I am pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Shelly Wiechelt as Chair and Associate Dean of the UMBC Baccalaureate Social Work Program effective August 1, 2020. 

 

Dr. Wiechelt, who joined UMBC in 2006, brings extensive program management experience, a demonstrated commitment to faculty and student success, and a notable record on the advancement of diversity and inclusion within the Social Work Program and beyond. She is the past president of the UMBC LGBTQ Faculty/Staff Association and currently serves as co-chair of the UMBC All-Gender Restroom Steering Committee. Wiechelt earned a Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh and is an accomplished scholar who conducts community-based research on the intersection between trauma and substance use in diverse groups.

Over the course of her career, she has worked extensively as a clinician in both substance use and mental health treatment settings and has taught numerous continuing education workshops to practitioners. Her work has been supported by the Margaret L. Wendt Foundation and the Center for the Development of Human Services among others. As a leader in her field, Dr. Wiechelt currently serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Substance Use and Misuse, the Journal of Loss and Trauma, and as a member of the Commission on Accreditation for the Council on Social Work Education. 

I look forward to working with Dr. Wiechelt in her new role and ask that you please join me in congratulating her on this new appointment.