Lynn Videka is Dean at New York University's Silver School of Social Work. Prior to NYU, Dr. Videka served as Dean of the School of Social Welfare at the State University of New York (SUNY) - Albany for a decade. Her tenure was notable for its many successes, including establishing new dual-degree programs in social work and sociology, as well as in social work and human development. In 2006, she was named Vice President for Research at SUNY-Albany, and was also honored as a Distinguished Service Professor the same year.

Her research interests include peer-helping models for people facing life crises, the effectiveness of social work practice, and the intersection of family life and mental health, especially among vulnerable populations. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Chicago’s School of Social Service Administration in 1981, and her A.M. from there in 1976. She received her B.S.N. with honors from the University of Illinois’ College of Nursing in 1972.

She has held many leadership roles in social work education, including President of the National Association of Deans and Directors of Social Work and the Institute for the Advancement of Social Work Research, Vice President of the Society for Social Work and Research, and Commissioner of Accreditation and Treasurer of the Council on Social Work Education, among others.

Dr. Videka is a widely published author; among her publications are the first social work meta-analysis of mental health practice effectiveness (in 1986) with a subsequent book (Advances in Clinical Social Work Research) and several chapters and articles on the effectiveness of social work practice. She recently authored entries on "Child Neglect" and "Parenting Practices" in the Encyclopedia of Interpersonal Violence (2008), and an article entitled "Building Research Infrastructure in Schools of Social Work," in the journal Social Work Research (2009).

Dr. Videka is the recipient of many career awards and honors in addition to being named a Distinguished Service Professor by the Trustees of the State University of New York. She was selected as a visiting scholar to several institutions, including Hallym University in Chun Cheon, South Korea, and a Fulbright Fellow to Bulgaria.