Social Work Faculty

Assistant Professor Li-Mei Chen, Associate Professor Kyeung Mi Oh, Assistant Professor Melissa Villodas, and Assistant Professor Ana Parisi will explore civil engagement and promote mental health as part of Mason’s Summer Team Impact Projects.

Dr. Anna Parisi is a licensed clinical social worker and licensed clinical addictions specialist in the state of North Carolina. After graduating with her MSW from UNC Chapel Hill, Dr. Parisi worked with individuals with comorbid mental health and substance use disorders in community mental health settings—many of whom were ensnared in the criminal legal system.

Dr. Amy Preston Page is Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Work. Page’s research interests are military spouses and families, behavioral health education, and children’s behavioral health. Page’s combination of practice and research experience provides her with a unique perspective on the experiences of military spouses and families. Before coming to Mason, Page was an adjunct instructor with the OnlineMSW Program at Fordham University and a part-time lecturer with the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy and Practice. Prior to that she worked for several years providing direct services to children and families in a range of settings.

Dr. Li-Mei Chen is Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Work since Fall 2023. Chen’s teaching and research focuses on dementia and aging, productive aging, intersectionality and role of lifecourse in older ethnic minorities, community gerontology, and social policy. She teaches BSW SOCW 312 Knowledge Building for Helping Professionals.

Dr. Villodas joined the faculty of the Department of Social Work in the fall of 2022 and teaches the direct practice course. Her research interests are on understanding how the places people live impact mental health outcomes and the role of connectedness in promoting health and wellness across marginalized groups (e.g., system involved youth and young adults and young people from socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods).

Congratulations to Ihara, Scafide, von Fricken, Weinstein, and Wojtusiak on their promotions and Guccione and Rome on being named Professors Emeriti. The College recognizes teaching excellence, leadership, dedication to research, and commitment to student success

Dr. Michelle D. Hand is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Work. Her research focuses on empowerment building approaches to address sexual violence and trauma among at-risk non-dominant populations, including in later life. Thus, she studies causes and impacts of violence and trauma as well as arts- and horticulture-based interventions (e.g., community gardens, farms and murals) to support healing, informed by extensive interdisciplinary research and clinical experience.

Jeanne Booth joined the Social Work Department as Assistant Professor in the fall of 2019 after serving as Adjunct Professor since 2016. She joined the department with over 29 years of experience providing clinical and administrative social work practice in a variety of areas including housing, justice, mobile crisis intervention work, child welfare services, aging and developmental disability services.

Dr. Tompkins, Associate Dean for Faculty and Staff Affairs and Professor, teaches human behavior, research, and gerontology courses in the Social Work Department. She is interested in developing new programs for undergraduate students and developing innovations in distance education.

Dr. Inoue is an Associate Professor in the Department of Social Work. Her research focus is primarily on older adults with declined health who are vulnerable to losing autonomy and dignity.