Wayne State University Provost Keith Whitfield today announced the hiring of Sheryl Kubiak to serve as the next dean of the Wayne State University School of Social Work. She will begin work at Wayne State on June 30, 2018. 

Kubiak comes to Wayne State from Michigan State University, where she’s served on the faculty since 2006.  Prior to joining Michigan State University, Kubiak was an Assistant Professor at Wayne State University School of Social Work from 2002-2006.  She earned her M.S.W. in Social Work (1988), and Ph.D. in Psychology (2002) from the University of Michigan. 

"Dr. Kubiak’s leadership experience, history with Wayne State and her vision for building the School of Social Work made her the best candidate for the job," Whitfield said. "I’d like to express my deepest gratitude to Jerrold Brandell for serving as interim dean during the dean search. Kudos also go to Dean Matt Seeger and the members of the search committee for providing such a robust group of candidates for consideration."   

“I am thrilled to return to Wayne State," Kubiak said. "I look forward to working with faculty and staff to build upon the strong legacy and rich history that the School of Social Work has within Detroit and across Michigan." 

Kubiak’s research interests are at the intersections between criminal/legal systems and behavioral health which began 30 years ago when she developed and administered a long-term residential re-entry program in Detroit for pregnant women addicted to crack cocaine.  Since then, Kubiak has received funding from national (NIMH, NSF, NIDA) and state (MDOC, MDHHS) government, as well as foundations (i.e., Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Skillman, Flinn) to research and evaluate projects such as substance abuse treatment within prisons, mental health courts, and integrated substance abuse and mental health treatment for those involved in the legal system.  Currently, she is the PI on a cross-site evaluation of pilot diversion programs statewide (Governor’s Diversion Council) and a prison reentry project for those with opioid addictions.  Kubiak is also a gubernatorial appointee to the state’s Criminal Justice Policy Commission.