Emily Spence

Dr. Emily Spence is an Associate Dean for Community Engagement and Health Equity and Associate Professor in the School of Public Health at The University of North Texas Health Science Center. She holds a PhD in Social Welfare from Florida International University and has expertise in program evaluation, health disparities, and community-driven solutions. Her work focuses on addressing trauma, interpersonal violence, homelessness, and women’s health through collaborative initiatives like the Texas Center for Health Disparities and the Faces of Changemakers trauma resilience program. She leads the Community Corps initiative to synergize community partnerships for health equity. Dr. Spence has received awards including the Charles Perry Visionary Award and Valubility recognition.

Education:

• BSW and MSW, Florida State University
• PhD in Social Work, Florida International University

Research Interests:

• Health equity and community engagement
• Interpersonal violence prevention and intervention
• Program evaluation for public health initiatives
• Trauma-informed care and resilience building

Grants & Partnerships:

• National Institutes of Health funding for the Texas Center for Health Disparities
• Leadership in the TX CEAL Consortium addressing pandemic inequities
• Development of the TESSA technology-based violence screening program

Labs/Teams: Texas Center for Health Disparities, Faces of Changemakers initiative, Community Corps registry.