Brenda McQuillan, PhD, LMSW
Associate Professor; MSW Program Director
Biography
Dr. McQuillan has over 20 years of experience as a social worker across multiple settings including a school district, foster care agency, child and adolescent psychiatry outpatient clinic, juvenile detention center, and mental health clinic. Currently, in addition to teaching full time at Roberts, she also works part time as a therapist for the Justice for Children Advocacy Center, where she provides mental health treatment for children who have experienced significant trauma, most often sexual abuse. Dr. McQuillan’s area of expertise is clinical work with children, adolescents, and families. She completed a year-long interdisciplinary fellowship sponsored by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau focused on Leadership in Adolescent Health and is trained in evidence-based interventions for youth including TF-CBT and PCIT. Dr. McQuillan enjoys bringing curricula to life for students through real-life experiences in the field. Dr. McQuillan’s research interest is youth trauma, specifically experiences with cyberbullying, abuse, and the impact on the parent-child relationship. She has presented at the local, regional, national, and international levels on the topics of cyberbullying and internet safety among youth. Dr. McQuillan has been recognized as a leader in social work education through successful completion of the Council on Social Work Education’s Program Director Academy, a competitive leadership certificate program. Dr. McQuillan is married and has four children and enjoys spending time in nature, especially among waterfalls and beaches.