Director & Gamble Skogmo Endowed Chair
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
Dr. Joan M. Blakey is a passionate advocate for the upliftment and thriving of the Black community, dedicating her career to transforming systems and empowering individuals who navigate spaces often not designed for their success. As the School of Social Work Director and Gamble Skogmo Endowed Chair at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, Dr. Blakey brings a deeply rooted commitment to advancing opportunities for Black women involved in the criminal justice system, fostering organizational environments that allow people to thrive, and supporting Black faculty and students in higher education.
Dr. Blakey earned her doctorate from the University of Chicago’s School of Social Administration (now the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice) and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in African American Studies, Sociology, and Youth Studies, along with a Master of Social Work from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. Her work centers on cultivating spaces where Black individuals can not only exist but also thrive, breaking through limitations imposed by systems not originally intended to support them.
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