Tina Barr joined NACOLE in August 2023 as Director of Training and Education. She first became involved with civilian oversight of law enforcement in 2019 as a member of a grassroots organization in Fayetteville, NC, that spearheaded efforts to establish an independent oversight entity in the city. Immediately before joining the NACOLE team, Tina was an assistant professor of social work at Hood College, and prior to that, at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Tina’s scholarship focused primarily on issues related to wrongful conviction, and she also studied interpersonal violence and physical and mental health disparities among racial and ethnic groups.

Additionally, Tina has extensive experience working in social work, public health, training, and research capacities with nonprofit organizations, state governments, and private companies. Among the positions she’s held are Panel Social Worker for the Maryland Office of the Public Defender, Family and Intimate Partner Homicide Surveillance Coordinator for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of Virginia, Human Rights Advocate for the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice, Information Analyst for the National Center for State Courts, and Compliance Officer for Community Action, Inc., of Central Texas.

Tina received her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Rhetoric & Communications Studies from the University of Virginia, a Master of Social Work degree from Virginia Commonwealth University, and a PhD in Social Work from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.