Melinda Lee Kiltz, MSW, MPA, is an associate professor, BSW program director, and Chair of the Social Work department. She is currently a Doctorate of Social Work (DSW) candidate at the University of Kentucky, with expected completion in May 2026. Her academic preparation includes an MSW and MPA from Arizona State University and a BA in Social Work from Mount Mary University. Kiltz’s academic strengths are grounded in more than a decade of departmental leadership and program development. Since 2013, she has guided the Mount Mary University Social Work department through significant milestones, including the 2025 CSWE reaccreditation of the BSW program and the launch of Mount Mary University’s MSW program in 2024. The MSW program is currently in candidacy status. Her leadership portfolio includes curriculum design, program evaluation, faculty mentoring and oversight, accreditation management, and strategic resource planning. She brings extensive teaching experience across social work, psychology, and sociology, with a commitment to student mentorship and inclusive pedagogy.

Her research agenda demonstrates a focus on ethics and values in social work education, curriculum innovation, accreditation standards, disability advocacy, immigration, and service learning. Her DSW capstone—Service Learning as a Catalyst for Ethical Reasoning in Social Work Practice—advances national conversations on how experiential learning enhances ethical decision-making in professional preparation. Kiltz also contributes to the profession through peer-reviewed publications, digital learning content development, invited conference presentations, and service in national organizations. Her scholarly and administrative work reflects a deep commitment to advancing socially just, ethically grounded social work education.