Adriana Aldana, PhD, MSW (She/Ella) is an Associate Professor of Social Work at California State University, Dominguez Hills.
She earned her doctorate through the Joint Doctoral Program in Social Work and Developmental Psychology at the University of Michigan. As a community-based practitioner and developmental psychologist, Adriana focuses on youth sociopolitical empowerment. Her research explores how participatory action research and multicultural organizing models help young people build the skills and confidence to challenge systemic inequities.
She has worked alongside youth and educators to co-create social justice workshops, lead community dialogue programs, and design antiracist training tools that center inclusion, identity, and collective action.
When she's not teaching or collaborating on community projects, Adriana is a proud dog mom to Nena, her spirited mini schnauzer.
