Kim Downing

Kim S. Downing, PhD, LCSW, ACSW, is a contributing faculty member at Walden University and joined the faculty in 2019. Dr. Downing primarily teaches the Psychopathology and Diagnosis course.

Dr. Downing earned a PhD in Social Work from Norfolk State University in 2007 and received a Graduate Certificate in Leadership Development from The George Washington University in 2009. In November 2012, she graduated from the prestigious Bridges Academic Leadership Program for women in higher education in the UNC System. Also, Dr. Downing was awarded the University of North Carolina Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2024.

Dr. Downing has 37 years of experience as a social worker, including 20 years in higher education. She was licensed in Virginia as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in 2000 and joined the Academy of Certified Social Workers (ACSW) in 1988.

Dr. Downing’s areas of expertise include women’s issues with special attention to African American women, rural social work practice, and self-care. She also has an established record of funded research, scholarly publications, and presentations at professional conferences. Most recently, in October 2025 and June 2023, she was awarded grants from the NC Collaboratory Research Program for Historically Minority-Serving Institutions to support two projects: Building a Resilient Workforce: Integrating Resilience Training and Physical Exercise for Future Educators and Social Workers (Co-PI) and Childhood Obesity Among Vulnerable Populations in Rural Communities (PI). She has also presented at national conferences in 2022, 2024, and 2025 on the topic “Experiential Learning: Infusing Self-Care Principles in a BSW Program.”

In November 2025, Dr. Downing authored a textbook titled Rural Social Work: Exploring the Impact of Context, Community, and the COVID-19 Pandemic. https://titles.cognella.com/rural-social-work-9798823355551
Links to an external site.

Dr. Downing is a member of the Board of Accreditation (BOA) for the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).

Courses Taught

SOCW 6121 - Advance Clinical Social Work Practice II

Education

PhD, Norfolk State University

MSW, Norfolk State University

Post-master's Certificate, The George Washington University