faculty biographies








AdjunctFaculty

Marjorie Harris LCSW

M.S.S.W. Boston University 

Ms. Harris has practiced social work for over 25 years and has been 
teaching courses in the MSW program for 10 years.  She has extensive 
background in medical social work with children and adults and formed the 
first oncology social work program in Maine, at Eastern Maine Medical 
Center. She is currently on staff at the University of Maine Counseling 
Center and teaches in the areas of field practicum and social work ethics.

 

Barbara Hope LCSW

M.S.W. University of Maine 

Ms. Hope is a clinical social worker at the Harrington Health Center in rural 
downeast Maine, a founding member of the local Women's Shelter, and 
active in international social work efforts with rural Central American craft 
cooperatives for women. She teaches in the area of Advanced Social Work 
Practice in health and mental health. 

 

Carol Ippoliti LCSW
M.Ed. Bridgewater State College

M.S.W. University of Maine

Ms. Ippoliti is a clinical coordinator at the Children's Services of Community
Health and Counseling Services, in Dover-Foxcroft, Maine. She previously 
directed Penobscot Valley Industries, a division of Amicus, which is a 
program for adults with mental disabilities. At the School of Social Work 
she teaches Diversity and Pluralism, and a course on mental health.

 

Barbara Lehmann LCSW

M.S.W. Tulane University

Ms. Lehmann has eighteen years of experience practicing clinical social 
work and administrating non-profit agencies. Major topics of interest 
include play therapy, assessment and treatment of multiple personality 
disorder, and interventions with adult survivors of sexual abuse, adolescent 
suicide prevention, and stigma and labeling in mental illness. Ms. Lehmann
has instructed at El Paso Community College as well as at the University
of Maine School of Social Work where she served a one year appointment 
as assistant professor. She teaches courses in generalist practice.

 

Elin MacKinnon LCSW
M.S.W. University of Maine

Ms. MacKinnon is a clinical social worker at Care Development in Bangor, 
Maine. Her areas of interest include foster care, group work, and 
horticultural therapy. She teaches in the area of history, policy and practice. 

 

Barbara J. Peppey  LCSW

M.A. University of Maine

M.S.W. University of Maine

Ms. Peppey has twenty seven years experience in professional practice 
with families and children, most recently focusing on management and 
supervision. Direct client experience has led to her primary interest in 
organizational and community work to support families. Ms. Peppey's 
teaching includes "Diversity and Pluralism" and "Social Welfare Policy".

 

Patricia W. Phillips LCSW

M.Ed. University of Maine

M.S.W. University of Maine

Ms. Phillips' twenty five years of social work practice has included sixteen 
years as Director of the Family Support Team at Eastern Maine Medical 
Center. This is a hospital-based child protection program in the Department
of Pediatrics. She co-instructs a two semester course on issues related to 
child welfare.

 

Wendy Rapaport LCSW

M.S.W. Barry College 

Psy.D. Nova University 

Dr. Rapaport has been on the staff of the University of Miami School of 
Medicine for 22 years as a social worker and psychologist, specializing in 
patients with diabetes and their families. During the summer, she teaches 
a course in Group Psychotherapy in Health and Mental Health Settings. 



Nancy Webster LCSW 
M.S.W. Simmons College

M.P.A. University of California – Berkeley

Ms. Webster has over 20 years experience working with children and
families.  She has specific expertise in early childhood interventions,
forensic evaluations, and attachment and bonding.  She teaches in the
human behavior sequence, and teaches electives related to work with
families under stress, young children, and trauma.



Shawn Yardley

B.A. University of Maine (Sociology/Social Welfare)

M.S. Husson College (Business)

After 17 years in public child welfare at the Maine Department of Human 
Services as a caseworker, supervisor and regional administrator, Mr. 
Yardley joined MAPS as Director of Adoption for the Bangor office. For the 
past 14 years he has co-taught 2 courses focusing on child welfare, 
emphasizing a multi-disciplinary approach and exploring the ethical 
dilemmas inherent in this work.

Emeritus Faculty

Cleo S. Berkun 

M.S.W. University of Pittsburgh 

D.S.W. University of California at Berkeley
 

Patty A. Coleman Patty_Coleman@umit.maine.edu

M.S.S. Bryn Mawr College

Ph.D. Bryn Mawr College
 

Donald M. Pilcher 

M.S.W. University of Kansas 

Ph.D. University of California at San Diego

Dr. Butler teaches courses in social welfare policy and macro social work
practice. Her research focuses primarily on the health needs and social
welfare experiences of low-income women across the life span. Her
publications are in the areas of poverty, homelessness, welfare, rural
aging, the impact of higher education for low-income mothers, LGBT
aging, lesbian health, teen parenting and pregnancy, and policy practice.
She was a Hartford Geriatric Social Work Faculty Scholar from 2001 to
2003, which allowed her to expand her teaching, scholarship and
community service in the area of aging. Since its inception in 2001, she
has been closely affiliated with the University of Maine Center on Aging,
participating on several research and service projects. She has served on the boards of a variety of community and state
organizations including the Maine Women's Lobby, Maine Women's Policy
Center, Family Connections (serving kinship families), Spruce Run
(battered women's program), and the Mabel Wadsworth Women's Health
Center. She has been involved in legislative advocacy on welfare,
providing assistance to kinship families, and civil rights for gays and
lesbians. From 2002-2004, Dr. Butler coordinated the statewide
Relatives as Parents Project (RAPP) Network. She served on an advisory
panel for a national needs assessment regarding services of GLBT elders
from 2002-2003. She is on the editorial board of the Journal of Poverty
and a consulting editor for Health and Social Work. Sandy.Butler@umit.maine.edu

Dr. Werrbach is associate professor of social work and teaches
courses in family therapy, advanced practice with children and
families and integrative seminar courses. Her research interests and
publications are mainly in the areas of child mental health, models
of family therapy, and community mental health training.
Dr. Werrbach has over 10 years experience providing clinical social
work services to children and families. Since her arrival at the
University of Maine in 1988, she has provided evaluation
consultation for various state and local agencies that serve children
and families, including the State of Maine Department of Mental
Health, Mental Retardation, and Substance Abuse Services, the
Margaret Chase Smith Center for Public Policy (Wings for Children
and Families Project), and the St. Michael's Center Program (Home
Based Family Services). Dr. Werrbach has also received and
administered Child Welfare training grants from the US Department
of Health and Human Services. She was co-principal evaluator of a
five-year project for the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Indian Township,
establishing a community-based system of care for children's
mental health. She is currently the principal investigator for a new
international social work initiative funded by the US Department of
Education, Fund for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education. Gail_Werrbach@umit.maine.edu

	Sandra Butler Associate Professor M.S.W. Washington University Ph.D. University of Washington
top	Dr. Butler teaches courses in social welfare policy and macro social work practice. Her research focuses primarily on the health needs and social welfare experiences of low-income women across the life span. Her publications are in the areas of poverty, homelessness, welfare, rural aging, the impact of higher education for low-income mothers, LGBT aging, lesbian health, teen parenting and pregnancy, and policy practice. She was a Hartford Geriatric Social Work Faculty Scholar from 2001 to 2003, which allowed her to expand her teaching, scholarship and community service in the area of aging. Since its inception in 2001, she has been closely affiliated with the University of Maine Center on Aging, participating on several research and service projects. She has served on the boards of a variety of community and state organizations including the Maine Women's Lobby, Maine Women's Policy Center, Family Connections (serving kinship families), Spruce Run (battered women's program), and the Mabel Wadsworth Women's Health Center. She has been involved in legislative advocacy on welfare, providing assistance to kinship families, and civil rights for gays and lesbians. From 2002-2004, Dr. Butler coordinated the statewide Relatives as Parents Project (RAPP) Network. She served on an advisory panel for a national needs assessment regarding services of GLBT elders from 2002-2003. She is on the editorial board of the Journal of Poverty and a consulting editor for Health and Social Work. Sandy.Butler@umit.maine.edu
	Elizabeth DePoy Professor M.S.W. University of Pennsylvania Ph.D. University of Pennsylvania
top	Dr. DePoy is jointly appointed as professor in the School of Social Work and Coordinator for Interdisciplinary Disability Education at the Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies. She is a nationally and internationally recognized scholar in research and evaluation methods, theory development focusing on disability as human diversity, and received a Fullbright Scholarship in 2003. Dr. DePoy has authored and/or co- authored seven books, has contributed chapters to numerous edited collections, and has published over 50 peer reviewed articles. She teaches courses in social work research, evaluation, grant writing and disability studies. Her research interests and journal publications embrace health, universal access, disability as human diversity, research methodology, and evaluation. Dr. DePoy’s recent publications include co-authored books on evaluation, disability, and most recently the, third edition of her book, Introduction to Research. Over the past several years, Dr. DePoy has raised over two million dollars in federally funded research dollars and is currently working collaboratively on a research agenda to development and test an intelligent web interface to provide universal access to web-based and electronic information. She is a member of more than a dozen professional associations, societies and task forces at state, national, and international levels and presents her work throughout the world. edepoy@maine.edu

	Diane C. Haslett Associate Professor M.S.W. Jane Adams School of Social Work University of Illinois Ph.D. Jane Adams School of Social Work University of Illinois
top	Dr. Haslett is Coordinator of the BASW Program and teaches in the areas of social work practice, human behavior and the social environment, and group work. Recently she developed a joint summer program on Comparative Social Welfare Policy and Practice with the University of Bristol in England and continues to link students with opportunities for international study. Her research interests and journal publications include historical social work research, group work, cultural diversity, and women's issues. Her most recent work is Group Work Activities in Generalist Practice published in 2005 by Thomson Brooks/Cole. Dr. Haslett is a member of the Association for the Advancement of Social Work (AASWG), has served as a regional coordinator for the Joint Project on Group Work Education sponsored by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and AASWG, and has been a member of the international board of AASWG. Locally, she is a member of NASW and was elected as a board member of the Maine Chapter of NASW from 2000- 2002. On campus, Dr. Haslett is active as a member of the Advisory Committee of Women in the Curriculum/Women's Studies, the University's Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, as well as several committees within the School of Social Work. Together with Dr. Gail Werrbach she is Co-PI on the Indian Child Welfare Training Grant, Social Work Education for Native American Students. She is also a member of the interdisciplinary study group led by Dr. Susan Pinette, Director of Franco-American Studies and funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities on infusing Franco-American Studies content across the curriculum. haslett@umit.maine.edu
	Stephen F. Gilson Professor M.S.W. University of Denver Ph.D. University of Nebraska Medical Center (medical sciences degree, specialization in psychiatry)
top	Dr. Gilson splits his time among the School of Social Work, the Certificate in Health Care Administration Program administered through the College of Business Public Policy and Health, and the Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies. In the School of Social Work, he teaches courses in human biology for social workers, human behavior and the social environment, and advanced policy. He teaches health policy in the Health Care Administration Certificate Program and disability studies and universal access in the Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies. Dr. Gilson is internationally recognized for his scholarship and activism in expanding civil rights and universal access to disabled populations. His research interests and publications have focused on experiences of domestic violence and women with disabilities, disability theory, disability as diversity, universal access, and health and disability policy and advocacy. Dr. Gilson has authored and/or co-authored 5 books, has contributed many chapters to edited collections, and has over 40 articles published in peer reviewed journals. He is currently pursuing a collaborative research agenda to develop and test software that will provide universal access to web and electronic information. Dr. Gilson presents his work locally, regionally, nationally and internationally and has collaborative relationships with international scholars. Dr. Gilson is extremely active in his service commitments. At the university, he sits on the Executive Council of the faculty senate, is the secretary of the faculty union, and is seated on several university wide and presidential commissions related to campus access and teaching excellence. He serves on numerous local and national boards through membership and elective office. stephen_gilson@umit.maine.edu
	Cary Jenson Assistant Professor M.S.W. Virginia Commonwealth University Ph.D. Virginia Commonwealth University LCSW States of Maine and Virginia
top	Dr. Jenson teaches in the areas of social work research and social work practice with children and families. His research interests include the social ecology of children's mental health including family, treatment methods, and service delivery. Dr. Jenson has extensive clinical social work experience including community mental health and private practice. Most recently he was with the Department of Child Psychiatry at the Medical College of Virginia. His current research includes assessing access to care for youth with serious emotional disturbance in rural Maine, predicting the costs of mental health services and emergency interventions for homeless rural youth. He is the faculty advisor to the Social Work Honor Society (Phi Alpha). Cary_Jenson@umit.maine.edu
	Lenard W. Kaye Professor, Director of the Center on Aging M.S.W. New York University D.S.W. Columbia University
top	Dr. Lenard W. Kaye is Professor of Social Work at the University of Maine School of Social Work and Director of the UMaine Center on Aging in the College of Business, Public Policy & Health. During the 2000-2001 academic year he was the Visiting Libra Professor in UMaine_s College of Business, Public Policy & Health. Previously, he was Professor of Social Work and Social Research and Director of the Ph.D. Program at the Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania and Associate Director of the Brookdale Institute on Aging & Adult Human Development at Columbia University. A prolific writer in the field of social gerontology, he has published approximately 100 journal articles and book chapters and 12 books on specialized topics in aging including older men, home health care, productive aging, rural practice, family caregiving, controversial issues in aging, support groups for older women, and congregate housing. Kaye has been the principal investigator and director of research/evaluation for numerous assessments of innovative community services for older adults including projects funded by the AARP Andrus Foundation, Corporation for National and Community Service, Maine Health Access Foundation, Pew Foundation, Families USA Foundation, U.S. Administration on Aging, John Hartford Foundation, Philadelphia Corporation on Aging, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Office on Aging. He is the principal investigator of the Maine Health Access Foundation-funded Maine Partners for Elder Protection Project and the John Hartford Foundation-funded Geriatric Social Work Curriculum Infusion Project at the UMaine School of Social Work. He is also the co-principal investigator of the Maine Primary Partners in Caregiving Project and an Osteoporosis Action Plan Initiative both funded through the U.S. Administration on Aging. Dr. Kaye sits on numerous national boards including those of the: National Advisory Committee for Rural Health and Human Services of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; the National Advisory Board of Alzinfo of the Fisher Center for Alzheimer_s Research Foundation, Rockefeller University; the Hartford Geriatric Enrichment in Social Work Education Program; and the Association of Gerontology in Social Work Education as well as the advisory boards of Medical Care Development, Eastern Area Agency on Aging the Maine Gerontological Society, and the University of Maine Cooperative Extension_s Senior Companion Program. He is the Past Chair of the National Association of Social Worker's Section on Aging, sits on the editorial boards of Social Work Today, the Journal of Gerontological Social Work, and Geriatric Care Management Journal, and is a Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America. Len_Kaye@umit.maine.edu
	Nancy A. Kelly Field Coordinator M.S.W. Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey
top	Ms. Kelly is Field Coordinator and Chair of the M.S.W. Admissions Committee. She teaches field-related courses and seminars and also teaches in the area of human behavior and the social environment. Her research interests include child welfare, mental health, diversity issues, and social work administration. In addition to arranging field placements for all BASW and MSW students, Ms. Kelly is co-organizer of the School's annual Child Welfare Conference, chair of the planning committee for Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Week, and a member of the planning committee for Mental Illness Awareness Week. In addition to state-wide committees on Child Welfare issues, Ms. Kelly has served on various community social service agency boards. nakelly@maine.edu
	Jay Peters Assistant Professor, Child Welfare Specialist M.S.W. Wurzweiler School of Social Work, Yeshiva University Ph.D. University of Maine
top	Dr. Peters is Lecturer and Child Welfare Specialist. This position has dual responsibilities - teaching at the School of Social Work and consulting for the Maine Department of Human Services Bureau of Child and Family Services. At the school, he teaches in the areas of human behavior, psychopathology, research, and psychological trauma. His research interests center on the impact of violence against women, including the impact of domestic violence murder, the nature of self in dissociative disorders, and elderly child sexual abuse survivors in institutional settings. Dr. Peters has 8 years of clinical experience in outpatient mental health, including 4 years working exclusively with trauma survivors at Victim Services in the Bronx, New York. jpeters@umaine.edu
	Winston Turner Adjunct Professor, Project Evaluation Coordinator M.A. DePaul University (experimental psychology) Ph.D. Brandeis University (health policy)
top	Dr. Turner teaches on the area of social work research and has been the project evaluator for several state and national evaluation projects. In his role as evaluator, he has managed numerous federal and state grants and contracts. Since his arrival in 1998, he has provided program evaluation services for grants and contracts to Maine's Native American communities, the Center on Aging, the Research and Evaluation Program within the Department of Education and the Margaret Chase Smith Center for Social Policy. Dr. Turner has extensive experience directing research projects relevant to health policy in a variety of interest areas including substance abuse, homelessness, persons with long-term mental illness, and the assessment of treatment outcomes. He also serves as a grant reviewer for the Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Over the past three decades, Dr. Turner has taught in the Psychology, Physical Therapy and Social Work departments of numerous universities in Massachusetts and Maine. He serves on several dissertation committees each year and is a past member of the University's Institutional Review Board. Dr. Turner operates a private consulting business (Northeast Research Services) out of his Blue Hill home providing services such as program evaluations, research design and statistical consultation, data analyses, grant writing, data systems development and professional management workshops. Win_Turner@umit.maine.edu
	Gail B Werrbach Associate Professor and Director M.S.W. Simmons College Ph.D. University of Texas-Austin LCSW State of Maine
top	Dr. Werrbach is associate professor of social work and teaches courses in family therapy, advanced practice with children and families and integrative seminar courses. Her research interests and publications are mainly in the areas of child mental health, models of family therapy, and community mental health training. Dr. Werrbach has over 10 years experience providing clinical social work services to children and families. Since her arrival at the University of Maine in 1988, she has provided evaluation consultation for various state and local agencies that serve children and families, including the State of Maine Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation, and Substance Abuse Services, the Margaret Chase Smith Center for Public Policy (Wings for Children and Families Project), and the St. Michael's Center Program (Home Based Family Services). Dr. Werrbach has also received and administered Child Welfare training grants from the US Department of Health and Human Services. She was co-principal evaluator of a five-year project for the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Indian Township, establishing a community-based system of care for children's mental health. She is currently the principal investigator for a new international social work initiative funded by the US Department of Education, Fund for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education. Gail_Werrbach@umit.maine.edu