Tiffany Wells

Dr. Tiffany Wells is a social work educator, researcher, and systems-level practitioner whose work integrates person-centered teaching, applied research, and community impact. She teaches across undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels at Walden University, where she facilitates Social Work Skills Labs (SWLB 0651 & SWLB 0652) and serves as a dissertation chair and co-chair for PhD and DSW students.

Her teaching philosophy is grounded in Walden’s Community of Care model, emphasizing responsiveness, real-world application, and student success. Her instructional approach is data-driven and practice-informed, integrating national datasets and experiential learning to strengthen critical thinking and professional readiness.

Dr. Wells has led large-scale initiatives impacting over 50,000 students through her work with Duval County Public Schools, including health education programming, referral systems, and student-centered interventions. She has also trained educators, counselors, and therapists in trauma-informed care, Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI®), and behavioral strategies to support student outcomes.

She spearheaded the implementation of the B3 (Brain, Body, Behavior) initiative, a research-informed model integrating movement and learning to improve academic performance and behavioral outcomes.

Her research and thought leadership include contributions to CDC-affiliated surveillance systems such as the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) and School Health Profiles, as well as public opinion research in partnership with the University of North Florida, contributing to policy and community discourse.

Education

PhD, Capella University

MS, Capella University

BS, Jacksonville University

Public Service

The Florida Department of Health , Committee Member - Jacksonville

Publications

Wells, T. (2022). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. School Health Profiles 2020: Characteristics of Health Programs Among Secondary Schools..

Wells, T. Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) Division of Adolescent and School Health, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention.

Wells, T. Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) Division of Adolescent and School Health, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention.

Wells, T. Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) Division of Adolescent and School Health, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention.

Presentations

Wells, T. (2023). How did we get here: A look into Sexual Health Education and Sexual Health Services for Teens. Florida State College at Jacksonville

Wells, T. (2021). Infrastructure, Partnerships, and Implementation for LGBTQ+ Supports. Equality Florida

Wells, T. (2021). LGBTQ+ Youth and Human Sexuality. Florida Guardian ad Litem Program

Wells, T. (2022). Youth Risk Behaviors Data: What students are saying and our responsibility to answer.. Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ)

Wells, T. (2021). LGBTQ+ Youth and Human Sexuality. Florida Guardian ad Litem Program