Joelisse Galarza-Davis, DSW, LCSW-S

Dr. Joelisse Galarza-Davis, LCSW-S, is a social work leader, educator, and licensed clinical social worker supervisor with over nine years of experience in school social work, mental health program leadership, clinical supervision, and systems-levelpractice. She currently serves as the Senior National Director of Mental Health at IDEA Public Schools, where she leads the development and implementation of mental health, social-emotional learning, and student support systems across multiple regions serving more than 85,000 students and part-time as an adjunct professor at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Social Work.

Dr. Galarza-Davis earned her Master of Science in Social Work from Columbia University, specializing in children, youth, and families, and her Doctor of Social Work from the University of Kentucky, where her research examined the impact of adverse childhood experiences on educational outcomes and the leadership interventions needed to strengthen school-based supports. Her work focuses on building sustainable and equitable systems of care, strengthening professional practice and compliance, advancing trauma-informed and culturally responsive approaches, and developing the capacity of social workers and other school-based mental health professionals. She also contributes to the profession through higher education, professional development, and national presentations focused on school mental health, social work leadership, and systems-level innovation.