Nicole Parker is assistant dean for field education and external relations and a clinical instructor at the Mandel School. She leads the field education department, overseeing practicum curriculum, policy and operations to ensure students across all program formats鈥攐n-campus weekly, weekend and online鈥攔eceive high-quality, student-centered field experiences. Parker collaborates with colleagues across curriculum development, assessment, student support, admissions and registration to promote integrated learning and strong outcomes.
Under her leadership, the Mandel School has launched a number of key initiatives, including the ADEI Field Instructor Training Series, parallel curriculum alignment, Field First Fridays, employment-based practicum options and a new field education database. She also helped lead the school鈥檚 reaffirmation efforts and has developed team-based interprofessional education curricula, advised students on community-based projects and facilitated community dialogues.
Parker is a licensed social worker with more than 15 years of leadership experience across clinical and community practice settings. Her work has included leading transitional housing programs, developing youth leadership initiatives, training adoptive families, expanding employment opportunities for people with disabilities, and launching community fundraising and student retention strategies.
Her global social work experience spans program development and evaluation with non-governmental organizations in South Africa, Kenya, Zambia, Ethiopia, India, Honduras, Cameroon, Poland, Nigeria and Guatemala. She brings expertise in philanthropic enterprise, orphan care, global health, social entrepreneurship and civic engagement. Parker is also a global scholar and social entrepreneur who founded an international nonprofit focused on creating equitable opportunities for children worldwide.