Welcome Dr. Kanako Okuda: New Assistant Dean of Practicum Education and Clinical Associate Professor at BUSSW

Great news! Dr. Kanako Okuda is stepping into the role of assistant dean of practicum (field) education at BUSSW starting February 3rd. Alongside this, she will also be a clinical associate professor.

Dr. Okuda is no stranger to social work. She has spent the last 13 years managing practicum education, most recently as the director of field education at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania. Before that, she held similar roles at George Mason University and Hunter College in New York. Her extensive background includes not just administration, but also hands-on teaching and coordination at Columbia University School of Social Work.

What sets Dr. Okuda apart is her commitment to practicum education. She believes that it’s crucial for connecting students with communities. She aims to enhance students’ field experiences using innovative methods that cater to different learning styles. Her work has led to collaboration with other educators to improve overall learning outcomes. To help students cope with anxiety during their practicum, she created a helpful resource called Fieldanxiety.com, which has gained popularity across social work programs in North America.

In 2020, Dr. Okuda was honored as a Field Research Scholar by the TFEL Project at the University of Calgary, thanks to support from the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

Beyond education, Dr. Okuda actively advocates for voter participation. She co-founded the Practicum Education Directors’ group as part of the Voting Is Social Work campaign. She’s also dedicated to social justice, leading workshops for students and community members alike.

In her practice, Dr. Okuda provides tele-health mental health services, focusing on hard-to-reach populations. Her career started in child welfare, and she has also worked in pediatric oncology, supporting families at Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital in New York City.

Dr. Okuda holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Lehman College, an MSW from Columbia University, and a DSW from Rutgers University. Her research interests include social justice, practicum education, and the role of spirituality in social work, among others.