Dean and Professor
Univ of Tennessee
Dr. Lori Messinger currently serves as Professor and Dean of the College of Social Work at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. She brings more than 20 years of progressive leadership in both research and comprehensive public universities, having served as BSW Program Director at the University of Kansas, and as School of Social Work Director, Associate Vice Chancellor for Community Engagement, and Senior Fellow for Diversity Initiatives at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Prior to her administrative roles, she was on the social work faculty at the University of Alabama and North Carolina State University.
Born and raised in New Jersey, Lori received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from Douglass College, a Master of Arts degree in Political Science from Rutgers University, and a Master of Social Work degree and a PhD in social work from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Lori's primary areas of research include comprehensive community planning processes; cultural competence in social work education and practice, with expertise in working with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) clients; and organizational change processes, especially in higher education institutions. Her funded research was supported by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), Lambda Legal, the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), and the North American Case Research Association.
An award-winning teacher, Lori also engages in community service focused on civil rights and social justice.
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