Bio
Kacey-Ann Cockett is a Master of Social Work candidate at Columbia University School of Social Work and a research assistant at the university’s Social Intervention Group (SIG). Her academic and research interests center on violence against women within immigrant populations, with a specific focus on developing and adapting culturally responsive interventions among the Caribbean diaspora. Her work explores the intersectionality of intimate partner violence, mental health, and substance use to develop strategies for prevention, intervention, and generational healing.
As a research assistant at Columbia University’s Social Intervention Group (SIG), Kacey has worked extensively on research materials and literature reviews alongside the conceptualization of the WINGS Caribbean intervention, specifically, adapting the intervention for hospital-based settings. In alignment with these efforts, Kacey presented to the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s Women’s Advisory Board, where she informed audience members about the intersecting factors contributing to IPV prevalence and behaviors within Caribbean Diasporic communities, advocating for expanded support services. In a similar effort, before working at SIG, Kacey has consulted the Kings Against Violence Initiative (KAVI), providing culturally tailored material to support the immigrant youth they serve. Kacey’s expertise as an immigrant survivor with lived experiences and awareness of the structural environment of our time provides a unique perspective to her work, which explores the intersectionality of intimate partner violence, mental health, and substance use to develop strategies for prevention, intervention, and healing.
Kacey is also working on the Perception of Housing (PHP) study for the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice (MOCJ), aimed at understanding the impact of permanent housing placements on the lives of individuals who received services, providing a unique opportunity in policy practice to participate in research as a form of advocacy. Understanding the many complex barriers faced by those formerly incarcerated upon reentry into society, Kacey conducted in-depth research into the various services available for this population across the five boroughs of New York City, which serves as a guide to accessing resources that promote overall well-being, mobility, and empowerment.