Christina Marsack-Topolewski, LMSW, PhD

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Christina Marsack-Topolewski, LMSW, PhD is a licensed social worker and an Associate Professor of Social Work at Eastern Michigan University. She received her bachelor’s of science in Special Education from Wayne State University, master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Michigan, and her PhD in Social Work with a dual title in Gerontology from Wayne State University. She has 20 years of experience supporting disabled populations and their family caregivers. She has consulted on cases of disabled populations with co-occurring conditions, including autism. Dr. Marsack-Topolewski has worked as a professor, clinical therapist, teacher, consultant, and speaker. She has published over 80 research articles in scholarly journals and encyclopedias regarding autism, family caregiving, and aging.

Dr. Marsack-Topolewski has served as the lead principal investigator on multiple grant-funded programs tailoring services for disabled populations, older adults, and chronic illnesses. She is an appointed board member of the U.S. National Task Group (NTG) on Intellectual Disability and Dementia Practices. Dr. Marsack-Topolewski’s research has been featured on National Public Radio (NPR) and ABC News Detroit. Over the past five years, she testified before members of the Michigan Legislature to advocate for new laws that protect against the exploitation and abuse of vulnerable populations. The first of these house bills was signed into law in the state of Michigan in December 2023. In 2024, she received the Ronald W. Collins Distinguished Research Award for Research Excellence. In addition, she received the Arc of Oakland County’s Advocacy Hall of Fame Award in 2024.