
Dr. Gloria Batiste-Roberts serves as the Director of the Thomas F. Freeman Center for Forensic Excellence at Texas Southern University and adjunct professor of Social Work. She also serves as a Permanency Convener for Children’s Protective Services.
She received her undergraduate degree in Social Work from Texas Southern University (TSU), her MSW degree from Howard University and a Doctorate in Public Health from the University of Texas, School of Public Health.
For 29½ years she worked full time at the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services as a Child Protective Services Supervisor. She retired on August 31, 2003. While working at CPS, she also worked for 21 years, part-time, at Ben Taub Hospital as a social worker in the emergency room. For eight years, she did private therapy at a facility for delinquents and for other youth on adjudicated probation.
For 38 years, Dr. Batiste-Roberts served as assistant Debate Coach of the TSU Debate Team, along with the renowned Dr. Thomas F. Freeman, Head Coach Emeritus. She was among his most outstanding students.
Dr. Batiste-Roberts has served as Head Coach of the TSU Debate since 2011. In this position, she also serves as coordinator of the Annual Barbara Jordan Memorial Lecture.
Dr. Batiste-Roberts is a former president of the National Association of Black Social Workers (NABSW). She received the Educator of the year award in 2014 at NABSW’s 46th National Conference April 17th in Indianapolis, IN for her decades of professional service to NABSW, her students and her clients. Immediate past NABSW National President, Joe Benton said the Executive Committee of the organization enthusiastically selected Dr. Batiste-Roberts because of her commitment to advancing student development through mentorship, scholarship and tireless service. He called her “a model of the best in social work education,” and added that she is a most worthy social work scholar and community leader.
Dr. Batiste-Roberts does workshops and is invited to speak all over the country and abroad. She feels that parents, caregivers, teachers and other professionals, should teach discipline by example, consistency, encouragement and reward; that adults should look at the positive things youth are doing and give them positive recognition at home and at school. Her vision for all youth is that they will be empowered to face this nation and the world with confidence and determination.