Darrin Wright

Dr. Wright is a licensed social worker, Master Addiction Counselor (MAC), and higher education leader with over 20 years of experience advancing equity, innovation, and student success in social work and behavioral health.

His expertise spans addictions counseling, mental health policy, public health integration, and academic leadership. He has served as Associate Dean at Fayetteville State University, where he led strategic initiatives in curriculum development, CSWE accreditation, faculty development, and community partnership building. His leadership is grounded in inclusive excellence, trauma-informed practice, and liberatory pedagogy.

He has held statewide leadership responsibility in field education at Clark Atlanta University, where he secured over \$1M in federal behavioral health grants and guided doctoral and master’s-level students across diverse programs. His background also includes workforce development in addiction services, capacity-building for nonprofit and public systems, and leadership training through the AABHE Leadership & Mentoring Institute. He has been a proud contributing faculty member with Walden University for over a decade.

Courses Taught

SOCW 6002 - Changing Lives

SOCW 6351 - Soc Pol, Welfare & Change.

SOCW 6361 - Social Policy:Analys & Advoc

SOCW 6350 - Forensic Applic in Comm

SOCW 6090 - Psychopath for SW.

SOCW 6051 - Diversity, Hum Rights, Soc J.

SOCW 6511 - Trtmnt For Populations

Education

PhD, Clark Atlanta University

MS, Columbia University

BA, John Jay College of Criminal Justice

Public Service

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. , Chair - Atlanta

NAACP, Chair - Covington

Awards / Honors

Recipient of Network for Social Work Management, 2, , 2012

Impact Cohort of Black Male Educators, UpLIFT Movement Magazine, , 2020

Recipient of Network for Social Work Management, 2, , 2012

Publications

Wright, D. (2026). Combined Use of Servant Leadership Principles and Afrocentric Perspective Principles as a Framework to Decolonize Social Institutions' Commitment to Wellbeing and Inclusion. .

Wright, D. E. (2025). Health Equity: Addressing a Social Justice imperative for Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) through a Population Health Framework.

Kincaid, T., Burn, C., Carnahan,, B., Welch, T., Wright, D., Woods, M., Cooper- Bolinskey , D. (2024). Seriousness of Social Worker Violations and Importance to Discipline: A Study of Social Work Licensure Board Members. International Journal of Social Work Values (

Wright, D. E. (2022). Black Males' Plight to Breathe in America: Black Racial Injustice. Narratives of Professional Helping

Wright, D. E. (2018). From Good to Great: An Innovative Bridge Program Developing Professionalism and Self-Reflection in Social Work Students Entering the Field. The Field Educator

Wright, D. (2018). Why Behavioral Health Internships Matter. Morehouse School of Medcine-HBCU-CFE

Wright, D. E. (2015). Adult Literacy.

Presentations

Wright, D. E. (2023). Critical issues in Field Education. National Association of Deans and Directors

Wright, D. E. (2023). Social Workers break barriers. Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities

Wright, D. (2015). Great: Building Professionalism in and from Field Placements.. Assoc. Of Caribbean and International Social Work Educators

Wright, D. E. (2025). Trauma and Men’s Mental Health. University of the West Indies: Mona Campus, Jamaica. Department of Social Work and Psychology

Wright, D. (2016). Bridging the gap through a shared cultural meaning.. National Service Coordinator Conference