Catherine LaBrenz

Dr. Catherine LaBrenz has received the Excellence in Research Award in recognition of her outstanding and highly productive scholarship that is transforming child welfare policy and practice. Supported by significant external funding and a strong portfolio of federally, state, and locally funded projects, her work integrates advanced methodologies with real-world application to reshape how child maltreatment is understood—highlighting structural and contextual factors—while driving systems-level change and improving outcomes for children and families across local, national, and global contexts.