The University of Tennessee College of Social Work (UTCSW) has hired Rubén Parra-Cardona as the first Roger and Carol Nooe Endowed Chair. Parra-Cardona comes to UT from the University of Texas at Austin where he was a professor and the associate dean for global engagement at the Steve Hicks School of Social Work. He will begin this position August 1, 2024.

In 2023, the UTCSW established the first endowed chair in its 81-year history. This prestigious position was made possible through a generous $2 million donation from Phillip and Janet Lawson, in honor of the legacy of Roger Nooe and his wife, Carol. Nooe, a professor emeritus at the college, began his career at UT in 1975 as Knoxville branch director and associate dean. Throughout his tenure, Nooe, a dedicated scholar and therapist, devoted his efforts to enhancing the Knoxville community’s response to issues such as homelessness, mental illness, and other challenges local families faced. After 30 years of exemplary service in teaching, mentoring, and inspiring students, he retired in 2005, leaving an indelible mark on the institution and the community.

Parra-Cardona’s journey from public service in child welfare programs in Mexico to the Roger and Carol Nooe Endowed Chair is a testament to his true passion for helping others and his unwavering dedication to making a difference in the lives of others. Originally from Mexico, he embarked on a transformative path that led him to earn a degree in psychology from ITESO University in Guadalajara, Mexico, followed by an M.A., and Ph.D. in couple and family therapy from Syracuse University and Texas Tech University, respectively.

Parra-Cardona’s ground-breaking research in developing and testing culturally adapted parenting programs to prevent child maltreatment and adolescent drug use among Latinx populations has been funded by the National Institutes of Health for 15 consecutive years. He is also a recipient of the prestigious Fulbright Award, underscoring his commitment to global impact. Collaborating with global health scholars and most recently with a leading private foundation in Chile (San Carlos de Maipo), Parra-Cardona has played a pivotal role in developing evidence-based parenting interventions designed to nurture strong parent-child relationships on an international scale.

“I am thrilled to share the news that Dr. Rubén Parra-Cardona officially accepted the prestigious position of the Roger and Carol Nooe Chair, marking a historic milestone as our college’s first endowed chair,” said UTCSW Dean Lori Messinger. “Dr. Parra-Cardona embodies the essence and vision intended for this new position, and his expertise promises to elevate our college to new heights of excellence and impact.”

 “It is an exceptional honor to be the inaugural Roger and Carol Nooe Endowed Chair at the University of Tennessee, and to focus on incredibly important social justice issues found on Rocky Top, in the state of Tennessee, and around the world,” Parra-Cardona stated. “This is a critical time in our country to focus on mental health practices, and as the Nooe chair, I look forward to building upon the many successes of a top college of social work. I am deeply grateful to the donors who provided the support for this position, to Dean Lori Messinger, to the College of Social Work, and to the University of Tennessee for this opportunity, and I am eager to get started on the work ahead.”

Allan Cole, dean of the Steve Hicks School of Social Work, recognized that Parra-Cardona is the perfect scholar for the new endowed chair position at the University of Tennessee.

“Rubén is an extraordinary colleague and friend whose presence in our school will surely be missed, but he is also celebrated as the inaugural Roger and Carol Nooe Endowed Chair at the University of Tennessee,” Cole said. “Dr. Parra-Cardona has made significant contributions to our community intellectually and instructionally, but more importantly, he did so through his kindness and generosity of spirit. I am grateful for his many contributions to the SHS community, and I know that he will bring excellence to UT with his scholarship, teaching, service, leadership, sense of humor, and humanity.”