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About Dr. Hardy

Biographic Information 

 

Dr. Veronica L. Hardy is a nationally certified counselor, a clinical social worker with a license to practice, holds a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from Regent University, and a Master of Social Work from West Chester University. ​

 

Career Highlights and Awards​​

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Dr. Hardy was the first African American tenured Professor of Social Work at The University of North Carolina at Pembroke before making the critical decision to leave full-time academia to concentrate more on authorship, keynote speaking, and social justice initiatives like racial trauma and grief and loss. Prior to academia, she began her career as a case manager in Chester County, PA before transitioning to positions in group home, justice-involved, and private practice settings throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania.  

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She created and introduced the first asynchronous and hybrid courses within the social work program at Colorado State University Pueblo, and she offered faculty development opportunities for online teaching. She chaired the MSW program curriculum committee and the committee for the development of a new online MSW program at The University of North Carolina at Pembroke, which will begin offering classes in 2023. Based on her success in developing online programs and in creating the narrative, plans of study, and course descriptions for the CSWE candidacy eligibility application, she was contracted by Saint Joseph's University to act as the lead in the development of CSWE Benchmark I documents for a new online MSW program slated to begin in 2023. 

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Dr. Hardy received recognition for her commitment as vice chair and professional member of the board of directors for the North Carolina Social Work Certification and Licensure Board. She was recognized by the United Way of Robeson County, where she had previously served as a board member and on the executive committee, with the Volunteer of the Year Award for Distinguished Service, Leadership, and Support to the County.  She was the recipient of the UNCP Outstanding Teaching Award and the UNCP Dial Award for Community Service. Dr. Hardy was nominated for the UNC James E. Holshouser, Jr. Award for Excellence in Public Services and the UNC Board of Governors Teaching Award. 

 

Dr. Hardy served as the co-editor of the Intercultural Relations Special Issue and is currently a member of the policy board and board of copy editors for the International Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics, published by The International Federation of Social Workers. Dr. Hardy has worked on several grant-funded projects in addition to serving as the principal investigator for the Health Equity Project, which aims to give healthcare and educational professionals opportunities to learn about implicit bias, structural racism, and maternal health equity. She has also collaborated on projects such as, The Certificate in Culturally Informed Responses to Grief and Loss, with Dominican University.

 

​In addition, Dr. Hardy has been invited to lead workshops on subjects like financial wellness, addressing racial disparities, and mental wellness in corporate settings such as McDonalds USA, LLC. She has also been welcomed for guest appearances on platforms including ABC11 Together Perspectives and PBS NC Black Issues Forum. ​

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Select Publications

  • Woodside, S., Savage, T., Akers, W., Chae, K., Hardy, V., Jones, S., Locklear, C., Stargell, N., Peele, J., & Pryor, S. (2022). Partnerships to Address School Safety through a Student Support Lens. International Journal of School Social Work, 7(1). 

  • Woodside, S., & Hardy, V. (2020). Facilitating Racial Equity: Evaluating a Leadership Workshop Series for School Social Workers. International Journal of School Social Work, 5(1). 

  • Hardy, V., Locklear, A., & Crable, A. (2020). Commercial sexual exploitation of adolescents: Gender-Specific and trauma-informed care implications. Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics, 17(1).  

  • Hardy, V., Compton, K., & McPhatter, V. (2013). Domestic minor sex trafficking: Practice implications for clinical professionals. AFFILIA: Social Work Journal for Women, 28(1).  

  • Byers, B., Underwood, L., & Hardy, V. (2010). Spirituality group with female offenders: Impacting hope. Journal of Correctional Healthcare, 16(2). 

 

Select Presentations

  • Hardy, V. (2023, February). Featured Speaker: Racial Trauma: A Critical Conversation about Grief, Loss, and Trauma. Presented at Middle State Georgia University, Macon, GA. 

  • Hardy, V. (2023, January). Child Sex Trafficking: Building an Awareness and Prevention Toolkit. Presented at the 21st Annual NC School Nurse Conference, Concord, NC.  

  • Hardy, V. (2022, May). Keynote Speaker: Grieving Freedom: The Legacy of Race-based Trauma. Presented at the 2022 NASW-NC Clinical Social Work Institute (Virtual). 

  • Hardy, V., and Woodside, S. (2022, April) Racial Equity Leadership for School Social Workers – 6-hour preconference workshop. 2022 School Social Work Association of America National Conference. Chicago, IL. 

  • Hardy, V. (2021, September). Keynote Speaker: The Effects of Race-Based Trauma: A Multicultural Competency Perspective. Presented at the Association of Community Mental Health Centers of Kansas (ACMHCK) 2021 Annual Conference for Behavioral Health, Manhattan, KS (Virtual). 

  • Hardy, V. (2018, July). Facilitating Racial Equity from a Social Work Perspective: Addressing Disproportionalities. Presented at the 2018 National Association of Social Workers Conference, Shaping Tomorrow Together, Washington D.C. 

 

Dr. Hardy has delivered several invited lectures at universities, as well as convocation addresses, and presentations at conferences across the nation. 

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Also visit Dr. Hardy's financial empowerment website at www.veronicahardy.com

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