Dr. Lakindra Mitchell Dove Named PSU School of Social Work Researcher of the Year 2025

The Portland State University School of Social Work is proud to announce that Lakindra Mitchell Dove, PhD, MSW, has been named the SSW's Researcher of the Year for 2025!

Dr. Mitchell Dove is a practice-informed researcher with more than 15 years of post-MSW practice experience, working primarily with children and families. She spent a decade working as a pediatric medical social worker, specializing in child abuse and neglect. She is a former child and family therapist, and also has experience in community-based mental health, child welfare, and community organizing. Her research focuses on the cultural needs of Black adolescents and healthy racial and ethnic identity development. She also conducts research on the experiences of undergraduate students of color and trauma-informed practices in higher education. Through research, she aims to highlight the experiences of those from historically marginalized backgrounds, while promoting healing and liberation.

“As a qualitative researcher, I deeply value the process of engaging in research. It is not all about the findings or end results. There is substance in observing and analyzing ways in which conversations emerge, unfold, and connect among people. Being with individuals as they share aspects of themselves is a gift. I value the invitation to momentarily step into the world of others and witness their experiences.” – Dr. Mitchell Dove

Congratulations, Dr. Mitchell Dove!