Effective Jan. 1, 2027, Yolanda Padilla, Ph.D., will step into a new role as Associate Dean for Teaching Excellence and Innovation and Kcie Driggers, LCSW, will become the Director for Undergraduate Programs.
“Now in her 34th year on faculty, Dr. Padilla embodies teaching excellence and is highly regarded by her colleagues and University leadership,” said Dean Allan Cole. “Professor Driggers brings a true heart for social work to her new role. Her knowledge and perspectives will help our students develop skills to be compassionate leaders.”
In her new role, Padilla will lead School-wide efforts to advance best-in-class teaching methods and foster a continuous learning environment and pedagogical innovation that help students become effective and ethical leaders.
At the national level, Padilla has led the development of innovative teaching resources for the Council on Social Work Education from 2015 to 2024. Honors include the Lora Lee Pederson Teaching Excellence Award, the Holleran Steiker Award for Creative Student Engagement, and the 2026 Texas 10 bestowed by the Texas Exes’ Alcalde magazine. She was also one of a select few appointed to the Faculty Advisory Cohort charged with providing faculty input to University leadership.
Driggers joined the faculty in 2024 as a clinical assistant professor and has quickly become an indispensable advisor to her students. Before joining the School as a faculty member, she served as the chief program officer for Senior Services of Austin, where she also oversaw the internship program with UT Social Work practicum students. She is also the owner and co-founder of Navigating Care Consultants, an organization that creates educational resources on care management for non-clinical individuals and care partners.
“I am inspired by our BSW students’ curiosity, commitment and sense of possibility. Their energy and purpose reflect the meaningful contributions they will make to the profession and their communities,” said Driggers. “I am honored to work with colleagues to build on our program’s strengths and continue to foster an environment where students feel supported, challenged, and prepared to enter the profession with confidence and compassion.”