LEXINGTON, Ky. — The University of Kentucky College of Social Work (CoSW) is pleased to announce the appointment of Kelly Cervenec Spears as Lecturer.
A Lexington native and UK alumna, Cervenec Spears brings more than a decade of clinical and teaching experience to the classroom. After completing her MSW at UK, she began her career at UK HealthCare Good Samaritan Hospital as a case manager and discharge planner on an interdisciplinary rounding team. While in this role, she developed an interest in providing brief, solution-focused therapy for patients undergoing long-term IV antibiotic therapy related to substance use.
Her passion for supporting individuals with opioid use disorders led her to the UK Polk-Dalton Clinic, where she provided therapy to pregnant and postpartum women and helped launch a pilot program embedding medication-assisted treatment (MAT) into primary care. She later transitioned to private practice at LifeStance Health, where she has treated a wide range of mental health conditions and life transitions, including anxiety, depression, trauma, ADHD, bipolar disorder, substance use disorders, women’s health issues, and grief.
In addition to her clinical work, Cervenec Spears has taught part-time with CoSW for more than five years, primarily within the MSW program. In her new role as Lecturer, she will expand her teaching into both the undergraduate and criminal justice programs.
“Kelly’s breadth of experience—spanning hospital care, community-based treatment, private practice, and classroom instruction—makes her an incredible addition to our faculty,” said Dr. Jackie Duron, Associate Dean of Faculty Advancement. “She brings both clinical expertise and a deep commitment to training the next generation of social workers.”
Cervenec Spears holds a BA in sociology from Hanover College and an MSW with a clinical concentration from the University of Kentucky.
Outside of her professional life, she has visited 16 countries, hiked part of the Appalachian Trail, run six mini-marathons, and performs with a local a cappella group. She and her husband are parents to a six-year-old son and eight-month-old daughter—and share their home with a 20-year-old cat.
