Faculty and Staff

FACULTY

Dr. Nancy Giunta

Associate Professor

Dr. Nancy Giunta (pronounced JOON-ta) joined the FSU faculty in Fall 2024 as the Chair of the Social Work department. With the reorganization of the colleges, she is now the Director of Social Work program. She is excited to re-build the program and shepherd it through the reaccreditation process with the Council of Social Work Education. Dr. Giunta comes to FSU after 15 years on the faculty of the City University of New York (CUNY). Within CUNY, her appointments were simultaneously in the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College and the Graduate Center (CUNY’s doctoral programs). At the Silberman School of Social Work, she directed Silberman Aging, a John A. Hartford Center of Excellence in Diverse Aging, and served as Chair of the community organizing sequence of the MSW and BSW programs. She has split her time between Allegany County and New York for 15 years and is delighted to focus her energy more locally. Dr. Giunta is currently the President of the Board of Directors of Wholesome Harvest Food Co-op, Allegany County’s only community-owned grocery store. Under her leadership, Wholesome Harvest has received over $1.5 million in funding from the United States Department of Agriculture and other local small business initiatives. Her vision for the Social Work program aligns with her area of scholarship, which is to strengthen existing collaborations in the social service community and expand them to promote economic, food, and health security in the region. Joining the newly established College of Education, Behavioral and Health Professions provides the social work program an excellent opportunity to build multi-disciplinary initiatives to train future generations of health and social service professionals.

Office: Framptom 206C
Phone: 301.687.4695
Email: nmgiunta@frostburg.edu

Degrees:
BA – University of MD, College Park
MA – San Francisco State University
MSW, PhD – University of California, Berkeley

Dr. Erica Hoy Kennedy

Professor & Chair

Dr. Erica Hoy Kennedy is a faculty member and Chair of the Department. Her teaching and research focus on animal learning and cognition, physiological psychology, and research methods. She is dedicated to fostering student growth through both classroom and laboratory experiences.

Office: Lowndes 210-3
Phone: 301.687.4742
Email: ehkennedy@frostburg.edu

Degrees:
B.A. – Franklin & Marshall College
M.S. – University of Georgia
Ph.D. – University of Georgia

ADJUNCT PROFESSORS

Ashley Lane, LMSW, C-PHM

Adjunct Professor

Ashley Lane is the Executive Director of the Housing Authority of the City of Frostburg and a licensed master’s level social worker with over 15 years of experience in public service. A proud 2007 alumna of Frostburg State University, she earned her Master’s in Social Work from Salisbury University in 2016.

Ashley is known for her innovative, collaborative, and compassionate approach to building programs that remove barriers, foster community, and create opportunities for stability and success. Believing that housing security is the cornerstone of independence, she leads with transparency, creativity, and a deep commitment to serving others.

Engaged in her community, Ashley serves as an incorporating board member of Jane’s Place, Inc., Allegany County’s Child Advocacy Center, and is passionate about initiatives that bring people together and strengthen families. She values connection, belonging, and the power of building supportive communities.

Outside of work, Ashley is an avid runner, devoted dog mom, and enthusiastic traveler who embraces the spirit of “Yes” by seeking growth, meaning, and adventure through new experiences.

Office: Framptom 206
Phone: 301.687.7497
Email: anlane1@frostburg.edu

Degrees:
BSW – Frostburg State University
MSW – Salisbury University

Cheriann Menges, LCSW-C

Adjunct Professor

Cheriann Menges is a Licensed Certified Social Worker-Clinical (LCSW-C) and Maryland Board-Approved Supervisor with over a decade of experience in clinical practice, school-based social work, and higher education. She currently serves as an adjunct professor in the Social Work Department at Frostburg State University, where she teaches undergraduate courses in generalist practice and social welfare. Her teaching philosophy centers on cultivating critical thinking, ethical practice, and enriching academic learning through the practical application of clinical expertise.

Cheriann is a doctoral student in the College of Social Work at the University of Kentucky, with a concentration in Administrative Leadership. Her academic journey includes a Master of Social Work from Salisbury University and bachelor’s degree from Frostburg State University dual majoring in Social Work and Law & Society with a Criminal Justice concentration.

Her professional background includes work in mental health, foster care, juvenile services, and public education. She currently works as a school social worker in the public school system; where she provides trauma-informed care, case management, and interdisciplinary collaboration to support student well-being and academic success. Cheriann also leads a grassroots initiative in Allegany County to address food insecurity and is deeply committed to dismantling systemic barriers and empowering underserved, marginalized communities.

Office: Framptom 206
Phone: 301.687.7497
Email: crmenges@frostburg.edu

Degrees:
BSW – Frostburg State University
MSW – Salisbury University
Doctoral Student – University of Kentucky

Charlene Platter

Adjunct Professor

Charlene Platter has provided adjunct instruction for the Social Work and Sociology Departments for over 15 years. She graduated from Frostburg State when it was a College and completed her MSW program at WVU in 1990. Her primary role is as a Social Work Supervisor for the Allegany County Department of Social Services, where she has worked since 1986. She has also worked as a Medical Social Worker for a Dialysis Center and as a Mediator for the Allegany County Court system. She has served on several boards, including the Western Maryland Foodbank. A longtime Allegany County resident, she enjoys biking, traveling, and church service. She values social work for its diverse opportunities and alignment with her life’s work.

Office: Framptom 206
Phone: 301.687.7497
Email: cmplatter@frostburg.edu

Degrees:
BSW – Frostburg State University
MSW – West Virginia University

LECTURER

GE Washington

Lecturer

GE Washington’s teaching interests include Foundations & Research Methods in Social Work, Educational Psychology, Arts-based Community Organizing, Food Access & Social Organizing, and Curriculum Development & Evaluation. Their research focuses on community organizing, food insecurity, Black history in rural communities, at-risk populations, and performance art as a teaching tool.

Office: Framptom 206A
Phone: 301.687.3157
Email: gewashington@frostburg.edu

Degrees:
B.A. – West Virginia University
M.A. – The Pennsylvania State University
Ph.D. – The Pennsylvania State University

STAFF

Connie Capacchione

Administrative Assistant II

Connie Capacchione provides administrative support for the Social Work program. She is a key contact for students and faculty and assists with program coordination in the department.