Faculty/Staff Directory
Search Results
In most cases, please use the last 4 digits of the listed phone numbers when calling from any campus.
B D G H J L M N P R S T W
Adjunct Faculty
MSW- Masters in SWK
Email: lbirnbaum@css.edu
Adjunct Faculty
Social Work Extended Studies
Email: lbrekke2@css.edu
Asst Prof/Site Crd FDLTCC, SWK
Social Work
Office: Fon du Lac TCC
Phone: (218) 625-4924
Email: cdonner@css.edu
Adjunct Faculty
Social Work Extended Studies
Email: kgriffin1@css.edu
Assoc Prof, SWK/Dir, Grad SWK
MSW- Masters in SWK
Office: S1129C
Phone: (218) 625-4430
Email: cgunderson@css.edu
Asst Prof/Dir SWK UG Program
Social Work
Office: T3413
Phone: (218) 723-6787
Email: kharju@css.edu
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Adjunct Faculty
Social Work
Email: jlee4@css.edu
Mental Health Therapist
Counseling Services
Office: T2149B
Phone: (218) 723-6223
Email: gmaloney@css.edu
Adjunct Faculty
Social Work
Email: tmcgowan1@css.edu
Assistant Professor
MSW- Masters in SWK
Office: T3411
Phone: (218) 723-6210
Email: cmizera1@css.edu
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Asst Prof/Site Crd Brainerd
Social Work Extended Studies
Office: Brainerd Campus
Phone: (218) 625-4818
Email: tmongan@css.edu
Visiting Asst Professor, SWK
Social Work
Office: S1129D
Phone: (218) 723-7032
Email: nnavarro@css.edu
Adjunct Faculty
MSW- Masters in SWK
Email: rperrett@css.edu
Assoc Prof, Social Work
MSW- Masters in SWK
Office: S1204E
Phone: (218) 723-6200
Email: lprussia@css.edu
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Asst Prof/Dir UG Field Pgm,SWK
Social Work
Office: T3403
Phone: (218) 723-7018
Email: mroberts@css.edu
Adjunct Faculty
MSW- Masters in SWK
Email: ssantmyer1@css.edu
Asst Prof/Chair SWK/Site Coor
Social Work Extended Studies
Office: Austin
Email: msneed@css.edu
Adjunct Faculty
Social Work
Email: jtucker3@css.edu
Mental Health Therp./Edu Coord
Counseling Services
Office: T2150B
Phone: (218) 723-6746
Email: swells1@css.edu
Cynthia Donner,
Cindy teaches SWK 4441 Social Work with Communities, focusing on social work with communities/macro systems. Cindi has worked for several years in community organizing projects, including East Hillside PATCH, is a CSS alumnus, and joined us in 2006.
Constance Gunderson, PhD, MSW, LISW
Connie Gunderson, PhD., MSW, LISW, is an associate professor at the College of St. Scholastica. Having completed her undergraduate studies at the College of St. Scholastica, she moved and worked in Germany until 2012. She completed her MSW at the Alice Salomon Hochschule in Berlin, and received her PhD at the University of Bremen. Dr. Gunderson has worked in the field of social work for over 30 years. As an instructor, her areas of scholarly expertise include human trafficking, gender studies, and international social work research. As a relational cultural therapist, her clinical foci has been on women, trauma and addiction and addressing the needs of families. As a researcher, she has completed studies of human trafficking in Germany and the European Union. She has published books and articles addressing social issues such as human trafficking, diversity, and gender. Dr. Gunderson has international teaching and advisory partnerships with diverse universities and colleges in Europe and the United States.
Krista Harju, MSW, MEd, LICSW
Krista is an alumni of CSS, both as an undergraduate and graduate student. She has experience in non-profit development, healthcare, healthcare policy, maternal mental health and early childhood. She is passionate about many areas of social work and enjoys helping students find their place in the field. Krista is married with four children and outside of attending baseball and hockey games, her favorite thing to do is snowshoe.
Matthew Johnson,
Matt teaches SWK 3362-Human Behavior in the Social Environment and is employed as a social worker with Saint Louis County.
Carin Mizera, DSW, LICSW
Carin Mizera has been at CSS since September 2015 in the Masters of Social Work Department. She teaches direct practice and filed courses, as well as an elective in the treatment of trauma, which has been her passion for over 20 years. She also practices and teaches mindfulness techniques, and has a great interest in spirituality practices in treatment.
She has a small private psychotherapy practice in Duluth. Dr Mizera is presently serving as the MSW Program Director. She is an avid hiker in all seasons.
Tracy Mongan, MSW, LICSW
Tracy Mongan, MSW, LICSW, Assistant Professor
Undergraduate Program Director & Site Coordinator - Brainerd Campus
Tracy obtained her MSW from the University of MN – Duluth in 2006, and her BSW from Concordia College (Moorhead, MN) in 1996. Tracy is the Undergraduate Social Work Program Director for the College of St. Scholastica. Her areas of passion include educating and mentoring future social workers, the interweaving of spirituality in the practice of social work, and international travel and connections.
Leah Prussia, DSW, LICSW, SEP
Leah Prussia is a self-described “tree hugging dirt worshiper.” She has worked with diverse populations throughout her years as a clinician to assist each person find and actualize their definition of health and wellness. Dr. Prussia uniquely blends teachings from Nature, Peter Levine’s Somatic Experience work, Relational-Cultural Theory, and Cognitive-Behavioral approaches to address the biopsychosocial and spiritual aspects of individuals. Her background includes extensive knowledge and practice in mental health services, substance abuse, trauma, program administration, and grass roots advocacy. Due to micro, mezzo, and macro practice experience, Dr. Prussia teaches the following courses for the CSS MSW Program: Assessment/Differential Diagnosis, Evidence Based Intervention/Treatment, Preparation for Field II, Field II, Foundations of Social Justice, Advanced Policy and Community Practice, Advanced Practice with Groups, and Advanced Practice: Environmental Social Work. Her education includes a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Moorhead State University, a Master's degree in Social Work from the University of North Dakota, and a Doctorate in Social Work from St. Catherine University – University of St. Thomas. Dr. Prussia is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker in the State of Minnesota and sole proprietor of Natural Connections LLC.
Michelle Robertson, MSW, LGSW
Michelle is the Undergraduate Social Work Program Field Director. Michelle joined the CSS faculty in 2004. Michelle trains for various agencies in the areas of child welfare, Indigenous issues, leadership coaching, and International study abroad.
Michele Sneed, DSW, LGSW
Michele Sneed, DSW, LGSW, Assistant Professor, Program Coordinator-Austin Campus, and Interim Social Work Department Chair started working at the College of St. Scholastica in the Social Work department in Fall 2016. Michele completed her Doctoral Degree in Social Work through Capella University. She obtained her MSW from the University of New England, her BSW degree from Winona State University, and completed the Infant and early childhood mental health certificate program through the University of Minnesota. She spent years of her career working within the child welfare system and in the recent past, Michele has worked as a family therapist. Further experience has included development of curriculum for community groups, facilitation, coordination of family meetings, authorship, and case management.
Lori Swinney, PhD
Dr. Lori Swinney is an adjunct instructor for the College of St. Scholastica Masters of Education program. She has over 30 years’ experience in instructional design, multicultural education, college teaching, and technology. She worked at the University of North Dakota as a department director and taught courses online and on campus as an adjunct assistant professor for almost 30 years. She, currently, works as a consultant and educator for several campuses in the North Dakota University system focusing on student success, quality course design, innovative teaching, and research.
