Rate My Professor Donna Aguiniga

Donna M. Aguiniga is the Assistant Dean and a Professor in the School of Social Work at the University of Alaska Anchorage. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work from the University of Texas at Austin (2010), a Master of Social Work from Boise State University (2001), and a Bachelor of Science in History and Psychology from Eastern New Mexico University (1998). Her research interests are primarily focused on issues of child welfare, including permanency, adoption, kinship care, and the effect of poverty on family functioning, as well as community development, rural communities, family functioning, and social work education. Dr. Aguiniga has experience in community-based research and collaboration. She served as Interim Director for the UAA Center for Community Engagement & Learning, supporting community-based projects and partnerships across UAA. From 2014 to 2022, she led the UAA Dialogues for Public Life program, training campus and community members to facilitate community dialogues and deliberations and facilitating events for campus and community organizations. Her professional practice background is in child protective services, community mental health, and case management. She participates in the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) as a member of the Council on Conferences and Faculty Development and the Social Welfare Policy & Policy Practice Track.

Dr. Aguiniga has authored or co-authored numerous peer-reviewed publications in her field. Selected key works include: Aguiniga, D. M., Madden, E. E., Goodwin, B., & Ryan, S. (2023). Post-adoption contact experiences of birth mothers. Adoption Quarterly; Bowers, P. H., Aguiniga, D. M., Reamer, D., & Reynolds, J. (2022). Homeless youth shelters and services for transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) clients: Results from a nationwide survey. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Social Services; Aguiniga, D. M., & Trawver, K. E. (2021). Perspectives of low-income mothers about their intimate partner relationships. Journal of Family Social Work; Madden, E. E., Aguiniga, D. M., & Ryan, S. (2020). Birth mothers’ options counseling and relinquishment experiences. In The Routledge Handbook of Adoption; Tobolowsky, B. F., Scannapieco, M., Aguiniga, D. M., & Madden, E. E. (2019). Former foster youth experiences with higher education: Opportunities and challenges. Children and Youth Services Review; and Madden, E. E., Ryan, S., Aguiniga, D. M., Killian, M., & Romanchik, B. (2018). The relationship between time and birth mother satisfaction with relinquishment. Families in Society.