the needs of local and national communities.
