Vanessa L. Parker, PhD, LMSW

• Assistant Professor
  Indiana University, School of Social Work, Bloomington, Indiana — 2023 – Present

Peer-Reviewed Publications

• Cantoni, N., & Parker, V. (2025). Observation of an intervention to reduce mental health treatment stigma of young adult college students: Animal-assisted intervention vs. treatment as usual. Anthrozoos. https://doi.org/10.1080/08927936.2025.2537509
• Parker, V., & La Manna, A. (2024). From early trauma to cardiovascular risk among a nationally representative sample of young adults. Child Maltreatment, 30(4). https://doi.org/10.1177/10775595241277122
• Parker, V., Liechty, J., & Cantoni, N. (2024). Associations between trauma and health behaviors and outcomes among sexual minority adults: A scoping review. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 25(4). https://doi.org/10.1177/15248380241233270
• Cantoni, N. P., Larrison, C. R., & Parker, V. L. (2024). Feasibility and acceptability of a classroom-based animal intervention to address graduate student anxiety and stress. Journal of Creativity in Mental Health, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/15401383.2024.2318197
• Liechty, J. M., Keck, A. S., & Parker, V. L. (2022). Enhancing MSW field education using rapid cycle quality improvement: Feasibility and acceptability of an online weekly feedback tool and process. Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 42, 316–334. https://doi.org/10.1080/08841233.2022.2111019
• Parker, V. L., Liechty, J. M., Kopels, S., Adams, M. L., Kim, S., Janssen, K., Cochrane, T., Salisbury, A. A., & Harris, A. (2021). The changing policy landscape of cannabis use: Implications for students, families, and schools. School Social Work Journal, 45(2).
• Xu, S., Liu, M., Shin, O., Parker, V., & Hernandez, R. (2020). Differences in quality of end-of-life care across settings: Results from the U.S. National Health and Aging Trends Study of Medicare beneficiaries. Journal of Palliative Medicine, 23(9). https://doi.org/10.1089/jpm.2019.0297

Book Chapter

• Parker, V., Salisbury, A., & Hsieh, W. (2025). Promoting critical conversations about SMART goals in clinical simulations: Issues and challenges. In K. Tan, T. Ostler, & C. Wu (Eds.), Social work and simulations: Teaching practice, research, policy, and social justice (pp. 91–110). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/9780197770498.003.0008

Book Review

• Parker, V. L. (2019). Review of the book Invisible visits: Black middle-class women in the American healthcare system, by T. Sacks. Qualitative Social Work, 18(6). https://doi.org/10.1177/1473325019883168

Accepted Peer-Reviewed Publications

• Liechty, J. M., & Parker, V. L. (Accepted). Learning by leading: Student-driven conference planning as pedagogy for leadership development. Advances in Social Work.

Peer-Reviewed Conference Presentations (selected)

• Smiley, A., McCarthy, K., Parker, V., & Mariscal, E. S. (2026, February). Critical student recommendations to improve social work teaching capacity. Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors Conference, New Orleans, LA.
• Chitwanga, A., Banda, L., Parker, V., & Leskovac, D. (2026, January). A qualitative account of the role of resilience in women’s agency and mental health coping strategies within Blesser relationships in Malawi. Society for Social Work and Research Conference, Washington, DC.
• Victor, B., Mariscal, E. S., Wei, W., Parker, V., & Commodore-Mensah, M. (2026, January). Family resource centers and child welfare system involvement: A quasi-experimental study of capacity to prevent maltreatment investigations and foster care entry. Society for Social Work and Research Conference, Washington, DC.
• Parker, V., Nandi, R., Jean, T., & Garthe, R. (2025, October). Geographic area and non-help-seeking behaviors following violent crime victimization. Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting, Denver, CO.
• Parker, V., Mariscal, E. S., McCarthy, K., & Smiley, A. (2025, September). Planning and prep: Don’t keep students guessing. Faculty Academy on Excellence in Teaching Adjunct Faculty and Lecturers’ Conference (FALCON), Virtual.
• McCarthy, K., Smiley, A., Parker, V., & Mariscal, E. S. (2025, September). Curriculum as care: Fostering learning through structure. Faculty Academy on Excellence in Teaching Adjunct Faculty and Lecturers’ Conference (FALCON), Virtual.
• Parker, V., Njuguna, L., Murey, E., & Korir, L. (2025, June). Silent scars across continents: A comparative study on male-experienced violence, trauma, and family relationships among Kenyan and African American men. Pamoja Symposium, Virtual.
• Mariscal, S., Victor, B., Parker, V., & Commodore-Mensah, M. (2025, April). Piloting a manualized arts-based trauma intervention: A Window Between Worlds’ impact on healing and resilience. ResilienceCon, Nashville, TN.
• Parker, V., Mariscal, S., Victor, B., & Commodore-Mensah, M. (2025, April). Cross-system collaboration for primary strengths-based prevention. ResilienceCon, Nashville, TN.
• Mariscal, E. S., Victor, B., Parker, V., & Commodore-Mensah, M. (2025, January). Community-level implementation of a strengths-based primary child maltreatment prevention program: Insights from child welfare practitioners, administrators, and cross-system partners. Society for Social Work and Research Conference, Seattle, WA.
• Parker, V., Jean, T., & Garthe, R. (2025, January). The role of gender in non-reporting behaviors following crime victimization. Society for Social Work and Research Conference, Seattle, WA.
• Parker, V., & Bui, T. (2024, October). Exploring the intersection: Simulations as a catalyst for teaching research within the person-in-environment. Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting, Kansas City, MO.
• Parker, V., & Jean, T. (2024, October). Childhood adversity and cardiovascular disease among young adults: A synthesis of the literature. Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting, Kansas City, MO.
• Yu, J., Alfouzan, N., Oliveira, A., Lee, M., Yahya, A., Shaffer, A., Parker, V. L., Lewis, G., Hsu-Lumetta, J., Wiarda, K., Liechty, J., & Nakamura, M. (2024, June). Outcomes of a two-year online dietary and lifestyle weight management program: EMPOWER. American Society for Nutrition Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL.
• Yu, J., Parker, V., Liechty, J., & Nakamura, M. (2024, May). A qualitative study of interactive eText activity answers from the EMPOWER weight management program. International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, Urbana, IL.
• Parker, V. (2023, October). Associations between childhood abuse and cardiovascular disease among young adults. Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting, Atlanta, GA.
• Liechty, J., Parker, V., Kosinski, M., Zajac, C., Lewis, G., Nakamura, M., Alfouzan, N., Yu, J., Oliveira, A., & Lee, M. (2023, January). Implementing an interprofessional, enhanced psychosocial approach to weight loss: The EMPOWER program. Society for Social Work and Research Conference, Phoenix, AZ.

• ACING (Assistance, Collaboration, Inclusion, Nurturing, Guidance) Partnership for Latine Families
  Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute, Trailblazer Planning Grant — $5,000 — Principal Investigator — 2024 – Present
• Relationships Between Childhood Abuse and Health Outcomes Among Adolescents and Young Adults
  National Institutes of Health, Loan Repayment Program — $29,581 — Principal Investigator — 2024 – Present
• Enhanced Mentoring Program with Opportunities for Ways to Excel in Research
  Indiana University Internal Research Grant — $10,000 — 2024

• Integrated Care Health Partner
  Ascension Care Management, Nashville, Tennessee — 2017 – 2018
  Provided social work services for an accountable care organization supporting dialysis patients. Responsibilities included psychosocial assessments, home visits, care coordination, community resource navigation, health coaching, and transition-of-care support with skilled nursing facilities.
• Health Promoter
  Ascension Care Management, Nashville, Tennessee — 2016 – 2017
  Conducted bedside assessments to identify mental, physical, and social barriers to healthcare as part of an interdisciplinary team within the Medicare Shared Savings Program.
• Navigator
  Colon Cancer Prevention Project, Louisville, Kentucky — 2015 – 2016
  Coordinated outreach and provided free colon cancer screenings for underserved Kentucky residents and participated in policy discussions to improve statewide screening rates.

• Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW)
  Tennessee Department of Health — 2016 – Present

• Newcomer Faculty, Women’s History Month Recognition Award
  Indiana University Indianapolis — 2025

University Service

• Council on Student Affairs, Member
  Indiana University — 2025 – Present
• MSW Curriculum Committee, Member
  Indiana University School of Social Work — 2024 – Present
• Faculty Search Committee, Member
  Indiana University School of Social Work — 2024 – 2025
• Faculty Senate, Member
  Indiana University School of Social Work — 2023 – Present
• Child Welfare Scholars Program Application Reviewer
  Indiana University School of Social Work — 2023

Professional Service

• Reviewer
  Journal of Interpersonal Violence — 2025 – Present
• Reviewer
  Social Work Education — 2024 – Present
• Reviewer
  Advances in Social Work — 2023 – Present
• Reviewer
  Qualitative Social Work — 2019 – Present
• Committee on Nominations and Leadership Identification, Member
  National Association of Social Workers, Illinois Chapter — 2022

Community Service and Engagement

• Board of Directors, Member
  Methodist Health Group, Indianapolis, Indiana — 2025 – Present
  Serves on the board overseeing policy and governance for a subcommittee affiliated with IU Health and participates in quarterly meetings.
• Board of Directors, Member
  Surgery on Sunday, Louisville, Kentucky — 2015 – 2016
  Served as the board’s social worker, attended monthly meetings, supported budget oversight, and volunteered as a Spanish translator during surgery events.

• Member
  Council on Social Work Education — 2022 – Present
• Member
  National Association of Social Workers — 2014 – Present

• English
  Fluent; native speaker
• Spanish
  Professional working proficiency
• Software and Research Tools
  R; SPSS; Dedoose; NVivo; Microsoft Office 365; Blackboard Compass; Canvas