School of Behavioral and Applied Sciences

Phone: (626) 815-6000, Ext. 5594
Email: ktangenberg@apu.edu

Kathleen Tangenberg is co-chair of the Department of Social Work, director of the MSW Program, and associate professor of social work at Azusa Pacific University. Prior to moving to California in 2005, she taught in the M.S.W. programs at the University of Iowa and the University of Washington-Tacoma. Tangenberg received her Ph.D. in Social Welfare from the University of Washington, Seattle, in 1998. Her doctoral dissertation explored the physical and spiritual experiences of mothers living with HIV/AIDS, and their implications for social work practice, education, and research. Tangenberg's later pro-research projects and publications have examined the relevance of spirituality to addiction, spiritual, and political dimensions of faith-based social service delivery, international HIV/AIDS prevention, the experiences of women over 50 living with HIV/AIDS, the effects of fibromyalgia and other chronic pain conditions on family relationships, and youth mentoring activities in religious congregations. Tangenberg's publications include works published in Social Work, Families in Society, Affilia, Journal of Mental Health and Aging, and Journal of Social Work Research and Evaluation. Tangenberg teaches courses on social welfare policy, human behavior in the social environment, ethics, and addictions. Her social work practice experience includes home-based family counseling, hospital social work specializing in women’s health, and case management with adolescent parents.

Ph.D. - Social Work, University of Washington, 1998
M.S.W. - Social Work, University of Texas, University of Texas, 1988
B.A. - Psychology, University of Texas, 1985
B.A. - Liberal Arts, concentration English, University of Texas, 1983

Credentials/Certifications
Graduate Certificate in Women Studies, University of Washington, 1996

Presentations
"Spiritual and Religious Dimensions of Congregational Youth Mentoring," Spirituality Symposium, Council on Social Work Education, Chicago, 2006.

"Morality and Social Services: Secular and Faith Perspectives and Implications for Collaboration," National Association of Christian Social Workers, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2005.

"Gender, Religion, and Activism: Historical and Contemporary Narratives of Women in Religiously Affiliated Service Communities," Society for the Scientific Study of Religion, 2005.

Publications
"Twelve-Step Programs and Faith-based Recovery: Research Controversies, Provider Perspectives, and Practice Implications. Journal of Evidence-based Social Work, 2(1/2), pages 19-40, 2005.

"Spiritually Sensitive Practice and Faith-based Human Service Initiatives." The Spirituality and Social Work Forum, winter ed., 2005.

"Spirituality and Faith-based Social Services: Exploring Provider Values, Beliefs, and Practices." Journal of Religion and Spirituality in Social Work, 23(3), pages 3-23, 2004.

"Faith-based Human Services: Considerations for Social Work Practice and Theory." Social Work, 50(3), pages 197-206, 2005.

Honors, Awards, Recognition
Grant, Louisville Institute, Youth Mentoring in Midwestern Religious Congregations, 2004
CLAS Travel Grant, Conference of the Roundtable on Religion and Social Policy, 2004
Grant, University of Iowa College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Summer Fellowship, 2003
CASSPR Grant, 2002
Grant, Old Gold Summer Fellowship
Grant, University of Washington-Tacoma Founders Endowment Recipient, 1999-2001
Distinguished Professor Award, University of Iowa School of Social Work, 2005
Distinguished Professor Award, University of Iowa School of Social Work, 2004
Distinguished Professor Award, University of Iowa School of Social Work, 2003

Associations, Boards, Committees
Phi Beta Kappa
Phi Beta Phi
Society for Social Work and Research
Council on Social Work Education
National Association of Social Workers
National Women's Studies Association
Society for the Scientific Study of Religion
Society for Spirituality and Social Work