Sondra J. Fogel, PhD

Dr. Sondra J. Fogel joined the Healty Minds lab in 2026. She is an Associate Professor in the School of Social Work and a licensed clinical social worker. She earned her PhD in social work from the University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign, and her MSSW from Columbia University. She has an extensive background in community-engaged efforts with specific training for working with populations most likely to need social services, mental health, or health related treatments. Her research area focuses on 1) promoting mental health well-being among youth and adults, 2) minimizing the impact of engagement with the criminal justice system (broadly defined) for youth and adults, and 3) supporting innovative curriculum enhancements for social workers and behavioral health care workers in diverse settings. She primarily uses qualitative methods to investigate the experiences of community members to support neighborhood driven solutions to complex problems. Dr. Fogel values collaboration and interdisciplinary work with scholars in other fields as well as with community members. She was past Editor-In-Chief for Families in Society, the longest enduring social work journal. Dr. Fogel enjoys the challenge of completing 1000-piece puzzles in her spare time.