Faculty Profile

​​Katy Tangenberg

​​Katy Tangenberg

​Dean of the School of Psychology, Family, and Community; Professor of Social Welfare

Email: tangenbergk@spu.edu
Phone: 206-281-2940
Office: Marston 129


Education: Education: BA, University of Texas at Austin, 1983; MSSW, University of Texas at Austin, 1988; PhD, University of Washington, 1998. At SPU since 2016.

Dr. Katy Tangenberg received her PhD in Social Welfare and has worked in several clinical, educational, and administrative contexts focused on health/mental health care, family-centered services, and Christian higher education administration. Teaching and research areas include clinical practice, social welfare policy, human sexuality, and intersections of faith and gender in leadership development, higher education, and health care. She has taught on the Social Work faculties of the University of Washington-Tacoma, the University of Iowa, and Azusa Pacific University. At APU she was founding director/chair of the Master of Social Work Program and also served as the associate dean of the School of Behavioral and Applied Sciences. She was thrilled to return to Seattle in 2016 to join the SPU community. She is married with two close-to-adult children and enjoys hiking, swimming, coffee, and great conversations.


Why I Teach at SPU

Katy Tangenberg, Dean of the School of Psychology, Family, and Community; Professor of Social Welfare

“I love to teach because it creates opportunities for relationships and learning that expands self understanding and potential to pursue possibilities never before considered. The capacity of Christ-centered education is truly awe-inspiring and I am grateful to engage the creative dynamics of faith, scholarship and action central to the mission of Seattle Pacific University.”