School of Professional Studies

Karen R. Brown, Department of Nursing

Professor Brown, joined the Social Work Department in Fall 2015. Professor Brown holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of Connecticut, a Master’s Degree in Social Work and a Ph.D. in Social Work in Fall 2015, both from the University of Connecticut School of Social Work.

Professor Brown brings over 27 years of experience with welfare programs, employed as a social worker for the City of Hartford Department of Health and Human Services and the State of Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS). She has worked primarily with adult populations in a variety of host settings, from working at the Hartford Community Court where she administered and facilitated groups for women arrested for prostitution to providing patient care coordination and discharge planning at a local hospital. Most recently, Professor Brown worked as a fair hearings officer for CT DSS, where she adjudicated hearings between DSS clients and the agency when clients disputed actions taken on their public assistance benefits.

Her research interests have focused on social welfare policy, anti-poverty strategies, and the intersections of race, gender, and socioeconomic status. Her dissertation work focused on welfare hearing officers and their role perceptions in carrying out their jobs and she has presented her work at the National Association of Hearing Officials Annual Conference. She currently sits on several social work schools’ community advisory boards.