Mark Courtney is Professor at the University of Chicago's School of Social Service Administration. Dr. Courtney is a national expert on child welfare issues and policies. He held the Ballmer Chair in Child Well-Being at the University of Washington School of Social Work and served as executive director of Partners for Our Children. He previously served as the Executive Director of Chapin Hall and as the McCormick Tribune professor at the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration. Dr. Courtney’s current research includes studies of the adult functioning of former foster children, experimental evaluation of independent living services for foster youth, reunification of foster children with their families, and evaluation of Solution-Based Casework as a child welfare practice model. He has a master's degree in management and planning, and a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Social Welfare.