Nicole Wolfe, PhD
Co-Director of Community Engagement
SC CTSI Role
As Co-Director of SC CTSI Community Engagement, Dr. Wolfe provides strategic leadership for community engagement, workforce development, stakeholder partnerships, and public-facing initiatives. She cultivates partnerships among communities, researchers, and institutions, helping ensure that community knowledge and priorities inform research and that research is accessible and responsive to the communities it is intended to serve. Dr. Wolfe oversees the strategic direction and scope of a broad portfolio of projects, guides the development of new initiatives, and collaborates across SC CTSI and with external partners to identify opportunities for shared work. She also leads educational and dissemination efforts, translating knowledge for professional publications, popular media, and community-facing resources.
Contact Information
nicole.wolfe@med.usc.edu
415-845-1848
Professional Background
Dr. Wolfe is a medical sociologist with nearly two decades of experience working in academia as a researcher and educator. Dr. Wolfe received her PhD in medical sociology from the University of California, San Francisco, and her bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Denver. Dr. Wolfe’s research experience includes conducting community-based qualitative, mixed-methods, and clinical trial research. The focus of her work has been at both the macro and micro levels examining health and drug policy, the structure of the US healthcare system, health and safety practices of marginalized populations, substance use/abuse, health disparities, and the social determinants of health. Dr. Wolfe has taught at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. Her courses included those focused on the topics of her research as well an introductory and advanced level research methods courses. Dr. Wolfe has been driven throughout her career by a commitment to health equity, social justice, and empowerment through education.
Interests
Nicole enjoys cooking, baking, music, being at the beach, and spending time with her family.