Cynthia Lietz

Dean, Watts College of Public Service & Community Solutions at Arizona State University

Cynthia A. Lietz is vice dean of the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions and a professor in the School of Social Work at Arizona State University. Lietz conducts research that informs strengths-based practice with youth and their families. Specifically, she applies the construct of resilience to family systems examining the ways family units cope with and grow stronger despite trauma, loss and other challenges. This includes looking at the strengths (e.g. empathy, social support, spirituality) and the adaptation process that helps families overcome adversity.

Lietz is particularly interested in the translation of research to practice. As a result, she developed Strengths-Based Supervision (SBS; Lietz, 2013), a model of clinical supervision that supports effective implementation of family-centered practice in child welfare settings. This model has been adopted by the public child welfare systems in Arizona, Texas and Idaho, and infused into training material at several additional organizations including the Butler Institute in Colorado, and the Virginia and Arizona Chapters of the National Association of Social Workers.

Lietz is also known for her passion for student success, serving as PI for ASU’s Bridging Success program and chosen by the Associated Students of Arizona State University for the Centennial Professor Award in 2012 to honor her commitment to teaching and community-based research.

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Timeline

  • Dean, Watts College of Public Service & Community Solutions

    Current role

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