NASW Board of Directors
Director, Region V

Alice Kay Locklear, PhD, MSW, ACSW

Alice Kay Locklear, PhD, MSW, ACSW, is Professor and Assistant Chair of the Social Work Department at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. She is the first Native American female in the Department to hold a PhD and is dedicated to the ethical practice of the social work profession. Locklear is a member of the Council on Social Work Education and several other professional organizations. She is enthusiastic about working with diverse populations. The meaning of oppression, minority, and social injustice are reality topics in her work addressing multifaceted social disparities and inequalities. She values social work knowledge and skills coupled with being a Keeper of the Land, as expressed through her commitment and honor to the profession.

Locklear is experienced in clinical practices in mental health and substance use, agency consultation and collaboration, community education and trainer. She considers it a privilege to serve as an advocate in areas such as cultural competence, integration of circular interventions, social belonging practices, and Indigenous Knowledge for the purpose of health and well-being of all. She is active in social work curricula instrumentation and scholarly works, while serving on local, national, and international committees, her most recent appointment being NASW’s National Committee on Racial and Ethnic Diversity