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Five new faculty join the School

Professor Michael Lambert, Ph.D., is an international researcher on social, behavioral, and emotional functioning in children, adults and families. Most recently, he was a senior researcher at 3C Institute for Social Development in Cary. Previously he was a chaired professor at the University of Missouri-Columbia, an associate professor in the psychology department at Michigan State University, and an assistant professor in the psychology department at University of Mississippi. A native of Jamaica, he has a special interest in the Caribbean. He is currently conducting research in several countries there, including measurement of psychosocial function of adults, and a technical report for UNICEF on the quality of early childhood classroom settings. He is also an adjunct faculty member at the University of West Indies in the departments of psychiatry, maternal and child health, and psychology/social work/sociology. Lambert received his Ph.D. (’88) and MA (’87) in Psychology from UNC-Chapel Hill.

Assistant Professor Trenette Clark, Ph.D., MSW ’03, LCSW, LICSW, comes to us from the Ruth H. Young Center for Children and Families at the University of Maryland School of Social Work, where was a research assistant professor. She received her Ph.D. from Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Social Work and MSW from the UNC School of Social Work. Clark is interested in intervention research and is lead evaluator of several funded research projects. Her research program focuses on examining contextual factors that buffer against drug use among African American adolescents; and investigating patterns of adolescent substance abuse.

Assistant Professor Amanda Sheely received her Ph.D., MSW and MPH from the University of California-Los Angeles. Her research interests include family poverty, and the programs and policies serving poor and homeless families. She has studied the relationship between low-wage employment characteristics and mothers’ ability to maintain family routines, the effectiveness of programs promoting savings among low-income families, and the influence of county economic and politics characteristics on welfare provision. Her work has been published in the Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare, and in Basic Income Studies.

Clinical Instructor Josh Hinson, MSW ’04, LCSW, LCAS, has been an adjunct faculty member at the School since 2007. His professional interests include immigration; immigrant health, mental health and substance abuse; community organizing; and sustainable development. His work experience includes being a therapist, counselor and clinical social worker; including counseling for Spanish-speaking adults and adolescents. Earlier in his career he worked in anthropology and archeology. He holds a BA in Anthropology from UNC-Greensboro.

Clinical Visiting Instructor Tauchiana Vanderbilt, MSW ’05, is working in the Field Education Office advising students, and teaching direct practice and school social work courses. She also coordinates our School Social Work Licensure Program. She comes to us from the Durham Nativity School, where she was the social worker for two years.