Anne Utterback

Liz Utterback is a lecturer and researcher in social work and criminal justice. Her research interests center around the intersection of violence and extremism, with emphasis on the use of online language to incite and facilitate violence on social networking platforms. Currently, her research agenda includes examining phenomena related to the online incel community and incel-motivated violence. Utilizing an interdisciplinary perspective, she has developed multiple criminal justice courses and taught large classes bringing together the social work and criminal justice disciplines within the classroom. Liz’s pedagogy is informed by her professional experience and allows her to share her real-world knowledge with students, providing guidance and mentorship that brings academic theory into everyday praxis. In addition to teaching, she has been a part of multiple interdisciplinary research teams and done research as a solo author, presenting at academic conferences and publishing on various topics including online extremism, gender-based violence, resilience, trauma, community-based criminal justice programs, workforce interventions in child welfare, depression in youth, and the narrative experiences of people living with HIV. Liz has more than a decade of direct experience working within the criminal justice and social service fields providing both direct client services and program administration for diverse populations.