Mary-Ellen Brown, Ph.D., will serve UT Social Work as Director of Faculty Affairs, an appointment which will strengthen support for full-time faculty.

In addition to her current appointments, Brown will lead initiatives related to faculty recruitment, onboarding, mentoring, professional development, and career advancement. She will also lead mentorship and support for clinical and junior faculty while guiding tenure-track faculty through the promotion and tenure process.

“Professor Brown is a nationally recognized scholar and proven leader who has greatly impacted our School for the better,” said Allan Cole, dean of UT Social Work. “I know she will provide meaningful and long-lasting contributions to our faculty, and continue to sharpen a world-class community of scholars, teachers, and educators.”

Brown is the Josleen and Frances Lockhart Memorial Fellow for Direct Practice in Social Work and an associate professor at the School of Social Work. A nationally recognized scholar, she also serves as director of the SAMHSA-funded Center for Resilient Communities and leads federally funded research focused on strengthening community resilience, addressing social determinants of health, and advancing health equity.

She is known for using community-based participatory research, prevention science, and implementation science to test community-driven interventions that strengthen systems, build resilience, and address the structural conditions that contribute to health inequities and trauma.

“Great universities invest not only in ideas, but also in the people who bring those ideas to life,” Brown said. “I’m honored to support the outstanding faculty in the School of Social Work whose research, teaching, and service advance knowledge, prepare the next generation of leaders and professionals, and make meaningful differences in communities around the world. I look forward to partnering with colleagues across the Forty Acres to cultivate a culture of mentorship, collaboration and innovation where faculty can thrive throughout every stage of their careers.”