Child Welfare Research Center Leadership

Catherine LaBrenz

Catherine LaBrenz

Dr. Catherine LaBrenz is the Director of the Child Welfare Research Center and an Associate Professor at the University of Texas at Arlington School of Social Work. She entered academia after seven years working with children and families involved with child protective services in Latin America. As a former child welfare practitioner, her work actively bridges the gap between research and practice. The goal of Dr. LaBrenz’s research is to build family and community resilience to decrease cycles of maltreatment and increase well-being.

Hui Huang

Hui Huang

Dr. Hui Huang is the Research Director of the Child Welfare Research Center and an Associate Professor at the University of Texas at Arlington School of Social Work. Her research expertise is on developing and evaluating macro-level interventions for children and families dually involved in child welfare and other public sectors, such as public higher education institutions, substance use treatment, and juvenile justice. Dr. Huang has used advanced statistical models to analyze secondary data from state administration, local agencies, and public datasets to answer research questions relevant for policy and program decision makings.