Kristina Lovato, PhD, MSW is an Assistant Professor of Social Welfare at the University of California, Berkeley. She is a member of the Latinx and Democracy cluster at UC Berkeley and serves as the Director of the Center on Immigration and Child Welfare (CICW) in the School of Social Welfare.
Dr. Lovato’s scholarly work and teaching is directly informed by her dedication to community-engaged social justice. She has spent the past 20 years working at the intersection of immigration and child wellbeing issues as a researcher, educator, and former bilingual social work practitioner. Her scholarly work focuses on enhancing the well-being of Latin-American origin immigrant families at risk of immigration enforcement and/or public child welfare involvement. She employs critical theoretical, and intersectional qualitative methodological approaches to examine the impact of restrictive immigration policies among youth and families who have experienced a forced family separation due to immigration enforcement. Dr. Lovato's research aims to better understand the lived experiences of immigrant communities to develop policies, systems, and services that are culturally responsive and equity-based regardless of legal status.
Dr. Lovato’s research has been published in journals such as: Children and Youth Services Review, Families in Society, The Journal of Community Practice, The Journal of Public Child Welfare, The Journal of Social Service Research, The Hill, and has been funded by Casey Family Programs, the Institute for Research on Poverty at University of Wisconsin, Madison, the National Research Center on Hispanic Children and Families, The University of California, The University of California Humanities Research Institute, and California State University. She serves on the Editorial Board of Families in Society.
Dr. Lovato earned a doctorate in Social Welfare from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), an MSW from San Francisco State University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology/Anthropology from St. Mary’s College of California. She arrives at UC Berkeley Social Welfare, after holding a tenure-track faculty appointment in the School of Social Work at California State University, Long Beach (2017-2022).
PDF of CV available upon request
Teaching
Courses Taught at UC Berkeley, School of Social Welfare
SW 212 Infancy to Adolescence Child Development - Spring 2024
SW 241 Multilevel Practice - Fall 2023
SW 212 Infancy to Adolescence Child Development - Spring 2023
SW 241 Multilevel Social Work Practice - Fall 2022
Courses Taught at CSU Long Beach, School of Social Work
SW 699-05 Applied Projects II - Spring 2022
SW 699-05 Applied Projects II - Spring 2022
SW 698-02 Applied Projects I - Fall 2021
SW 698-04 Applied Projects I - Fall 2021
SW 699-05 Applied Projects II - Spring 2021
SW 699-05 Applied Projects II - Spring 2021
SW 698-05 Applied Projects I - Fall 2020
SW 698-06 Applied Projects I - Fall 2020
SW 698-10 Applied Projects I - Fall 2020
SW 590 SW Practice with Latinx Populations - Fall 2020
SW 570-01 Intro to Group Work - Spring 2020
SW 699-06 Applied Projects II - Spring 2020
SW 699-05 Applied Projects II - Spring 2020
SW 698-06 Applied Projects I - Fall 2019
SW 698-05 Applied Projects I - Fall 2019
SW 643-01 Practice with Child Welfare Services - Summer 2019
SW 699-05 Applied Projects II - Spring 2019
SW 699-06 Applied Projects II - Spring 2019
SW 699-05 Applied Projects I - Fall 2018
SW 699-06 Applied Projects II - Fall 2018
SW 699-05 Applied Projects II - Spring 2018
SW 699-06 Applied Projects II - Spring 2018
SW 698-05 Applied Projects I - Fall 2017
SW 698-06 Applied Projects I - Fall 2017
SW 503-03 Human Behavior and the Social Environment - Fall 2017
Courses Taught at CSU Fullerton, Department of Social Work
MSW 511-01 Social Work Practice II - Spring 2017
MSW 578-01 Social Work Practice with Latinos - Spring 2017
MSW 541-06 Advanced Social Work Field Instruction - Spring 2017
MSW 541-03 Advanced Social Work Field Instruction - Spring 2017
MSW 510-01: Social Work Practice I - Fall 2016
MSW 510-04: Social Work Practice I - Fall 2016
MSW 540-03: Social Work Field Instruction - Fall 2016
MSW 540-06: Social Work Field Instruction - Fall 2016
MSW 511-01: Social Work Practice II - Spring 2016
MSW 511-03: Social Work Practice II - Spring 2016
MSW 541-04: Advanced Social Work Field Instruction - Spring 2016
MSW 541-06: Advanced Social Work Field Instruction - Spring 2016
MSW 522-01: Child Welfare Policy and Social Work - Fall 2015
MSW 510-03: Social Work Practice I - Fall 2015
MSW 540-03: Social Work Field Instruction - Fall 2015
MSW 540-08: Social Work Field Instruction - Fall 2015
MSW 543-03: Advanced Social Work Field Instruction II - Spring 2015
MSW 543-06: Advanced Social Work Field Instruction II - Spring 2015
MSW 542-03: Advanced Social Work Field Instruction II - Fall 2014
Courses Taught at San Francisco State University, School of Social Work
SW 740: Field Work Instruction I - Fall 2011
SW 832: Social Group Work Spring2011
SW 741: Field Work Instruction II Spring - 2011
SW 741: Field Work Instruction II Spring - 2011
SW 740: Field Work Instruction I Spring - 2011
Clinical Social Work Experience
2009-2010 I Bilingual Mental Health Therapist
Instituto Familiar de La Raza, San Francisco, CA
2006-2009 I Bilingual Mental Health Therapist
Circulo de Vida Cancer Support Center, San Francisco, CA
2006-2010 I Child Protective Services Social Worker
Human Services Agency of San Francisco, Family and Children Services, San Francisco, CA
2005-2006 I Child Protective Services Social Work Intern
Human Services Agency of San Francisco, Family and Children Services, San Francisco, CA
2004-2006 I Clinical Case Manager
Larkin Street Youth Services, San Francisco, CA
2003-2004 I Vocational Coordinator
Fred Finch Youth Center, Oakland, CA
2000-2002 I Case Manager
Highbridge Community Life Center, Bronx, NY
Honors/Awards
2024-2026 I Fellowship Awardee, Institute for Research on Poverty at University of Wisconsin, Madison, Emerging Poverty Fellows Award, $60,000.
2024 I Hellman Fellowship Awardee, UC Berkeley, $42,253.
2023 I National Research Center on Hispanic Children and Families, Professional Development Grant Awardee, $2,500.00.
2020 I Ukleja Center for Ethical Leaders, Faculty Ethics Research Award, CSULB Ethics and care: addressing the health and mental health needs of Latinx families impacted by a deportation-related family separation. Ukleja Center for Ethical Leaders, Faculty Ethics Research Award, CSULB ($5,000).
2015 I Graduate Summer Research Mentorship Award Principal Investigator, Immigration related vs. forced family separations. Regents of University of California, Los Angeles, University of California, Los Angeles ($6,000.00). Research Mentor: Carola Suarez-Orozco, PhD.
2014 I Graduate Summer Research Mentorship Award Principal Investigator, “Crossing the border to find home: A Gendered perspective of the separation and reunification experiences of Mexican immigrant young adults in the U.S.” Regents of University of California, Los Angeles ($6,000.00). Research Mentor: Carola Suarez-Orozco, PhD.
2014 I Franklin D. Gilliam, Jr., Social Justice Initiative Grant Principal Investigator, “An examination of post-migration educational experiences: perspectives from Latino immigrant young adults.” Luskin School of Public Affairs, University of California, Los Angeles and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation ($1,500.00)
2014 - 2015 I Adam Smith Fellowship, Mercatus Center, George Mason University
2013 I UCLA Luskin Social Justice Initiative Grant
2012 I UCLA Luskin Senior Fellows Program, Department of Social Welfare
2006 I Phi Alpha Honor Society, San Francisco State University
2004-2006 I Title IV-E Child Welfare Training Fellowship (CalSWEC)
2000 I Alpha Kappa Delta Honor Society, Saint Mary's College of CA, Moraga, CA
Recent Publications
Peer Reviewed Journal Articles
Holmes, M.R. O’Donnell, K.A. Lovato, K. Kramer, L. Korsch-Williams, A.E. Herceg, A.E. Stephens, S.O. (2024). Exploring sibling relationship quality among Latinx siblings: A Systematic review. Behav. Sci. 14, x. https://doi.org/10.3390/xxxxx
Zambrana, R.E., Lovato, K. (2024).Evaluation dilemmas: lessons learned in improving
intervention outcomes and sustainability in Latin American communities. New Directions for Evaluation; 1-12.
Lovato, K., Finno-Velasquez, M., Sepp, S., Clayton, E., Wright, K. (2024). An Examination of Child Welfare Agency Models Serving Immigrant Children and Families. Journal of Public Child Welfare.
Lovato, K. Orr, M. Weng, S.J. (2024). Cambodian American social services providers in pursuit of social justice for the well-being of the Cambodian American community members, Journal of Community Practice, DOI: 10.1080/10705422.2024.2313545
Lovato, K., Finno-Velazquez, M., Sepp, S., Ramirez, J.J., Hernandez-Mekonnen, R., Mendoza, V. (2023). Working with Immigrants who Are Child Welfare Involved: Promoting Innovative Collaborations and Systems Involvement During a Public Health Crisis. Families in Society
Lovato, K., & Abrams, L.S. (Accepted-In Press, August 2022). A qualitative examination of service utilization among Latinx immigrant families following a deportation-related family separation. Child Welfare.
*Lovato, K., Finno-Velasquez, M., Sepp, S., Ramirez, J., Mendoza, V., Mekonen, R.H. (2022). The impact of COVID-19 and immigration enforcement on service delivery for immigrant origin families involved in the child welfare system. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 1-14.
*Lovato, K., & Ramirez, J. (2022). Addressing the social service needs of Latinx families impacted by COVID-19 and immigration related stressors. Journal of Social Service Research, 1-15. Nourazari, S., Lovato, K., Weng, S. (2021). Making the case for proactive strategies to alleviate homelessness: A systems approach. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(2), 526; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18020526
*Ramirez, J. & Lovato, K. (2020). The impact of COVID-19 on Latinx immigrant children and families: A call to action. COVID-19 and Child Welfare: Challenges and Responses CWLA (Child Welfare League of America), Pp. 35-40.
Lovato, K., Abrams, L.S. (2020). Enforced separations: A qualitative examination of how Latinx families cope with family disruption following the deportation of a parent. Families in Society, 1-17.
Lovato, K. (2019). Forced separations: A qualitative examination of how Latinx adolescents cope with parental deportation. Children and Youth Services Review, 98, 42-50.
Lovato, K., Lopez, C., Karimli, L., Abrams, L. (2018). The impact of deportation related family separations on the well-being of Latinx children and youth: A review of the literature. Children and Youth and Services Review, 95, 109-116.
Lovato-Hermann, K., Dellor, E., Tam, C., Curry, S. R., & Freisthler, B. (2017). Racial disparities in service referrals for families in the child welfare system. Journal of Public Child Welfare, 11(2)1-17. doi.10.1080/15548732.2016.1251372
Enano, S., Freisthler, B., Perez-Johnson, D., Lovato-Hermann, K. (2016). Evaluating parents in partnership: A Preliminary study of a child welfare intervention designed to increase reunification. Journal of Social Service Research, 1-10. doi:10.1080/01488376.2016.1253634
Lovato-Hermann, K. (2015). Crossing the border to find home: A Gendered perspective of the separation and reunification experiences of Mexican immigrant young adults in the U.S. Journal of International Social Work, 59, 1-15. doi: 10.1177/0020872815611197
Dellor, E., Lovato-Hermann, K, Price, J., Curry, S. Friesthler, B. (2015). Introducing technology into child welfare. Journal of Technology in Human Services, 33(4), 330-344. doi: 10.1080/15228835.2015.1107520
(*Indicates publication with a graduate student)
Manuscripts and Book Chapters Under Review
Lovato, K. (In-press). Under surveillance: Immigrant children and families caught between public child welfare and immigration enforcement systems. In J.R. Randles & K. Woodward (Eds). Policing not providing? The child welfare system as poverty governance. New York: NYU Press.
Lovato, K., Bui, D., Zaragoza, M. (Revise and Resubmit Fall 2024) Understanding the psychosocial and social service needs of unaccompanied minors upon resettlement in the U.S.
Weng, S., Lovato, K. (Submitted: November 2022). Spiritual coping strategies among older refugee Cambodian Americans. Journal of Religion & Spirituality in Social Work.
Book Reviews
Lovato, K. (2019). Book Review of Beth Caldwell, Deported Americans. In International Migration Review, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0197918319889010
Lovato, K. (2018). Book Review of Caroline Bretell, Gender and Migration. In Affilia: Journal of Women and Social Work, 1-2. DOI: 10.1177/0886109918778061
Manuscripts in Development
Lovato, K., Granados, J. Espino, M., Zambrana, R.E. (2023- In-Development). The impact of institutional barriers on the life course of Latino/a/x youth’s mobility & stability: factors to consider.
Lovato, K. (2023-In Development). The Impact of the dual pandemic of COVID-19 and systemic inequalities on Latinx Adolescents.
Community-Based Reports
Sepp, S., Clayton, E., Finno-Velasquez, M., Lovato, K. (2023). Serving immigrant children and families with child welfare system involvement: Promising models for meeting complex needs at the intersection of immigration and child welfare. https://cimmcw.org/wp-content/uploads/CW-Immigration-Models-Guide.pdf
Generations United (2021). Toolkit. Latino Grandfamilies: Helping Latino children thrive through connection to culture and family. (Served as lead author of this toolkit). https://www.gu.org/app/uploads/2021/11/21-Latino-Grandfamilies-Toolkit.pdf *Served as Lead Author.
Finno-Velasquez, M., Lovato, K., & Prandini, R. (June 30, 2021). The U.S. must adopt child welfare strategies for unaccompanied minors. thehill.com. https://thehill.com/opinion/immigration/560981-the-us-must-adopt-child-welfare-strategies-for-unaccompanied-minors
Freisthler, B. Dellor, E., Rivas, A., Enano, S., Lovato-Hermann, K. & Pei, F. (2016). Safe Long Beach: Safe Families Enhancement Project Final Evaluation Report. Columbus, OH.
RESEARCH PROJECTS AND EXTRAMURAL FUNDED SUPPORT
Principal Investigator, “Building the Capacity of Child Welfare Systems to Serve Immigrant Transitional Age Youth (TAY) during the Transition to Adulthood (2024-2026) University of Wisconsin, Emerging Poverty Fellows Program, Institute for Research on Poverty, Fellowship Award Recipient: $60,000.
Principal Investigator, “Building the Capacity of Child Welfare Systems to Serve Immigrant Transitional Age Youth (TAY) during the Transition to Adulthood” (2024) Casey Family Programs: $42,000. (2024-2025)
Principal Investigator, “Building the Capacity of Child Welfare Systems to Serve Immigrant Transitional Age Youth (TAY) during the Transition to Adulthood.” Society of Hellman Fellows Fund: UC Berkeley, (2024) $43,345.20.
Principal Investigator, Cluster, Todo Por Mi Familia, Small Grant Award: UC Berkeley Latinx Research Center, Latinx and Democracy $14,700 (2023–2024)
Principal Investigator, Todo Por Mi Familia, UC Regents Junior Faculty Fellowship (RJFF) $7,500 (2023–2024).
Othering & Belonging Institute at UC Berkeley, OBI Faculty Cluster Working Grant, Diversity & Democracy, Local Latinx Collaborative Award: $4,000 (2022–2023)
Othering and Belonging Institute, UC Berkeley, Faculty Cluster Research Grant, with Berkeley Interdisciplinary Migration Initiative, $3,500 (2023–2024)
CSU Chancellor’s Office, The Study of California Community College Students’ Experience Navigating Basic Needs Insecurity. Co-Principal Investigator, PI: Dr. Rashida Crutchfield, California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office Student Voices Award: $38,500 (2022–2024)
National Research Center on Hispanic Children & Families, Professional Development Grant Awardee: $2,500 (2023–2024). This is a highly competitive award and offers financial funding for a specialized training. I applied these funds to attend the Intersectional Qualitative Research Methods Institute at the University of Maryland (June 2023).
UC Berkeley, Spark Grant, Summer 2023-Summer 2024 “Examining the Psychosocial and Social Service Needs of Immigrant Transitional Age Youth (TAY) Involved in the Child Welfare System.” Principal Investigator, $7,500.00
UC Berkeley, Latinx Research Center, Faculty Mentored Undergraduate Research Fellowship (FMURF) Program. “Examining the Psychosocial and Social Service Needs of Immigrant Transitional Age Youth (TAY)” Awarded: $9,600 for 2023-2024. The FMURF Program is designed to support outstanding faculty research and the mentoring of outstanding undergraduate students.
Co-Principal Investigator, Co-PIs: Dr. Rashida Crutchfield & Dr. Zita Dixon California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office Student Voices: The Study of CA
Community College Students’ Experience Navigating Basic Needs Insecurity. CSU Chancellor’s Office.
Principal Investigator, Building the capacity of child welfare systems to serve immigrant families during COVID-19. Research Scholarly Creative Activities (RSCA) Competition. Awarded ($4,650.00 or 3 WTU’s)
Principal Investigator, Building the capacity of child welfare systems to serve immigrant families during COVID-19. Research Scholarly Creative Activities (RSCA)
Competition. Awarded ($4,650.00 or 3 WTU’s)
Principal Investigator, Building the capacity of child welfare systems to serve immigrant families during COVID-19, CSULB Office of Research and Sponsored Projects, Summer Student Research Assistantship, CSULB Internal Grant Award, 2021,($6,400).
Principal Investigator, Ethics and care: Addressing the health and mental health needs of Latinx families impacted by a deportation-related family separation. Ukleja Center for Ethical Leaders, Faculty Ethics Research Award, CSULB, 2020, ($5,000).
Principal Investigator, Assessing the social services needs of Latinx families impacted by immigration enforcement. Office of Research Sponsored Projects, Summer Student Research Assistantship, CSULB Grant Award, 2020 ($6,400).
Co-Principal Investigator, Co-PIs Dr. Suzie Weng & Dr. Sara Nourazari, addressing homelessness in Long Beach with systems thinking. CSULB Multidisciplinary Research Grant, Office of Research and SponsoredProjects, 2019 ($15,000).
Principal Investigator, Enforced separations: A qualitative examination of how Latino youth cope with family disruption following the deportation of a parent. Regents of University of
California, Los Angeles, 2017($20,000 and tuition remission) Research Mentors: Laura Abrams, PhD and Carola Suarez-Orozco, PhD
Peer Reviewed Presenations
Lovato, K. (20, February 2024) Aging out of Care: An Examination of the Dual Liminality of Immigrant Transitional Age Youth (TAY) Coming of Age in the United States. Latino Social Work Conference, Oral Presentation, Unidad de Extension Universitaria UNAM-Oaxaca, Mexico.
Lovato, K., Roth, B., Faulkner, M., Miller Flowers, M., Muniz-Morris, L. (2024, January 11). Multidisciplinary Approaches to Serving Unaccompanied Children who have been Forcibly Separated from their Families at the U.S/Mexico Border. Roundtable Presentation.
Lovato, K., Finno-Velasquez, M., Sepp, S., Mekonnen, R.H. (2023, January 15) Towards an Effective Model of Working with Immigrants Who Are Child Welfare Involved: Promoting Innovative Collaborations and Systems State Involvement.Poster presentation at Society for Social Work Research Annual Conference, Washington, D.C.
Lovato, K. (2023, May 19). Latine Adolescents’ Response to the Dual Pandemic of COVID-19 and Systemic Inequities. Latino Social Work Conference, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon.
Lovato, K., Finno-Velasquez, M., Sepp, S., Mekonnen, R.H. (2023, January 15) Towards an Effective Model of Working with Immigrants Who Are Child Welfare Involved: Promoting Innovative Collaborations and Systems State Involvement.Poster presentation at Society for Social Work Research Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ.
Lovato, K., andWeng, S. (2023, January 16). A Qualitative Examination of How Spirituality Assists Cambodian Refugee Older Adults in Coping with Trauma. Poster Presentation at Society for Social Work Research Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ.
Lovato, K., and Weng, S. (2023, January 17th). In Pursuit of Social Justice Cambodian American Social Service Providers’ Fight for Change. Oral Presentation at Society for Social Work Research Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ.
Lovato, K. & Weng, Suzie. (2023, November 11). Spiritual Coping Strategies Among Older Refugee Cambodian Americans: Perspectives of Social Services Providers. Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), Anaheim, CA.
Lovato, K. (2022, March 4) The Impact of the Dual Pandemic of COVID-19 and Systemic Inequities on Latinx Adolescents and Families. Oral paper presentation at Society for Research on Adolescence, New Orleans, LA.
Lovato, K., Finno-Velasquez, M., Sepp, S., Mekonnen, R.H. (2022, February 16). Building the Capacity of Child Welfare Systems to Serve Immigrant Families During COVID-19. Virtual Oral Paper Presentation at 6th Annual Conference on Social Work and Migration in Mexico, Central America, and the United States at Loyola University, Chicago, Illinois.
Lovato, K. (2022, January 16). Addressing the needs of Latinx immigrant children and families impacted by COVID-19 and immigration enforcement in Los Angeles, CA. Oral paper presentation at Society for Social Work Research Annual Conference, Washington, DC.
Lovato, K. & Finno-Velasquez, M. Sepp, S. Hernandez, R. (2022, January 15). Building the capacity of child welfare systems to serve immigrant families during COVID-19. ePoster presentation selected at Society for Social Work and Research, Annual Conference, Washington, DC.
Lovato, K. & Finno-Velasquez, M., Sepp, S. (2021, July) Building the capacity of child welfare systems to serve immigrant populations during COVID-19. Oral virtual paper presentation at American Professional Society of the Abuse of Children.
Lovato, K. (2021, May)Examining the social service needs of Latinx immigrant families impacted by immigration enforcement and COVID-19. Oral virtual presentation at End Abuse Long Beach.
Lovato, K. (2021, April) Addressing the needs of Latinx immigrant communities impacted by COVID-19. Oral virtual presentation at Research Scholarly Creative Activities: Week of Research. California State University, Long Beach, CA
Lovato, K., Weng, S., Ordaz, J. (2021, January) Increasing access and utilization of social services for Cambodian Americans: Perspectives from Cambodian American service providers. Oral virtual paper presentation selected at the Annual Society for Social Work and Research Conference.
Lovato, K. (2020, January).The impact of deportation related family separations on Latinx families in Los Angeles. Poster presentation selected at the Annual Society for Social Work and Research Conference, Washington D.C.
Lovato, K. (2020, May- Cancelled due to COVID-19).Accessing social service support following a deportation-related family separation. Oral paper selected at the Latino Social Work Organization Conference, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon.
Lovato, K. (2019, November). Fear and anxiety among Latinx immigrants accessing health services following a forced family separation. Oral paper presentation selected at the 4th Binational Mexico-United States Conference on Social Work and Migration, University of Houston, Houston, TX
Lovato, K. (2019, March)Examining ethnic identity formation experiences among Central American emerging adults in Los Angeles. Oral paper selected at the Latino Social Work Organization Conference, The California Endowment, Oakland, CA.
Lovato, K. (2018, March). Under the radar: An examination of Latino immigrant families social service needs following immigration enforcement. Oral paper selected at the Latino Social Work Organization Conference, University of Washington, Seattle.
Lovato, K. (2018, January). Enforced separations: A qualitative examination of the impact of parental deportation on Latinx youth and families. Paper presentation at the Annual Society for Social Work and Research Conference, Washington, D.C.
Lovato, K. (2018, January). Social work in the current presidential administration: Responsibility Ethnics, and social justice. Panel presentation at the Annual Society for Social Work and Research Conference, Washington, D.C.
Lovato, K., (2018, January). Assessing the effectiveness of city-wide trauma informed trainings. Paper presented at the Annual Society for Social Work and Research Conference, Washington, D.C.
Lovato-Hermann, K. (2017, May). Enforced separations: An examination of how today’s immigration enforcement policies impact Latino youth and their undocumented families in Los Angeles. Paper presentation at the Social Services in the Latina/o Community Conference, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
Lovato-Hermann, K. (2017, March). The impact of parental deportation on Latino/a youth and immigrant families in Los Angeles. Paper presentation at the Latino Social Work Organization Conference, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
Lovato-Hermann, K. (2017, January).Exploring child welfare service referrals by race/ethnicity using the Needs Portal intervention. Poster presented at the Annual Society for Social Work and Research Conference, New Orleans, LA
Lovato-Hermann, K. (2017, January). Welcome or not: An examination of the integration experiences among Central American immigrant emerging adults in Los Angeles. Poster presented at the Annual Society for Social Work and Research Conference, New Orleans, LA
Lovato-Hermann, K. (2016, January). Crossing the border to find home: An examination of the reunification experiences of undocumented immigrant youth. Paper presented at the Annual Society for Social Work and Research Conference, Washington, DC
Dellor, E., Lovato-Hermann, K., Price-Wolf, J., Freisthler, B., & Curry, S.R. (2015, November). Introducing technology in child welfare referrals for health and social services. Paper presented at the American Public Health Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL
Lovato-Hermann, K. (2015,October). Exploring family and community contexts for undocumented immigrants during emerging adulthood. Paper presented at the biennial conference of the Society for the Study of Emerging Adulthood. Miami, FL
Lovato-Hermann, K. (2014, May). Crossing the border to find home: An Examination of the migration and reunification experiences of Mexican transnational youth in the U.S. Paper presented at the Immigrant Youth Empowerment Conference, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
Lovato-Hermann, K. (2014, February). Across the boundaries of labor and gender: A critical review of the literature on transnational motherhood. Paper presented atthe Annual Thinking Gender Conference. University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
Lovato-Hermann, K. (2013, January). Familial caregivers and elder mistreatment among Chinese immigrants. Poster presented at the Annual Society for Social Work and Research Conference, San Diego, CA
Invited Presentations
Lovato, K. (1, February, 2022) Enhancing the wellbeing of Latinx Kinship Families. Oral virtual paper presentation. Northwest Children’s Foundation Virtual Forum: Buffering Intergenerational Trauma.
Lovato, K. (10, January 2022) Serving the needs of immigrant populations impacted by child welfare involvement. School of Social Work, San Francisco State University.
Lovato, K. (11, November 2021) Social work research with immigrant populations. University of Maryland, College Park. School of Public Health.
Lovato, K. (2020, September 8th) Invited Co-Panelist: Teach-in Series: Black Lives Matter and the Immigrant Rights Movement, CSULB Dream Success Center, CSULB.
Lovato, K., Nourazari, S., Weng, S. (2019). Panelist: Addressing Homelessness with Systems Thinking. Team Science Workshop. 31st Annual Biotechnology Symposium. Hyatt Regency Orange County.
Lovato, K. (2018, November). Panelist: Enforced Separations: An Examination of how Latinx Youth cope with parental deportation. Invited guest lecture: Human Behavior and the Social Environment. November 5, 2018.
Lovato, K. (2018, March) Presenter: Addressing Homelessness in Long Beach with Systems Thinking. California State University, Long Beach, Presidential Salon.
Lovato, K. (2018). Panel Moderator: Research Methods Panel. Research to Resistance Conference, University of California, Los Angeles, Luskin School of Public Affairs, Los Angeles, CA.
Lovato-Hermann, K. (2016, April). Presenter: Social Work Practice with Latinos. Social Work Lecture Series, California State University, Fullerton, Department of Social Work, Fullerton, CA.
Lovato-Hermann, K. (2016, February). Presenter: Utilizing Play Therapy to Treat Trauma-Exposed Youth. Presentation, MSW 571, Social Work Perspectives on Developmental Psychopathology and Family Context, California State University, Fullerton, Department of Social Work, Fullerton, CA.
Lovato-Hermann, K. (2015, October). The Impact of Global Immigration on Social Work Practice. Presentation, MSW 770, Cultural Diversity Course, California State University, Fullerton, Department of Social Work, Fullerton, CA.
Lovato-Hermann, K. (2013, July). Presentation: Social Work Education: An Introduction to the Enhanced CalSWEC Field Initiative. CalSWEC Title IV-E Field Initiative Summer Institute, Berkeley, CA.
Lovato-Hermann, K. (2012, November). Presentation: Immigrant Child Well-Being. Child and Adolescent Studies Symposium, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA.
Service
Department/College/University
2022 I Senate Faculty Member, University of California, Berkeley Doctoral Teaching Senate Member, University of California, Berkeley
2020-2021 I Co-Faculty Mentor, New Faculty Learning Community, California State University, Long Beach (CSULB)
2020 I Co-Faculty Advisor, Latino Student Social Work Network
2017 I School of Social Work, California State University, Long Beach
2020 I Member, Graduate Writing Assessment Requirement Committee (Spring), CSULB
2018 I Member, Curriculum Committee, School of Social Work, California State University, Long Beach
2018 I Member, Culminating Experience Committee, School of Social Work, California State University, Long Beach
2018 I Member, Faculty and Staff Development Committee, School of Social Work California State University, Long Beach
2018 I Member, Human Behavior in the Social Environment Curriculum
2017 I Committee, School of Social Work, California State University, Long Beach
2017-2015 I Chair, Bilingual Social Work Education Curriculum Committee Department of Social Work, California State University, Fullerton
2015-2013 I Member, Professional Development Committee Department of Social Welfare, University of California, Los Angeles
2014 I Doctoral Student Representative, Academic Search Committee
2014 I Department of Social Welfare, University of California, Los Angeles
Profession/ Academic
2023 I Journal Editorial Board, Families in Society
2023 I Legal Expert Witness, Southern Poverty Law Center, Alabama
2022 I Journal Reviewer, Children and Youth Services Review
2022 I Journal Reviewer, Latino Studies
2021 I Abstract Reviewer, Society for Social Work and Research Annual Conference (SSWR)
2020 I Abstract Reviewer, Society for Social Work and Research Annual Conference (SSWR)
2019 I Abstract Reviewer, Society for Social Work and Research Annual Conference (SSWR)
2019 I Journal Reviewer, Public Child Welfare
2018 I Journal Reviewer, Child Welfare
2017 I Grant Reviewer, Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau, Washington, D.C.
2017 I Journal Reviewer, Children and Youth Services Review
2015 I Grant Reviewer,Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau, Washington, D.C
2014 I Grant Reviewer,Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau, Washington, D.C
Professional Memberships
2015 I Member, Society for the Study of Emerging Adulthood
2010 I Member, Society for Social Work and Research
2010 I Member, Council on Social Work Education
2010 I Member, Latino/as Social Work Educators
Specific Skills
Research: Qualitative analysis; mixed methods; process evaluation
Organizational: Program development & administration
Policy: Legislative and administrative advocacy; policy analysis
Software: SPSS, ArcGIS, ATLAS.ti, NVivo, Dedoose
Language Proficiency: Fluent in written and verbal Spanish
