Lacey Perez

Background

About Lacey Perez

I am a Licensed Social Worker, working primarily within non-profit organizations. I received my Masters in Social Work (MSW) and Bachelors in Sociology at the University of Iowa. My love for working with the older adult population inspired me to also complete my Certificate in Gerontology. My passion for research led to my participation in the undergraduate honors program where I collaborated with professors to explore changing mate preferences in men across several decades. For my graduate research, I shifted my focus back to older adults and pursued the topic of college student's attitudes toward older adults by exploring three variables: declared college major, exposure to courses/knowledge of aging and belief in myths of aging. Through these experiences in academic research, I developed an appreciation of the "bigger picture"-a love for macro social work -that has sparked my recent involvement in policy and advocacy at the state level. My professional social work experiences have involved diverse client populations through the lifespan, assisting clients from birth through older adulthood. These experiences include assisting veterans and caregivers through the VA Health Care System, contracting with DHS to assist at-risk families and children, and providing individual and family therapy in PMIC facilities for children ages 7-12 with severe mental illness and behavioral concerns. Living in Iowa all my life, it was time for a change and I decided to relocate to Arizona.My journey since relocating has involved social work within non-profit organizations, including the Arizona Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Area Agency on Aging. My desire to reconnect with the academic setting has afforded me the opportunity to be a field instructor for the ASU School of Social Work. I value this leadership opportunity to mentor and empower future social workers in their journey within this helping profession.