Dr. Carmen Reese Foster
Assistant Professor of Social Work, Belmont University
Dr. Carmen Reese Foster is an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work at Belmont University. Previously, she served as the Interim Online MSSW Program Director, Assistant Professor of Practice, and Director of Alumni Affairs at the University of Tennessee College of Social Work. She is the Founder and Executive Director of the Coalition of Black Social Workers, a national nonprofit dedicated to engaging, connecting, and empowering Black social work students and professionals.
Before entering higher education, Dr. Reese Foster's social work practice centered on supporting youth and families from marginalized communities. Her research focuses on race-based trauma, mental health, community well-being (self-care), and resilience. Her work on these topics has been published in the Tennessean, the Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Diversity in Social Work, the Conversation, and the Field Educator.
In 2023, Dr. Reese Foster was honored as the NASW-TN Social Worker of the Year. She holds degrees from the University of North Carolina, the University of Maryland School of Social Work, and the University of Alabama.