Meet Our Doctorate in Clinical
Social Work Students
updated January 2009Jane Abrams earned her Bachelor of Arts in Social Work at Antioch University and her Masters in Social Work at Simmons College School of Social Work. She is a licensed clinical social worker and maintains a private psychotherapy practice in Center City Philadelphia, where she treats adults - individuals and couples - and supervises clinicians. Her research interests include projective processes in adult intimate relationships.
Dissertation topic: How Married Couples Perceive and Repair Breaks in Connection
Valerie Dorsey Allen received a Bachelor Degree in Criminology from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Social Work degree from The University of Pennsylvania. She is a licensed social worker currently employed as the Director of the African-American Resource Center at the University of Pennsylvania. Her research interest includes childhood trauma, adolescent development, violence prevention and interventions with children and youth.
Dissertation topic: Educational Entertainment as an Intervention with Adolescents Exposed to Community Violence
Danna Bodenheimer received a B.A. at Smith College, a post-baccalaureate degree in Psychology from Columbia University, and Master's in Social Work degree from Smith College School for Social Work. Before receiving her Master's degree she worked for several years in New York City, serving battered women and members of GLBT population who have suffered from violence and trauma. She spent over two years working in the counseling center at Temple University. Danna is a licensed social worker in private practice. She is currently a TA for the Mental Health Diagnostics class at the School for Social Policy and Practice at the University of Pennsylvania. Her clinical experience includes helping people overcome addiction, exploring trauma, and providing support to individuals going through the often lengthy coming-out process.
Dissertation Topic: Exploring Non-Erotic Love in the Psychotherapeutic Dyad
Cynthia Closs received her B.A. in Psychology from Temple University and her Masters in Social Service from Bryn Mawr College. She is a practicing, licensed clinical social worker at the Mazzoni Center and The Attic Youth Center. Cynthia completed post graduate training at the Gestalt Institute of Philadelphia and has completed EMDR training. Her interests include trauma, HIV/AIDS, queer youth and addiction.
Dissertation topic: The Effects of Oppression on Queer Adolescent Attachment
Lloyd Gestoso received a Bachelor of Science in Bible and a Bachelor of Social Work from Philadelphia Biblical University, where he currently serves as associate professor and chair of the Department of Social Work. Additionally, he has earned a Master of Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania. Lloyd is also a social services consultant and serves on local and international boards. His research interests include HIV/AIDS, addictions, medical social work, spirituality in social work, and social work practice theory.
Dissertation Topic: Religious Conviction as Motivation for the Vocational Choice of Social Work at Faith-Based and State Universities
Tracy Griffith received a Bachelor’s degree from Ouachita Baptist University, a Master of Science in Gerontology degree from Baylor University, and a Master of Social Service degree from Bryn Mawr College. He is a licensed clinical social worker and currently works at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania as the Team Leader for Medicine Services. He has experience in psychiatric social work and medical social work. His research interests are mental health and hospital social work practice.
MaryAnn A. Groncki received Bachelor degrees in Psychology and English from the University of Scranton and a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Pennsylvania. She completed post graduate training (2000) in the Adult Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Program at the Psychoanalytic Center of Philadelphia. MaryAnn is a licensed clinical social worker and psychotherapist in private practice in Paoli, PA where she treats older adolescents and adults. She also provides clinical supervision. Her research interest focuses on adopted women, attachment, and romantic relationships.
Dissertation topic: A Comparative Study of Adopted and Nonadopted Women's Attachment within Romantic Relationships
Laura Kotler-Klein received her BA from University of Pennsylvania and her MSS from Columbia University. Currently she works at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania as the social worker for the liver transplant service. Her interests involve living donors for organ transplantation, the family dynamics of living organ donation including coercion, and the ethical aspects of living donation.
Jack B. Lewis, Jr. earned his B.A. in Psychology from the Johns Hopkins University and a M.S.W. from the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Work. He is a licensed clinical social worker and is currently employed as the Director of the Office of Diversity and Community Outreach at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. His clinical interests include cultural competence, crisis intervention and the provision of mental health services to African-Americans, especially men.
Dissertation topic: A Meta Analysis of Outcome Measures Utilized by Graduate Schools of Social Work to Assess Student’s Development of Cultural Competence
Nicole Saint-Louis received her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology at the University of Scranton and her Master of Social Work degree from the University of Pennsylvania. She received training in Narrative Medicine at Columbia University and is a member of the interdisciplinary Narrative Professionalism Committee at the Hospital of UPENN. She has been working at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania for the past 10 years. She has worked in med-surg, rehabilitation medicine and most recently oncology. She taught a Writing Seminar at SP2 over the summer (2008) and is currently an Adjunct Faculty Member at Temple University and is teaching Clinical Practice to second year MSW students. Her research interests are varied, however her dissertation topic focuses on the use of narrative interventions with oncology professionals.
Margaret M. Preston received her Bachelor degree in Social Work from College Misericordia and her Masters in Social Work from Marywood University. She completed post graduate training in cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy and critical incident stress debriefing. She is a licensed clinical social worker, a Diplomat with the National Association of Social Workers, and owner of Perfect Perceptions, LLC., where she provides psychotherapy, image-consulting, seminars and workshops related to self-esteem improvement and appearance related disorders. Margaret also taught Direct Practice Research this past summer at the School for Social Policy and Practice at the University of Pennsylvania. Her research interest is the relationship of cosmetic and grooming behaviors to perception of self.
Dissertation topic: Cosmetic and Grooming Behaviors Related to Perception of Self in Women with Breast Cancer: Exploring the Benefits of a "Look Good ...Feel Better" Workshop
Heather Sheaffer received her Bachelor of Social Work degree from Temple University and Master of Social Service degree from Bryn Mawr College. She is a licensed clinical social worker currently employed as Team Leader in the Department of Clinical Resource Management and Social Work at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center. Her primary research interest and dissertation topic is the experience of families of patients during the intensive care stay.
Eric Stein received a B.A. in English from Oberlin College and Master of Social Work degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He is a licensed social worker currently employed as a therapist at NHS Human Services. Eric has over ten years of experience working in the human services in both clinical and administrative capacities. He will be teaching Human Behavior in the Social Environment at the School for Social Policy and Practice at the University of Pennsylvania in Spring 2009. His practice and research interests include adult mental health and co-occurring services for marginalized and oppressed populations and the organizational social context of community mental health services.
Kielty Turner received a Bachelor of Science degree from Fordham University, a Master of Social Work degree from Adelphi University and a Master of Arts degree in psychology from Marist College. As a licensed clinical social worker, she has worked extensively in the prevention and treatment of chemical dependency as well as in the promotion of mental health with children and adults. Kielty is currently teaching Master level courses at the School for Social Policy and Practice at the University of Pennsylvania. She is researching the effects of mindfulness skills training programs on the development of qualities such as attunement and empathy in social workers and clients.
