Published on : January 15, 2021
The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) welcomes Tanya Smith Brice, PhD, MSW, as the vice president of education. Smith Brice brings extensive leadership and expertise in higher education and social work to CSWE and will lead the organization’s pursuit of promoting quality education and supporting the career development of students, faculty members, and administrators.
“We are glad for Tanya to join CSWE. With her deep experience in social work education, we are confident that she will bring real-world perspectives and leadership to CSWE’s efforts to promote teaching, learning, and scholarship,” said CSWE President & CEO Darla Spence Coffey, PhD, MSW.
Smith Brice most recently served as dean of the College of Professional Studies at Bowie State University in Maryland, and previously as dean of the School of Health and Human Services at Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina. She also served as the MSW program director at Abilene Christian University, in Abilene, Texas, and served on the social work faculties at Baylor University and the University of South Carolina.
“Joining CSWE is an exciting opportunity to not only focus on my social work background and experience, but a chance to build resources and continue to support social work programs everywhere,” said Smith Brice. “Our graduates must be prepared to serve clients and communities in an ever-changing environment, and faculty and administrators need support and guidance to better serve their students. I know what it takes to build strong programs and look forward to the work ahead here at CSWE.”
Smith Brice’s extensive research focuses on structural violence, specifically as it relates to the effect of those structures on African American people. She held and continues to be involved in leadership roles at social work organizations at the national, state, and local levels, including the National Association of Black Social Workers and CSWE’s Anti-Racism Task Force.
CSWE also thanks and recognizes the decade of service and leadership that Mary Deffley Kurfess, PhD, LCSW-C, brought to the organization. In her time at CSWE, Kurfess held several roles within the Department of Social Work Accreditation and ultimately left as the leader of the accreditation team.
“Few people know social work accreditation as thoroughly as Mary, and we sincerely appreciate Mary’s contributions to CSWE and the support she has provided to hundreds of social work programs over the last 10 years,” said Coffey. “We will miss her leadership and guidance and wish her the best in her next endeavors.”
“It has been my pleasure to be part of CSWE and social work education for these past 10 years. It has been wonderful to see our programs evolve over the years, but the highlight, I would have to say, has been the many friendships and relationships I’ve been able to build along the way. I’m grateful for the support of my colleagues over the years and look forward to spending more time with family and friends,” said Kurfess.
About the Council on Social Work Education
Founded in 1952, the Council on Social Work Education is the national association representing social work education in the United States. Its members include more than 800 accredited baccalaureate and master’s degree social work programs, as well as individual social work educators, practitioners, and agencies dedicated to advancing quality social work education.