Dr. Cini Bretzlaff-Holstein
Program Director for the Social Work Adult Undergraduate Program; Professor of Social Work
Education
DSW, St. Catherine University-University of St. Thomas School of Social Work, St. Paul, Minnesota, 2017
M.S.W., Baylor University School of Social Work, Waco, Texas, 2006
B.S., Olivet Nazarene University, Bourbonnais, Illinois, 2002
“My role as a social work educator allows me to help students uncover their own vocational call within the profession based on their passions, gifts, strengths, and life experiences while they in turn inspire and motivate me to create a learning environment that is both exciting, interesting, challenging, and relevant.”
Dr. Cini Bretzlaff-Holstein, associate professor of social work, has taught at Trinity Christian College since 2008. She is a licensed social worker in the state of Illinois and before concentrating her career on education, she spent six years working in the field of social work in a variety of areas. She mentored children and youth from numerous backgrounds at a home for troubled youth. She worked with Latino immigrants in ESL programs and with the homeless in a community ministry. She served as a case worker in a short-term guardianship program and helped to develop and coordinate numerous community and ministry programs for mentoring youth. In addition, she cultivated collaborative partnerships between churches and faith-based organizations who wished to work with their communities from a Christian community development approach.
Her field of practice is now in education—preparing future social workers to be change agents, which she believes to be an important responsibility. “Engaging in the social work profession through social work education as my practice has allowed me to share with students my commitment to the social work profession. It has provided me with the opportunity to share with them how social work has the capacity to generate restoration, renewal, peace, and justice. My role as a social work educator also allows me to help students uncover their own vocational call within the profession based on their passions, gifts, strengths, and life experiences while they in turn inspire and motivate me to create a learning environment that is both exciting, interesting, challenging, and relevant. The collegiality with my faculty colleagues and the energizing and passionate students both in and out of the social work program is what drives me.”
Dr. Bretzlaff-Holstein’s scholarly interests include food justice, environmental & ecological justice, social work education & humane education, the human-animal bond in social work and vegan studies. More specifically, rooted in the belief that humans have a moral and an ethical responsibility to seek the welfare of all the living world, her primary scholarship focus areas center on social work education, and social work practice expanding its understanding of the person in the environment to include not just the social environment (neighborhood, schools, faith-community, etc.), but also the natural environment (the natural world and non-human animals). Ultimately, Dr. Bretzlaff-Holstein’s scholarship focuses not only on helping social workers, but all people live their values and widen their circle of compassion to include all of God’s creation and all of God’s creatures. This is often expressed in her interactions and activities with students both in and outside of the classroom as well as through contributions to the broader Trinity community.
Courses
Social Work Values and Ethics
Generalist Practice with Individuals
Generalist Practice with Groups and Families
Community Social Action Policy
Field Education – supervise students in field placement
Papers Published and/or Presented
— Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. (2021). [Review of book Animal rights education, by Horsthemke, K.]. Journal of Animal Ethics.
–Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. (2020). Social work education & humane education: Opportunities for incorporation. In Itle-Clarke, S. & Coamskey, E.M. (Eds.) Humane education in a university context: Advancing inclusive social justice studies in a postsecondary environment. WCY Humane Press.
–Presentation accepted: Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. (2020). Animals in Social Work Practice and Education: Moving Toward Inclusivity & Normalization versus Specialization. Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics Summer School, Oxford, England, postponed to August 2022.
–Presentation accepted: Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. (2020). Expanding the Definition of Environment in Social Work Practice Beyond The “Social Environment”: An Environmental Justice Emphasis. Macro 2.0 Teaching Institute, St. Louis, MO, postponed, TBA.
–Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. (2020). Pedagogical Strategies for Incorporating Environmental Justice into the Social Work Classroom. Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting, Virtual Conference, November 2020.
–Baldrige, S., Bretzlaff-Holstein, C., & Doot Abinoja, L. (2020). The Recruitment and Teaching of Gen Z Students: Challenges and Opportunities in Faith-Based Social Work Education. Co-presented at the North American Association of Christians in Social Work Annual Convention, Virtual Conference, November 2020.
–Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. and Doot Abinoja, L. (2019). Cross-Curricular Collaboration in Social Work Classes. Co-presented at the North American Association of Christians in Social Work Annual Convention, Indianapolis, IN, November 2019.
–Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. and Doot Abinoja, L. (2019). Cross-Curricular Collaboration in Social Work Classes. Co-presented at the Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting, Denver, CO, October 2019.
–Presentation accepted, but unable to attend: Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. (2019). Humane Education, Social Work, Social Work Education: A Potential Collaborative Partner? Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics Summer School, Oxford, England, July 2019.
–Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. (2019). Humane Education, Social Work, Social Work Education: A Potential Collaborative Partner? Online workshop presented for the Humane Education Coalition’s Humane Summit, February 2019.
–Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. (2019). Humane Education, Social Work, Social Work Education: A Potential Collaborative Partner? Workshop presented at The Association of Professional Humane Educators Conference, Phoenix, AZ, January 2019.
–Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. (2018). The case for humane education in social work education. Social Work Education, doi: 10.1080/02615479.2018.1468428
–Boens, K., Boyce, M., Bretzlaff-Holstein, C., Huyser, M, and Tan, A. (2018). Using Case Studies in Teaching Values & Ethics to BSW Students. Co-presented at the North American Association of Christians in Social Work, Annual Conference, Hartford, CT, October 2018.
–Bretzlaff-Holstein, C., Doot Abinoja, L., Tan, A. (2018). The Macro 3: A Unique Model for BSW Senior Year. Co-presented at Trinity Christian College Faculty Coffee, Palos Heights, IL, April 2018.
–Bretzlaff-Holstein, C., Doot Abinoja, L., Tan, A. (2018). The Macro 3: A Unique Model for BSW Senior Year. Co-presented at The Association of Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors Annual Conference, Atlanta, GA, March 2018.
–Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. (2017). The case for humane education in social work education (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from http://sophia.stkate.edu/dsw/3/
–Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. (2017). The Case for Humane Education in Social Work Education: A Doctoral Banded Dissertation. Presented at Trinity Christian College Faculty Coffee, Palos Heights, IL, April 2017.
–Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. (2017). The Human-Animal Relationship in Social Work Practice. Poster session at the North American Association of Christians in Social Work, Annual Conference, Charlotte, NC, November 2017.
–Boens, K., Bretzlaff-Holstein, C., & Gartman, A. (2017). Songs as Social Commentary. Co-presented at the North American Association of Christians in Social Work, Annual Conference, Charlotte, NC, November 2017.
–Baldridge, S., Bretzlaff-Holstein, C., Singletary, J., and Smith Brice, T. (2016). A Panel on Personal Faith and Activism in Christian Social Work Education at the North American Association of Christians in Social Work, Annual Conference, Cincinnati, OH, November 2016.
–Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. (2017). The Case for Humane Education in Social Work Education at the North American Association of Christians in Social Work, Annual Conference, Cincinnati, OH, November 2016.
–Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. and King, T. (2016). Upholding Our Commitment in the Midst of Economic Adversity. Co-presented at the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities Diversity Conference, New York, New York, September 2016.
–Boyd, C., Bretzlaff-Holstein, C., and Dougherty, D. (2015). Students’ Professional Development Journey. Co-presented at the North American Association of Christians in Social Work, Annual Conference, Grand Rapids, MI, November 2015.
–Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. and Doot Abinoja, L. (2015). Cultivating Student Professional Development. Co-presented at The Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting, Denver, CO, October 2015.
–Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. and Doot Abinoja, L. (2015). Cultivating Student Professional Development. Co-presented at The Association of Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors Annual Conference, Kansas City, MO, March 2015.
–Baldridge, S. and Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. (2014). Good Health for All: Closing the Food Gap. Co-presented at the North American Association of Christians in Social Work, Annual Conference, Annapolis, MD, November 2014.
–Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. (2014). Social Work, the Food Movement, and Food Justice. Presented at Union University School of Social Work, Annual Conference, Jackson, TN, April 2014.
–Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. and Garcia, L. (2013). Grow One Another: A Church Bridging the Food Gap. Co-presented at Christian Community Development Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA, 2013.
–Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. (2013). Social Work, the Food Movement, and Food Justice. Presented at the North American Association of Christians in Social Work, Annual Conference, Atlanta, GA, October 2013.
–Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. and Wessley, A. (2012). Food Citizenship and Our Local Communities. Co-presented at Christian Community Development Annual Conference, Minneapolis, MN, 2012.
–Bretzlaff, C. (2006). Social Service Provision in Congregations: Part 2 Leadership and Affiliation with Other Agenices. Co-presented at Baylor University School of Social Work Capstone Colloqium, Waco, TX, 2006.
–Bretzlaff, C., Craddock, C., Foote, N., and Foust, J. (2005). Family Literacy Ministry: An Emerging Model Ilustrated by LEAF. Co-presented at the Conference for International and Literacy Ministry, Waco, TX, 2005.
–Bretzlaff, C., Garland, D.R., Guskuma, I., and Havens, B. (2005). The Changing Role of Religiously-Affiliated Child and Family Serving Agencies. Co-presented at the National Association of Christians in Social Work (NACSW) Hand-in-Hand Conference, Dallas, TX, 2005.
–Bretzlaff, C., Garland, D.R., Guskuma, I., and Havens, B. (2005). The Changing Role of Religiously-Affiliated Child and Family Serving Agencies. Co-presented at the Annual Conference of the Religious Research Association, Rochester, NY, 2005.
Honors and Awards
NASW-IL 2013 Social Worker of the Year
Professional Society Memberships
Fellow of the Ferrater Mora Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics at Oxford University – 2018-present
Phi Alpha Honors Society –2016-Present
North American Association of Christians in Social Work – 2013-Present
- + Expertise
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Dr. Cini Bretzlaff-Holstein, associate professor of social work, has taught at Trinity Christian College since 2008. She is a licensed social worker in the state of Illinois and before concentrating her career on education, she spent six years working in the field of social work in a variety of areas. She mentored children and youth from numerous backgrounds at a home for troubled youth. She worked with Latino immigrants in ESL programs and with the homeless in a community ministry. She served as a case worker in a short-term guardianship program and helped to develop and coordinate numerous community and ministry programs for mentoring youth. In addition, she cultivated collaborative partnerships between churches and faith-based organizations who wished to work with their communities from a Christian community development approach.
Her field of practice is now in education—preparing future social workers to be change agents, which she believes to be an important responsibility. “Engaging in the social work profession through social work education as my practice has allowed me to share with students my commitment to the social work profession. It has provided me with the opportunity to share with them how social work has the capacity to generate restoration, renewal, peace, and justice. My role as a social work educator also allows me to help students uncover their own vocational call within the profession based on their passions, gifts, strengths, and life experiences while they in turn inspire and motivate me to create a learning environment that is both exciting, interesting, challenging, and relevant. The collegiality with my faculty colleagues and the energizing and passionate students both in and out of the social work program is what drives me.”
Dr. Bretzlaff-Holstein’s scholarly interests include food justice, environmental & ecological justice, social work education & humane education, the human-animal bond in social work and vegan studies. More specifically, rooted in the belief that humans have a moral and an ethical responsibility to seek the welfare of all the living world, her primary scholarship focus areas center on social work education, and social work practice expanding its understanding of the person in the environment to include not just the social environment (neighborhood, schools, faith-community, etc.), but also the natural environment (the natural world and non-human animals). Ultimately, Dr. Bretzlaff-Holstein’s scholarship focuses not only on helping social workers, but all people live their values and widen their circle of compassion to include all of God’s creation and all of God’s creatures. This is often expressed in her interactions and activities with students both in and outside of the classroom as well as through contributions to the broader Trinity community.
- + Courses, Publications & Research
-
Courses
Social Work Values and Ethics
Generalist Practice with Individuals
Generalist Practice with Groups and FamiliesCommunity Social Action Policy
Field Education – supervise students in field placementPapers Published and/or Presented
— Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. (2021). [Review of book Animal rights education, by Horsthemke, K.]. Journal of Animal Ethics.
–Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. (2020). Social work education & humane education: Opportunities for incorporation. In Itle-Clarke, S. & Coamskey, E.M. (Eds.) Humane education in a university context: Advancing inclusive social justice studies in a postsecondary environment. WCY Humane Press.
–Presentation accepted: Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. (2020). Animals in Social Work Practice and Education: Moving Toward Inclusivity & Normalization versus Specialization. Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics Summer School, Oxford, England, postponed to August 2022.
–Presentation accepted: Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. (2020). Expanding the Definition of Environment in Social Work Practice Beyond The “Social Environment”: An Environmental Justice Emphasis. Macro 2.0 Teaching Institute, St. Louis, MO, postponed, TBA.
–Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. (2020). Pedagogical Strategies for Incorporating Environmental Justice into the Social Work Classroom. Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting, Virtual Conference, November 2020.
–Baldrige, S., Bretzlaff-Holstein, C., & Doot Abinoja, L. (2020). The Recruitment and Teaching of Gen Z Students: Challenges and Opportunities in Faith-Based Social Work Education. Co-presented at the North American Association of Christians in Social Work Annual Convention, Virtual Conference, November 2020.
–Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. and Doot Abinoja, L. (2019). Cross-Curricular Collaboration in Social Work Classes. Co-presented at the North American Association of Christians in Social Work Annual Convention, Indianapolis, IN, November 2019.
–Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. and Doot Abinoja, L. (2019). Cross-Curricular Collaboration in Social Work Classes. Co-presented at the Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting, Denver, CO, October 2019.
–Presentation accepted, but unable to attend: Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. (2019). Humane Education, Social Work, Social Work Education: A Potential Collaborative Partner? Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics Summer School, Oxford, England, July 2019.
–Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. (2019). Humane Education, Social Work, Social Work Education: A Potential Collaborative Partner? Online workshop presented for the Humane Education Coalition’s Humane Summit, February 2019.
–Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. (2019). Humane Education, Social Work, Social Work Education: A Potential Collaborative Partner? Workshop presented at The Association of Professional Humane Educators Conference, Phoenix, AZ, January 2019.
–Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. (2018). The case for humane education in social work education. Social Work Education, doi: 10.1080/02615479.2018.1468428
–Boens, K., Boyce, M., Bretzlaff-Holstein, C., Huyser, M, and Tan, A. (2018). Using Case Studies in Teaching Values & Ethics to BSW Students. Co-presented at the North American Association of Christians in Social Work, Annual Conference, Hartford, CT, October 2018.
–Bretzlaff-Holstein, C., Doot Abinoja, L., Tan, A. (2018). The Macro 3: A Unique Model for BSW Senior Year. Co-presented at Trinity Christian College Faculty Coffee, Palos Heights, IL, April 2018.
–Bretzlaff-Holstein, C., Doot Abinoja, L., Tan, A. (2018). The Macro 3: A Unique Model for BSW Senior Year. Co-presented at The Association of Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors Annual Conference, Atlanta, GA, March 2018.
–Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. (2017). The case for humane education in social work education (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from http://sophia.stkate.edu/dsw/3/
–Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. (2017). The Case for Humane Education in Social Work Education: A Doctoral Banded Dissertation. Presented at Trinity Christian College Faculty Coffee, Palos Heights, IL, April 2017.
–Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. (2017). The Human-Animal Relationship in Social Work Practice. Poster session at the North American Association of Christians in Social Work, Annual Conference, Charlotte, NC, November 2017.
–Boens, K., Bretzlaff-Holstein, C., & Gartman, A. (2017). Songs as Social Commentary. Co-presented at the North American Association of Christians in Social Work, Annual Conference, Charlotte, NC, November 2017.
–Baldridge, S., Bretzlaff-Holstein, C., Singletary, J., and Smith Brice, T. (2016). A Panel on Personal Faith and Activism in Christian Social Work Education at the North American Association of Christians in Social Work, Annual Conference, Cincinnati, OH, November 2016.
–Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. (2017). The Case for Humane Education in Social Work Education at the North American Association of Christians in Social Work, Annual Conference, Cincinnati, OH, November 2016.
–Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. and King, T. (2016). Upholding Our Commitment in the Midst of Economic Adversity. Co-presented at the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities Diversity Conference, New York, New York, September 2016.
–Boyd, C., Bretzlaff-Holstein, C., and Dougherty, D. (2015). Students’ Professional Development Journey. Co-presented at the North American Association of Christians in Social Work, Annual Conference, Grand Rapids, MI, November 2015.
–Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. and Doot Abinoja, L. (2015). Cultivating Student Professional Development. Co-presented at The Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting, Denver, CO, October 2015.
–Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. and Doot Abinoja, L. (2015). Cultivating Student Professional Development. Co-presented at The Association of Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors Annual Conference, Kansas City, MO, March 2015.
–Baldridge, S. and Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. (2014). Good Health for All: Closing the Food Gap. Co-presented at the North American Association of Christians in Social Work, Annual Conference, Annapolis, MD, November 2014.
–Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. (2014). Social Work, the Food Movement, and Food Justice. Presented at Union University School of Social Work, Annual Conference, Jackson, TN, April 2014.
–Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. and Garcia, L. (2013). Grow One Another: A Church Bridging the Food Gap. Co-presented at Christian Community Development Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA, 2013.
–Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. (2013). Social Work, the Food Movement, and Food Justice. Presented at the North American Association of Christians in Social Work, Annual Conference, Atlanta, GA, October 2013.
–Bretzlaff-Holstein, C. and Wessley, A. (2012). Food Citizenship and Our Local Communities. Co-presented at Christian Community Development Annual Conference, Minneapolis, MN, 2012.
–Bretzlaff, C. (2006). Social Service Provision in Congregations: Part 2 Leadership and Affiliation with Other Agenices. Co-presented at Baylor University School of Social Work Capstone Colloqium, Waco, TX, 2006.
–Bretzlaff, C., Craddock, C., Foote, N., and Foust, J. (2005). Family Literacy Ministry: An Emerging Model Ilustrated by LEAF. Co-presented at the Conference for International and Literacy Ministry, Waco, TX, 2005.
–Bretzlaff, C., Garland, D.R., Guskuma, I., and Havens, B. (2005). The Changing Role of Religiously-Affiliated Child and Family Serving Agencies. Co-presented at the National Association of Christians in Social Work (NACSW) Hand-in-Hand Conference, Dallas, TX, 2005.
–Bretzlaff, C., Garland, D.R., Guskuma, I., and Havens, B. (2005). The Changing Role of Religiously-Affiliated Child and Family Serving Agencies. Co-presented at the Annual Conference of the Religious Research Association, Rochester, NY, 2005.
- + Awards & Memberships
-
Honors and Awards
NASW-IL 2013 Social Worker of the Year
Professional Society Memberships
Fellow of the Ferrater Mora Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics at Oxford University – 2018-present
Phi Alpha Honors Society –2016-Present
North American Association of Christians in Social Work – 2013-Present