Beth Walker

Professor and Dean, School of Social Work
Cell  575-590-4583
Office 575-538-6323

Robert (Bob) Rickle

Associate Professor, School of Social Work
Western New Mexico University
Office 575-538-6632
  

Sam Terrazas, PhD
Assistant Professor School of Social Work
Western New Mexico University
P.O. Box 680
Silver City, NM 88062
terrazass2@wnmu.edu
Office 575-538-6469
Fax 575-538-6209

Education
PhD- Barry University
MSW -Barry University
BSW-Florida Atlantic University
 
Teaching and Research Interests
Clinical Practice
Community Organization
Group Work
Mental Health

Research Interests
Farmworker (mental health, acculturation, access and use of social services)
Latino Mental Health
Mental Heath Stigma
Immigration

Major Research Projects

Terrazas, S, An Exploratory Descriptive Study of Farmworker Human Service Providers:  Stigma, Empathy and Immigration Attitudes, 2010

Goldstein, H. and Terrazas, S. "Technology Access and Use by citizens in urban neighborhood" Barry University School of Social Work Academy for Better Communities. Report prepared for City of West Palm Beach Department of Community Development, 2002

Terrazas, S "Healthy Connections: A program evaluation of a school based prevention program" Western Palm Beach County Mental Health program evaluation. Report prepared for HRSA, 2001

Fields of Study
Social Work
 
 
Practice Experience

My professional social work practice experience began in 1995 and has included work in rural and urban settings in south Florida. I have practiced social work in the areas of mental health, community organization, child welfare, private practice and children and families. I have been licensed in the state of Florida as a LCSW since 1998 and certified to supervise aspiring social workers and mental health counselors.

I have held several managerial positions in social services agencies, including the supervision of professional and paraprofessional staff from several disciplines. My interest in program development has resulted in the creation and procurement of funding for several programs: youth substance abuse prevention, youth development, community organization, children mental health out patient, mental health day treatment, mental health case management, in-home short term family therapy program for Spanish and Creole speaking families, and a diversionary program for court ordered youth. 

I have enjoyed providing field supervision for both MSW and BSW students.  I also enjoy connecting theoretical knowledge to real world practice and have a passion to support the professional and intellectual growth of social work students.  

Jeanine Jones

Teaching and Research Interests
 Practice, HBSE, Diversity, Gerontology, Child Welfare, Interviewing Skills. Historical trauma specific to Native Americans, forensic social work and adoption issues.

Fields of Study
Family and children, distance education for social work, hospice, effect of historical trauma on Native Americans.  

Major Research Projects
Social Work interventions for special needs adoptees and their families.  

Practice Experience
Work with teen parents, adolescent residential care, foster care coordination, adoptive home studies, facilitation of adoption searches, executive director of an adoption/foster care agency, home-based services, corrections and hospice.

 Larry Morton, PhD

 Education
Ph.D., Social Work, George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis

M.A., Political Science, University of Missouri-St. Louis
M.S.W., Saint Louis University
B.A. in Psychology, University of Missouri-St. Louis                                                           
 Teaching and Research Interests
My teaching has primarily been applications of theory to practice, human behavior and the social environment, research methods, and social work practice courses.
My research interests include homeless persons with developmental disabilities, health and healthcare disparities in minorities, and community displacement due to natural disasters.

Fields of Study
Social work and political science.

 Practice Experience
My social work practice experience dates back to the early 1990s, first with clients with diagnoses of mental retardation, and later with juvenile offenders and the homeless.  After my MSW studies with initial funding and support from the city of St. Louis, MO, I opened a non-profit agency for homeless persons with developmental disabilities.  I am noted for innovative teaching methods for the application of theory to practice, including using documentaries on the lives of "forgotten" social change agents.

Neeley Phillips
Assistant Professor School of Social Work
Director of Field Practicum
Western New Mexico University
P.O. Box 680
Silver City, NM 88062
phillipsn@wnmu.edu
Office 575-538-6420
Cell 575-519-9437
  Education
MSW: University of Arkansas at Little Rock- Clinical Practice Track
BSW: Southern Arkansas University -Minor: Criminal Justice

Teaching and Research Interests
Field instruction, field instructor training, social work ethics, and safety preparation for social workers, crisis intervention, medical social work and social work in correctional settings.

Fields of Study
Advanced Direct Practice with Individuals, Families and Groups, Ethics in Social Work, Loss and Grief in Social Work Practice, Family Centered Child Welfare, Crisis Intervention, Rural Social Work, Medical Social Work and Correctional Social Work

 Practice Experience
I moved to Silver City the beginning of June 2011 after living in Arkansas most of my life.   In Arkansas I worked as a LSW, LMSW & LCSW in the fields of Child Welfare, Corrections, Medical Social Work, Mental Health and Crisis Intervention.  At UAM I began as the Director of Field Experience and then worked as the Director of the BSW Program.  My heart is in the field hence the move to WNMU.  I enjoy the diversity of classroom time and networking in the community.  I have a passion for mentoring students.
I actively participated on the Board of Directors for NASW, Arkansas Chapter, from 2003 until June 2011.  I also served on the Executive Board for NASW-AR for two years. 
My hobbies include: reading, writing, & traveling.

Leslie Cook

Fields of Study
Parental relationships and their effects on the development of personality disorders.

Practice Experience
My practice experience is fairly diverse. I worked in a long- term care facility as the Director of Social Services right after graduating from WNMU with my BSW, and then moved into hospital social work for eight years.
I have supervised numerous interns from the social work and nursing departments, and I love teaching others how to be the very best at what they do.
I then became a school social worker. During this time, I honed my advocacy skills to assist students in the special education system. During my five years in the public school system, I found that I have a deep love for educating others. I began my doctoral program and have been slaving away at it for over a year now. I love Silver City and feel that it is a small slice of heaven. I am looking forward to teaching at WNMU and hope to be able to enhance my student’s learning experiences.