Dissertation 

Picturing Identity-based discrimination: Immigrant women of African descent’s experiences in social service agencies and mental health outcomes

Research interests

• Immigrants
• Immigrant Youth 
• Mental Health and Trauma 
• Community-Based Participatory Research 
• Intersectionality 
• Discrimination

Teaching interests

• Social Work Practice with Individuals, Families, and Groups
• Foundations of Social Work Research

Statement

My current line of research  centers on the experiences of immigrant women of African descent within social/human service agencies. I hope to expand the field of social work’s understanding of how to support and serve immigrants with multiple intersecting marginalized identities, so that mental health disparities can be disrupted within a population that is exposed to significant levels of acculturative stress.

Highlighted publications

• Im, H., Swan, L. E., & George, N. (2023). Unraveling Trouble Socializing: The Impact on the Intersection of Trauma, Substance Use, and Mental Disorders in Somali Refugee Youth. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 1-16.
• Im, H., George, N., & Swan, L. E. (2023). Gendered Health Outcome Among Somali Refugee Youth in Displacement: A Role of Social Support and Religious Belief. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 1-10.
• Im, H., George, N., Swan, L. (2022). Born in displacement: Psychosocial and mental health impacts of country of birth among urban Somali refugee youth. Journal of Immigrant & Refugee Studies.
• Im, H., & George, N. (2021) Impacts of COVID-19 on Refugee Service Provision and Community Support: A Rapid Assessment during the Pandemic. Social Work in Public Health.
• Im, H., & George, N. (2021) “It hurts so much to live for nothing”: Trauma and substance misuse among refugee youth in displacement. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction.

Selected honors & awards

• Ph.D. graduate research assistantship, VCU School of Social Work, 2020- 2024
• M.S.W. research assistantship, VCU School of Social Work, 2019
• Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, VCU, 2019
• Phi Alpha Honor Society for Social Work, VCU, 2019
• David P. Beverly Memorial Scholarship recipient, VCU, 2019
• Child Welfare Stipend Scholarship recipient, VCU, 2018
• Mel C. Whipple Scholarship Recipient, VCU, 2018
• Johnathan Levin Prize in Education Recipient, Trinity College, 2018

→ Learn more about Nicole Campbell: Full profile | CV | Contact: georgen4@vcu.edu

Dissertation 

Housing quality for whom? Housing quality as a form of housing insecurity and housing inequality for Black women renters

Research interests

• Social work in Public Service 
• Healing Centered Engagement and Intervention
• Housing Policy, Insecurity and Quality
• Civil and Housing Rights 
• Community-Based Participatory Research
• Environment and Well-being
• Strategic Organization

Teaching interests

• Research Methods and Analysis
• Housing Policy and Practice 
• Social Work Ethics 
• Macro Practice and Change Work
• Social Work and Policy

Statement

I am deeply committed to social work and using my social work skills to empower, build, listen and advocate for community. With a background in social science, I have always been fascinated by social interactions and how to support people in collaborating toward a common goal. Working for the Columbus (Ohio) City Attorney’s office, my passion for social work and social justice grew as I was able to integrate social work values into a public service space and collaborate on projects that improved safety for residents in my community. 

My dissertation explores how intersectionality affects housing quality and the experiences of Black women renters, drawing insights from renters, service providers and public servants. In the future, I plan to continue exploring housing advocacy, security and inequality through research that bridges the gap between community needs and policy. 

I use my work and research experiences to spark critical thinking about social justice issues in the classroom. My hope for my students is that their learning experiences are not confined to the classroom but that they find ways to integrate what they learn into their practice and their own advocacy efforts as a member of society.

Highlighted publications

• Flaherty-Fischette, Patricia; Lee, Jenée; D'Uva-Howard, Yvonne; Cramer, Elizabeth P.; Krivit, Karen; and Meehan, Sarah (2023) "Parents’ Perceptions of the Philly Goat Project’s All Abilities RAMble: A Qualitative Study of Animal-Assisted Intervention for Intellectual and Developmental Disorders," Developmental Disabilities Network Journal: Vol. 3: Iss. 2, Article 11. 
• Lee, J., & Wagaman, A. M. (2022-2023). “Nowhere to Go”: Housing Stability among System-Involved Youth and Young Adults in Virginia. Advocates for Richmond Youth. A Youth Participatory Action Research Group. Funded by the Virginia Commonwealth University Community Engaged Health Equity Grant. Unpublished report, School of Social Work, Virginia Commonwealth.

Highlighted presentations

• Lee, J. (2022). A Fair Housing Conversation: The Effects of Substandard Housing. 2022 Virginia Governor’s Housing Conference, Arlington, VA.
• Wagaman, A. M. & Lee, J. (2023). Bridging micro-macro practice skills in community-based research: Application of healing-centered engagement. Oral Paper Presentation at Council of Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting, Atlanta, GA.
• Lee, J., Hernandez, R., Oliver, A., & Johnson, J. (2023). Meaningful Community-Centered Participatory Engagement. Virginia Governor’s Housing Conference 2023, Hampton, VA.

Selected honors & awards

• Robin M. McKinney Dissertation Honor Fund – 2024 | Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Social Work
• Black History in the Making Award – 2024 | Virginia Commonwealth University  
• School of Social Work Service & Leadership Award – 2024 | Virginia Commonwealth University 
• Elaine Z. Rothenberg Memorial Scholarship, Virginia Commonwealth University, 2024
• Dean's Award, Southern Adventist University, 2017
• Coombs Motivation Award, Southern Adventist University, 2016

Community projects

Owner Occupied Initiative (Jan 2019- Present): Developed and coordinated a court diversion program aimed at supporting older adults in addressing housing code violations. Within this program, I also coordinate partnerships and program training for court personnel and social workers.

Community Immersion Program (June 2020- June 2021): Collaborated with a team to develop a community engagement experience for police recruits to support community knowledge and relationship building between residents and police officers. The program involves both classroom learning about neighborhoods and resident populations as well as a poverty simulation, community roundtables and interactive community service with various social service agencies and nonprofits in the city. 

Project Taillight (June 2020- August 2021): Researched and proposed a program to assist individuals with car repairs that would cause drivers to be pulled over for unsafe vehicles. I partnered with local organizations to provide car repairs to eligible individuals, coordinated client eligibility and led evaluation efforts of the program to develop information for future funding. This program has now expanded to include car repair services up to $3,200 for eligible residents in the city for repairs that are central to vehicle and road safety.

→ Learn more about Jenée Lee: Full profile | CV | Contact: leej101@vcu.edu

Dissertation 

Exploring community health workers’ readiness to provide end-of-life care

Research interests

• Gerontology
• End-of-Life Care
• Health Disparities

Teaching interests

• Research Methods
• Statistics
• Social Justice
• Social Work in Healthcare
• End-of-Life/Death & Dying

Statement

My research agenda centers on addressing health disparities in end-of-life (EOL) care, particularly the unequal access faced by historically marginalized populations. My dissertation investigates the potential for public health interventions in end-of-life (EOL) care, particularly focusing on the role of community health workers (CHWs).

While the importance of CHWs in addressing EOL disparities has gained recent attention, there's limited research on their specific knowledge, attitudes, and practices in this area. My mixed-methods study addresses this gap by examining Virginia CHWs' perspectives on EOL care through an online survey and focus groups. This research is a first step in informing the development of effective public health interventions to reduce EOL disparities.

Highlighted publications

• Kim, S., Cho, S., Morgan, M.R. (2023). Neighborhood and depressive symptoms in older adults living in rural and urban regions in South Korea. Healthcare, 11(4), 476. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11040476
• Perrin, P.B., Morgan, M.R., Aretouli, E., Snipes, D.J., Ramirez Hoyos, G., Arabia Buraye, J., Arango-Lasprilla, J.C. (2014). Connecting health-related quality of life and mental health in dementia caregivers from Colombia, South America. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 39(3), 499-509. 
• Hubbard, R.R., Snipes, D., Morgan, M.R., De Jesus, A., Bhattacharyya, S., Perrin, P.B. (2013). Themes in heterosexuals’ responses when challenging LGBT prejudice. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 10(4), 269-278.

Selected honors & awards

• Bob Green Research Fund, VCU School of Social Work, 2024
• Office of Research (OOR) Pilot Funds, VCU School of Social Work, 2024
• Dr. Marilyn A. Biggerstaff Fund for Doctoral Student Research, VCU School of Social Work, 2024
• Service and Leadership Award, VCU School of Social Work, 2023                                                               
• Jessie Hibbs/Marion Waller Scholarship, VCU, 2023
• AGESW Pre-Dissertation Fellowship, Association for Gerontology Education in Social Work, 2022

→ Learn more about Matthew Morgan: Full profile | CV | Contact: morganmr@vcu.edu

Dissertation 

A qualitative exploration of the employment experiences and coping strategies among transgender women in Colombia.

Research interests

• Gender Identities
• Employment Experiences
• Emotional Well-being
• Workplace Well-being
• Intersectionality 
• Sexual Orientation
• Women’s Employment

Teaching interests

• Research Methods
• Advanced Statistics

Statement

My research investigates LGBTQ+ people’s employment experiences, focusing on affirming and non-affirming encounters in job-seeking and workplace environments. I explore the diverse coping strategies LGBTQ+ individuals employ to navigate these situations and examine how these experiences and coping mechanisms influence their workplace well-being.

Looking ahead, I aim to translate this knowledge into practical applications. My goal is to inform the development of interventions and policies designed to foster affirmative behaviors and attitudes toward LGBTQ+ individuals in hiring and employment settings. Through this work, I hope to contribute to reducing  non-affirming workplace experiences while increasing positive, affirming encounters for LGBTQ+ people.

Highlighted publications

• Roldán, P., Matijczak, A., & Goffnett, J. (2024, February). Negative Associations between Minority Stressors and Self-Reported Health Status among Sexual Minority Adults Living in Colombia. In Healthcare (Vol. 12, No. 4, p. 429). MDPI.
• Roldán, P.M., & Gattis, M.N. Homophobic Incidents and Active Bystander Behavior: Heterosexual’s Intentions to Intervene in Colombia.[Manuscript submitted for publication]. School of Social Work, Virginia Commonwealth University. 
• Roldán, P., Goffnett, J., Clary, K., & Matijczak, A “I retired and I transitioned”: Employment experiences of transgender and gender diverse Texans. [Manuscript submitted for publication].School of Social Work, Virginia Commonwealth University.

Selected honors & awards

• Hans S. Falck Scholarship, VCU School of Social Work, 2024
• Diversity Scholarship award to participate in the 2023 ICPSR Summer Program In Quantitative Methods. Ann Arbor. MI, United States, 2023

→ Learn more about Paola Roldán: Full profile | CV | Contact: roldanpm@vcu.edu

Dissertation 

Health after resettlement: Multilevel drivers of health status among Somali refugees with chronic conditions

Research interests

• Health Services Research
• Chronic Conditions
• Refugee Health
• Resettlement Stress
• Health Policy

Teaching interests

• Policy
• Research in Social Work Practice
• Social Work Practice in Refugee and Immigrant Communities

Teaching experience 

Instructor of Record

• Foundations of Research in Social Work Practice (online), M.S.W. Program, VCU, Fall 2024
• Foundations of Research in Social Work Practice (online), M.S.W. Program, VCU, Summer 2024
• Foundations of Research in Social Work Practice (online), M.S.W. Program, VCU, Spring, 2024

Teaching Assistant

• Person in Society (online), B.S.W. Program, VCU, Fall 2023

Statement

Muna leverages research to advocate for policies that ensure equitable health care access for migrants experiencing chronic health problems. Her current work centers on addressing health disparities among refugees with chronic conditions by identifying the various multilevel factors that influence health status and service utilization. 

For her dissertation, Muna is conducting a structured survey of Somali migrants in the U.S., examining the relationships among policy, community context and individual factors in overall health status and service use. She aims to continue this research in the future, with the goal of developing intervention models to improve chronic condition management for refugee communities.

Highlighted publications

• Im, H., Saleh, M., & Khetarpal, R. M. (2024). Embodiment of structural vulnerability: illness experiences among Somali refugee women in urban displacement. Ethnicity & Health, 1-24.
• Cage, J., Saleh, M. O., Strolin-Goltzman, J., & Shockley McCarthy, K. (2023). From student engagement to school engagement of students: toward providing the luxury of engagement to youth involved with the child welfare system. Journal of Public Child Welfare, 1-14.
• Cage, J., Kemmerer, A., Shockley Mccarthy, K., Pitts, B. E., Strolin-Goltzman, J., & Saleh, M. (2023). Measuring school engagement for youth involved with the child welfare system: a structured review of the literature. Journal of Public Child Welfare, 17(4), 818-844.
• Saleh, M., Amona, E., Kuttikat, M., Sahoo, I., Chan, D., Murphy, J., & Kim, K. (In Press). Mental Health and Associated Risk Factors Among Adolescent Camp Refugees in India. PLOS ONE.
• Sahoo, I., Kuttikat, M., Chan, D., Murphy, J., Saleh, M., & Lund, M. (In press). Transmigration Stressors, Parent Mental Health, Resource Utilization and Family Functioning Among Sri Lankan Camp Refugees in India. Migration and Development.
• Saleh, M. Im, H. (Book Chapter; in press). Marginalization as Traumatization: Developmentally Based Trauma Framework for Intergenerational Transmission of Trauma in Somali Refugees. In L. Kromjak, & A. Karamehic-Muratovic (Eds.), Intergenerational Trauma in Refugee Communities. Routledge. 
• Saleh, M. & Im, Hyojin. (under review). Cross-generational transmission of distress in the context of chronic marginalization and culture loss: A qualitative Study of Somali refugee families  resettled in the U.S. 
• Im, H., & Saleh, M. (under review). Exposure to Natural Disaster and Polytrauma among Somali Refugees in Urban Displacement.

Selected honors & awards

• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Health Policy Research Scholar, 2022-present
• CSWE-GADE-SSWR Doctoral Policy Fellow, 2022-23
• School of Social Work Service & Leadership Award, 2024
• Social Work Interprofessional Training Collaborative for Health (SWITCH) Fellowship, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, 2020

→ Learn more about Muna Saleh: Full profile | CV | Contact: salehmo@vcu.edu