Collina D. Cooke, PhD, LCSW
Director, Minority Fellowship Program
Collina D. Cooke, PhD, LCSW, is the director of the Minority Fellowship Program at the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). In this role, she provides support services for master’s-level and doctoral students to assist them in finding their voices as social workers. Her overall goal is to offer mentorship to social work students as they tackle head-on the challenges of being both students and young professionals. Dr. Cooke brings expertise in program management, grant writing, counseling, qualitative research, and data administration. Prior to her work at CSWE, Dr. Cooke provided mentorship to underrepresented students, served as a counselor/case manager for injured workers, and advocated for individuals navigating substance use and mental health disorders. She has served as a social worker in the Albany, NY area for 10 years. Dr. Cooke is dedicated to upholding social work ideals and implements core social work values in every aspect of her life including scholarship and leadership. Dr. Cooke is also fervent about addressing health disparities for underrepresented populations, which is demonstrated through her research and work endeavors. Her most recent publication, “Black women social workers: Workplace stress experiences,” published in Qualitative Social Work, explores how the workplace can support Black women social workers in decreasing workplace stressors.
Dr. Cooke, a first-generation college student, holds a PhD in Social Work from the University at Albany (State University of New York), where she is a three-time graduate. She is currently a licensed clinical social worker in New York state and a licensed certified social worker-clinical in Maryland. She was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, and enjoys painting and traveling in her spare time.