{"id":16,"date":"2016-11-21T19:25:48","date_gmt":"2016-11-21T19:25:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wcsu.wpengine.com\/sw\/staff\/"},"modified":"2025-09-02T15:28:10","modified_gmt":"2025-09-02T15:28:10","slug":"faculty","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/social-work\/faculty\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet our Faculty and Staff"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Full-Time Faculty<\/span><\/h1>\n

\u200b<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n\n
<\/h5>\n
Deneen Harris M.S.W. Ph.D., Associate Professor<\/a><\/h5>\n
B.A. Criminal Justice & BSW Social Work Southern Illinois University<\/h5>\n
M.S.W. Southern Illinois University<\/h5>\n
Ph.D. University of Alabama<\/h5>\n
harrisd@wcsu.edu<\/a><\/h5>\n
(203) 837-3292<\/h5>\n

 <\/td>\n

<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
<\/a><\/h5>\n<\/td>\n
\n
Karen McLean M.S.W., Ph.D., Department Chair, Associate Professor<\/a><\/h5>\n
B.A. University of Connecticut<\/h5>\n
M.S.W. University of Connecticut School of Social Work<\/h5>\n
Ph.D. University of Connecticut School of Social Work<\/h5>\n
brownk@wcsu.edu<\/a><\/h5>\n
(203) 837-8937<\/h5>\n<\/td>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
 <\/p>\n
\"\"<\/h5>\n<\/td>\n
\n
<\/h5>\n
April Moreira, D.S.W., L.C.S.W Associate Professor<\/a><\/h5>\n
B.S.W. Western Connecticut State University,<\/h5>\n
M.S.W. Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service<\/h5>\n
D.S.W. Southern Connecticut State University<\/h5>\n
moreiraa@wcsu.edu<\/a><\/h5>\n
(203) 837-8958<\/h5>\n<\/td>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/td>\n\n
<\/h5>\n
<\/h5>\n
Rebecca Wade-Rancourt, M.S.W., L.C.S.W, Assistant Professor<\/a><\/h5>\n
B.S.W. Western Connecticut State University<\/h5>\n
M.S.W. Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service<\/h5>\n
waderancourtr@wcsu.edu<\/a><\/h5>\n
203-837-8573<\/h5>\n

 <\/td>\n

<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/td>\n\n
<\/h5>\n
<\/h5>\n
Qur-an Webb, M.S.W, Field Coordinator, Assistant Professor<\/span><\/a><\/h5>\n
B.S. Sociology, Southern Connecticut State University<\/h5>\n
B.S. Communication, Southern Connecticut State University<\/h5>\n
M.S.W. University of Connecticut School of Social Work<\/h5>\n
webbq@wcsu.edu<\/a><\/span><\/h5>\n
203-837-9141<\/h5>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/td>\n

<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
\"\"<\/h5>\n<\/td>\n
\n
Sharon Young Ph.D., L.C.S.W, Professor<\/a><\/h5>\n
B.S. Human Development and Family Relations, University of Connecticut<\/h5>\n
M.S.W. University of Connecticut School of Social Work<\/h5>\n
Ph.D. Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service<\/h5>\n
youngs@wcsu.edu<\/a><\/h5>\n
203-837-8620<\/h5>\n<\/td>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n

Department Secretary<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n

Katie Maxwell
\nmaxwellk@wcsu.edu<\/a>
\n(203) 837-8410<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

Adjunct Faculty<\/span><\/h1>\n

Adjunct faculty members extend the expertise of the Department and are additional learning resources for students.\u00a0 The adjuncts teach part-time, and serve as field training liaisons.\u00a0 They are carefully chosen from among professional social workers who are active in practice and administration<\/span>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sean Boyle, MS.Ed. <\/strong>earned a bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Western Connecticut State University and an MS.Ed. from University of Bridgeport. Sean has over 14 years in child welfare experience at the Department of Children and Families. . He teaches Child Welfare -Theory & Practice.<\/p>\n

Contact: boyles@wcsu.edu<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/strong><\/p>\n

Carolina Grijalba-Rodriguez, LMSW<\/strong> holds a Master\u2019s Degree in Social Work from Fordham University and a B.A in Social Work from Sacred Heart University. She has over 19 years of experience in clinical, agency, and system settings. While most of her work has been in direct clinical practice, Mrs. Grijalba-Rodriguez has also developed and presented prevention trainings and curricula to educate and raise awareness on gender violence and interventions at a state and national level.\u00a0 In addition, she worked as a DCF Domestic Violence Consultant and supported the Area Office staff in addressing domestic violence as it related to child abuse and\/or neglect. In her current role, as the Gender-Based Violence Prevention Program Director at Center for Safer Communities, LLC; she developed and pioneered a new batterer intervention program called Changing Behaviors which meets the CT Standards as well as implemented the first Caring Dads program in CT.<\/p>\n

Contact: grijalbarodrigc@wcsu.edu<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Jen\"<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jennifer Huber, LCSW<\/strong> holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of Connecticut, as well as a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Connecticut School of Social Work. Jennifer has 16 years experience working with children and families in clinical agency settings, as well as the public school system. Currently, she runs a private practice in Danbury, Connecticut.<\/p>\n

Contact: huberj@wcsu.edu<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/strong>Darryl A. Hugley, MSW<\/strong>\u00a0holds a Master of Social Work in Clinical Practice, a Master of Science in Urban Studies, and a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from Southern Connecticut State University.\u00a0 Additionally, he holds an Associate in Science in General Studies from Gateway Community College.\u00a0 His thesis in Urban Studies is entitled, \u201cThe State of Black Nationalism in 21st Century Urban America\u201d.\u00a0 His thesis in Social Work is entitled, \u201cCase Management as A Key to Social Work Practice\u201d.\u00a0 Against the backdrop of Social Protest Movements including, #Black Lives Matter (#BLM), Hip Hop, Black Nationalism, Black Power, and the Civil Rights Movement, Mr. Hugley\u2019s most recent research focuses on examining how new scholarship in contemporary urban America has fundamentally altered the study of racial justice issues related to mass incarceration, quality education, ending unemployment, the impact of racial segregation, and the New Jim Crow writ large.\u00a0 Mr. Hugley served as a Faculty Fellow for Manchester Community College. An avid political activist and community organizer, Mr. Hugley also served as a Commissioner for the State of Connecticut African American Affairs Commission (AAAC), the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO) Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission, and as an Executive Board Member for the Greater New Haven Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).\u00a0 He is a member of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. and was officially recognized in 2019 as being 100 Men of Color by the Connecticut General Assembly.\u00a0 He works as a Clinical Milieu Counselor, Psychiatric Educator, and Crisis Prevention Instructor (CPI) for Yale-New Haven Psychiatric Hospital (YNHPH).<\/p>\n

Contact:\u00a0hugleyd@wcsu.edu<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"Bianca Shinn-Desras<\/strong> currently serves on CT State League of Women Voters Board of Directors and holds advanced degrees in school health education, public health, and urban studies from Southern Connecticut State University. Ms. Bianca Shinn-Desras has extensive experience in the field of social services, public health, and education. She previously served as Investigation Social Worker with the CT State Department of Children and Families, and Minister Counselor at the Permanent Mission of Haiti to the United Nations. She is currently the Director of Family Advocacy, Middle School program at Domus Kids.\u00a0\u00a0 Bianca is a Member of Charter Oak Communities Advisory Board and Member of Fairfield County Community Foundation Advisory Task Force. Bianca is a certified health education specialist and certified health education teacher.<\/p>\n

Contact: shinnb@wcsu.edu<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/h1>\n

<\/h1>\n

<\/h1>\n

Professors Emeriti<\/span><\/h1>\n

Beatrice Nemzer, MSW, Professor Emeritus<\/strong>, retired in 1990 after teaching social work for 25 years.\u00a0 Her areas of expertise included gerontology and generalist practice.\u00a0 Professor Nemzer held a BA in Sociology from Brooklyn College and an MSW from Hunter College in New York City.\u00a0 She also held a post-masters certificate in gerontology from the Hunter College Brookdale Center. Every year the Department hosts the Bea Nemzer Symposium to honor her contribution as a founding mother of our program.<\/p>\n

Phyllis Greenfield Ross, DSW, CSW, Professor Emeritus<\/strong>, Dr. Ross taught at\u00a0WestConn from 1993 until 2005.\u00a0 She holds a bachelor\u2019s degree in Sociology and Music from Brandeis University, a master\u2019s degree in Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania and a doctorate in Social Welfare from\u00a0Wurzweilzer School of Social Work, Yeshiva University.<\/p>\n

Marjorie Steinberg, MSW, Associate Professor Emeritus<\/strong>, retired from full-time teaching at\u00a0WCSU in 2012 following 18 years of devoted service to\u00a0WCSU’s students.\u00a0 She holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Mt. Holyoke College, and a master’s degree in Social Work from Fordham University School of Social Service. Ms. Steinberg has taught social work curriculum and family studies courses in undergraduate programs, and has done field advisement and coordination for graduate programs.<\/p>\n

Rob Veneziano, MSW, Ph. D., Professor Emeritus<\/strong>, retired from full-time teaching at WCSU in 2013 following 13 years of joyful service to WCSU’s students.\u00a0 Her served as the Department Chairperson from 2004 to 2103. \u00a0He holds a bachelor’s degree in Social Welfare from Southern Connecticut State University, a master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Connecticut, and a doctorate in Anthropology with a focus on child development and family studies. Dr. Veneziano has extensive experience in teaching in undergraduate and graduate programs.<\/p>\n

Kathleen “Kit”\u00a0 Hinga , MSW, Ph.D., Assistant Professor Emeritus,<\/b> retired from full-time teaching in 2017 following 12 years of engagement with WCSU’s students and the Social Work Program. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from the Elms College and a master’s degree in social work from Boston University and a doctorate in Social Policy and Sociology with a focus on social change in communities and organizations. Dr Hinga taught courses at WCSU in social policy, practice with communities and organizations, practice in the field, a lab experience in community organizing and a led a study\/travel student trip to Geneva on the anniversary of the signing of the UN Declaration of Human Rights. She also Coordinated the Field Internship Program from 2006 to 2012. She has extensive experience in teaching at all levels of Social Work education as well as extensive social change experience.\u00a0 She received the <\/span>Social Work Distinguished Faculty Award\u00a0<\/span>from the School of Professional Studies in 2017.<\/p>\n

Patricia “Patti” Ivry, MSW,\u00a0 Professor Emeritus, <\/b>joined the Department of Social Work in 1980 and taught across the curriculum, served as Field Coordinator, Department Chair, led CSWE Accreditation renewals, and created and directed the Executive Forum, a non-profit institute on campus. She also served as Interim Dean of the School of Professional Studies, for the last 18 months of her tenure. During her long career, from which she retired in after 38 years she taught both graduate and undergraduate students, held national positions in professional organizations, leadership roles on campus, elected office locally, and she was a strong advocate on issues of social justice. Professor Ivry holds a Bachelor\u2019s Degree in English and Creative Writing from Goucher College, and a Master\u2019s Degree in Social Work with a concentration in community organizing from the University of Maryland School of Social Work. Additionally, she studied at the doctoral level in Sociology, at the City University of New York\u2019s Graduate Center.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Full-Time Faculty \u200b Deneen Harris M.S.W. Ph.D., Associate Professor B.A. Criminal Justice & BSW Social Work Southern Illinois University M.S.W. Southern Illinois University Ph.D. University of Alabama harrisd@wcsu.edu (203) 837-3292   Karen McLean M.S.W., Ph.D., Department Chair, Associate Professor B.A. …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"left-navigation.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-16","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/social-work\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/16","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/social-work\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/social-work\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/social-work\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/social-work\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/social-work\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/16\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/social-work\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}