Brief Bio

Zakary (Zak) Amen grew up in Illinois, and he has a bachelor’s of arts in anthropology from Wake Forest University, and a master’s degree in social work from the University of Michigan. At Michigan, he worked with the Center on Assets, Education, and Inclusion conducting quantitative research during his field placement. He also worked with the Program Evaluation Group (PEG) assisting with data collection and analysis as well as program evaluation with local organizations.

Prior to coming to the University of Tennessee, he interned with the Corporation for Supportive Housing as a member of the Data, Strategy, & External Affairs team, where he helped modernize their research database and improve inter-department project development. He also worked on a movement to give voice to those experiencing homelessness, and to incorporate those experiences into organizational programs and frameworks. In his free time, Amen enjoys cooking, biking, board games, and college/professional sports.

Zakary (Zak) Amen
zamen@vols.utk.edu