Faculty Directory
Joanne Thompson, Ph.D., Director, Professor
Dr. Thompson holds a Ph.D. from Rutgers University, her MSW from the University of Arkansas, and Bachelor of Arts from LaGrange College, LaGrange, Ga. Prior to joining UNLV, she was professor and director of the School of Social Work, University of New England, Portland, Maine. She was also a member of the Social Work faculty at the University of Tennessee and the University of Georgia. She served as a member of the Tennessee Board of Social Work Certification and Licensure and was the director of the Office of Policy Analysis, Tennessee Department of Human Services. Dr. Thompson has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals, including Social Work, Journal of Progressive Human Services, Affilia, Journal of Social Work Education, and Administration in Social Work.
Office: Greenspun Hall, Room 3144
Email: joanne.thompson@unlv.edu
Phone: 702-895-0521
Curriculum Vitae (PDF)
Vicky Albert, Ph.D., Professor
At UNLV since 1998, Dr. Albert's current interests include social policy, income-maintenance policies and programs, program evaluation, and policy analysis.
Office: Greenspun Hall, Room 3158
Email: vicky.albert@unlv.edu
Phone: 702-895-4289
Curriculum Vitae (PDF)
Kathleen Ja Sook Bergquist, J.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor, MSW Admissions Coordinator, BSW Coordinator
Dr. Bergquist completed her MSW at Norfolk State University and her Ph.D. in counselor education at the College of William and Mary in Virginia. She taught previously in the School of Social Work at Illinois State University for four years and currently teaches undergraduate and graduate practice and HBSE course at UNLV. Her research focus is on international adoption, more specifically Korean and Chinese adoption, considering the implications of placing children in the Diaspora as a child welfare practice.
Office: Greenspun Hall, Room 3136
Email: kathleen.bergquist@unlv.edu
Phone: 702-895-2449
Curriculum Vitae (PDF)
Ramona Denby-Brinson, Ph.D., Professor
Dr. Brinson's teaching interests are direct practice, human behavior, child welfare, and culturally specific practice. Brinson conducts research in the areas of child welfare, children's mental health, juvenile delinquency, and culturally specific service delivery.
Office: Greenspun Hall, Room 3133
Email: ramona.denby@unlv.edu
Phone: 702-895-1336
Curriculum Vitae (PDF)
William M. Epstein, DSW, Professor
Dr. Epstein has been at UNLV since 1992. His interests include social welfare, welfare reform, children's services, psychotherapy, social services, community organization, and administration.
Office: Greenspun Hall, Room 3122
Email: william.epstein@unlv.edu
Phone: 702-895-4348
Curriculum Vitae (DOC)
Abbie Kirkendall ,Ph.D., Assistant Professor
Dr. Kirkendall completed her PhD in Social Welfare from State University of New York at Buffalo. A former hospice inpatient and home care social worker Professor Kirkendall's research focus includes end-of-life care for the elderly and for older individuals with intellectual disabilities, and the influence of organizational behavior on the provision of long-term care.
Office: Greenspun Hall, room 3138
email: abbie.kirkendall@unlv.edu
phone: 702-895-4336
Curriculum Vitae (DOC)
Laurie Lytel, Visiting Instructor
Ms. Lytel teaches in the areas of Direct Practice, Children, and Families. She received her degrees from the University of Michigan School of Social Work and Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, N.Y.
Office: Greenspun Hall, Room 3161
Email: laurie.lytel@unlv.edu
Phone: 702-895-5142
Curriculum Vitae (DOCX)
MaryAnn Overcamp-Martini, Ph.D., Graduate Program Coordinator
Dr. Martini's primary interests are in mental health and disabilities, macro practice, legal issues, and social work education. She joined the faculty in 2002 and currently teaches courses in human behavior in the social environment and management and community practice.
Office: Greenspun Hall, Room 3137
Email: mao.martini@unlv.edu
Phone: 702-895-4603
Curriculum Vitae (DOC)
Sandra Owens, Ph.D., Associate Professor
Dr. Owens joined the school in 2000. Dr. Owens-Kane's teaching interests include gerontological social work education, cross-cultural practice, and human behavior in the social environment. Dr. Owens-Kane conducts research in the areas of minority mental health, formal and informal care giving of the elderly, organizational culture and change, and child welfare.
Office: Greenspun Hall, Room 3134
Email: sandra.owens@unlv.edu
Phone: 702-895-2898
Curriculum Vitae (DOC)
Leroy H. Pelton, Ph.D., Professor
Dr. Pelton's research and teaching interests include child abuse and neglect, child welfare, and social welfare policy. He has been a faculty member in the school since 1997.
Office: Greenspun Hall, Room 3121
Email: leroy.pelton@unlv.edu
Phone: 702-895-1329
Curriculum Vitae (DOC)
Satish Sharma, Ph.D., Professor
At UNLV since 1982, Dr. Sharma's areas of expertise include research methods and statistics; foundations of social work and welfare; multicultural, international, and minority social work practice; social development and community organization; and Gandhian welfare thought.
Office: Greenspun Hall, Room 3159
Email: satish.sharma@unlv.edu
Phone: 702-895-1038
Curriculum Vitae (DOC)
An-Pyng Sun, Ph.D., Professor
At UNLV since 1997, Dr. Sun's research and teaching interests include the subjects of substance abuse, multicultural practice, and research methods.
Office: Greenspun Hall, Room 3160
Email: an-pyng.sun@unlv.edu
Phone: 702-895-4349
Curriculum Vitae (DOC)
Margherita Jellinek, Director of Field Education
Ms. Jellinek teaches in the HBSE sequence and her particular interests are in health and mental health. She attended Wheaton College in Massachusetts, the University of Chicago, and received her Master's Degree in Social Work from Columbia University. She was previously Director of the Columbia University School of Social Work Purchase College/SUNY satellite program, and most recently Director of the Southern Nevada Adult Mental Health Services Downtown Psychiatric Clinic.
Office: Greenspun Hall, Room 3142
Email: margherita.jellinek@unlv.edu
Phone: 702-895-3313
Curriculum Vitae (PDF)
Kevin Miyasato, Assistant Director of Field Education
Mr. Miyasato received his MSW from UNLV in 2009 and obtained his LCSW license in January of 2012. His interest include multi-cultural social work and in working with the LGBTQ community. Mr. Miyasato is very interested in assisting students in meeting their goals and objectives during their field placement, a main pedagogy of Social Work Education. He was previously Assistant Executive Director of the Community Counseling Center of Southern Nevada.
Office: Greenspun Hall, Room 3140
Email: kevin.miyasato@unlv.edu
Phone: 702-895-5848
Resume (PDF)
