Sara Nelson is a program manager at the Center for Victims of Torture based in St. Paul, Minnesota. She joined CVT in 2022. In her current position, Sara leads the St. Paul Healing Center, offering clinical direction and program leadership to an interdisciplinary team serving survivors of torture and trauma. Her work is grounded in a commitment to holistic, trauma-informed care that centers the voices and needs of clients.

Sara brings over 15 years of experience in clinical social work, having served in a variety of settings including outpatient mental health clinics, hospital-based medical social work, and emergency crisis response teams. Her professional focus includes trauma-informed assessment, clinical work with individuals fleeing political torture, and the integration of anti-racist and anti-oppressive frameworks into clinical practice and organizational culture.

Sara holds a Bachelor’s degree in Child Psychology from the University of Minnesota (2004), a Master’s degree in Clinical Social Work from St. Catherine’s University (2010), and a post-graduate certificate in Human Services Leadership from the University of Minnesota (2021).