Tiffany Lindsey, EdD, LPC-MHSP (She/Her)

Assistant Professor

Dr. Tiffany Lindsey (she/her) is an Assistant Professor and Safe Systems Practitioner at the Center for Innovation in Population Health at the University of Kentucky. Her work focuses on quality improvement and system reform efforts in child welfare jurisdictions. Lindsey has specific expertise in applying safety science to improve the safety, reliability, and effectiveness of organizations. Her approach leverages tools like organizational assessment, team-based behavioral strategies, and systemic analysis of critical incidents, including deaths and near deaths, to help organizations learn and improve. Lindsey has 14+ years of experience in child welfare and is co-author of two tools within the Transformational Collaborative Outcomes Management (TCOM) framework—the Safe Systems Improvement Tool (SSIT) and TeamFirst: A Field Guide for Safe, Reliable, and Effective Child Welfare Teams. With the support of Casey Family Programs, Lindsey provides technical assistance and content expertise to the National Partnership for Child Safety—the first member-owned quality improvement collaborative in public child welfare.

Before coming to the Center, Lindsey served as a quality improvement director within Tennessee’s Department of Children Services (DCS). During her time at DCS, she oversaw the Department’s nationally acclaimed child death review process and was foundational to its creation. She provided leadership to DCS’ safety culture survey, confidential safety reporting, and several other applications in safety science. She taught team-based casework strategies at DCS’ Child Protective Services Academy, held in partnership with Vanderbilt University and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Lindsey also has a strong clinical background working with vulnerable populations.

Lindsey is a licensed professional counselor with special designation as a mental health service provider. She holds a Master of Art in Marriage and Family Therapy/Professional Counseling from Johnson University and a Doctor of Education in Leadership and Professional Practice from Trevecca Nazarene University.