Kimberly S. Compton
Email: comptonk2@vcu.edu
Phone: (804) 828-0688
Pronouns: She/her
Kimberly S. Compton, Ph.D., M.S.W., is an assistant professor at Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Social Work, where she also serves as director of macro initiatives. In her director role, she provides strategic leadership for advancing macro social work within the School through initiatives such as the Macro Fellowship, community building across student groups, and the inaugural Macro Symposium, bringing scholars of macro from around the country to teach and learn together with students, alumni and our community.
Her teaching reflects a breadth of experience across online, hybrid and face-to-face formats in classrooms and in practicum placements. Her teaching philosophy centers compassion, creativity and transformation. Dr. Compton is passionate about macro social work (Social Work Administration, Planning and Policy Practice) and creating more possibilities for what social work could be through practices of futurism, attunement, alignment and radical imagination.
Dr. Compton’s professional path bridges scholarship, practice and community engagement. Prior to joining the faculty, Dr. Compton served as executive director of ReEstablish Richmond, a refugee-focused nonprofit, and worked on community-based food access initiatives in Richmond’s East End. As a researcher, she investigates environmental justice advocacy using a critical race lens, and seeks out the unexpected intersections of social work in interdisciplinary spaces.
She is a 2021 graduate of the School of Social Work's Ph.D. Program and a 2013 graduate of the VCU M.S.W. Program with a concentration in social work administration, planning and policy. She also holds a certificate in Nonprofit Management from the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs. Dr. Compton earned a B.A. from The College of William & Mary in Middle Eastern studies and a minor in studio art. She loves living in a city on a river and can be found spending her free time on hiking trails, in her garden, at a bagel shop or with family.
Areas of expertise
- Communities and Neighborhoods
- Environmental Justice
- Participatory Action Research
- Macro Practice
- Social Work Practice
- Pedagogy and Course Design
Education and credentials
Ph.D., Virginia Commonwealth University
M.S.W., Virginia Commonwealth University
Certificate in Nonprofit Management, Virginia Commonwealth University
B.A., The College of William & Mary
Work
Selected publications
Compton, K.S. (2023). Reparations as a model for ecosocial work practice. In K. Smith & R. Forbes (Eds.), Ecosocial Work Practice. NASW Press.
Wagaman, M. A., Compton, K.S., Williams, E., Lange, J. Haynes, T., & Caballero, R. (in press). Youth Participatory Action Research as an Approach to Developing Community-Level Responses to Youth Homelessness in the United States: A Model for Change. Handbook on Community Development and Participatory Action Research. Edward Elgar Publishing.
Compton, K. S., Barr, P., Bares, C., Karriker-Jaffe, K., Aliev, F. Mustanski, B. Dick, D., & Chartier, K.G. (2019). Evaluating neighborhood, social, and genetic influences on precursors of alcohol use risk behavior in African-American adolescents. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(17), 3078.
Wagaman, M. A., Compton, K. S., & Segal, E.A. (2018). Social empathy and attitudes about dependence of people living in poverty on government assistance programs. Journal of Poverty, 22(6), 471-485.
Professional highlights
Juried conference presentations
- Compton, K.S. (2021). Using Pedagogy of Play in Online Environments to Develop Critically Playful Practitioners. Paper presented for Social Work Distance Education Conference, San Antonio, TX.
- Compton, K.S. (2019). Resistance and resilience: Capturing the experiences of people directly affected by environmental hazards. 20X20 paper presented for ResilienceCon, Nashville, TN.
- Wagaman, M. A., & Compton, K.S. (2018). YPAR as an approach to developing community-level responses to youth homelessness. Society for Social Work and Research. Washington, D.C.
- Compton, K. S., & Cody, A. M. (2017). Mapping the possibilities. International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
- Compton, K. (2016). Social work and participatory-action research: Why action and power matter. International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
- Jettner, J., Compton, K., Im, H., & Vattalaro-Hill, K. (2015). The use of container gardening to improve health among refugees: A preliminary assessment. Gardening for Good Conference. Monmouth University, Monmouth, New Jersey.
Accomplishments
- 2025: Administrative Appointment: Director of Macro Initiatives
- 2020: Elaine Rothenberg Social Work Award
- 2019: Robin M. McKinney Dissertation Honor Fund Recipient
- 2018: VCU School of Social Work Annual Research Symposium, 2nd place
- 2018: VCU School of Social Work, Leadership and Service Award
- 2017: VCU School of Social Work, Leadership and Service Award
- 2016: Phi Kappa Phi Scholarship
- 2013: VCU School of Social Work, Distinguished Service Award
Affiliations and service
- 2023: Joined Institute for Transformative Leadership cohort in VCU’s School of Business
- 2023-present: Macro Curriculum Content Coordinator, M.S.W. Program
- 2022-2023: Appointment to Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence Faculty Alliance
- 2021-2023: University Council
- 2021-2024: University Graduate Council
- 2020-2024: Radical Alliance for Anti-Racism, Change, and Equity
- 2020-present: Academic Programs, School of Social Work
- 2019-present: M.S.W. course lead and sequence coordinator
- 2014-2019: M.S.W. and B.S.W. field instructor, Longwood University and Virginia Commonwealth University
Teaching areas and interests
- Advanced macro practice
- Macro practice with communities and organizations
- Policy practice for social workers
- Social Work Practice – Organizing for Social Change
- Social Work and the Natural Environment
- Instructional design and course development in online and on-campus