Social Work Department Faculty & Staff

The social work curriculum is taught by faculty members who have completed graduate education from accredited schools of social work. They are recognized academicians, professional practitioners and researchers who bring a broad range of experiences to the classroom which include work in public welfare, aging, United Way Administration, addictions, vocational rehabilitation, and child welfare, disabilities, and mental health.

DEPARTMENT CHAIR

John Vafeas, LSW, DSW

Department Chair

MSW Program Director
Old Main 324 
Kutztown, PA 19530 
Phone: 610-683-4239
Fax: 610-683-4383

vafeas@kutztown.edu

  • University of Pennsylvania, D.S.W.
  • University of Pennsylvania, M.S.W.
  • Winthrop University, B.A.
  • KATEE, Heraklion Crete, Greece, Social Work Diploma

Program Directors

Janice A. Gasker, DSW, LCSW, ACSW

Professor
BSW Program Director
Old Main 326 
Kutztown, PA 19530 
Phone: 610-683-4291
Fax: 610-683-4383
gasker@kutztown.edu

  • University of Pennsylvania, D.S.W.
  • Marywood University, M.S.W.
  • Cedar Crest College, B.A.

Sharon C. Lyter, LCSW, Ph.D.

Professor, DSW Co-Program Director
Community Forum Chair, Direct Practice Sequence Chair
Principal Investigator, Institute for Social Work in Mental Health and Professional Wellness

Old Main 328 B-wing
Kutztown, PA 19530 
Phone: 610-683-4932
Fax: 610-683-4383
lyter@kutztown.edu

  • Rutgers University, Ph.D.
  • Temple University, M.S.W.
  • East Stroudsburg University, B.A.

STAFF
Andrea Snyder

Andrea Snyder

Department Secretary
Old Main 339 
Kutztown, PA 19530 
Phone: 610-683-4235
Fax: 610-683-4383
asnyder@kutztown.edu

Gabriella Wilson

Gabriella Wilson, MBA

Management Technician
Old Main 351 
Kutztown, PA 19530 
Phone: 610-683-4283
Fax: 610-683-4383
gwilson@kutztown.edu 

Quotation Mark

Staff would happily take the time needed to answer questions and ensure I was on the right track.

Jen Marshall, DSW 2021
Jen Marshall

Faculty
Jennifer Mehnert Baker

Jennifer Mehnert Baker, DPA, MSW, SHRM-CP

Instructor

Old Main 333
Kutztown, PA 19530 
Phone: 610-683-4913

Fax: 610-683-4383

mehnert@kutztown.edu

  • West Chester University, D.P.A. 
  • University of Pennsylvania, M.S.W.
  • University of Southern Maine, B.A., Women's Studies

William F. Bender, MSW, ACSW, LSW

Instructor
Old Main 336 
Kutztown, PA 19530 
Phone: 610-683-4887
Fax: 610-683-4383
bender@kutztown.edu

  • University of Maryland School of Social Work, M.S.W.
  • Pennsylvania State University, B.A.
Leslie Chaundy

Leslie M. Chaundy, LCSW, PSY.D., NCSP, ABSNP

Assistant Professor
Old Main 339 
Kutztown, PA 19530 
Phone: 610-683-4235
Fax: 610-683-4383
chaundy@kutztown.edu  

  • Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Educational Specialist and Doctorate degree in School Psychology
  • Marywood University, M.S.W.
  • Wesley College, B.A.

Lydia DeBiase, Ph.D., MSW, LCSW

Instructor
Old Main 348 
Kutztown, PA 19530 
Phone: 610-683-4210
Fax: 610-683-4383
debiase@kutztown.edu

  • Widener University, Ph.D.
  • Widener University, M.S.W.
  • Kutztown University, B.S.W.

Barbie Fogarty, DSW, MSW, MEd

Instructor
Old Main 354
Kutztown, PA 19530 
Phone: 484-646-4308
Fax: 610-683-4383
fogarty@kutztown.edu

  • Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, D.S.W.
  • University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, M.S.W.
  • University of Turabo in Puerto Rico, MEd
  • St. Mary's College, BA in Sociology

Edward P. Hanna, MSW, DSW, ACSW, LCSW

Assistant Professor
Old Main 340
Kutztown, PA 19530 
Phone: 484-646-4271
Fax: 610-683-4383
ehanna@kutztown.edu

  • University of Pennsylvania, D.S.W.
  • University of Pennsylvania, M.S.W.
  • Colby College, B.S.

Christopher Harris, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor
Old Main 356
Kutztown, PA 19530 
Phone: 610-683-4429 
Fax: 610-683-4383
harris@kutztown.edu   

  • Widener University, Ph.D.
  • Widener University, MSW
  • St. Vincent College, B.S.
Quotation Mark

The KU Social Work program is amazing and professors want to see you grow as an individual, and as a future Social Worker.

Aleah Grimshaw, BSW 2022
Aleah Grimshaw

Yoon Mi Kim, Ph.D.

Associate Professor
Old Main 329 
Kutztown, PA 19530 
Phone: 484-646-5826 
Fax: 610-683-4383
yokim@kutztown.edu

  • University of Pittsburgh, Ph.D.
  • California State University, LA, M.S.W.
  • SungKyunKwan University, South Korea, B.A.

George M. Kovarie, M.S.W.

Instructor
Old Main 333 
Kutztown, PA 19530 
Phone: 484-788-3208 
Fax: 610-683-4383
kovarie@kutztown.edu

  • Marywood School of Social Work, M.S.W.
  • Kutztown State College, B.A.

Heather LaBarre, LCSW, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor
Old Main 344 
Kutztown, PA 19530 
Phone: 484-646-4236
Fax: 610-683-4383
labarre@kutztown.edu     

  • Marywood University, Ph.D.
  • Kutztown University, M.S.W.
  • Bloomsburg University, B.A. 

Julie A. Lewellyn, PhD., MSW, LCSW

Assistant Professor
Old Main 325
Kutztown, PA 19530 
Phone: 484-646-4343
Fax: 610-683-4383
lewellyn@kutztown.edu  

  • Marywood University, PhD.
  • Marywood University, MSW
  • Bloomsburg University, BA
Quotation Mark

The professors in the program are true social workers who demonstrate diversity, inclusion, and provide outstanding levels of support.

Tanya Ebling, MSW 2022
Tanya Ebling

Jeffrey M. McCabe

Assistant Professor
Old Main 350
Kutztown, PA 19530 
Phone: 610-683-1560
Fax: 610-683-4383
mccabe@kutztown.edu 

  • University of Tennessee, Ph.D.
  • Temple University, M.S.W.
  • Edinboro University, B.S.W.

Patricia McGarry, Ph.D., LSW

Instructor
Old Main 342
Kutztown, PA 19530 
Phone: 484-646-4118
Fax: 610-683-4383
mcgarry@kutztown.edu 

  • Alvernia University, Ph.D.
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, M.S.W.
  • Moravian College, BA

Tim Seip, MSW, LSW

Instructor
Old Main 346
Kutztown, PA 19530 
Phone: 484-646-5817
Fax: 610-683-4383
seip@kutztown.edu

  • Marywood University, M.S.W.
  • Mansfield University, B.A.

Yasoda Sharma, MSW, Ph.D.

Professor
Old Main 331 
Kutztown, PA 19530 
Phone: 484-646-4328
Fax: 610-683-4383
sharma@kutztown.edu

  • University of Texas at Arlington, Ph.D.
  • Banaras Hindu University, India, M.S.W.
  • Bangalore University, India, B.A.
Tammy Shay

Tammy Ann Shay, DSW

Instructor

Old Main 333
Kutztown, PA 19530 

Fax: 610-683-4383

tshay@kutztown.edu

Stephen Stoeffler, Ph.D., LSW

Professor
Old Main 334
Kutztown, PA 19530 
Phone: 610-683-4361
Fax: 610-683-4383
stoeffler@kutztown.edu 

  • Widener University, Ph.D.
  • Temple University, MSW
  • Shippensburg University, BSW

Juliana Svistova, MSW, Ph.D.

Professor
Old Main 327 
Kutztown, PA 19530 
Phone: 610-683-4330
Fax: 610-683-4383
svistova@kutztown.edu 

  • University at Albany, State University of New York, Ph.D.
  • University at Albany, State University of New York, M.S.W.
  • University of Latvia, B.S.W. 
Quotation Mark

Engaging and knowledgeable professors.

Katherine Korbich, MSW 2022
Katherine Korbich

Fang-Hsun Wei, MS, Ph.D.

Professor
Old Main 338 
Kutztown, PA 19530 
Phone: 610-683-4935
Fax: 610-683-4383
wei@kutztown.edu

  • University of Texas at Arlington, Ph.D
  • Kaohsiung Medical University, Taiwan, MS--Social Work
  • Kaohsiung Medical University, Taiwan, BS

Mary Rita Weller, Ph.D., LSW

Assistant Professor
Old Main 330 
Kutztown, PA 19530 
Phone: 484-646-4270
Fax: 610-683-4383
weller@kutztown.edu

  • Widener University, Ph.D.
  • Temple University, M.S.W.
  • State University College of NY, B.A.

LAS Collage 2020 Faculty Highlight

Barth Yeboah, DSW

Professor
Old Main 332 
Kutztown, PA 19530 
Phone: 610-683-4292
Fax: 610-683-4383
yeboah@kutztown.edu

  • University of Pennsylvania, D.S.W.
  • University of Delhi, M.S.W.
  • Jamia Millia Islamia, B.S.W.
Quotation Mark

I look up to every single professor I have had the pleasure to work with and I hope to be half the social worker they are. I can never thank them enough.

Sarah Rozany, BSW 2020