Category Faculty

Associate Professor Contact Information Email: shah009@sw.ua.edu Areas of Interest and Expertise Education Selected Publications

Associate Dean of Research and Development, Professor Contact Information Email: nruggiano@ua.edu Departments Areas of Interest and Expertise Education Bio Dr. Nicole Ruggiano is a Professor and Associate Dean of Research and Development within the School of Social Work. Her research and advocacy work focuses on supporting the health and well-being of older adults, especially those impacted…

PhD Program Director, Professor Contact Information Email: hnoh1@sw.ua.edu Research Areas and Expertise Education Bio Hyunjin Noh, Ph.D., MSW, is a Professor at the University of Alabama School of Social Work. She is a Deep South Resource Center for Minority Aging Research (RCMAR) Scholar and a Cambia Sojourns Scholar. Her research areas include end-of-life care decision-making, pain…

Coordinator of Teaching Innovation, Instructor Contact Information Email: ahmclean@ua.edu Practice Areas and Expertise

Assistant Professor Contact Information Email: tlittleton@ua.edu Areas of Interest and Expertise Departments Education Bio Dr. Tenesha Littleton’s research focuses on three primary areas: 1) the contextual factors that influence family functioning and well-being, particularly in resource-constrained communities; 2) geographic variation in rates of child maltreatment and the role of social policies in mitigating risk; and 3)…

Associate Professor Contact Information Email: lhlee@ua.edu Areas of Interest and Expertise Education Bio Dr. Lewis H. Lee focuses on the intersection of micro- and macro-level factors associated with reentry and health disparities among justice-involved populations. His research examines how individual experiences, family dynamics, and broader structural conditions, such as neighborhood environments, social policies, and access to…

Associate Professor Contact Information Email: lmhopson@sw.ua.edu Areas of Interest and Expertise Education Selected Publications

Dean and Professor Contact Information Email: schnavia.hatcher@ua.edu Areas of Interest and Expertise Education Bio Schnavia Smith Hatcher is the 8th Dean of the University of Alabama School of Social Work, bringing over 25 years of experience in clinical social work, community-engaged research, and higher education. As a native of Selma, Alabama, and a first-generation Pell Grant…

Assistant Professor Contact Information Email: luciana.giorgio@ua.edu Areas of Interest and Expertise Education Bio Dr. Giorgio is a social and behavioral health researcher with expertise in sleep health and health equity among marginalized populations. Her current research investigates how psychosocial factors, such as stress and relationships, influence sleep and cardiovascular health among Latina/o/x adults. She has an…

Professor and Editor of The Journal of Social Work in End-of-Life and Palliative Care Contact Information Email: ecsikai@sw.ua.edu Areas of Interest and Expertise Education Bio Ellen L. Csikai, LCSW, MPH, Ph.D is Professor in the School of Social Work at the University of Alabama. Prior to her academic career, Dr. Csikai was social work practitioner in…