Dr. Jennifer Parker leads SAM’s emphasis on child and family health and well-being in its systemic approach to increase economic mobility and educational success for Spartanburg County residents.   

Parker served as a psychology professor at USC Upstate and is the Founding Director of the University’s Child Protection Training Center. The Center, created to reduce Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and improve community response to child maltreatment began as one of only four in the nation. Under Parker’s leadership, thousands of professionals serving children and families were trained in multiple strategies to build resilience for those facing the most traumatic life situations.

Parker earned her Ph.D. in Family and Child Development from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and graduated from the Harvard University Management and Leadership in Education program. She is a graduate of the Diversity Leaders Initiative at the Riley Institute, Spartanburg Regional Fellows, Leadership Spartanburg, and she is a South Carolina ACE Interface Master Trainer. She completed “Faith and Racial Equity” training, the Racial Equity Institute two-day training, and earned a certificate in “Systemic Racism in Child Welfare” through the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC).