LEXINGTON, Ky. — The University of Kentucky College of Social Work (CoSW) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Tia Hollingshead-Styer as an Instructor in the Clinical Title Series. Hollingshead-Styer brings more than 25 years of experience across multiple areas of social work practice, with deep expertise in crisis intervention, public safety, and clinical practice with first responders. 

Born and raised in Utah, Hollingshead-Styer has built an expansive career serving many communities and systems including schools, child welfare, geriatrics, juvenile justice, behavioral health, and acute-care medical settings. 

As a certified crisis worker, she has played pivotal roles in crisis intervention across emergency departments and community outreach teams, providing lifesaving assessment and intervention while training teams and partners across the region. Her work includes extensive embedded practice with first responders, applying clinical skill within the unique culture of public safety to enhance wellness, resilience, and performance. 

For the past several years, Hollingshead-Styer has specialized in clinical services for public safety professionals and their families. 

Nationally, she has led trauma-informed programming, facilitated peer-support trainings, directed grant-funded initiatives, and developed the Public Safety Wellness Survey used to inform targeted interventions. Her national work also includes serving as a Subject Matter Expert with the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s Institute of Intergovernmental Research (SAFLEO), where she consults and delivers specialized training to law enforcement agencies nationwide. 

Hollingshead-Styer holds a Doctor of Social Work (DSW) and a Graduate Certificate in Human Services Management from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, a Master of Social Work (MSW) from the University of New England, and a Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Sciences from Utah Valley University, where she was inducted into the Phi Alpha Honor Society.  

Her DSW research—The Development of the Police Department Wellness Survey—focused on improving mental health assessments within police departments. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Utah and maintains numerous clinical modality certifications. 

Since 2018, she has taught as social work and psychology adjunct faculty at Brigham Young University and Utah Valley University, and most recently served as an Assistant Professor of Social Work at Utah Valley University. In this role, she designed BSW and MSW courses, mentored graduate students, and collaborated on curriculum and program development across multiple committees. Her academic work is complemented by more than a decade of specialized national training and conference presentations related to public safety, trauma, crisis intervention, and mental health. 

“The heart of my work has always been helping people find resilience in the hardest moments,” Hollingshead-Styer shared. “Joining the UK College of Social Work allows me to continue strengthening public safety communities while helping students build confidence, competence, and compassion in their practice.” 

“Dr. Hollingshead-Styer brings an exceptional blend of clinical expertise, instructional experience, and national leadership in crisis and public safety work,” said Dr. Jackie Duron, Associate Dean of Faculty Advancement. “Her perspective enriches our College’s mission and offers invaluable learning opportunities for students preparing for high-impact practice settings.” 

Outside of work, Hollingshead-Styer enjoys adventuring with her husband, riding motorcycles, collecting vinyl albums, attending small-venue live music, and honing her woodworking skills. She welcomed the arrival of her first grandbaby in December—and proudly notes she may be one of the few people most will meet who doesn’t like pizza or soda. 

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Tia Hollingshead-Styer to the College of Social Work community! 

LEXINGTON, Ky. — The University of Kentucky College of Social Work (CoSW) is pleased to announce that Deborah “Debbie” Chanan has been appointed as an Instructor in the Clinical Title Series. Chanan brings more than 20 years of experience across K–12 school systems, clinical mental health settings, and social work education, along with extensive administrative leadership in undergraduate social work programs. 

Originally from Miami, Florida and most recently residing near Fort Lauderdale, Chanan has built a diverse and impactful career serving students, families, faculty, and communities. She has worked across the northern suburbs of Chicago and South Florida in K–12 school settings, including service as a Mental Health Coordinator in the Miami-Dade County Public Schools, where she provided crisis intervention, counseling, and district-wide resource coordination. Now, Chanan brings her expertise to the Bluegrass. 

“I am honored to join the UK College of Social Work,” Chanan shared. “Teaching, mentoring, and supporting students has always been at the heart of my work, and I am excited to contribute to a community deeply committed to innovation, compassion, and excellence in education.” 

In 2021, she transitioned into higher education, serving as the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Program Director at Barry University, overseeing accreditation, recruitment, admissions, curriculum, and student support within the program. Her higher education experience also includes roles as a Field Education Liaison at The Ohio State University College of Social Work and as an Adjunct Clinical Instructor and Academic Advisor at Yeshiva University’s Wurzweiler School of Social Work.  

Chanan holds a Master of Social Work (MSW) from the University of Illinois at Chicago and an Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) degree in Counselor Education from Florida Atlantic University. She completed her Doctor of Social Work (DSW) at Barry University in May 2025, conducting research focused on social work pedagogy and political conflict. She also holds a B.S. in Family and Child Sciences.  

She is certified as a K–12 School Social Worker and School Counselor in the state of Florida and holds Seminar in Field Instruction (SIFI) certification in New York. Her practice experience includes school-based counseling, autism resource coordination, K–12 mental health programming, and clinical social work with children and adolescents.  

A dedicated educator, Chanan has taught both BSW and MSW courses, including macro policy, direct practice, cultural influences in helping, and counseling adolescents. She has contributed research and presentations to a host of national professional organizations. 

“Debbie brings an impressive combination of school-based clinical experience, higher education leadership, and dedication to student success,” said Dr. Jackie Duron, Associate Dean of Faculty Advancement. “Her expertise strengthens our ability to prepare future social workers for practice across diverse educational and community settings.” 

Outside of her professional work, Chanan enjoys exploring the ocean, kayaking in the Florida Keys, and spending time with her three children—two daughters, ages 11 and 18, and a 15-year-old son. 

Please join us in welcoming Debbie Chanan to the College of Social Work faculty. 

LEXINGTON, Ky. — The University of Kentucky College of Social Work (CoSW) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Corina M. Barker as Instructor in the Clinical Title Series. Barker brings extensive experience in clinical social work, suicide prevention, and behavioral health care, coupled with several years of teaching within the College. 

“Joining the College as full-time faculty is an incredible honor,” Barker shared. “Social work has always been my calling, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to help shape future clinicians while continuing to advance suicide prevention and mental health support for Kentucky communities.” 

Barker has served as a part-time instructor at CoSW since 2021, teaching across the MSW curriculum, including Social Welfare Policy, Psychopathology, Advanced Psychopathology, and Evidence-Based Practice. Alongside her teaching, she has worked full-time in a variety of clinical roles across inpatient medical settings, psychiatric care, community mental health, and primary care. 

Most recently, Barker served as the Suicide Prevention Program Coordinator for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs at the Hershel “Woody” Williams VA Medical Center. In this role, she implemented suicide-prevention strategies, coordinated enhanced care for veterans at high risk, provided leadership to the Suicide Prevention Team, and served as a facility-wide subject matter expert in suicide prevention.  

Her professional background also includes extensive experience as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, providing both individual and group psychotherapy in primary care settings using a wide range of evidence-based treatments, including motivational interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, solution-focused therapies, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, among others. She has additionally served as an outpatient therapist in community mental health, a medical social worker in advanced illness and emergency department settings, and a psychiatric social worker in a locked inpatient facility across crisis stabilization units. 

Barker earned her Doctorate of Social Work (DSW) from the University of Kentucky, where her capstone focused on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, chronic stress, and adolescent mental health. She completed her Master of Social Work (MSW) at the University of Southern California with a concentration in Mental Health and a sub-concentration in Military Social Work, and holds a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) from Brigham Young University–Hawaii, where she minored in psychology and sociology and was inducted into the Phi Alpha Honor Society.  

“Dr. Barker brings exceptional clinical depth, extensive experience supporting veterans and high-risk populations, and a strong record of teaching our students,” said Dr. Jackie Duron, Associate Dean of Faculty Advancement. “Her expertise strengthens our ability to prepare skilled, compassionate clinical social workers ready to meet diverse community needs.” 

Outside of her professional work, Barker enjoys traveling, spending time with her family, and cheering on Kentucky sports. She is a proud working mother of four young children and an enthusiastic supporter of all things “Kentucky blue.” 

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Corina Barker to the College of Social Work community. 

 
LEXINGTON, Ky. — The University of Kentucky College of Social Work has announced Dr. Robyn Napier’s appointment as Instructor in the Clinical Title Series. Napier brings 26 years of extensive experience in rural social work, primarily in behavioral health, and a strong background in higher education. 

A native of Hyden, Kentucky, Napier has dedicated her career to serving rural communities across Eastern Kentucky. Over more than a decade, she worked as a behavioral health therapist at the University of Kentucky North Fork Valley Community Health Clinic in Hazard, Ky., providing whole-person care, integrating behavioral health services into primary care, and addressing social determinants of health. She has additionally served as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Clinical Supervisor for licensees in Kentucky. 

Academically, Napier has been teaching since 2011 as a part-time instructor at the College of Social Work, delivering both undergraduate and graduate courses—most notably in Research Methods and Rural Social Work—and contributing to course design and development. She has also served as a field practicum supervisor for BASW and MSW students, providing hands-on clinical experience. Since 2021, she has been a faculty and academic advisor with the Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies, mentoring doctoral-level students in their Doctor of Behavioral Health (DBH) journey. 

Napier earned her Doctorate in Behavioral Health (DBH) with a clinical concentration from Arizona State University; her Master of Social Work (MSW) from University of Louisville’s Kent School of Social Work; and her Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) from Morehead State University. She has been a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Kentucky since 2006. 

“Dr. Napier brings a depth of rural practice experience and a commitment to student mentorship that will greatly benefit our College,” said Dr. Jackie Duron, Associate Dean of Faculty Advancement. “Her long-standing service to Eastern Kentucky communities and her strengths in behavioral health integration align beautifully with our mission and values. We are thrilled to welcome her to our faculty.” 

In her spare time, Napier enjoys serving her community, spending time with her family, reading, watching documentaries, traveling to new places, spending time outdoors in nature, and relaxing by the lake. 

Please join us in celebrating Dr. Robyn Napier’s appointment and in welcoming her to the College of Social Work community. 

Connect with Dr. Napier on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/dr-robyn-napier-189948180