Dean’s Welcome
Welcome to the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis. Whether you are a prospective student exploring your future, an alum reconnecting with your roots, a community partner seeking to collaborate, or a colleague from another academic institution, we’re so glad you’re here.
For over a century, the Brown School has been a beacon for those called to improve the lives of others through research, policy, and practice. We are a close-knit, place-based community where passionate students, innovative faculty, and talented staff collaborate to tackle society’s most pressing challenges—locally, nationally, and globally. Together, we are committed to rigorous science, transformative education, and partnerships that turn knowledge into action.
We are grounded in an unparalleled legacy of excellence in education and field-leading scholarship in social work and social policy. Our work spans child and family wellbeing, economic mobility, international development, evidence-based practice, implementation science, and beyond. We share a deep belief in the social contract—the idea that society functions best when it offers a fair chance to everyone.
I often say that “social work is a verb.” It’s a tenacious commitment to creative problem-solving and a categorical refusal to leave vulnerable people uncared for. In today’s world, where portions of the social fabric are so frayed that the calling to serve is sometimes misunderstood or even distrusted, our community’s optimism is a radical act. It’s a resistance to despair, to cynicism, to the belief that things cannot get better.
By being here, you are the legacy we’ve been building for over 100 years. If you share our commitment to justice, mercy, and impact, we invite you to join us.
With gratitude and hope,
Dorian Traube
Neidorff Family and Centene Corporation Dean
Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis
Meet Dorian Traube: Dean of the Brown School & Professor
Dorian Traube, the Neidorff Family and Centene Corporation Dean of the Brown School at Washington University, leads research in early child development, home visitation, and telehealth solutions. She created Parents as Teachers@USC Telehealth, providing 600,000 virtual home visits and training 12,000 home visitors, recognized for its impact. Her work, supported by organizations like NIH, earned her a multimillion-dollar award during the COVID-19 pandemic. Traube serves on the boards of California Emerging Technology Fund and Child 360 and is a licensed clinical social worker in California and New York.
Our Vision
A better and more equitable society.
Our Mission
To engage multidisciplinary faculty, staff and students to create a better and more equitable society through leading rigorous science, transformative education and authentic partnerships.
About WashU
Founded in 1853, Washington University in St. Louis is counted among the world’s leaders in teaching and research and boasts highly ranked schools of Social Work, Medicine, Business and Law. It is dedicated to challenging its faculty and students alike to seek new knowledge and greater understanding of an ever-changing, multicultural world. The university draws students and faculty to St. Louis from all 50 states and approximately 130 nations.
School Administration
Dean
Dorian Traube
Neidorff Family and Centene Corporation Dean of the Brown School
Associate Deans
Assistant Deans
Jamie Adkisson-Hennessy
Assistant Dean for Outreach, Admissions and Enrollment Management
Academic Director
Chief of Staff
