Additional research and teaching interests include poverty and inequity, especially in urban environments, and social justice in public policy. Prior to joining the BC School of Social Work, Dearing led a number of anti-poverty organizations, including Boston Rising, a start-up anti-poverty fund, and Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Boston, where she was the first woman president. She also spent nearly a decade as a management consultant both to Fortune 500 companies and to mission-driven nonprofit organizations. In 2012, Dearing was appointed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to serve on Governor Patrick’s Commission on a Cashless EBT Payment System. She blogs regularly forThe Huffington Post and WBUR’s Cognoscenti and provides frequent media commentary to both local and national outlets on topics such as nonprofits, philanthropy, and social justice.