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Dr. Aguado earned a Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She is a bilingual/bicultural clinical social worker with more than 15 years of practice and research experience in the field of HIV/AIDS. Her research interests focus on the social and cultural determinants of sexual health and retention in HIV care.

Dr. Amanda West is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who received her MSW in 1999 from the University of Denver, and her PhD in social work from the University of Utah in 2014. After serving children and families in the community mental health arena for over 15 years in both clinical and administrative roles, she developed a passion and sincere interest in the struggles and strengths afforded to this population. As a result, her research has expanded in its focus on children and mental health to include trauma-based phenomena such as child trafficking. Her research focuses on the life experiences of victims and survivors of child trafficking in the United States through qualitative methodologies.

Dr. West’s focus in the classroom fosters a student-centered and cooperative learning environment, in which both student and professor explore the content of goals of the course in a reciprocal exchange of knowledge and experience. Her hope in teaching students is not only to present new knowledge but to encourage critical thinking skills that will enable students to embrace the often complex role of social workers in their professional careers. 

Dr. Casey Holtschneider is an assistant professor of social work at NEIU and has spent the last 20 years working with young people experiencing homelessness. She completed her Ph.D. at the University of Illinois at Chicago where her dissertation research investigated the long-term impact of housing and support services for youth in situations of homelessness. Her findings raised critical concerns with regard to: the systemic barriers and further harm youth experience when accessing services; the prioritization and quality of those services; and the continued structural violence that leads to and perpetuates poverty and homelessness for youth. In effort to take action on these findings, Dr. Holtschneider teamed up with a group of former participants in, and directors of, homeless youth services in Chicago and together they founded the LYTE Collective where she currently serves as executive director. Dr. Holtschneider is the co-author of Foundations of Social Work Practice: A Graduate Text (5th ed.) and her present research focuses on improving services for young people through the implementation of intervention models that are youth-driven, evidence-guided, and grounded in anti-oppressive practice.

Dr. Bulanda has social work practice experience in a variety of settings, including child welfare, mental health, school social work, youth empowerment, private practice, clinical supervision, and international social work.  Additionally, he served as a Fulbright Scholar in Sierra Leone, Africa in 2013-2014. During that time, he taught the first cohort of social work students at the University of Sierra Leone, conducted research on the mental health needs of university students in Sierra Leone, and started a community-based organization, the Pikin Padi Network.  He continues his work in Sierra Leone as he serves as Executive Director of the Pikin Padi Network, has evaluated programs designed to address the psychosocial needs of Sierra Leoneans affected by Ebola, and was awarded a grant to start a library, which will serve as a community center for the rural village of Adonkia.  Overall, he is particularly interested in empowering marginalized populations through education and opportunities to engage in activism and community service as well as using participatory action research to promote social change.

Kim is currently a full-time professor of Social Work. She also has 15 years of direct service experience within the homelessness services system. She previously spent seven years as the Clinical Services Director of Deborah’s Place, and has also provided oversight to supportive housing and drop-in services. In addition, she provided leadership to the Service Providers Commission and other committees/workgroups within the Chicago Continuum of Care.

Andrew Brake is an Associate Professor in the Social Work Department. Originally from Louisville, Kentucky, Dr. Brake has lived in Chicago nearly 30 years. He received his Ph.D. and MSW from the University of Chicago and an M.A. in Sociology from the New School for Social Research in New York City. At NEIU, Dr. Brake leads the School Social Work Specialization in the MSW Program. He has also developed the Introduction to Social Work curriculum in the BSW Program and has taught a variety of courses in both programs. He has over 20 years of experience working with youth serving agencies and public high schools. His research, teaching and community work aims to enhance the trust-building practices of educators and partners in schools and to develop school social workers’ leadership capacities for advancing polices, practices and partnerships rooted in justice, equity and care for youth in Chicago and beyond.