Maruka Rivers, MSW, LCSW, has had a 15-year career in the social work field centering social justice. As Deputy Director of Workforce Development Programs, she leads the Next Level pilot process, including curriculum development, evaluation and technical assistance for community-based organization partners.

Her most prominent roles have been as the Clinical Director at Urban Ministries of Durham (UMD) in Durham, NC and as the Co-Director for Field Education at North Carolina A&T State University (NCAT) and the University of North Carolina Greensboro (UNCG). Her participation in workforce development dates back to her time as a case manager in a youth GED program at Crittenton Women’s Union in Boston, MA. She brings a wealth of experience teaching and training face-to-face and in online platforms, as well as presenting at national conferences and training staff at local partner institutions.