Ed Morales
PhD Student
Specialization(s)
child welfare, children and youth, civic and community engagement, culturally responsive practice, disparities, families and family systems, public policy, race and ethnicity, racial justice, research methods
Professional Biography
Originally from the forests of the Pacific Northwest, Ed Morales earned his Master of Social Work and Master of Public Policy degrees from the University of Minnesota, where he's taught in the School of Social Work since 2020. His career has spanned child welfare, K-12 education, and public systems training‚. Most recently as a training supervisor with Hennepin County, where his work received national recognition. Named the 2025 Social Worker of the Year by NASW-MN, ed centers love, justice, and liberation in all he does. At DU, his research will explore child welfare, abolition and moral injury under the mentorship of Dr. Kim Bender. He's an adoptive parent to two remarkable daughters, and lives with his 20-year-old cat, Mocha. In his spare time, Ed enjoys backcountry adventures, diving and getting a full night's sleep.
