College of Social Work Welcomes Child Welfare Expert to Faculty

Kimberly Harvey is not new to the College of Social Work, but this year she steps into a new role as an Assistant Teaching Professor, working with the Field Education Office and teaching undergraduate and graduate classes. 

Born in Washington, DC, she grew up both in Maryland and Florida but considers the Sunshine State home. Florida State University is also a familiar and cherished space for her. Harvey is a three-time FSU graduate with a bachelor’s degree in criminology (BS ’01) and two master’s degrees in social work (MSW ’10) and criminology (MS ’05).

Her early career focused on criminology and criminal justice, but it later shifted to the well-being of children. “My journey into social work began while working in child protective services,” Harvey explained. “Many of my colleagues were social workers, and as I learned more about the profession, I became increasingly inspired by its commitment to service and justice. I realized that the core values of social work closely aligned with the kind of career and life I wanted to build.”

That realization motivated Harvey to return to school for her Master of Social Work degree at FSU. Since completing her degree, she has held positions in child welfare at several well-known organizations in the Tallahassee area, including the Children’s Home Society, the Florida Department of Children and Families, and the Northwest Florida Health Network.

“I spent nearly five years serving as a case management supervisor,” she reminisced. “It remains one of the most challenging and rewarding roles I have held. Supervisors occupy a unique position within an organization, serving as the critical link between frontline staff and executive leadership.”

But her connection with Florida State and her interest in developing other leaders in child welfare changed her career path in 2022, when she became an adjunct professor in the College of Social Work, teaching social work classes in areas including child welfare, research, and policy analysis. 

She also started a position with the Florida Institute for Child Welfare, housed at the college, the same year. As a lead professional development trainer for the Institute’s Alliance for Workforce Enhancement Leadership Academy, she developed and facilitated leadership programs for child welfare professionals throughout Florida. 

This passion for the field of child welfare continued into her own education, as Harvey pursued her Doctorate in Social Work at Florida Atlantic University. Her research continues to focus on child welfare supervision, leadership development, workforce well-being, and organizational strategies that support the retention and resilience of child welfare workers.

“Child welfare remains my greatest professional passion and I especially enjoy teaching courses related to child welfare practice and child maltreatment,” she shared. “My goal is to always help students bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world practice. I also believe strongly in connecting students with practitioners and community partners. Students benefit from hearing firsthand about both the challenges and rewards of the field.”