Influential Woman · Social Work Education and Behavioral Health

Anna Nelson

PhD, LCSW

Assistant Professor of Mathematics, The University of New Mexico

Albuquerque, NM

2Awards received

Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree PhD Cert PhD Cert LCSW Member National Association for Social Workers New Mexico Chapter

Her Story

About Anna

I have been working in mental health, social work, and education since 1994. I started my career in grassroots work looking at issues impacting women and women of color, specifically addressing violence against women. Early in my career, I moved into serving young people and discovered my passion for adolescent behavioral health, which became my clinical expertise. A profound turning point came in the early 2000s when I was serving a young person who tragically lost their life to teen dating violence. This loss was deeply humbling and made me realize that young people needed strategies specific to their experiences. That launched my intensive work addressing dating violence in New Mexico from 2005 to 2010. During that period, we created a movement among young people where New Mexico went from one of the worst states nationally in dating violence rates to 32nd in the nation. This community mobilization work was recognized by the White House, and New Mexico became the first state to host a Dating Violence Awareness Month. I had the honor of presenting at a White House panel on dating violence. Throughout my career in community work, I started noticing trends around trauma-informed work and realized that studies like adverse childhood experiences did not attend to ethno-racial and other forms of trauma. I pursued a PhD where I created critical trauma theory here in New Mexico, looking not just at traumatic effects but also at how our identities create strength and act as protective factors against exposure to ethno-racial and other forms of trauma. That was probably my second most favorite thing I have ever done in my career, and it is now nationally recognized. I was very honored to be the founding director to create New Mexico's first Center for Excellence in Social Work, where I currently serve as director. We reach about 2,000 people annually, and our charge is to create high-quality research and professional development for data-driven policy solutions in New Mexico associated with the behavioral health workforce.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Anna

01What do you attribute your success to?

I have a squad of support. I look at things from a collective lens and have a lot of people in community and in my support circle who act as my mentors, my sounding boards, my 3AM calls - who can you call when stuff gets really rough? I'm really blessed to have a really strong group of fellow leaders in New Mexico who understand the landscape here and nationally. I also stay grounded with personal practices. I have two dogs, and I spend a lot of time with my friends and family and out in nature. I have some spiritual practices that help me as well. I can't emphasize enough creating a community of people who are willing to challenge you but also share in your basic values and ideology, so that you have a cultural safe zone where you can be 100% you authentically. Finding that space and those people to create that sense of community is really important because this work is so fulfilling and also incredibly impactful. Having practices that help you stay well and grounded in your values and your beliefs is essential. Those people who keep you humble and keep it real are really important in your life.

02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

I can't emphasize enough creating a community of people who are willing to challenge you but also share in your basic values and ideology, so that you have a cultural and sort of a cultural safe zone where you can be 100% you authentically. I think it's really important finding that space and those people to create that sense of community, because this work is so fulfilling and it's also incredibly impactful. Having practices that help you stay well and grounded in your values and your beliefs, where you feel represented and like you belong, is essential. I would say finding the fit professionally where you have voice and representation, and where you have the sense of emotional, cultural, and psychological safety, but also a sense of belonging - where you are important in that space. It's about how we stay well and sustainable in the work that we feel so much passion for. This is especially true when you are impacted by the same oppression as the people who you're serving are. You need people in your life who are willing to challenge you and keep you humble, who keep it real - those people are really important.

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