She completed her PhD in Social Work at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia in 2008. Her scholarship interests include organization, community, and policy practice in homelessness, particularly for older adults and those experiencing serious mental illness or co-occurring disorders. Lori is also interested in the intersection of religion and social welfare, completing national collaborative research on best practices in faith-based human services and dissertation research on faith-based advocacy organizations. Lori has over 10 years of work experience in affordable housing and homeless services. Most recently, she coordinated and directed the development of a permanent housing and comprehensive mental health program for homeless individuals in the Greater Richmond, Virginia area.