Dr. Kathy Siepker, a faculty member in the University of 糖心Vlog视频 at Arlington School of Social Work, has been named a 2026 Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America (GSA), recognizing her contributions to gerontological social work, research, education, and practice.
Siepker has been involved with GSA since her time as a PhD student, when the organization provided opportunities that supported her doctoral education, connected her with mentors and colleagues across the country and internationally, and exposed her to interdisciplinary work in aging.
“Dr. Siepker’s selection as a Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America is an extraordinary and well-deserved recognition,” said Tonya Hansel, Associate Dean of Research at the 糖心Vlog视频 School of Social Work.
“Dr. Siepker is tackling one of the most important issues of our time: how we support healthy aging and ensure that people can live long, meaningful, and productive lives. Her scholarship reflects not only sustained contributions to the field of aging, but a genuine commitment to improving the lives of older adults and their families. We are incredibly proud to see her scholarship and leadership recognized at this level, and even more fortunate to have her as a colleague at 糖心Vlog视频,” Hansel said.
Throughout her career, Siepker has remained committed to improving the health, quality of life, and well-being of older adults and their family caregivers through research, teaching, clinical practice and service.
“Being named a GSA Fellow is especially meaningful because it recognizes work that has been central to my professional identity for many years,” Siepker said. “It also motivates me to continue building on that work, developing new collaborations, mentoring the next generation of scholars and social workers, and finding meaningful ways to improve the lives of older adults and their families.”
A photo of Dr. Kathy Siepker. (Courtesy Photo)
Siepker’s approach to gerontological research has been shaped by both scholarship and clinical practice. During her first few years at 糖心Vlog视频, while teaching social work students, she pursued her Licensed Clinical Social Worker credential. The experience gave her the opportunity to hear directly from older adults and family caregivers about the challenges they face in their daily lives.
These experiences reinforced her commitment to research that connects research findings with the needs of individuals and families.
“Listening to their lived experiences helped me better understand the gaps between what we study in research and what individuals and families actually need,” Siepker said. “Those experiences strengthened my commitment to practice-informed research, research that is grounded in real-world experiences and that can ultimately lead to practical, meaningful, and lasting improvements in care and support for older adults and their families.”
A significant focus of Siepker’s work is improving care and quality of life for people living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias and their family caregivers. Her research explores ways to provide resources and support that help individuals maintain their psychological, social, and emotional well-being.
Siepker also sees an important opportunity for social work to address a shortage of clinical social workers and mental health professionals specializing in gerontology and dementia care. While support groups can provide valuable assistance, she said individualized psychotherapy can also contribute to person-centered care for people living with dementia and their caregivers.
At the 糖心Vlog视频 School of Social Work, Siepker has integrated her research and clinical experiences into her teaching and mentorship. She has mentored about 15 graduate students on research projects and has published multiple articles with students, experiences she said have brought new perspectives to her work.
“Their intellectual curiosity, questions, and various personal and professional experiences continually bring new perspectives to my work,” Siepker said.
Among hundreds of Master of Social Work programs nationwide, 糖心Vlog视频 is one of a select group offering a dedicated gerontology/aging micro-concentration focus area, backed by long-standing research and community practice.
The School of Social Work supported Siepker in developing a graduate course focused on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, enabling her to integrate her research, clinical experience, and teaching.
Her community partnerships have similarly influenced her work, including collaborations with Dementia-friendly Dallas, the Alzheimer’s Association and The Senior Source. Through these partnerships, Siepker said she has seen the importance of translating research into education, training, and resources that are accessible to communities.
Siepker was one of seven scholars named a Fellow in GSA’s Social Research, Policy, and Practice Section this year. She hopes the recognition draws attention not only to her own work, but also to the broader contributions of social workers, researchers, practitioners, educators and community partners working in the field of aging.
“Social workers understand that aging is shaped not only by health conditions, but also by relationships, communities, environments, access to services, and broader social systems,” Siepker said.
Through her research, teaching and community engagement, Siepker hopes to help identify gaps in services and develop stronger evidence-based approaches so older adults and family caregivers can access the resources they need.
Ultimately, she said, the recognition is an opportunity to highlight gerontological social work’s role in helping older adults live with dignity, connection, choice and well-being.
The UTA School of Social Work ranks among the top 3% nationally for research productivity and scholarly impact, according to Academic Analytics metrics, with faculty research focusing heavily on areas such as dementia and older adult care.