The Ellen Whiteside McDonnell School of Social Work recently welcomed a pair of new faculty members to Barry. Assistant professor Terrell Brown, PhD, and associate professor Jill Levenson, PhD, began their professorial duties at Barry in fall 2014.
Brown joins Barry after most recently serving as gerontological social worker for the Prince George’s County (Md.) Department of Social Services in the Adult Resource Bureau and Division of Adult and Geriatric Health. In addition to his work at Prince George County, he has experience as a case manager, a foster care social worker, HIV/AIDS social worker, and research social worker. His practice experience includes both direct and macro social work practice.
Brown was a Frederick Douglass Doctoral Fellow and Preparing Future Faculty Fellow in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Howard University where he received both his doctoral degree (2014) and his MSW (2010). Prior to his graduate work, he received his bachelor degree from Florida Memorial in 2006. His research interests include Aging and Diversity Issues (Ethnogerontology and Social gerontology), HIV/AIDS , Gay and Lesbian Issues, Health and well-being, and Black Men.
Levenson joins the Social Work faculty after spending ten years at Lynn University’s College of Arts and Sciences. Prior to her tenure at Lynn, Levenson was a member of the School of Social Work at Florida International University from 1999-2004. She is also a licensed clinical social worker with more than 25 years of experience with interpersonal violence and trauma-related disorders. She has worked with victims, survivors, offenders, and family members of those who experienced child maltreatment and sexual abuse.
Prior to moving into academics, Levenson’s career began as a child protective services investigator in Baltimore County, Md. In addition to her role as an academic, she continues to maintain an active clinical practice in Broward County and provides supervision for interns beginning their careers in the counseling professions.
Levenson received her Ph.D. in social welfare from Florida International University in 2003. She earned her MSW from the University of Maryland in 1987 and her BA in sociology from University of Pittsburgh in 1985. Her primary areas of research involve studying the impact and effectiveness of social policies and therapeutic interventions designed to reduce sexual violence.