Megan Piel

Megan Piel, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the Department of Social Work at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), affiliated with the College for Health, Community and Policy (HCAP). Her work focuses on child welfare, foster youth resilience, mental health, and educational equity for foster care alumni.

• Education: Ph.D. and Master of Social Work from Arizona State University; B.S. in Biopsychology from Nebraska Wesleyan University.

Research Interests: Piel studies cross-system collaborations to improve educational outcomes for foster youth, mental health during transitions to adulthood, and prevention of intergenerational child abuse. Her work emphasizes community partnerships, policy reform, and strengths-based approaches in foster care systems.

Grants: She has secured over $3.6 million in grants, including projects like the BCFES Housing First Renewal and the Title IV-E Child Welfare Training Project, focusing on housing stability and workforce development for foster youth.

• 2024 Presentations:
  • Keynote on educational advocacy at the National Conference for Hidden Student Populations
  • Panel discussion on cross-system collaboration at ResilienceCon 2024
  • Workshop on housing instability at UT Health San Antonio's Cultural Inclusion Conference