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Topic: Psychology/Mental Health

Jessica Retrum

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Jessica Retrum, Ph.D., is a professor and chair of the Department of Social Work at Metropolitan State University of Denver.

Retrum has eight years of clinical social work experience in health and mental health related settings, including hospice, home inpatient care, in-home therapy and developmental disabilities. She was a recipient of the John A. Hartford Foundation Pre-Dissertation Award in 2006. Through her own research and affiliation with the Institute of Gerontology from 2005-2009, Retrum worked with many community non-profit organizations that serve the social, health and mental health needs of older adults and their families. She was also the partner postdoctoral fellow in Public Health Systems and Service Research (funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation) at the University of Colorado Denver, School of Public Affairs from 2010-2013.

Her research background includes addressing the needs of underserved at at-risk isolated seniors; LGBT seniors using support to age in neighborhoods; and geriatric social work. She served as lead researcher for the AARP’s “Framework for Isolation in Adults Over 50.”

Retrum received her doctorate in social work from University of Denver in 2010, master of social work from University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1997 and bachelor of social work from Illinois State University in 1996.

Todd Reimer

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Todd C. Reimer, Ph.D., is a professor in the Department of Secondary Education at Metropolitan State University of Denver.

In his professional career, Reimer has worked supporting student engagement and learning for over twenty years. He has researched and presented on a wide range of issues during that time, including research on learning communities, performance assessments, online blended learning, and student motivation.

Reimer earned his doctorate in Learning Sciences and a bachelor’s in Secondary Education and Teaching from Northwestern University.

Marina Pereira

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Professor Emerita Marina Pereira has taught graduate courses in the Graduate Social Work program as MSU Denver. She has taught at Metropolitan State University of Denver since 1999.

Professor Pereira is well versed in topics of mental health and families. She has special interest in issues of acculturation, diversity and first-generation Latino students. She was an advisor for the Student Association of Social Workers (SASW), a student organization that helps students develop and increase their sense of civic responsibility and community engagement by service learning activities.

Before teaching at MSU Denver, Pereira worked in the areas of medical social work and mental health, where she specialized in treating and advocating for children and families with a history of domestic violence, sexual and physical abuse.

Ann Obermann

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Ann Obermann, Ph.D., is a Professor of Social Work at Metropolitan State University of Denver. Since 2016 she has taught courses in direct family practice, family therapy, trauma, mental health assessment, trauma interventions and child maltreatment. In addition, she enjoys training child welfare and mental health professionals on topics such as trauma, adolescent development, leadership and supervision as well as family engagement.

Obermann is a licensed clinical social worker in the state of Colorado and has extensive social work practice experience working in human service management, community mental health and with at risk families and adolescents in both child welfare and mental health environments. She also managed an intensive evidence based program where she created and facilitated different trainings for online social work instructors to prepare them for socially just educational experiences. Obermann is also the coauthor of the book, “101 Careers in Social Work”.

Obermann received her Ph.D. in social work from the University of Denver in 2017, her master’s in social work from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2002 and her bachelor’s in social work from St. Olaf College in 1997.

Katherine Miller

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Katherine Miller, M.A., is an affiliate professor in the Gender Institute for Teaching and Advocacy at Metropolitan State University of Denver.

Harvey Milkman

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Harvey Milkman, Ph.D., is a psychology professor emeritus at Metropolitan State University of Denver. Dr. Milkman is currently the principal consultant for the US-Russia Peer-to-Peer program on working with at-risk youth.

From September 1992 – June 2002, he was author, principal investigator and director of Project Self-Discovery: Artistic Alternatives for At-Risk Youth, a national demonstration model funded by The Center for Substance Abuse Prevention and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. He was the recipient of a Fulbright-Hays Lectureship Award at the National University of Malaysia and has represented the United States Information Agency as a consultant and featured speaker in Australia, Brazil, Iceland, The Netherlands, Peru, Turkey and Yugoslavia. In July, 2016 in Moscow State University, Russia, he delivered master classes at on adolescent problem behaviors.

His coauthored book “Pathways to Self-Discovery and Change: Criminal Conduct and Substance Abuse Treatment for Adolescents” is the principal substance abuse/criminal conduct treatment curriculum used in residential correctional settings for juveniles throughout Oregon, Colorado, Texas and Montana.

Dr. Milkman is the author of numerous scholarly articles and books on the causes, consequences and treatment choices for the broad spectrum of addictive behaviors. His recent coauthored publications include: “Social Responsibility Therapy: A Cognitive-Behavioral Model for Treatment of Substance-Abusing Judicial Clients,” “Forensic CBT: A handbook for clinical practice,” “Pathways to Self-Discovery and Change: Criminal Conduct and Substance Abuse Treatment for Adolescents – Provider’s Guide and Participant’s Workbook” and many others.

Linda Lockwood

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Linda Lockwood, Ph.D., is a professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences at Metropolitan State University of Denver.

Tricia Hudson-Matthew

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Tricia Hudson-Matthew, Ed.D., is an associate professor in the Department of Human Services and director of the Center for Addiction Studies at Metropolitan State University of Denver. She teaches about Legal and Ethical Issues in the Helping Profession, Family System, Motivational Interviewing Conflict Resolution, and Decision-making Skills.

Hudson-Matthew performs clinical work at a private practice with individuals with substance abuse, couples counseling, and children ages 5 and up as a certified play therapist. Prior to joining MSU Denver, she worked as a therapist and clinical case manager at the Mental Health Center of Denver. Hudson-Matthew was also the clinical director and child and family therapist at the Council on Substance Abuse and Mental Health.

Her scholarly interests are in ethics between therapists and clients, mental health, and addictions. She has given presentations and published her work about mental health, ethics, domestic violence, self-esteem, addiction, grief and loss, and motivational interviewing techniques.

Hudson-Matthew received her educational doctorate in Counseling Education and Supervision from Argosy University in 2012, a master’s in Clinical Behavioral Healthcare from the University of Northern Colorado in 2004 and a bachelor’s in Human Services from MSU Denver.

Bill C. Henry

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Bill Henry, Ph.D., is a professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences at Metropolitan State University of Denver.

Henry joined MSU Denver’s Department of Psychological Sciences as a full-time faculty member in 2002 and served as chair of then the Department of Psychology from 2008-2011. He has also served in many administrative positions on campus including associate vice president for faculty affairs, deputy provost and interim provost as well a number of campus committees. Prior to MSU Denver, Henry worked as a research associate at American Humane Association and as an assistant professor at Colby College.

He has co-authored several book chapters and published over 20 articles on his research. His research interests include human-animal interactions and factors leading to animal abuse.

Henry received his doctorate in experimental psychopathology from University of Wisconsin, Madison in 1993 and a bachelor’s in psychology from University of Maine, Orono in 1987.

Lisa Kindleberger Hagan

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Research focus on pedogogy within higher education, constructivism, and children’s risk taking.

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