Jax Kynn

LEO Lecturer I

Jax Kynn, MA, MSW, focuses on research methods, program evaluation, social welfare policies and violence prevention. Their work is centered on understanding violence at a macro-level and how social workers can improve how institutions interact with historically marginalized populations. Kynn has experience in qualitative and quantitative research and evaluation, program management and grant writing, and they edit podcasts in their free time.

Contact Information

  • 3768 SSWB
    University of Michigan
    School of Social Work
    1080 S. University Ave.
    Ann Arbor, MI 48109

Education

  • PhD Social Work
    Michigan State University, East Lansing
  • 2015 MSW Mgmt and Policy
    Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ
  • 2013 MA Gender Studies
    Central Euopean University, Budapest, HUNGARY
  • 2011 BS Political Science & Religion
    Florida State University, Tallahassee
  • 2011 BA International Affairs
    Florida State University, Tallahassee

News

Activities

Publications
Kynn, J., Boyke, H., McCarthy, S., & Gzesh, A. S. (2024). Structural vulnerabilities and overcriminalization of LGBTQ+ youth in the California justice system. Children & Youth Services Review, 160, 107586.
Holloway, B. T., Hostetter, C. R., Morris, K., Kynn, J., & Kilby, M. (2023). "We're all we have": Envisioning the future of mutual aid from queer and trans perspectives. Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare, 50(1).
Reid, T., Kynn, J., & McCauley, H. L. (2023). Resilience in the context of sexual violence: A scoping review. Journal of Family Violence.
Christensen, M. C., Jeon, J., Hostetter, R., Doyle, M., & Kynn, J. (2023). Facilitators and barriers to sexual and gender minority youth development: Addressing accessibility and “isms”, building collaborations, and supporting mental health in community-based organizations. Children and Youth Services Review.

Experience
Year Description
2022-present Lecturer, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
2022-present LEO Lecturer I, University of Michigan School of Social Work, Ann Arbor, MI
2021-2022 LEO Intermittent Lecturer, University of Michigan School of Social Work, Ann Arbor, MI
2017-present Lecturer, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ

Honors and Awards
Year Description
2023-2024 Leadership Fellows Program, Michigan State University
2023 Caucus of LGBTQ Faculty & Students in Social Work, CSWE conference scholarship
2022-2023 Education Opportunity Fellowship, Michigan State University
2021-2022 A framework for identifying and measuring institutional courage and institutional betrayal within immigration court (Co-PIs: Boyke, H., & Kynn, J.). The Center for Institutional Courage.

Presentations
Year Description
2021 Exploring the Impact of Institutional Betrayal on Youth Who Have Experienced Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking. International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, May 2021.
2022 We’re Here, We’re Queer: Defining, Conducting, and Engaging Queer Research in the Cis Het Academy. Woodhull Foundation’s Sexuality Freedom Summit, August 2022.
2022 Immigrants’ Access to Legal Representation for Immigration Court in the United States. Council for Social Work Education’s Annual Program Meeting, November 2022.
2022 Institutional Courage and Institutional Betrayal in United States Immigration Courts. International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, May 2022.
2022 Resilience in the Context of Sexual Violence: A Scoping review (poster). Society for Social Work & Research. January 2022.

Courses