Dr. Durham is a Clinical Assistant Professor and Director of Community Engagement at the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work. She earned a Bachelor of Science in psychology, a Bachelor of Arts in Africana Studies, a Master of Social Work, and a Master of Public and International Affairs from Pitt. She earned a PhD in Community Engagement from Point Park University. A community-engaged scholar and strategic leader, she brings more than two decades of experience advancing equity through higher education, nonprofit, philanthropic, and community-based systems. Her engagement work focuses on building authentic partnerships, strengthening organizational and community capacity, and creating meaningful connections between the school and community that support sustainable change.
Dr. Durham teaches courses in human services management, grant proposal writing, working with diverse populations, and generalist practice with communities and organizations. She directs the Community and Racial Equity Leadership (CREL) Fellowship and the Browne Leadership Fellowship, which cultivate leadership, cultural humility, social work values, and community-engaged practice among undergraduate and graduate students.
Prior to joining the faculty, Dr. Durham held leadership positions with the YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh, The POISE Foundation, Operation Better Block, and other community-based organizations. Her scholarship and practice explore how collaborative leadership, human-centered design, and community engagement strategies can advance equity and strengthen communities.
Research and Practice Interests
- Community engagement and engaged scholarship
- University-community partnerships and organizational capacity building
- Black communities, families, and the Church
- Human-centered design and collaborative problem solving
- Leadership development and collaborative leadership
Selected Awards
2024: University of Pittsburgh, Office of Engagement and Community Affairs, Collaboration Champion
2023: Social Work Appreciation of Greatness (S.W.A.G.) Class of 2023 Awardee
2018: Homewood Concerns Citizens Council, Spirit of Excellence Community Woman of Honor
2014: New Pittsburgh Courier, 50 Women of Excellence
2004: Pittsburgh Urban Magnet Project (PUMP) 40 Under 40 Awardee
Selected Presentations
Durham, A., Counts, J., Glaze, W.R., Moon, D., Nichols, C., and Wallace, J. (2025, January). Developing an Academic-Community Research Partnership with Faith Communities of Color: Challenges, Rewards, and Recommendations. Presented at the Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR) Annual Conference. Seattle, Washington.
Durham, A., Caldwell, K., Gauvin, N., and Sarode, T. (2024, October). All-in: Creating an Ethos of Community Engagement Across an Institution. Presented at the Engagement Scholarship Consortium Annual International Conference. Pathways to Prosperity: Building Sustainable Futures through Community Engagement. Portland, Oregon.
Durham, A. (2024, December). Leveraging Human Centered Design Thinking for Logic Modeling. Presented for the Community Engaged Scholarship Project Development program. Office of Engagement and Community Affairs, University of Pittsburgh.
Durham, A. and Mathew, S. (2023, May). Teaching Strategies and Tools for Black Faculty. Presented at the 2023 Race@Work Summer Retreat. Office of the Provost, University of Pittsburgh.
Durham, A. (2021, December). A Philosophical Perspective on Leadership. Presented to the Department of Community Engagement, Doctor of Community Engagement program. Point Park University.
Durham, A. and Yonas, M. (2020, October). Design Thinking in Systemic Solutions: Exploring Collective Impact and Distributed Leadership. Presented to the Rowland School of Business, Master of Business Administration program. Point Park University.
