Faculty Member
Kristin Lambert Ashton, DSW, MSW, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Utah Valley University and Director of the Master of Social Work Program. Her teaching and scholarship focus on social work pedagogy, mentoring, clinical education, and social justice. Through the scholarship of teaching and learning, Dr. Lambert examines instructional and mentoring practices that strengthen student learning, clinical skill development, and commitment to social justice.
Before joining Utah Valley University, Dr. Lambert served as a Visiting Clinical Professor in Brigham Young University’s School of Social Work, where she taught advanced clinical courses in the MSW program for three years.
Dr. Lambert brings extensive clinical experience in the treatment of mental health and trauma-related disorders. She previously served as Residential Director at a treatment center for adolescent girls, providing individual, family, and group therapy for clients with significant mental health needs and histories of trauma. She also served as Clinical Coordinator at the Utah Health and Human Rights Project, a nonprofit organization supporting survivors of political torture and human trafficking.
Dr. Lambert earned her Master of Social Work from Columbia University in New York City and her Doctor of Social Work from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Major: Social Work
Special Topics in Social Work Practice, Fall 2026
Special Topics in Social Work Practice, Summer 2026
Social Work Practice with Diverse Populations, Spring 2026
This award recognizes individuals or organizations that demonstrate significant social
impact efforts at UVU and in the local community. Recipients demonstrate excellence in
one or more of the following_
Strengthening social impact efforts at UVU and beyond
Leading ethical, effective, and innovative community engagement
Advancing student involvement in the pathways of social impact
Serving as co-educators by integrating hands-on social impact experiences into
student learning
Connecting coursework and research to community-identified needs
Employing social impact tools and frameworks to enhance community well-being
The Higher Education Academy (HEA) is an international, non-profit organization that promotes teaching excellence in higher education. HEA is a subsidiary of UK-based Advance HE. There are more than 150,000 HEA fellows in the world. UVU is the first American institution to be accredited by the HEA to offer fellowship recognition to faculty, administrators, and staff supporting learning. Fellowships are earned through written reflection and interaction with an HEA Mentor to demonstrate how one’s teaching/supporting learning practices fulfill the dimensions of the UK Professional Standards Framework (PSF). The PSF is the heart of the Higher Education Academy fellowship recognition program. This internationally recognized articulation of the necessary actions, values, and knowledge to effective teaching/supporting learning provides the framework for peer dialogue and personal reflection of practices.
