Nominees for Board of Directors Officers
Mark Ezell, Ph.D., M.S.W.
University of Kansas (KS)
Lawrence , Kansas
Nominee for Treasurer
Thank you for the nomination and the opportunity to serve as Treasurer of the CSWE Board. I have been teaching and conducting research on the management of nonprofit organizations for more than 20 years. Not only have I been teaching financial management for that duration, I have numerous publications on the topic. I have served on editorial boards of many journals, the most relevant being Administration in Social Work. I was a recent editor of a special issue and have proposed another for the near future. I am the author of the chapter on financial management in the Handbook of Social Welfare Management, Rino Patti, editor.
I have served on approximately a dozen boards of varying scope in different parts of the country. I was Treasurer of the Board of the Washington State Chapter of NASW for many years, and helped them rework their budget monitoring system. I have the knowledge and skills to help CSWE remain financially stable, and to maintain accountability to its various constituencies.
Members of the Board, whether officers or not, must work together to further the mission of the organization. Not only am I committed to the mission, I bring to the table extensive experience in social work education and many skills relevant to organizational/board work, such as problem solving, leadership, organizational analysis, and collaboration. I am very familiar with CSWE due to the fact that I coordinated successful self studies at two highly reputable universities.
With your support, I look forward to serving the CSWE membership.
Barbara Shank, PhD, MSW
College of St. Catherine /University of St. Thomas (MN)
St. Paul , Minnesota
Nominee for Treasurer
I am honored to be nominated to serve a second term as Treasurer of CSWE. It has been wonderful serving on the Board. I have been engaged in social work education for 29 years as BSW field coordinator, BSW Program Director and Dean and Professor of our School of Social Work. I am responsible for preparing and administering a multi-million dollar revenue and expense budget. My past experiences prepared me to assume this position. I have served as Treasurer of NADD (two terms), Treasurer of the Minnesota Conference on Social Work Education (two terms) and as President of the MN Chapter of NASW. During my Presidency of NASW, I moved the chapter into financial stability through increasing membership, creating a reserve fund and initiating fundraising activities. As the current Treasurer of the Council, I have worked closely with the staff and Executive Director to ensure that we maintain a healthy fiscal position.
Through the years, I have been privileged to serve social work education in other capacities. I served as Program/Conference Chair for BPD; Vice President, Program Chair and President of NADD; Chair of the Women's Interest Group of IASSW and on the Commission of Educational Policy, and the Commission on Accreditation. I also serve as the Newsletter Editor of ICSD, and as a certified site visitor for the Council.
I am prepared to work with our leadership to maximize the use of our resources, and meet the needs of members. I have a unique and comprehensive view of social work education and will assist CSWE to maintain its fiscal viability. I bring to this position my understanding of and commitment to the organization, my willingness to listen and work, my passion for excellence, my ability to find opportunities in challenges, and my commitment to collaboration and social justice.
Nominees for the Board of Directors Members
Sophia Dziegielewski, PhD, MSW
University of Cincinnati (OH)
Cincinnati , OH
Nominee for Graduate Dean
If selected, I would be honored to serve on the CSWE Board of Directors representing graduate faculty. This new position would be welcomed as I just recently finished serving as of Chairperson of the CSWE Commission on Faculty Development. Prior to this leadership role I had served as a committee member since 2000 with the primary responsibility for planning the APM. As a site visitor I have taken a lead role on two program reaccreditations. I have a long and active history with CSWE starting when I first became involved in 1990 when I participated as a Ph.D. student.
My educational qualifications include my MSW and Ph.D. in Social Work from Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL. I am currently a licensed social worker in Ohio. Prior to my position as Dean at the University of Cincinnati, I was Chairperson for the University of Central Florida Human Subjects Review Board, where I presided over all human subjects research at this large (43, 000 students) metropolitan university.
Throughout my social work academic and practice career I have been active in research and the protection of human subjects specializing in health and mental health clinical practice. I take my commitment and leadership roles seriously and have been active in CSWE, NASW and University governance at many levels. Similar to the leadership roles I have held in the past, if selected, I will work closely with CSWE to promote our profession and encourage collaboration with other social work organizations so that together we can continue to enhance our national presence.
Theresa Barron-McKeagney, PhD, MSW
University of Nebraska at Omaha (NE)
Omaha , NE
Nominee for Graduate Dean
I am honored to be nominated to serve on the CSWE Board of Directors of Graduate Deans. I became the Director of the UNO School of Social Work in January 2004. Before becoming Director, I was a faculty member. I began in 1989, two years after completing my MSW at UNO in a program called the Minority Faculty Development Program. I worked on my doctoral studies at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, completed in 1993; was tenure track, tenured and promoted to Associate Professor in 2000 and became Director in 2004. I have always taught social work graduate students. Teaching graduates is special to me. When students choose social work from other disciplines, I feel they have a vocational calling.
The world of graduate students has changed significantly. Our students are working with diverse communities where cultural competence and knowing a language other than English, is critical; most people thought not much would change in the Midwest, they were wrong. Social work graduates need to re-focus their skill sets to include working with the older adult. Under my short tenure I’ve supported graduate education in this area and have been successful in securing external funds for the School of Social Work. I’m working with the Omaha Public Schools and the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services to help them understand why they need graduate social work students. I’m pleased to announce that this was the first year (2006-2007) that OPS and the School worked together to provide advanced graduate level practica to four schools.
I am passionate about social work and the opportunities to develop an equitable and fair society. Listening and being heard have impacted my professional life and I’d like to give back by serving on the CSWE Board of Directors of Graduate Deans.
Maggie Jackson, PhD
Cleveland State University (OH)
Cleveland , OH
Nominee for Graduate Dean
I would be honored to serve on the CSWE Board of Directors. I have served as a director for the last fifteen years and twenty-nine years at Cleveland State University.
I will bring to the board experiences from three boards of higher education. I have served nine years of the board of Africa University, Zimbabwe, Africa; eight years on the board of Northwestern College, Orange City, Iowa; ten years on the board of the Methodist Theological Seminary in Ohio. I have held leadership positions in each of these.
I have gained additional information in social work education through my service for three years as a member of the Commission of Accreditation and six years on the Ohio State Licensure Board. I am committed to the betterment of social work education.
Karen Sowers, PhD, MSW
University of Tennessee (TN)
Knoxville, TN
Nominee for Graduate Dean
At a time when our profession is poised to move in new and relevant directions, our leadership at the Council is critical. I believe that our leadership must take steps to ensure that our profession is at the forefront of the provision of human services and I would be honored to serve as the graduate dean representative on the Board of Directors of the Council of Social Work Education.
Over twenty five years ago I chose to become a social work educator. My first position was with a BSW program at Winthrop University in South Carolina. Following my doctoral studies, I joined the faculty at the School of Social Work at Florida International University as the Director of the BSW program. After serving 8 years in that capacity, I became the Director of the School of Social Work at Florida International University. After FIU, I moved to my present position as dean of the College of Social Work at the University of Tennessee. Over the years, I have served on the CSWE Board of Directors, many of the Board committees, the Commission on Women and the Commission on Education Policy and Standards. I have served on many BSW and MSW site visits and I have chaired an APM. I currently serve on the CSWE Commission for Educational Excellence and Innovation and the Ad hoc Committee to the Office of Social Work Education and Research.
I am committed to strengthening social work education within our institutions’ of higher learning and to assuring broad based inclusion of our membership in the governance of the Council. I believe that my experience in graduate and undergraduate education as well as my experience in leadership positions has provided me with the ability to help the Council move forward in its pursuit of inclusion and excellence.
Diane Elze, PhD, MSSA
University at Buffalo, State University of New York (NY)
Buffalo, NY
Nominee for Graduate Faculty
I am honored to be nominated for a position on the CSWE Board of Directors and tremendously excited about the prospect of serving the profession in this manner. I joined the faculty at the University at Buffalo’s School of Social Work in August 2005, having previously served on the faculty at Washington University in St. Louis. As a Graduate Faculty Representative, I would bring a strong commitment to excellence in social work education; enthusiasm for our movement towards a competency-based model; a deep appreciation for the intimate connections between practice, teaching, and research, and for the diversity in social work programs; and an unwavering belief that social work must continue to provide leadership in the pursuit of social and economic justice.
My scholarship, teaching, and community service have been shaped by 20 years of practice with adolescents at psychosocial risk; gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender populations; and people affected by HIV. My research has focused on the well-being of GLBT youths and HIV prevention interventions, and presently, service utilization among transgender youths and adults. My community service involves consultation and training on GLBT-related issues, and support to HIV organizations serving communities of color. Locally, I serve as Secretary of the Board of Directors of the MOCHA (Men of Color Health Awareness) Project in Buffalo and Rochester.
My involvement in CSWE has included membership on: (a) the Commission for Diversity and Social and Economic Justice (CDSEJ) since 2004; (b) the Working Group that developed the Commission’s mission, functions, structure, and composition; and (c) the Council on Sexual Orientation and Gender Expression (2000-2006), serving as co-chair for my last three years. I feel privileged to be working with such visionary, collaborative and hard-working colleagues.
I welcome an opportunity to serve CSWE in these challenging times that require strong advocacy for the profession.
Stephen Gilson, PhD, MSW
University of Maine (ME)
Orono , ME
Nominee for Graduate Faculty
Thank you for this honor. Since my MSW program at the University of Denver in 1978, and then doctoral and postdoctoral studies at University of Nebraska Medical Center and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) respectively, and through my teaching at Virginia Commonwealth University and The University of Maine I have been committed to actualizing principles of our profession, particularly social justice, equality of access, and diversity.
Contemporary times provide both challenges and exciting opportunities for social work education. As intellectual development, higher education, and practice call for increasing complexity, technological sophistication, interdisciplinary exchange, accountability, and a local-global balance, all within scarce fiscal environments, it is incumbent upon social work education to preserve its heritage while also preparing students to advance social work scholarship and practice. I believe that my experience has much to offer as CSWE moves in progressive directions to guide social work education. I have had the opportunity to publish numerous articles and co-author three social work texts all which applied original theory to the domains of human behavior, evaluation, and disability. I have concentrated my teaching and service on policy practice spanning local to global health, social welfare, and diversity. I have met the challenges of limited university funding by raising extramural funds, resulting in support for social work students, research in prevention and health promotion and support for a progressive interdisciplinary curriculum in disability and diversity. This concentration models equality of access through innovative use of technology integrated with sound curriculum and teaching design. Over the time span of my academic career, I have been recognized by colleagues through awards from local, national, and international organizations for teaching, scholarship, and service.
I am honored by this nomination and look forward to an opportunity to be involved in the leadership of social work education.
Suzanne Young Bushfield, PhD, MSW
Arizona State University West (AZ)
Phoenix , AZ
Nominee for Undergraduate Director
I’m very excited about being nominated for a position on the Board of Directors, and am eager to have the opportunity to serve CSWE in this capacity. My varied social work education experiences include teaching in two combined MSW/BSW programs (in North Dakota and Arizona) and one BSW only program (in Idaho). Similar to many, I came to social work education following many years as a practitioner. I have participated in distance education and technology projects in social work education, both undergraduate and graduate, and in both rural and urban environments. I am very aware of the multiple challenges facing undergraduate programs, particularly in balancing the increasing pressures to recruit, retain and graduate students while maintaining the necessary standards for professional practice, and increasing expectations for scholarship. CSWE plays a critical role in promoting and strengthening quality social work education, and I believe leadership of CSWE can benefit from a diverse representation of people with experience across many aspects of social work. I hope to participate in this leadership role by bringing a strong voice representing the needs of BSW programs to CSWE so that it may further its role in providing policy, standards, accreditation, and advocacy for social work education, faculty, and research. CSWE needs to be responsive to its many constituents, and I will seek out the needs and opinions of BSW programs in particular, so that decisions will always consider the needs of programs whether small or large, urban or rural, public or private. Thank you in advance for considering me for this position, and you may be assured that I will always work diligently and collaboratively in representing the needs of undergraduate programs to CSWE.
Islia Ann Rosado, MSW, JD
Universidad del Sagrado Corazón (PR)
San Juan, PR
Nominee for Undergraduate Director
Full professor at Universidad del Sagrado Corazon and a faculty member of that university for the last 26 years. Hired in 1980 my first task was to work toward CSWE program accreditation which was accomplished in 1985. Since then our social work program has been successful in obtaining subsequent reaffirmation of accreditation status. Our latest reaffirmation of accreditation was obtained from 2006 to 2013.
At present a member of the university’s academic senate and member of the Forensic Social Work Congress and the Social Work Ethics Committee outside the university.
Prior to this position I worked as a clinical social worker in the United States and Puerto Rico particularly in the public mental health system. I was also a consultant for the Puerto Rico Department of the Family in the area of family support services and prevention for a period of eight years. During that time I participated in three publications in the areas of family violence, research on family support services and a directory on family resources. I also participated with other colleagues in the production of two documentaries on family support services and prevention of child abuse.
For the last 26 years I have had a great interest in the accreditation process and its procedures. I firmly believe this process is a very important and essential for the advancement and improvement of the social work profession, and provides the excellence and ethical stance necessary to form competent social workers. This is extremely important for the bachelor’s level which is the initial professional level that works directly with the clientele.
Finally, efforts should be made to strengthen the accreditation process and procedures, based on real professional and educational challenges and ensure the formation of a new generation of committed and effective social workers.
Denise M. Montcalm, PhD, MSW
University of Nevada, Reno (NV)
Reno, NV
Nominee for Undergraduate Director
I am truly honored to be nominated to the Board of Directors of the Council on Social Work Education representing Undergraduate Directors. I have been a faculty member at the University of Nevada, Reno since 1993, where I have served as the BSW Program Coordinator for eleven years. I have also served as the School’s Director since January, 2004.
I have been fortunate to have had opportunities to work with national, state, and local social work organizations in ways that have allowed me to see the various challenges confronting our profession from many different viewpoints. This past year, for example, I served on an ad hoc task force that examined and made recommendations to the Board regarding the governance structure of CSWE. Currently, I am one of two baccalaureate program directors serving on the inter-organization benchmarking project that is working to identify key indicators of quality programs. In 2001 and 2002 I served as the Program Chair for BPD’s Annual Conference; and, in 2003 and 2004, I served as Conference Chair. Closer to home, I am one of the founding members of a statewide group that is working to find creative ways of addressing the shortage of social workers facing our state. I have also served as the vice president for NASW, Nevada Chapter.
Through these experiences I have become increasingly aware of the many external factors confronting our profession. I believe overcoming these challenges is best achieved by joining with other social work organizations in developing creative, mutually satisfying solutions. Throughout my career I have worked successfully to bring together differing voices in developing innovative, win-win approaches. I would welcome the opportunity to represent undergraduate directors as our profession works toward developing “one voice” that conveys the constellation of values, knowledge, and skills that is uniquely social work.
Dina Rosenfeld, DSW, MSW
New York University (NY)
New York , NY
Nominee for Undergraduate Director
I have been working in social work education for the last 29 years, 3 years at Dominican College and 26 years at NYU. For the last 10 years I have been the Director of the Undergraduate Program. My major academic challenge has been maintaining active membership in the larger Undergraduate NYU community and in the School of Social Work. Before becoming Director, my involvement at the School of Social Work has been in Field Education, the Advanced Standing Program, the Group Work curriculum and developing the Certificate Program in End-of-Life Care. At NYU we have 13 Undergraduate Schools with the School of Social Work being one of them. As a result I sit on the committees of Academic Standards at the College of Arts and Sciences as well as Advisement, Resident Life, Student Services and many others. At the School of Social Work I am very involved in Field Education, with cross-curriculum educational projects and with agency-school research initiatives. I am also very involved with student life and a very active Undergraduate Student Association. Even though we have a small Program, our students are in leadership positions throughout the University and represent social work proudly.
My own practice experiences have been varied. Within the last 10 years I have been focusing on adoption and end-of-life care and spirituality. My work in domestic and international adoption has been in the area of education, policy and direct work with adoptive families. In end-of-life care I have focused on working with the multi-disciplinary team of professionals as well as reviewing spirituality content in social work curriculum. I have also worked with clergy in enhancing their work with their congregants. I have been very fortunate to have such enriching experiences in my work life.
Sheila G. Bunch, PhD, MSW
East Carolina University (NC)
Greenville, NC
Nominee for Undergraduate Faculty
I feel energized by the opportunity to serve on the CSWE Board of Directors representing undergraduate faculty. I am grateful to the National Nominating Committee for submitting my name for consideration. My practice experience in developmental disabilities, health and mental health has been instrumental in connecting theory and practice in the classroom. I have 21 years of undergraduate teaching experience and I currently serve as the BSW Coordinator at East Carolina University. I have taught across the curriculum primarily in the areas of child welfare, diversity, practice, and field education. Through the years, I have served on several standing and ad hoc committees that include undergraduate admissions and teaching effectiveness. I have been intimately involved with at least two curriculum revisions. Service to the university has included membership on the Committee on the Status of Women, the Student Appeals Committee and I currently represent the School of Social Work in the Faculty Senate.
My teaching style is grounded in assisting students with understanding generalist practice as well as the impact of persistent inequality and social injustice on client systems especially in rural localities. Helping students integrate social work knowledge, values and skills with their natural style and developing introspection about the appropriate use of self are also essential components of my work with students.
I am very committed to the purpose and goals of undergraduate social work education. I am looking forward to working collaboratively with other social work educators to articulate the needs and interests of BSW programs. I am excited about this leadership opportunity and I would appreciate your support.
Cora Le-Doux, PhD, MSSW
Our Lady of the Lake University (TX)
San Antonio , TX
Nominee for Undergraduate Faculty
Although my employment settings have varied; and the populations and social issues have changed over time, I am a career social worker. Currently, I serve as a professor of social work teaching practice, policy, research, and HBSE undergraduate courses to a predominantly Hispanic student population. In addition to teaching experience, I have held various administrative positions in academia including Dean, Associate Dean, and BSW Program Director. At the national level, I am serving my second term on the CSWE Council on the Role of Women in Social Work Education. I have also served as a CSWE site visitor; and co-directed our university’s most recent SACS accreditation. Besides the 15 years in social work education, I bring extensive work experience with immigrants and refugees, run-away youths, and the elderly; as well as mental health and child welfare services. As a social worker, I continue to function in multiple roles including as an external evaluator and consultant for social service agencies. I also serve on the editorial board of several social work journals. Overall, my work experience and scholarship reflect the diversity of my professional experience and my interests. This diversity and my long-term commitment to the social work profession, I believe, will allow me to make a positive contribution, at a national level, to social work education. In my estimation, if elected, I bring a wealth of work experience; leadership skills; knowledge of higher education; and commitment to the social work profession and its mission.
It is a privilege to be nominated; and I appreciate your support.
Nominees for National Nominating Committee Members
Jeanne Marsh, PhD, MSW
University of Chicago (IL)
Chicago, IL
Nominee for Graduate Dean
I have been involved in social work education since 1978 when I joined the faculty of the School of Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago. I am currently serving my third five-year term as Dean of the School (1988-98, 2005-present). I have participated in the accreditation process four times at Chicago, once as Dean. I also served a Council of Social Work Education Board of Directors and Chair, Commission on Educational Policy from 1997-2001. I have been pleased to have these opportunities to advance social work education and the social work profession. And, I have appreciated the talented and hard-working staff and volunteer leadership engaged in the many facets of CSWE’s work.
I am dedicated to the development of social work as a profession at both an academic and professional level. Historically and currently, educational institutions have played a key role in defining the profession, developing it and insuring its legitimacy. There is significant diversity and dynamism in social work education at this time with growth in programs at the BSW, MSW and PhD levels and with new domains of practice becoming available to our graduates. In my role on the National Nominating Committee of CSWE I would like to work to insure that the volunteer leadership reflects the dynamism and diversity of our programs and the youth a vigor of our volunteer candidates.
Peter Vaughan, PhD, MSW
Fordham University (NY)
New York, NY
Nominee for Graduate Dean
As a professional social worker with more than 40 years of practice experience and thirty years as an educator, I continue to see social work as being a profession of hope today as much as I did when I completed studies for the MSW degree. The profession of social work is at a crossroads as it seeks definition of its future in a rapidly changing society. The profession must be unified if it is to continue to address the needs of those most challenged by the social, economic, and political divide that exists in our society. New functions and roles must be determined and old functions and roles must be clarified if the profession is to remain true to its mission of social justice. Social work education is and must be a major player in developing programs of study that prepare the next generation of practitioners, researchers and educators to provide dynamic leadership that will focus on how the profession can grow and maintain its rightful place among professions. If elected to the National Nominating Committee, I will strive to identify and nominate persons who can fulfill the needs of CSWE and the profession.
Sharlene B.C.L. Furuto, EdD, MSW
Brigham Young University , Hawai’i Campus (HI)
Laie, HI
Nominee for Undergraduate Director
I have had a number of leadership positions that put me in contact with others anxious to serve. Currently I am the treasurer for the national Asian & Pacific Islander Social Work Educators Association and board member for the Asia Pacific Branch of the International Consortium for Social Development. From 200-2003, I was a Board member for NASW. I co-edited two books, Social Work Practice with Asian Americans in 1992 and Culturally Competent Practice: Skills, Interventions, and Evaluations in 2001.
I’ve been teaching at a small, rural, faith-based university for about 30 years and am currently the Social Work Department chairperson. Our campus (2,500 students) and social work program (90 majors, including 40 who will graduate this year) are very diverse. Half of our majors are from the Pacific Islands and Asian Rim countries and half are from the USA.
My experiences with other social work educators in several national and international social work organizations over three decades have allowed me to become well aware and familiar with a number of social work educators. I believe that my acquaintances and familiarity with these educators as well as my awareness of current and forthcoming social work education and profession issues put me at a vantage point for nominating leaders to run for the CSWE Board of Directors. We need board members anxious to address current and future issues.
If elected to this position, I shall:
- nominate more diverse members to serve on the CSWE board
- nominate more faculty sensitive to the aging and international perspectives
- commit myself to promoting the best education for social work students by addressing issues such as curriculum changes and insufficient number of qualified social work educators
Mahalo to the nominating committee for the honor to run, and aloha to those on the ballot.
Uma Segal, PhD
University of Missouri-St. Louis (MO)
St. Louis, MO
Nominee for Undergraduate Director
Uma A. Segal has been in social work education for over 20 years and has served as the Baccalaureate Program Director in the School of Social Work at the University of Missouri-St. Louis since 2000. She is particularly interested in being a part of the Council on Social Work Education´s (CSWE) national Nominating Committee to ensure that undergraduate social work education not only has representation, but strong advocates, on the governing bodies of CSWE. Her 30+ years as a member of CSWE, her experience on CSWE´s International Commission for six years, and her current membership on the Commission of Curricular Education and Innovation (COCEI) has put allowed her to work closely with social work educators who appreciate the significance of baccalaureate social work education. It is important that both baccalaureate faculty are represented by the presence of baccalaureate directors but also by master´s and doctoral level faculty who recognize the necessity of strong, stable, and effective undergraduate social work education.
N. Yolanda Burwell, PhD
North Carolina Rural Economic Development Center (NC)
Raleigh, NC
Nominee for Practitioner
I would become a very committed member of the Nominating Committee if elected to this position. In 2005, I joined the North Carolina Rural Center as a Senior Fellow to do economic development and economic justice work in rural communities in the state. I came to this position after 25 years of teaching and learning from students in three undergraduate programs. I was president of the Social Welfare History Group for over 10 years that oversaw the Social Welfare History Symposia at APM. I participated in the Social Work Congress. Prior to my service on the CSWE Board of Directors (2002-2005), I was a member of the Conference Planning Commission and Women’s Commission. These experiences exposed me to the critical importance of having an intellectually and culturally diverse pool of candidates for positions on the board. Board recruitment and development is a continual process. Effective Board recruitment is often tied to a responsive and meaningfully membership service system. Members have to see “value” of the organization to the profession and their professional development. Recruiting new leadership for the board is an assignment I will take seriously. I will do all I can to reach out to and insure social workers (educators, field directors and practitioners) who want to serve, will have the opportunity to do so.