Parker elected president of Influencing Social Policy

Gary Parker, associate dean for external affairs at the Brown School and director of the Clark-Fox Policy Institute (CFPI), has been elected president of Influencing Social Policy (ISP), a non-profit national membership organization of social work faculty and practitioners dedicated to advancing social work education and policy advocacy.

“I am deeply honored by the trust the members have placed in me to lead this vital work,” Parker said. Parker assumes this leadership role at a critical time, when national efforts to roll back human rights protections are intensifying. “These threats directly impact the communities we serve and the core values we uphold as social workers,” he added.

Parker said ISP is finalizing a strategic plan to strengthen its response to these challenges and ensure that social workers remain a driving force for advocacy and change. A key event in ISP’s upcoming efforts is the Macro United Conference in May 2025. This national gathering, founded by ISP and co-produced by the leading macro social work organizations, brings together faculty from across the country specializing in macro social work, policy practice, research, and advancements in teaching. ISP is also affiliated with the Journal of Policy Practice and Research, which promotes important policy research and fosters collaboration within the social work field.

Since 2016, Parker has served as the inaugural director of CFPI which was founded to promote social and economic justice for children and families. Through research translation, community engagement, and the convening of policymakers, scholars, and leaders, the institute addresses pressing societal challenges such as improving access to quality, affordable early childhood education, ensuring adequate support systems for working parents, and advancing racial equity. Under his leadership, the institute has become a trusted resource for evidence-informed policy solutions and transformative advocacy.

Looking ahead, the Brown School, in partnership with CFPI, will host the “Rainbow Resilience” professional development summit in March, focused on advancing LGBTQ+ well-being. The event will feature keynote speaker Charles M. Blow, New York Times op-ed columnist. While Parker prefers to emphasize the collective effort behind the summit, his leadership and commitment to equity have been central to its development.

 “At its core, Rainbow Resilience is about creating spaces where advocacy and well-being intersect,” Parker said. “I’m excited to see the ideas and collaborations this summit will spark as we continue working toward a more inclusive society.”