Dissertations Defended

school to better understand how to merge these areas.” She received her PhD in Social Work and Sociology in 2021. Perone has an undergraduate degree in women’s studies and a minor in political science and African American studies from the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign. She also has a law degree from UC Hastings College of the Law. Before attending the School of Social Work, Perone worked as a civil rights attorney. “I was first exposed to social work while working with the National Association of Social Workers on a brief about conversion therapy. I was hooked after that!”

Eventually, she pursued her newfound passion for social work, and looked for a doctoral program that would allow her to research and work at the intersection of the law and the social sciences. She chose Michigan for the academic culture and geographical location. “I was looking for interdisciplinary training programs and Michigan is one of the best. I found a place where I could learn, grow and be challenged. The faculty and students were so friendly and so smart. It seemed like a good place to put down some roots,” she recalled. During her doctoral studies, Perone continued to work. “After I moved to Michigan, I reached out to an attorney I had collaborated with in the past, who connected me to a new group called the LGBT Older Adult Coalition (now called SAGE Metro Detroit). I served as the founding executive director of this organization,” said Perone. “I have been able to merge all these different worlds at my job, and my social work background served me well in practice, in research and in policy and program evaluation.”

Perone wasn’t just a working PhD student: she also juggled other responsibilities, including having a baby during the time she was in the program. “My cohort was just awesome, particularly my social work cohort. I had a variety of people to talk to and help me navigate graduate school as a parent.” Perone entered the workforce uniquely prepared for the intersection of social work, social science and the law. After graduation, she went to work in a policy position in Washington, DC. Next year, she’ll join UC Berkeley as an assistant professor at the School of Social Welfare, and lead their Center for the Advanced Study of Aging Services.

CHANGE KWESELE

Social Work and Psychology “Shibukeni!: Exploring the Mental Health Perceptions and Experiences of Young Adult Children of African Immigrants through the Lens of Sociocultural Influences”

JOYCE LEE

Social Work and Psychology “Family Processes Underlying Economic Insecurity, Father Involvement, and Child Outcomes in Families with Low Income”

AMANDA RODRIGUEZNEWHALL

Social Work and Psychology “Examining the Impacts of Youth Dialogue: Anti-Racist Behavior, Social Responsibility, and Civic Habitus”

LISA LARANCE

Social Work and Sociology “Talking Back to the Web of Power: Women’s Legal, Child Protection, and Antiviolence Intervention Entanglement and Resistance”

ANGIE PERONE

Social Work and Sociology “Safety, Autonomy, Discrimination, and Religious Exemptions: Three Papers on How Long-Term Care Facility Staff Navigate Conflicting Rights.”