Tiffani Hays

Tiffani Hays is a proud native of Winchester, KY. She is a licensed clinical social worker and an instructor of higher education at the University of Kentucky College of Social Work. She is a passionate community and social activist in pursuit of social justice. Her primary social work practice background includes healthcare, case management, mental health therapy, psychoeducation, and non-profit work. Tiffani’s major area of research interest is social justice for the people of rural Appalachian counties of Kentucky, particularly in the area of healthcare. Tiffani has been with the College of Social Work since 2022. Before beginning her teaching career, she worked as an oncology social worker in a rural health clinic. Working in this field reinforced her belief that everyone deserves access to quality healthcare without financial strains or boundaries. In 2023, she was honored with the “Social Work Was Built for This” award from UK for her innovative work in medical social work and community advocacy. As a University of Kentucky alumni, Tiffani enjoys giving back to social work students and is inspired by the professors who inspired her during her graduate and undergraduate studies. Tiffani’s teaching style is student-led and organic, empathetic but firm, with an emphasis on real-world practice applications in the classroom.