Lisa Dunn , MSW

College of Liberal Arts - School of Social Work

Director of Field Education

BIOGRAPHY  

Lisa A. Dunn, MSW is the Director of Field Education for Hawai’i Pacific University’s School of Social Work. She received her master’s degree from the School of Social Work at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa in 1982 and has worked at a variety of nonprofit organizations serving people and communities in need. Lisa’s career has included work with sexually abused children, victims of human trafficking, domestic violence, isolated frail elderly, street youth, houseless, HIV positive, physical and cognitive disabilities, and developmental delays. The agencies have been varied and have included The Children’s Alliance of Hawai’i, The Salvation Army Hawaiʻi and American Samoa Anti Trafficking Project, Child and Family Service Domestic Abuse Shelters, Waikiki Health Center, Hawaiʻi State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Hawaiian Humane Society, and United Cerebral Palsy Association.  

Lisa served eight years as the Chair for the Hawaiʻi State Crime Victim Compensation Commission and was the Victim’s Representative on the Hawaiʻi State Council for Interstate Offender Supervision for nine years. She served as commissioner for the Hawai’i Commission on National and Community Service (AmeriCorps) for two terms. Lisa currently serves as Chair for the Executive Committee for the Institute on Violence Abuse and Trauma’s Hawai’i branch, Ho’omaluhia. She is also a Victim Services Representative for Hawai’i State’s Justice Reinvestment Initiative Workgroup. 

Lisa Dunn has a keen interest in expressive arts therapy after her work at The Children’s Alliance of Hawai’i and recognizing the value of all the arts in the children’s abilities to express themselves, build self-esteem, and develop post traumatic growth and resiliency.