Sofia Lawrence

Sofia Lawrence joined the School of Government in 2025 and now serves as an academic affairs coordinator. In this role, she will serve as the program lead for the new Law, Government, and Public Service undergraduate minor, while also assisting with academic coordination and operational needs within the MPA Program. Before joining the School, a macro social worker by training, Lawrence held leadership roles within nonprofits and organizations focused on community engagement. Her work has included crisis-response, systems-level mental health interventions, and social work research. Lawrence earned a master of social work from UNC-Chapel Hill and a B.A. in sociology from the University of North Carolina at Asheville. She is the 2025 recipient of the NASW-NC Presidents' Award and the UNC School of Social Work's Jane Curtis Parker, Philip W. and Lane G. Cooke, and Dean E. Smith Opening Doors Awards. She is also a past recipient of the School of Government Star Heel Award.