Carmen Reese Foster, DSW, LMSW, LSSW joined the faculty at Belmont as an Assistant Professor in the Fall of 2023. Prior to joining Belmont's faculty, Dr. Reese Foster spent 5 ½ years at the University of Tennessee College of Social Work where she was the Interim Online MSSW Program Director, an Assistant Professor of Practice and Online Field Coordinator, and the Director of Alumni Affairs. In 2018, she created the Coalition of Black Social Workers (CBSW) through a social justice grant from UT College of Social Work. In 2020, Dr. Reese Foster developed the CBSW into a 501c3, where she serves as the Founder and Executive Director. The CBSW exists to engage, connect, and empower Black social work students and professionals. The CBSW has campus chapters across the state of Tennessee and members across the country. Dr. Reese Foster is also the co-owner of Pieces Training and Consulting and conducts trainings on anti-racism, race-based trauma and resilience, social emotional learning, and cross-cultural engagement for churches, non-profits, and schools. Prior to transitioning into higher education, Dr. Reese Foster's practice experience focused on working with youth and families from marginalized communities. She received her DSW from the University of Alabama where her research focus was assessing the impact of race-based trauma and Covid-19 on the mental health of Black social work providers. While at Alabama, she was the 2022 winner of the 3MT (Three Minute Thesis Competition) for the University of Alabama and the Southern Region of Graduate Schools. She represented the Southern Region at the North American competition, where she competed against finalists from the US, Canada, and Mexico. Dr. Reese Foster obtained her BA from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her MSW from the University of Maryland, Baltimore.

Dr. Reese Foster is a proud wife and mama. She and her husband of almost 20 years have three children (and a boxerdoodle). Her favorite pastime is taking long walks with her husband and dog, cheering on her kids at all of their activities, and meeting her friends for walks, coffee, and delicious food.