Dr. R. Kweku Amoasi, PhD., LP, CMPC
A native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Dr. Amoasi is a psychological services provider with the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC). He is a licensed psychologist and a certified mental performance consultant (CMPC) with the Association of Applied Sport Psychology (AASP), where he also serves as a member of the Anger & Violence in Sport Special Interest Group. In addition, he is a member of the American Psychological Association- Division 47 for the Society for Sport, Exercise and Performance. Dr. Amoasi also sits on the board for the National Register of Health Service Providers.
He obtained his bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and later his master’s degree (Educational Psychology) and doctorate (Urban Education with an emphasis in School Psychology) from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
As a certified trauma counselor, Amoasi’s expertise is focused on helping individuals maximize their performance while dealing with past and current trauma. He specializes in individual and group work with anxiety, depression, emotion management, performance, psychological safety, rehabilitation after injury, restorative justice, suicide, team building, and trauma.
Dr. Amoasi currently serves as chief wellness officer for Blaquesmith Psychological Counseling Services. Previously, Dr. Amoasi has served as a team psychologist for the Milwaukee Bucks (National Basketball Association), director of Elite Performer Integrative Coaching & Counseling (EPICC) at Full Circle Confidential Workforce Wellness, and as a senior psychologist for the Wisconsin Badgers in the mental health and sport psychology department. In addition, he has worked with athletes and several teams in the National Football Association (NFL), professional boxing, Major League Soccer (MLS), the federal government, and Fortune 100 companies.
Outside of the athletic arena, Amoasi was the Clinical Director of the Counseling Department at Tennessee State University. In addition, he has taught multiple classes (e.g., Diversity, Psychology, Sociology) at the undergraduate and graduate level. He has served as a school psychologist in the Milwaukee Public School system and worked in correctional and hospital milieu as a clinical psychologist. Amoasi has authored multiple books, chapters and journal articles. He currently serves as the host of The Nyumba Upendo show on WNOV Radio station in Milwaukee.
Amoasi is married with five children and two dogs. He loves doing community service with his fraternal brothers of The Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
Harold E. Briggs, Pauline M. Berger Professor in Family and Child Welfare
Harold E. Briggs has worked extensively on how mental health, substance abuse treatment, and child welfare systems service providers use evidence to improve child, adult, and family well-being. He is a leader in the development of psychological measures of African American well-being and has led psychometric studies of homophobia and fear of AIDS, as well as research concerning the perception of the African American experience and engaging African Americans in mental health services.
Briggs has been involved in community and system change efforts that have benefited community-based organizations of color. Throughout his professional career, Briggs has sought to train community members to be leaders and facilitators of community change efforts, so as to promote community self-governance and transformation.
Vivian Burrell, MSW, Co-Principal Investigator
Vivian Burrell’s professional practice experience includes serving as a school social worker, clinical coordinator, and forensic interviewer. She is a doctoral candidate in the College of Education, with a research focus on the mental health of D1 football players of color.
Daniel Gibbs, Assistant Professor, MSW/JD Dual-Degree Program Coordinator
Daniel Gibbs conducts research on how human services systems can effectively serve youth with complex needs, with an emphasis on the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI) and the intersection of social work and the law.
His current projects employ quantitative, mixed, and system dynamics methods to explore:
- the integration of AI and other technologies in child- and family-serving systems;
- the linkage of large administrative data sources to understand transition-age foster youth outcomes; and
- the ways that communities can strengthen youth mental health crisis response systems.
Before arriving at UGA, Daniel practiced as an attorney representing the interests of children involved in the child welfare system. His teaching focuses on evidence-based practice, research methods, AI integration in social work practice, and policy analysis.
More information about Dr. Gibbs’s work can be found at https://www.danieljgibbs.com/.
Naynette Kennett, Clinical Assistant Professor
“I am committed to building a new generation of child welfare practitioners that are professionally trained, trauma informed and have professional leadership skills that can guide Georgia child welfare programs for the next forty years.”
Dr. Victor D. Kidd, PhD, LICSW, LISW-CP
Dr. Victor D. Kidd is a Performance and Mental Wellness Consultant, Organizational Development Expert, and Licensed Clinical Social Worker who bridges the gap between clinical practice and sport performance through evidence-based interventions. As Founder and CEO of The Apex Performance Group (also known as Kidd Wellness Solutions and Consulting, LLC), Dr. Kidd specializes in addressing the unique mental health and performance challenges faced by athletes, sport organizations, and entertainment industry professionals. Dr. Kidd’s clinical expertise in sport psychology and organizational development has positioned him as a leader in the field of sport social work. His practice integrates trauma-informed care, performance enhancement, and systemic change methodologies to serve diverse populations including professional athletes, sport officials, and entertainment industry stakeholders. His client portfolio includes partnerships with Major League Soccer, the National Basketball Association, National Collegiate Athletic Association, Professional Referee Organization, and Universal Music Group. In 2022, Dr. Kidd was appointed as the inaugural Director of Mental Health for Major League Soccer (MLS) and MLS Next, serving as Senior Advisor on Player Care and Wellness. In this groundbreaking role, he developed and implemented comprehensive mental health programming across the MLS player ecosystem, creating evidence-based interventions that address stigma reduction, performance optimization, and holistic athlete development.
Dr. Kidd earned his PhD in Sport and Entertainment Management from the University of South Carolina, where he became the first Black graduate in program history. His doctoral research examined organizational leadership and capacity building in sport organizations, with particular emphasis on the sport retirement experiences of former athletes—work that aligns directly with UGA Sport Lab’s mission of advancing evidence-based practice in sport settings. He holds a Master of Clinical Social Work degree from Howard University and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Virginia State University, where he was a three-year starting linebacker. Dr. Kidd’s research interests focus on the intersection of clinical social work and sport performance, organizational culture change in sport settings, and the development of culturally responsive interventions for athletes from diverse backgrounds. His work contributes to the growing body of evidence supporting the integration of clinical social work practice within sport organizations to enhance both individual athlete outcomes and organizational effectiveness. He is committed to advancing the field of sport social work through research, practice innovation, and the development of evidence-based interventions that support optimal wellness for all sport stakeholders.
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/victorkidd
Jerry Reynolds II, PhD, LSW, ACUE, Affiliate Faculty
Dr. Reynolds is an Associate Professor and BSW Program Director at Ball State University in Muncie, IN and has been in this role since the fall of 2020. He is an LSW with 20 years of professional social work experience. His professional experience came from roles as a medical social worker, post-Katrina community development work in south MS, and as an agency operations manager. A former college athlete, he also has served as a volunteer coach across several sports. Outside of BSU and coaching, he is the Immediate Past President of the Alliance Social Workers in Sports. Project of note include service on the NCAA’s Mental Health advisory group and currently as the Project Lead on Coach Beyond-Indiana, a grant funded partnership to improve coaching education with The Ohio State University. His interdisciplinary research focuses upon family functioning and spectator behavior in youth sports and youth sport coaching practices. He holds a BSW from The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, an MSW from the University of Michigan, and his PhD is from Louisiana State University.
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Dr. Vanessa Robinson-Dooley, LCSW, CNP
Professor, Simmons University
Website: https://www.simmons.edu/academics/faculty/vanessa-robinson-dooley
Dr. Vanessa Robinson-Dooley is a Professor at Director of the PhD Program at Simmons University’s School of Social Work. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, she has over two decades of experience treating adolescents, adults, the aging, and couples in general practice. She has a range of experiences, including private practice psychotherapy, community health, nonprofit administration, youth development, and intimate partner violence intervention. She has provided training on mental health, family violence, child maltreatment, cultural competence, parenting skills, and chronic disease self-management. She has been invited to speak locally and nationally about her work on intercultural competence, clinical treatment, and chronic disease and mental health management with African American men.
Dr. Robinson-Dooley teaches courses on “teaching”, and is an advocate of UDL (Universal Design for Learning) principles and technology use in the classroom. Dr. Robinson-Dooley’s research focuses on coping and self-management strategies for African American men with chronic disease and behavioral health. She was the Co-PI on a $700,000 grant from the National Institute of Health (NIH), developing a peer-led, self-management curriculum for under-resourced African American men dealing with chronic illness and mental health. She also writes about the intersection of youth and collegiate sports and mental health. Her works includes the development of the ARMM assessment framework, a guide for assessing mental health in youth sports. Her work has been published in multiple journals and books. She is the co-author and co-editor of the book “Black Men’s Health: A Strengths-Based Approach Through a Social Justice Lens for Helping Professions”. She is a member of the Alliance of Social Work in Sports and an editorial board member for the Sport Social Work Journal.
The mother of two college athletes, Dr. Robinson-Dooley is passionate about Social Workers becoming actively involved the athletic experience of youth and collegiate athletes. An avid collegiate sports fan, dedicated professional football fan (#BillsMafia), and tennis player, Dr. Robinson-Dooley is invested in improving the experience of athletes.
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Lovie Tabron, MS, LAT, ATC, CCISM
Lovie Tabron, MS, LAT, ATC, CCISM, is a leader at the intersection of mental health and athletic performance. With advanced degrees in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Exercise Science, she brings a holistic approach to athlete care that bridges physical performance and psychological well-being. Lovie currently serves as a Player Engagement Specialist for the Atlanta Falcons and as Adjunct Faculty at the University of Georgia, where she previously held roles as Assistant Director of Student-Athlete Success and Mental Health & Performance Coordinator.
She is also the Founder of Athletes & Mental Health, LLC, an organization dedicated to educating youth athletes and parents on recognizing and addressing mental health challenges. A national speaker and advocate, Lovie served as NATA ATs Care Commission Chair and has received numerous honors, including the 2023 ECU 40 Under 40 and 2020 SEATA Chuck Kimmel Award of Merit. Her mission is rooted in empowering athletes toward resilience, growth, and holistic wellness.
Fernando Velasco, M.Ed.
Fernando Velasco is the Director of Player Engagement for the Atlanta Falcons and the founder of the Velasco Family Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering youth through mentorship, leadership development, and mental wellness initiatives. Through programs such as the Life Ready Retreat, Fernando creates spaces for young men to develop vision, resilience, and life skills, while also addressing the importance of mental wellness and holistic growth.
A former NFL veteran with nine seasons in the league, Fernando has turned his platform into one of advocacy and impact. His TEDx talk, “A Son. Forgiveness. Finding Freedom.” candidly shares his journey with mental health struggles, faith, and healing—resonating deeply with athletes, leaders, and high achievers who often suffer in silence.
Fernando’s educational background further anchors his work. He earned his Master of Education (M.Ed.) and is currently a Doctoral Candidate (Ed.D.) at Penn State, where his research centers on the intersection of fatherhood, leadership, and mental health. His unique combination of lived experience, academic research, and professional leadership positions him at the forefront of conversations around sports, community engagement, and social impact.
Charlotte Warren, MSW, LCSW, CAADC
Charlotte Warren, MSW, LCSW, CAADC is the Assistant Director of Mental Health and Performance- Clinical Director, with UGA Athletics Mental Health and Performance department. She has over 10 years of experience working with elite athletes on individual counseling, performance counseling, substance use counseling and team performance and culture enhancement. On any typical day you can find her with individuals in therapy sessions, team performance sessions, or working on programming for athletes and staff on various mental health and diversity topics.
Published articles were under her maiden name of Charlotte Dean specifically exploring how social workers add value to the athletic population, how athletes can transfer skills to the field of social work, and how social workers can help athletes to transition out of sports. She has presented on various topics related to social work in sport, program development, and clinical interventions with athletes on local, conference, and national levels. Charlotte is a former Division I collegiate athlete who resides in Athens, GA with her husband Mark Warren who is a coach and U.S. Navy veteran and they have energetic twin boys.
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Supporters: The UGA Social Dawgs
The UGA Social Dawgs is a dedicated group of School of Social Work alumni and friends who have been gathering to celebrate UGA football for over twenty years. They support the work of the Sports and Social Work Lab because they care deeply about college athletics and know young athletes can be vulnerable. They see social workers as excellent supporters and interventionists with college athletes and across all areas of sports.
