overview

• Dr. Erin Ness Roberts (she/her) graduated from the University of Louisville's Kent School of Social Work PhD program and master's of science in Social Work with a specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy. She is a faculty member in the Department of Human Development and Family Science in the Marriage and Family Therapy master's Family Therapy program and Medical Family Therapy PhD program at East Carolina University. She is the Clinic Director of the ECU Family Therapy clinic, a family therapy practice that serves underserved communities of Eastern North Carolina on an income-based fee. Dr. Roberts clinical and research interests have centered around the treatment of trauma in clinical settings, relationship education, and IPV. She is currently co-director of ECU's Consortium for Trauma and Resiliency Research (CTRR) with Dr. Jennifer Matthews and through this works to collaborate with other trauma research providers and practitioners. The CTRR also works with a research team that works with the community and promotes the building of infrastructure in eastern North Carolina for the prevention and treatment of trauma as well as community collaboration to meet unmet rural community needs. She is currently co-PI on the Em-BRACE-ing the Family program sponsored by the Duke Endowment Foundation and also is co-PI on two other grants that focus on retention for DSS workers and community and research collaboration. Dr. Roberts increased access to affordable therapy at the clinic, and focused on preparing therapists in training to do trauma-specific treatment. She is trained in EMDR and has practiced therapy for 16 years. Dr. Roberts was the co-chair of the HHP Prevention Science Initiative on Trauma and Resilience and co-founded the community group BRACE, which aims to reduce trauma in the community through professional collaboration. She has been awarded the 2024 ECU Student Employee Supervisor of the Year, the 2022 ECU HDFS Service Award, the 2021 North Carolina Association of Marriage and Family Therapy training award and the 2020 ECU Outstanding Leadership and Innovation During the COVID-19 Pandemic award.