Dr. Yolanda Padilla has been elected Vice-President-Elect of the Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR), with a term beginning February 1, 2014.
SSWR was founded in 1994 as a free-standing organization dedicated to advancing, disseminating, and translating research that addresses issues of social work practice and policy and promotes a diverse, just, and equitable society. SSWR works collaboratively with a number of other organizations that are committed to improving support for research among social workers. SSWR members, who represent more than 200 universities and institutions, include faculty in schools of social work and other professional schools, research staff in public and private agencies, and masters/doctoral students.
Dr. Padilla’s work focuses on racial and ethnic disparities in health and well-being in the United States, particularly among Latino populations. Her research examines the consequences of poverty for Latino children and families with a focus on health and development in early childhood, the social and economic conditions of Latino children and families living on the US-Mexico border region, and factors associated with socioeconomic disadvantage among Latinos, including immigration.