Dr. Blake Beecher, Ph.D., LCSW, is Professor and Chair of the Department of Social Work at California State University San Marcos. He earned his MSW from the University of Nevada, Reno, and his Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of Utah. His clinical and administrative experience spans mental and behavioral health, substance use, child welfare, healthcare, and services for individuals and families. Dr. Beecher has served as principal investigator on several multimillion-dollar grants focused on expanding social work education and strengthening the child welfare, behavioral health, and adult protective services workforces. His research focuses on behavioral health, homelessness, trauma and resilience among social work students, and professional education and practice. He currently serves as president of the California Association of Deans and Directors of Social Work (CADD).