Jacquelynn Duron

Dr. Jacquelynn F. Duron, PhD, LCSW, is Associate Dean of Faculty Advancement and Associate Professor at the University of Kentucky College of Social Work. Her research focuses on strengthening resilience and well-being among children and adolescents exposed to adversity and trauma, particularly in the contexts of child sexual abuse, young parenthood, and juvenile justice involvement. Through community-engaged and strengths-focused research partnerships, she works to advance prevention and intervention strategies that support youth, families, and communities.

Dr. Duron’s scholarship is grounded in collaborative, community-based approaches that bridge research, practice, and policy. She leads and contributes to multi-site and statewide initiatives aimed at improving how child-serving systems respond to trauma and adversity. Her work includes the evaluation of restorative and transformative justice hubs for justice-impacted youth, the development of a community-based participatory research coalition focused on child sexual abuse prevention, and initiatives that support young parents, including efforts to strengthen fatherhood engagement. Across these projects, she emphasizes approaches that center youth voice, family connection, and culturally responsive practices.

As a licensed clinical social worker (NJ), Dr. Duron has extensive practice experience working directly with youth and families in community and system-based settings. Her clinical work has focused on trauma, transitions and adjustment, delinquency and behavioral concerns, and a range of mental health needs. This practice background informs her research and teaching, ensuring that her work remains grounded in the realities of service delivery and aligned with the needs of practitioners and communities.

In her role as Associate Dean of Faculty Advancement, Dr. Duron leads a comprehensive portfolio focused on five core areas: professional development; faculty evaluation, promotion, and tenure processes; hiring and retention; faculty affairs; and faculty engagement. She has successfully supported multiple faculty through promotion processes while developing programs and infrastructure to strengthen faculty success across research, teaching, and service. Her leadership emphasizes building supportive systems, integrating restorative and transformative approaches to professional connections, fostering collaboration, and creating opportunities for faculty to thrive across career stages.

Dr. Duron’s work collectively reflects a commitment to advancing resilience, promoting prevention, and strengthening the systems that serve children, youth, and families.