Carolina Villamil Grest

Carolina Villamil Grest is an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work at the College of Public Health, Temple University. Her academic work centers on advancing health equity for racial and ethnic minority populations, with a specialized focus on Hispanic/Latino/a/x youth and families in the United States.

Education:

• PhD in Social Work, University of Southern California
• MSW, Catholic University
• BS in Political Science, Florida State University

Her research adopts an ecological and life course perspective to examine how structural inequities, poverty, stress, violence, and race-based trauma influence health outcomes. She emphasizes community-embedded strengths to inform culturally grounded prevention interventions. Her work bridges clinical social work practice with public health research, particularly in trauma-informed care and wellness frameworks.

The recent publications highlight a consistent focus on behavioral health disparities, adverse childhood experiences, substance use among Latinx youth, perinatal mental health in immigrant populations, and child welfare in immigrant-concentrated communities. These works reflect interdisciplinary engagement with public health, psychology, and social policy.

Scientific Awards:

• Council on Social Work Education Minority Fellowship Program Fellow

Dr. Villamil Grest has been actively involved in research and teaching, offering graduate courses such as Advanced Social Justice: Anti-Oppressive Social Work. Her advising and grant activities are not explicitly detailed, but her fellowship and publication record suggest active engagement in funded research and mentorship. She draws from over seven years of clinical practice with immigrant families, which informs her scholarly and pedagogical approach.

She is affiliated with the School of Social Work, where she contributes to research addressing systemic oppression and health disparities. Her work is community-oriented, aiming to translate research into sustainable, culturally relevant interventions.