Dr. Nkwanzi is a Ugandan social work scholar, practitioner, and anti-trafficking leader with a
record of advancing trauma-informed, community-rooted responses to human trafficking. She is
the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Center on Anti-Trafficking Research and
Empowerment (CATRE), a national nonprofit organization in Uganda dedicated to research,
prevention, capacity building, survivor support services, and policy advocacy.
Dr. Nkwanzi also serves as the lead collaborator from East Tennessee State University (ETSU),
where she is an Assistant Professor of Social Work. Her expertise lies in programmatic and
implementation science research, with a focus on developing, implementing, and evaluating
interventions for human trafficking survivors and those at risk of human trafficking. She is
dedicated to translating research into sustainable policies and programs that advance prevention,
healing, justice, and reintegration.
Dr. Nkwanzi holds a Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of Alabama and a Master of
Social Work (M.S.W.) from Radford University, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work
and Social Administration (SWSA) from Uganda Christian University. Her scholarship explores
the intersections of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), resilience, mental health, and human
trafficking vulnerability, and she has co-published in international journals such as PLOS ONE,
Affilia, Journal of Social Work Practice, and Qualitative Health Research. Dr. Nkwanzi is also a
co-developer of the Good School Toolkit Mental Health Module, a national school-based
initiative led by Raising Voices Uganda, and has contributed to the design and evaluation of
community-based mental health interventions Uganda.
In 2025, she received the Tri-Cities African Women Support Network Community Service
Award, recognizing her impactful leadership and contributions to social justice. Through
CATRE and ETSU, Dr. Nkwanzi continues to lead transformative research and programming
that empowers survivors, strengthens protective systems, and informs sustainable policy
solutions to end human trafficking.