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The is pleased to announce the appointment of Carmen R. Valdez, PhD, as the founding Associate Dean of Research and Partnerships. 

Previously, Valdez held a joint appointment at the Steve Hicks School of Social Work and Dell Medical School’s Department of Population Health, where she led the Division of Community Engagement and Health Equity. She also served as the faculty director of the Community-Driven Initiatives Program, which empowers local residents to address health issues in their communities.

Valdez has co-led community and academic coalitions that combine social capital, community expertise, and university resources to tackle health equity for marginalized and minoritized populations. Her research interests include understanding family stability and stress within the context of social policy, with a particular focus on the impact of immigration and health policy, neighborhood factors, and family dynamics on the health of Latino immigrant families. She has developed community-based, family-focused interventions to support these communities.

Her commitment to mentoring health equity scholars and junior faculty of color in authentic leadership and community-based participatory research has been recognized through her election to the American Psychological Association’s Committee on Socioeconomic Status and the receipt of the 2023 Mid-Career Award from the Latinx Caucus of the Society for Research in Child Development.

In her new role, Valdez will support the school’s research and scholarly activities, foster research partnerships with community and industry stakeholders, and represent the School of Public Health on institutional committees related to research and community engagement. She will also develop strategies to enhance the school’s local and national reputation.