LEXINGTON, Ky. — The University of Kentucky College of Social Work has announced Xiafei Wang, Ph.D., will be appointed as Associate Professor this fall. Wang brings international experience, and a research portfolio focused on behavioral health, trauma, and resilience to the College.
Wang’s research focuses on three key areas: identifying behavioral health outcomes associated with childhood trauma, examining the intergenerational transmission of trauma, and understanding the factors that promote resilience and post-traumatic growth. Her work is rooted in a strong translational approach, with an emphasis on partnering with behavioral health organizations to support program development and evaluation.
Most recently, Wang was a faculty member in the School of Social Work at Syracuse University and was promoted to tenured Associate Professor in 2025. Receiving both her Master’s and Ph.D. in social work from The Ohio State University, Wang resided in Columbus, Ohio from 2012-2019.
“Dr. Wang’s research on trauma and resilience, along with her commitment to community-engaged scholarship, aligns deeply with our mission,” said Dr. Jackie Duron, Associate Dean of Faculty Advancement. “Her interdisciplinary and global perspective will be an asset to our students and faculty.”
Originally from China, Wang earned her LL.B. in Social Work and M.A. in Social Work and Social Policy from Peking University in Beijing, where she also completed a Human Rights Law Diploma from Peking University Law School and Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian law. Following her studies, Wang served as a Legal Protections Intern at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Outside of academia, Wang enjoys collecting bunny-themed art and believes bunnies bring good luck—and joy—to her and her family. She enjoys traveling internationally, including a recent trip to Japan’s Meigetsuin Temple.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Each fall, the UK College of Social Work Medically Complex Training Program welcomes caregivers from across the Commonwealth to participate in a three-part training session, equipping families with the tools and information needed to care for children in out-of-home care with complex medical needs.
This training, happening twice a year, takes place over Zoom, as well as an in-person training event in Lexington, Kentucky. This fall’s in-person training saw caregivers and nurses attend and featured seven highly qualified speakers:
The statewide, annual training event provides 12 hours of ongoing training credit. Foster and adoptive parents can select from a variety of training topics, allowing them to choose the information most relevant to the needs of the child in their care.
“I hope that parents take home two important ideas from our training. First, that this training allows them to take care of their medically complex foster children with more expertise,” Dave Giannini, Medically Complex Training Program Coordinator, said. “Additionally, I hope that, in the event that they take on more medically complex children in the future, they will be prepared with more knowledge about different disorders and struggles.”
Since 2003, the program has developed, coordinated, and conducted this type of training for foster and adoptive parents and social service workers statewide. The guidelines for training content are established by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services Department for Community Based Services (DCBS) Standards of Practice, as well as Kentucky law.
“Our annual trainings are the highlight of my year in this profession. However, it must be mentioned that I do not manage these completely on my own. Without the help of many volunteers on staff, expert speakers giving of their time, and our wonderful partnership with DCBS, none of this would be possible,” Giannini shared.
For more information on the Medically Complex Training program, please visit the program’s website or reach out to Dave Giannini at dave.giannini@uky.edu.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Social Work has taken Angelita Lazaro many places but most recently, the Master of Social Work (MSW) student at the University of Kentucky College of Social Work (CoSW) made the journey to Thailand, receiving the NextGen Service Fellowship from the Institute of International Education (IIE).
IIE, with support from The Rockefeller Foundation and Outrider Foundation, announced the launch of the new fellowship to equip the next generation of public service leaders with professional experience in international development careers. The NextGen Service offered 52 American undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to support communities overseas, where they worked with organizations focused on fields including education, public health, agriculture, the environment and economic development.
Lazaro was one of eight UK students that were selected to receive funding from the program to complete service projects around the globe and she was placed Mae Sot, Thailand, working on a child abuse prevention and awareness program.
“My experience in Thailand was eye-opening. I learned resilience, acceptance, and perspective, lessons I’ll carry with me forever,” Lazaro shared. “I’d say to anyone—if you can go to Thailand, do it. And if you can volunteer while you’re there, even better.”
The NextGen Service Fellowship funds students’ travel and provides a stipend and placement costs at nonprofit and community-based organizations throughout Africa, Southeast Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean this summer.
The selection of fellows and oversight of their participation is fully managed by IIE. Upon returning from their international placements, each fellow will share a reflective report outlining how the experience shaped their professional development and contributed to the communities they served.
Graduating with her MSW in December 2026, Lazaro chose social work because of her upbringing, often paying for her school clothes by collecting aluminum cans. Now, she has been working in the social work field for 22 years, working in treatment facilities, as well as working for the Suicide Prevention and Crisis Line and the Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline, among other positions.
“My experience growing up taught me to give myself and others grace,” Lazaro said. “I try to meet people where they are, knowing everyone is doing the best they can in any given moment.”
That perspective is one she brought to Thailand during her four-week fellowship this summer. Lazaro shared the most rewarding part of her time spent was connecting with the families in Mae Sot and helping to deliver food and supplies, as well as her work with the child abuse and prevention program.
“It was an enlightening experience that I would recommend to all students. I learned a lot about Buddhism, the culture, and myself,” Lazaro said.
LEXINGTON, Ky. — The University of Kentucky College of Social Work (CoSW) has announced Anthony Traver, Ph.D., will be appointed as Assistant Professor of Social Work, bringing a strong background in social work research and practice, with a focus on housing insecurity among older adults.
With clinical experience in substance use treatment and housing programs for individuals experiencing homelessness, Traver’s research explores how stable housing impacts health and well-being later in life. He has led projects on “aging in the right place,” housing as a social determinant of health, and the effects of guaranteed income on older adults without housing. Traver was also a 2023–24 Association for Gerontology Education in Social Work Pre-Dissertation Fellow.
“Dr. Traver’s work sits at the critical intersection of housing, aging, and community wellbeing—areas of growing importance in our field. His commitment to research-informed practice brings timely and necessary expertise to our college,” said Dr. Jackie Duron, Associate Dean for Faculty Advancement.
Originally from Syracuse, New York, Traver earned his Bachelor of Arts in Clinical Psychology from Boston College and a Master of Social Work from Syracuse University. Most recently, he earned his Ph.D. from The Ohio State University in May 2025.
Traver has published peer-reviewed work in The Journal of Aging and Environment, with additional research in The Gerontologist. He has co-authored several journal articles and technical reports and earned the 2024 Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR) Grand Challenges of Social Work: End Homelessness Doctoral Award.
In addition to his research, Traver has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in research methods and substance use theory. He also earned the 2024 Erlen Award from Ohio State’s College of Social Work in recognition of his academic achievement and service.
Prior to his doctoral studies, Traver worked in Portland, Oregon, as a substance use and mental health counselor before serving as the clinical supervisor at a permanent supportive housing program. His work emphasized the integration of housing and health services to support individuals with complex needs. He is also a licensed clinical social worker in Oregon.
Outside of his academic work, Traver recently got engaged to his partner Katy, a hospice and palliative care social worker, and is looking forward to rock climbing in the Red River Gorge and exploring the Kentucky countryside by motorcycle.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – To honor their sons’ lives and legacies, retired U.S. Army Major Gen. Mark Graham and Carol Graham have partnered with the University of Kentucky College of Social Work’s Suicide Prevention and Exposure Lab (SPEL), the new home of the Jeffrey C. and Kevin A. Graham Memorial Fund.
Jeffrey and Kevin Graham were both UK students, Jeffrey a 2003 graduate and a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army, and Kevin a senior ROTC cadet, both poised for a bright future in the military, like their father.
Following a battle with depression, Kevin lost his life to suicide in June 2003. Less than a year later, in 2004, Jeffrey was overseas in Iraq where he was killed by a roadside bomb while leading a foot patrol.
Jeffrey and Kevin Graham – photo provided by Graham family.
Turning tragedy into purpose, the Jeffrey C. and Kevin A. Graham Memorial Fund was established in 2005 at the University of Kentucky to honor both of their sons and to support suicide prevention initiatives on UK’s campus, including Question, Persuade, Refer – a suicide prevention program meant to reduce suicidal behaviors and save lives by providing innovative, practical and proven suicide prevention training.
“We established the fund to raise awareness and ensure that our sons’ loss had meaning and can help other people,” Major General Graham said. “We don’t want anyone else to go through what we went through with our son, Kevin, and die by suicide. That’s why the suicide prevention work is so important, to help prevent this from happening to anyone else.”
Now, 20 years later, that fund will support the work done by Dr. Julie Cerel at the SPEL Lab. A Professor in the UK College of Social Work and a licensed clinical psychologist, Cerel’s research focuses on suicide bereavement and exposure, and she is recognized as a leader in the field.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to know Major General Graham and Mrs. Graham since I got to University of Kentucky in 2005,” Cerel said. “I am honored that the Jeffrey C. and Kevin A. Graham Memorial Fund will support the important work we are doing at the Suicide Prevention and Exposure Lab. A priority for this fund will be working on CODE RED, our universal safety planning initiative, to expand and ensure that everyone has a safety plan for their worst day.”
Developed by Cerel, CODE RED is being implemented in Kentucky through the Garrett Lee Smith Suicide Prevention Work — reaching middle and high schools across the state. More than 1,000 people have already created personalized safety plans. These plans are dynamic, evolving documents that participants are encouraged to reflect on and update over time.
Along with CODE RED, the Grahams’ story and the power of connection is a way to save lives as well, Cerel notes.
“When we think about impact, it’s not just research or data—it’s connection. The Grahams’ story connects people. It gives them the language. It moves them to act. And that’s how we start saving lives,” said Cerel.
For General and Mrs. Graham, the opportunity to work with Dr. Cerel and knowing through her work, countless lives will be saved, is a powerful way to honor Kevin and Jeffrey.
“Dr. Cerel and her team give us the research and tools, and we share the faces and hearts behind the numbers,” Carol Graham said. “We never expected to be doing this work, but we’ve seen how it can save lives. And as long as we can, we’ll keep going. For Kevin. For Jeffrey. And for every family who needs hope.”
LEXINGTON, Ky. — The University of Kentucky College of Social Work (CoSW) has announced Paul Bleakley, Ph.D., will be appointed as Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice, adding a dynamic and experienced voice to its Criminal Justice program.
Originally from Australia, Bleakley was born and raised in the Gold Coast before launching an international career that has spanned journalism, education, and academic research.
“Dr. Bleakley brings a global perspective to the field of criminal justice, with a blend of academic expertise and real-world experience. His interdisciplinary background and commitment to advancing criminal justice will be an asset to our program and our students,” Dr. Jackie Duron, CoSW Associate Dean for Faculty Advancement, said.
Bleakley began his professional journey as a journalist, serving as a news editor in the United Kingdom and later as a television producer for a major news network in Australia. His reporting spanned politics, entertainment, and global affairs, with a special emphasis on crime reporting, an interest that ultimately inspired a career transition into academia.
After earning a Ph.D. in criminology from the University of New England, Bleakley began teaching at Middlesex University in London, where he also served as program director for the undergraduate criminology program. Most recently, Bleakley was an Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice at the University of New Haven, where he was named a University Research Scholar.
Bleakley earned a Bachelor of Journalism and Graduate Diploma in Education from Griffith University (Australia), along with a Master of History and a Master of English from the University of New England in Australia. Additionally, Bleakley holds a Master of Policing, Intelligence and Counter-terrorism from Macquarie University in Sydney. Bleakley’s doctoral research focused on police corruption and its impact on marginalized populations in Queensland, Australia.
A Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in the UK, Bleakley also serves as the current Chair of the American Society of Criminology’s Division of Historical Criminology, further contributing to the advancement of the field through leadership and service.
Outside the classroom, Bleakley visited over 200 craft breweries across eight countries and stayed overnight at a wombat rescue sanctuary in Tasmania. An avid reality television fan, Bleakley proudly claims expertise in all things Bravo, especially The Real Housewives franchises.
“I couldn’t be more thrilled to join UK’s criminal justice program at this exciting time in its growth,” said Bleakley. “I look forward to helping to build it into one of the best in the country.”
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky College of Social Work (CoSW) welcomes the addition of 14 new faculty members, joining the College at the start of the 2025–26 academic year.
Bringing a wide range of research interests, teaching expertise, and professional experiences, this cohort will strengthen the CoSW’s mission to develop high-quality practitioners and scholars dedicated to advancing the fields of social work and criminal justice.
The incoming faculty bring backgrounds in areas such as substance use, mental and behavioral health, child welfare, sport social work, and criminal justice. Their scholarship and practice experience will expand both the undergraduate and graduate programs at CoSW, as well as the College’s research impact and community partnerships.
“We are excited to welcome this group of talented scholars to the University of Kentucky College of Social Work and the Lexington community,” said Dr. Jackie Duron, Associate Dean for Faculty Advancement. “Their work will inspire and develop our students, equipping them to address societies’ greatest challenges and produce research with real-world impact.”
The addition of this new cohort reflects CoSW’s dedication to advancing social work and criminal justice education, research, and service across the Commonwealth.
Follow along with the UK College of Social Work on LinkedIn to learn more about each new faculty member and their role at CoSW.
“It’s gratifying to have the work that I’ve been doing throughout my career — in suicide, bereavement, exposure and lived experience — recognized as fundamental to the field,” Cerel said. “It was great being in a room full of more than 800 colleagues acknowledging how important it is to not only prevent suicide, but to help the people left behind.”
A licensed clinical psychologist, Cerel’s research focuses on suicide bereavement and exposure, and she is recognized as a leader in the field.
Using random-digit dialing and household sampling, Cerel has found that nearly half of Americans personally know someone who has died by suicide — with approximately one-third reporting a significant personal impact from the loss. As a result, her postvention research has evolved to include broader suicide exposure, extending beyond immediate family members to encompass the wider circle of those affected.
“In the United States, postvention — the work done after a suicide — hasn’t received the same level of funding or recognition as other areas of suicide research,” Cerel explained. “It’s encouraging to see that internationally, and increasingly here at home, people are beginning to take postvention seriously and understand that losing someone to suicide can increase the risk for those left behind.”
Cerel has authored more than 120 peer-reviewed publications, with nearly 80 of those focused specifically on suicide exposure, bereavement and the lived experience of those affected.
She and her team are currently leading CODE RED Universal Safety Planning — a proactive approach based on the belief that everyone should have a safety plan in place for their worst day. Developed by Cerel, CODE RED is being implemented in Kentucky through the Garrett Lee Smith Suicide Prevention Work — reaching middle and high schools across the state. More than 1,000 people have already created personalized safety plans. These plans are dynamic, evolving documents that participants are encouraged to reflect on and update over time.
Through her research, Cerel aims to continue raising awareness about suicide exposure — the concept that suicidal deaths or behaviors can deeply affect those connected to the individual.
“We can help people find ways to lessen that impact,” she said. “It’s important they maintain a healthy bond with the person they’ve lost, without letting that loss shift their own path toward suicidal thoughts or behaviors.”
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It’s all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.
Across the nation, nearly 2.7 million young people are being raised by a relative. This care arrangement, referred to as kinship care, is necessary when parents are unable to safely care for children in their home. It is estimated that Kentucky has one of the highest rates of kinship care in the country. Over the course of the last year, the KKRC has seen an influx of referrals for kinship caregivers throughout Kentucky.
“The expansion of the KKRC allowed us to broaden our reach to include all types of kinship caregivers,” Sheila Rentfrow, KKRC Program Manager, said. “The very nature of kinship care is that it poses emotional challenges and family dynamics that are difficult to navigate without assistance and support from those who have also walked this journey, which is where the KKRC comes in.”
The CoSW launched the KKRC in March of 2020 to provide a continuum of services to meet the unique needs of kinship providers across the Commonwealth, including one-on-one peer support, support groups, and online webinars and trainings.
With the expansion of the KKRC, the center also launched the Kinship Navigator Program, designed to reach caregivers early in their caregiving journey, once they have been identified as a potential placement for a child. The Kinship Navigator Program seeks to alleviate challenges during the kinship experience and help caregivers understand the resources available to them during their kinship journey.
Throughout the last year, Navigators have been hired in every service region of the Commonwealth. Among those Navigators is Melissa Dudley in the Cumberland Service Region, who shares that working with kinship caregivers has been one of the most profound and humbling experiences of her career.
“I’ve witnessed firsthand the depth of the caregivers’ compassion and sacrifices they make, often in silence,” Dudley shared. “I’ve also been incredibly fortunate to work alongside colleagues who are just as passionate and dedicated. Their integrity, teamwork, and willingness to show up day after day with empathy and resilience has been nothing short of inspiring.”
Reports have shown that the KKRC has increased caregiving capacity, reduced stress, and offered increased stability to Kentucky families. In 2023, the KKRC was nationally recognized and named “Parent Group of the Year” by the North American Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC). The award is designed to honor parent associations and groups for their excellence in supporting adoptive, foster and kinship families.
More recently, KY-KINS was approved to certify kinship peer supporters, in accordance with Kentucky standards. The program is recognized as meeting state certification requirements — allowing the KKRC to address critical workforce and behavioral health needs in Kentucky.
A year after the expansion, the KKRC continues to seek new ways to innovate and support caregivers as they care for their families.
“Although this journey can be challenging in many ways, at the KKRC, we understand and are here to help,” Rentfrow said. “Our goal is to help families find the resources, support, and connections that are vital to kinship care so that they can focus on caring for their family.”
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky College of Social Work (CoSW) went global this May, traveling to Ireland and Northern Ireland to learn about the ongoing peacebuilding in these countries, view social issues in an intersectional way, and observe social work practices from an international lens.
Drs. Natalie Pope and Aubrey Jones facilitated this trip that included students from all degree programs at the CoSW. The group participated in many activities focusing on peacebuilding, including a Black Taxi Tour in Belfast to learn more about the peace walls that still divide nationalist and loyalist communities, as well as attend a workshop at the Theater of Witness in Derry, a performance project that brings together people with firsthand experiences of trauma during the 30-year conflict.
Learning about social work practices in other countries is an important part of the experience, Dr. Jones shared.
“I hope our students were able to learn more about the peace and reconciliation process and recognize the compromises that were made during the conflict to achieve peace,” Jones said. “I also hope they learned how much we can all learn from other countries.”
Ben Ison, a senior studying criminal justice, gained valuable insight into how societies deal with post-conflict healing, trauma, and peace within communities. Specifically, how deeply rooted conflict can continue to impact communities long after peace agreements are signed.
This education abroad trip was an opportunity to challenge his belief system and think about social work and criminal justice from a global perspective.
“Hearing from individuals and organizations directly impacted by the Troubles showed me how deeply historical trauma can influence current social systems and community needs,” Ison said. “This trip has also changed my perspective on the healing process. In Belfast, the peace walls remain standing, and some communication is still somewhat tense. However, we must recognize the progress they’ve made as a society.”
The group also shared in experiences that celebrated the Irish culture, including attending a local football match and singing along with Tommy Sands, a well-known Irish folk singer and activist.
“As an instructor, I enjoy walking alongside students in a class like education abroad,” Dr. Pope shared. “Although Dr. Jones and I are instructors, we are also guests in our host country, as well as fellow travelers and learners alongside our students. Doing a trip like this brings an incredible comradery with it that I love.”
For Ison, this trip abroad was a life-changing experience and an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.
“This experience pushed me way out of my comfort zone and gave me lifelong friendships and experiences I will never forget. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity and would encourage anyone even slightly considering it to apply,” Ison said.
