The Macro Social Work Mentor

Patricia J. Britt was appointed, unanimously, by Cleveland City Council, as City Clerk, Clerk of Council on January 14, 2008.  As Clerk of Council, Britt is the Chief Administrative Officer of the Office of Cleveland City Council. In order to enable the work in Council, Britt is responsible for overseeing Cleveland City Council’s Staff in the creation of policies and procedures, media relations, negotiation of contracts, management of City Council’s $7.3 million budget, and working with the 17 Members of Council and their Executive Assistants.Prior to being appointed to serve as City Clerk, Clerk of Council, Britt was a Member of Cleveland City Council, representing Ward 6 from 1995 to 2008. Throughout her tenure as Councilwoman, Britt concentrated her efforts on stabilizing the assets in the Ward and facilitating opportunities for community and economic growth.Britt served as a member of the Field Education Faculty of the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western Reserve University from 1990 to 2008. Britt has a Master’s degree in Social Work from Howard University, a certificate in State and Local Government from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, and is a Master Municipal Clerk. Civic & Political Engagement for Social Workers:  Workshop and DiscussionRegister:  https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/9tyS5oRqQ8-roNokpegVHg

My interview today is with Judy Verduzco, Public Counsel’s Director of Social Work. Public Counsel is a nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to advancing civil rights and racial and economic justice.  In this position, she leads Public Counsel’s efforts to nurture a trauma-informed and client-centered culture throughout the organization. We will be talking about her work with Public Counsel, here in Los Angeles, an organization that has evolved from a purely legal services agency to one that has social workers on staff as interdisciplinary partners in furthering the legal cases of their clients–and they are talking about self-care, the importance of supervision and so much more!!!  You have to stay tuned to listen to my interview with Judy on this episode of the Macro Social Work Mentor.

Dr. Joan Zlotnik has focused on strengthening the bridges between research, practice, policy and education. She worked for three national social work organizations between 1987 and 2018. From 2009 to 2015 she  directed NASW’s Social Work Policy Institute, and served as the executive director of the Institute for the Advancement of Social Work Research from 2000 to 2009.Dr. Zlotnik is an internationally recognized expert and author of numerous publications. Her expertise has been sought by government agencies and think tanks and she has led several foundation-funded projects. Dr. Zlotnik is an NASW Social Work Pioneer® and was the 2012 alumni of the year for the University of Maryland School of Social Work. She currently is a consultant on developing and maintaining strategic partnerships.I have known of Dr. Zlotnik and her policy work with NASW for many years, so I was thrilled to meet her at the 2024 NASW National Conference in Washington DC, where she attended my panel presentation on political social work!  I had to invite her to be on the podcast.

Episode 5 is my interview with Heather Bradley-Geary.Bradley-Geary is the Director of Supportive Housing for The Vecino Group.  Since 2014, Vecino Group has developed 29 supportive housing communities in 10 states, ending homelessness for 750 households annually.  Prior to her work at Vecino Group, Bradley-Geary worked at Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC).  While at MHDC, Bradley-Geary created the Community Initiatives Department, overseeing $20 million (annually) in homeless funds for the state of Missouri and overseeing the Joplin Housing recovery.  In addition to her work at the Vecino Group, Bradley-Geary is an adjunct Professor in the Social Welfare program at the University of Kansas, most recently being awarded the University of Kansas Dean’s Award for Excellence in Adjunct Teaching and Mignot Award.  Bradley-Geary works tirelessly to end homelessness, acting as a legislative captain for the National Alliance to End Homelessness and testifying before congress in the passage of HR 3700.  She volunteers her time as a youth group leader at St. Thomas the Apostle Episcopal Church in Overland Park, Kansas.  Bradley-Geary resides in Olathe, Kansas with her husband, Brian.  They are proud parents of two collegiate athletes.Victor Manalo Coaching and ConsultingUnlock your potential as a catalyst for change with my specialized social work coaching program! Designed for aspiring social work leaders and passionate advocates, you will be empowered to drive meaningful transformation to enhance neighborhoods, uplift communities, and optimize agency and organizational processes. Join me to build resilient communities, to increase political influence, and become the agent of change you were meant to be!  

Today, I have three guests who will be discussing their work in social innovation and social entrepreneurship.Dr. Gokul Mandayam:  Dr. Gokul Mandayam, is a macro practice faculty member in the MSW Program at the Rhode Island College School of Social Work. Prior to that he worked with the University at Buffalo School of Social Work (UBSSW) and was affiliated with the school’s interdisciplinary social innovation and social entrepreneurship initiative. Dr. Marissa Kaloga:  Dr. Marissa Kaloga is the Hynds Lecturer in Entrepreneurship at the University of Auckland Business School's award winning Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in au·tee·uh·row·uh, New Zealand. She holds an MSW and PhD in Social Work from the Ohio State University College of Social Work. Ian Williams:  I am a doctoral student in the Ph.D. Program in Social Welfare at The CUNY Graduate Center in New York City. My research investigates how organizations adopt, integrate, and decide on technologies and other innovations - and how this affects caring fields such as social work. They are here representing the Social Work Innovation Network, and you will hear more about each one of them and the Social Work Innovation Network.Resources from GuestsFrom Dr. Gokul Mandayam:  Book:  'Design Social Change: Take Action, Work Towards Equity and Challenge the Status Quo' 'Annapurna Pariwar' organization found by Dr. Medha Samant Interview with Dr. Medha SamantFrom Dr. Marissa Kaloga:Spotify link: Hildegard Von Bingen New Yorker Article about her lifeCentre for Innovation & Entrepreneurship Hynds Fellows: JuncturesFrom Ian Williams:SWIN’s LinkedIn pageSWIN Interest FormEMES International Research Network’s summer program in TrentoThe call for proposals for the special issue for the journal Human Service Organizations: Governance, Leadership, Management. David Graeber quote: “The ultimate, hidden truth of the world is that it is something that we make, and could just as easily make differently.”Graeber, D. 2015. “Dead zones of the imagination: An essay on structural stupidity” The utopia of rules: On technology, stupidity, and the secret joys of bureaucracy. Melville House.

We will be talking about Artificial Intelligence or AI and Social Work on this episode of the Macro Social Work Mentor.Dr. Marina Badillo-Diaz is an experienced school administrator and counseling director with a demonstrated history of working in community mental health and in education as a social worker. Currently, Dr. Badillo-Diaz is a consultant focusing on the training of educators and social workers with MABD Consulting. She is also an adjunct professor and board member of the National School Social Work Association of America. She is also the author of the blog, “The AI Social Worker”, a 21st Century Skills and AI guide for Social Workers. Her areas of interest include 21st-century skills, social-emotional learning programming, school social work practice, education, youth mental health, clinical supervision for social workers, AI Applications, data management, and career development.Dr. Amanda Baranski is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker located in Denver, Colorado. She serves MSW students as a faculty member at Metropolitan State University of Denver. Dr. Baranski currently serves as the president of the National Association of Social Workers Colorado chapter and the co-chair of the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Committee. She has clinical experience in hospital social work, mental health, recovery services, education, mediation, and consultation services. Specialized areas of focus include AI in social work, ambiguous grief and loss, queer issues, mental illness, and substance use disorders.The AI Social WorkerThe Prompt Library

Dr. Lakeya Cherry is a Partner at Evolution and an executive leadership coach who has dedicated her career to the growth and development of individuals and the organizations they are a part of, and she is the former Chief Executive Officer of The Network for Social Work Management. She also serves as a Commissioner on the City of San Diego Commission on the Status of Women, which helps to address the needs of women in San Diego in their social, economic, and vocational pursuits.“Fewer People Want to Lead Nonprofits. What’s the Answer?”LinkedIn

Ahmanise is currently a counselor working with the foster, homeless, and juvenile justice students in LAUSD. Prior to that, she established the foundation of her social work career in the mental health department of the LA County jail system. She is also a community organizer and cofounder of Westside Activists, Regional Director of NASW-California chapter, an executive board member and Delegate for the California Democratic Party, and actively working on her passion project–to establish a permanent library system for all incarcerated individuals.NPR report: https://www.npr.org/2023/02/19/1158194993/volunteers-are-trying-to-get-books-into-the-l-a-county-jail-which-has-no-libraryLAist Article:https://laist.com/news/criminal-justice/la-jails-books-sheriff-los-angelesSpectrum 1 News:https://spectrumnews1.com/ca/la-west/human-interest/2023/07/01/passages-and-pathways-out-of-prison-#

Dr. Wehrmann resides in Champaign, Illinois. She has deep roots in this community after living there for over forty years. She loves its diversity as a university community as well as the wide range of cultural opportunities it offers. She received both her MSW and Ph.D. from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. She is retired from Illinois State University, School of Social Work after 20 years. While at the ISU, Dr. Wehrrmann was successful in obtaining major federal child welfare training grants that supported students seeking careers in child welfare. In addition, she worked on evaluation projects focused on evidence based mental health service approaches to children and adolescents.Dr. Wehrmann has served in many roles with the National Association of Social Workers, most recently as National Board President (2017-2020). In her role as NASW Board President she also served on the International Federation of Social Work Secretariat representing the North American Region. She is also an NASW Social Work Pioneer (https://www.naswfoundation.org/Our-Work/NASW-Social-Work-Pioneers) and a Fulbrighter to Romania where she taught child welfare policy and researched child welfare reform efforts. She currently serves as the chair of the Steering Committee for the Global Social Service Workforce Alliance (https://www.socialserviceworkforce.org/). She is also developing a coaching practice with a colleague focused on social work graduates preparing for licensure.

Anjanette Young is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and graduate of Jane Addams School of Social Work at The University of Illinois Chicago. She obtained a master’s degree in clinical social work with a special interest in Mental Health with individuals and families.Anjanette has worked in the profession for over 26 years and her passion for people and her professional ethics is rooted in her DNA. Anjanette professional work has been with individuals, children, and families in the Chicago area. She is the President and CEO of Café Social Work consulting LLC, and, after a horrifying incident involving the Chicago Police Department, she continues to fight for justice for herself and other families who have experienced harm by the City of Chicago Police Department.30 Days to the Finish Line: Conquering the Mountain to Social Work Licensure#IAmHer: Anjanette Young Speaks Truth to PowerAnjanette Young reminds Black women of their ancestors who stood naked on a slave auction block.Anjanette Young, Victim of Wrong Raid, Using Fundraising Effort to Help Others Seek JusticeMonmouth University: Living beyond trauma.Essential Chat with MIT Joyner, NASW PresidentAnjanette Young exclusive with Gayle King CBS Morning Show