Advancing Workplace Equity

This learning exchange will focus on how participants can advance workplace equity in child welfare. Panelists will explore research on experiences of workplace discrimination in child welfare and discuss strategies for university and agency partners to build towards more equitable workplaces. The panel discussion will be followed by a small group peer-to-peer exchange where participants will explore how to leverage this research to make changes in their own organizations.

Please note: The second half of the session will be spent in small group discussions. Plan to join with your webcam and microphone enabled and ready to explore these issues with your colleagues.

Our panelists

Amy He, PhD, MSW is an assistant professor at the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work and a faculty affiliate at the Butler Institute for Families. She has over 15 years of field experience working with children and families, including 4 years as a caseworker for the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services. Dr. He’s current research focuses on addressing large system challenges facing child welfare including organizational and capacity building around workforce development (e.g., professional training) and well-being (e.g., workplace discrimination, moral distress, worker engagement). Her research incorporates quantitative and mixed methodology, secondary national survey data, program evaluation, and the collection of primary data at the county, state, and national levels. Dr. He has effectively led and completed multiple federal, community-based, and university-based grants and currently serves as the evaluation PI for the National Child Welfare Workforce Institute. She is committed to the dissemination of research and how this translates into practice, resulting in publication of peer reviewed articles and evaluation reports, professional conference presentations, and national presentations.

Shauna Rienks, PhD, is a research associate professor at the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work and director of research and evaluation methods at the Butler Institute for Families. She has over 15 years of experience conducting research and evaluation at the national, state, and local levels, and currently serves as the evaluation Co-PI for the National Child Welfare Workforce Institute. In her role, she works to develop rigorous, equitable, and culturally sensitive research designs; measurement tool development and testing; and mixed methods approaches to data collection and analysis as well as research and evaluation consulting and capacity-building. Her primary interest areas include child welfare workforce development, child development, family relationships, and well-being across the lifespan.