Yadira Tejeda, Ph.D., MSW

Yadira Tejeda is an Assistant Professor of Social Work whose scholarship focuses on child maltreatment, child welfare involvement, Latino families, and father engagement. A Los Angeles native, Dr. Tejeda earned her bachelor’s degree in Sociology and her Master of Social Work from California State University, Northridge and her Ph.D. in Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis, where she specialized in child maltreatment research.

Dr. Tejeda’s research is grounded in a commitment to understanding the experiences of children and families involved with high-risk systems and to developing more culturally responsive and family-centered approaches to child welfare practice. Her scholarship centers on Latino families involved with Child Protective Services (CPS), with particular attention to Latino fathers, father engagement, family dynamics, and disparities in child welfare experiences and outcomes. Her work draws on both qualitative and quantitative methodologies to examine how families experience child welfare systems, how cultural and structural factors shape engagement, and how research can inform policies and practices that better support children and families.

Her research agenda is informed by her professional experience as a CPS social worker, where she developed firsthand knowledge of the complexities families and practitioners navigate within the child welfare system. She has also worked with former foster youth in a community college setting and has served as a field instructor for MSW students. These experiences continue to shape her commitment to connecting social work research, education, and practice.

As an educator, Dr. Tejeda has taught courses in Human Behavior in the Social Environment, Social Work Practice with American Indian/Alaska Native and Latino Families, and Social Work Practice in Early and Middle Childhood. She is particularly interested in preparing social work students to engage children and families with cultural humility, critical thinking, and an understanding of the broader systems that shape their experiences.

Through her scholarship and teaching, Dr. Tejeda seeks to strengthen child maltreatment and child welfare research while contributing to more equitable, culturally responsive, and family-centered services for children and families.