Click here for more information on The Politics of Well-Being, a full year of programming in collaboration with the School of Social Policy & Practice.


How do emerging technologies influence our sense of well-being? From predictive analytics in social services to the role of social media in youth mental health, this event explores both the promises and perils of data-driven systems. Featuring experts in AI, homelessness policy, and digital sociology, we’ll discuss how technology is reshaping care, community, and democracy.

With Dennis Culhane (AISP) & Desmond Patton

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Speaker Biographies:

Dennis Culhane is a social science researcher with primary expertise in the area of homelessness and assisted housing policy. His work has contributed to efforts to address the housing and support needs of people experiencing housing emergencies and long-term homelessness.

Most recently, Culhane’s research has focused on using linked administrative data to gain a better understanding about the service utilization patterns of vulnerable populations, including youth exiting foster care and/or juvenile justice, as well as the individuals aged 55 and older who are experiencing homelessness.

Dr. Culhane’s research also focuses on homelessness among veterans. From July 2009 – June 2018 he served as Director of Research at the National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans, an initiative of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Dr. Culhane also co-directs Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy (AISP), an initiative that promotes the development, use, and innovation of integrated data systems by states and localities for policy analysis and systems reform.

Shana Kleiner, LMSW

Manager, Center for Responsible Innovation & Technology
Assistant Director, SAFELab & Penn Center for Inclusive Innovation & Technology

Shana Kleiner received her Master’s in Social Work from Columbia University and her Bachelor’s in Social Work from Skidmore College. She currently serves as Manager of the Center for Responsible Innovation & Technology and as Assistant Director for both SAFELab and the Penn Center for Inclusive Innovation & Technology. Previously, she worked as a policy analyst for a nonprofit providing legal services for survivors of domestic and sexual violence, where she developed expertise in qualitative research methods and knowledge translation.

In her current role, she researches digital expressions of grief and theoretical approaches to analyzing digital communication and language. Her research interests include online identity performance, particularly in relation to resilience and coping strategies. At SAFELab, she supervises graduate students, organizes lab activities, and conducts creative outreach alongside her research. Shana was also a fellow at the MDOCS Storytellers’ Institute, where she collaborated with artists, writers, and filmmakers on projects centered on co-creation.

Her personal interests include film, vintage shopping, and swimming.