School Updates
Dr. Kyaien Conner - Donald M. Henderson Endowed Chair
Holding the Donald M. Henderson Endowed Chair, named for Pitt’s first Black Provost and a visionary advocate for equity, Dr. Kyaien Conner sees her role as both a continuation of a legacy and an investment in the next generation of scholars.
Through this chair, Conner has expanded research opportunities that align with Dr. Henderson’s values of inclusion and community engagement. One of her initiatives is the CRSP RISE Mental Health Pilot Grant Program, a partnership with Dr. Shaun Eack that funds innovative research at the intersection of race and mental health.
Her investment in the Journal on Race and Social Problems has been equally impactful. Under her leadership, the journal has expanded to include cross-disciplinary collaboration through a new co-editor from Africana Studies and an editorial manager, broadening its reach as one of the nation’s leading publications on race. Conner also plans to develop a podcast that will translate academic findings into accessible insights for the community.
Dr. Kyaien Conner states, “Holding the Donald M. Henderson Chair is an honor, but also, it’s a responsibility to carry forward a legacy of equity, inclusion, and community-partnered scholarship. I see this role as both a bridge to the past and a pathway for the next generation of changemakers.”
Dr. Shaun Eack - James and Noel Browne Endowed Chair
For Dr. Shaun Eack, the James and Noel Browne Endowed Chair fuels a mission close to his heart: closing the gap between mental health research and the realities of community care.
Eack’s work focuses on Cognitive Enhancement Therapy (CET) for individuals with schizophrenia and autism. With support from the Browne Chair, he has transformed CET from an intensive 18-month protocol into a streamlined 12-session workbook designed for everyday clinical use. This year, his team began the first statewide implementation of scalable CET across Pennsylvania, from Haven House and Salisbury Behavioral Health in Allentown to UPMC and Magellan Health in Pittsburgh, helping providers deliver effective care to more patients.
The chair also enables Eack to seed high-risk, high-reward research. It has funded pilot studies, including one that integrates mental health support within Black churches to address stigma and accessibility. These pilots are generating data critical for future large-scale NIH and PCORI submissions focused on implementing evidence-based therapies in real-world settings.
“The Browne Chair is my heart job,” Eack reflected. “It’s what allows me to take science that works under ideal conditions and figure out how to make it work for people who need it most.”
Dr. Sara Goodkind - Philip Hallen Endowed Chair
Appointed in June as the first woman to hold the Philip Hallen Endowed Chair, Dr. Sara Goodkind is building on the chair’s tradition of linking health, justice, and community. Her appointment is particularly meaningful as the chair alternates between public health and social work, reflecting her interdisciplinary career. She explains: “It is an honor to hold this chair that recognizes the visionary leadership of Philip Hallen in promoting health equity in Pittsburgh and aims to support work that continues this legacy.”
Goodkind’s leadership in the Black Girls Equity Alliance (BGEA) continues to guide her focus. As co-convener of BGEA’s Juvenile Justice Action Team, she facilitates collective work to eradicate systemic inequities affecting Black girls in Allegheny County, including collaborative efforts aimed at creating community and system change to keep our young people out of legal systems. Dr. Goodkind is also co-principal investigator of the Pittsburgh Wage Study, a community-based, longitudinal, mixed-methods project assessing the impact of unionization and resulting wage increases on the health and well-being of low-wage hospital workers.
Through the Hallen Chair, Goodkind plans to further these collaborative models and integration of community-driven research into the classroom, ensuring that Pitt’s social work students engage directly in projects that advance equity and systemic change.
Dr. John Wallace - David E. Epperson Chair
As holder of the David E. Epperson Endowed Chair, Dr. John Wallace exemplifies community-engaged scholarship in action. His research titled “The CHURCH Project (Congregations as Healers Uniting to Restore Community Health)”, builds on the historic strengths of Black faith communities to address mental health disparities.
Funded in part by RISE-Mental Health, the CHURCH Project partners with local pastors, clinicians, and musicians to merge Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with scripture and music, offering faith-based, culturally responsive support. The project also trains clergy to serve as informal mental health advocates, expanding the reach of care through trusted community institutions.
Wallace’s chair support sustains this interdisciplinary collaboration, uniting faculty from Social Work, Psychiatry, and Community Ministries. His ongoing mentorship of junior faculty and students ensures that the next generation of social work scholars continues to build on Epperson’s legacy of research rooted in service.
Dr. John Wallace states, “I am honored to build on Dean Epperson’s legacy by connecting Pitt’s School of Social Work to the community to improve lives and promote flourishing.”
Together, these four scholars exemplify how endowed chairs are catalysts for discovery and transformation, turning resources into impact and reaffirming Pitt Social Work’s role as a national leader in research that advances equity, well-being, and social justice.