Alumnae/i In The News

Anna Forbes, MSS 1992 receives First Place in first annual National Poetry Contest for Social Workers
The University of Iowa School of Social Work in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences announced the winners of the first annual National Poetry Contest for Social Workers. An advocate, organizer, and writer, Forbes has worked in HIV/AIDS education, prevention, and outreach since 1985 and on women's health and rights since 1977. Now an independent consultant with an international client base, her work centers around women, HIV, gender, health, and rights.

Elissa Goldberg, MSS '95 and Martha Davis, MSS '95 - The Connected World
Elissa Goldberg, and Martha Davis who were at the Boston Marathon were interviewed for a Philadelphia Inquirer article, April 21, 2013. (link)

Nick Scull, MSS '02 - Assistant Professor at the American University of Kuwait. Scull participated in establishing the first Engligh Psychology major in the country at UofK. He continues working as the Clinical Director of the Psychology Department at FSRI.

Khary Musadeen Atif, MSS '97, MLSP '98 promoted to Director of the Philadelphia Department of Human Services University
Khary M Atif, also a doctoral candidate at GSSWSR, was recently promoted to Director of the Philadelphia Department of Human Services University. DHS University provides resources and technical assistance to meet the learning needs of all DHS divisions, provider agencies and their respective employees. The unit offers consultation, facilitation, instructional design, team building and traditional training.

Elizabeth (Liz) Werthan, MSS '73 and member of the GSSWSR Board of Advisors is recipient of the Louis Gerstley Public Health Advocate of the Year award from CHOICE
Concern for Health Options: Information, Care, and Education, (CHOICE) awarded Liz Werthan the seventh annual Louis Gerstley Community Health Advocate of the Year Award. Liz is the former Executive Director of CHOICE and long-time advocate for Pennsylvania women and their families in need of information, care, and education in the realms of reproductive and community health.

Jennifer W. Campbell, PhD'05, What's Brewing on the Disaster Preparedness Front

Campell's recently published article, What's Brewing on the Disaster Preparedness Front, in the American Society for Aging's bimonthly newspaper, Aging Today following the recent Hurricane Sandy disaster, reminds all that the frail elderly often need more than the help of family and friends. She was recently quoted in the New York Times Aging Blog on an article she wrote post Hurricane Katrina, Caring for Elders During a Natural Disaster: We Can Do Better-but Are We?, “being old, being frail and being unconnected turned into a terminal condition”. A 30-year professional advocate for senior citizens, Campbell has led the evaluation of numerous aging-demonstration programs, including ones funded by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Pew Charitable Trusts and the Administration on Aging. Her experience includes developing new service delivery systems to support seniors remaining in their communities; utilizing nurse practitioners to deliver primary care for homebound seniors; training long term care staff to detect and respond to issues of elder abuse; and building coalitions to address the needs of seniors. Jennifer Campbell is currently a consultant with Grantmakers In Aging, and served as their Director of the Hurricane Fund for the Elderly which brought over $5 million in funding to rebuilding services for older adults in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama after Hurricane Katrina. She also teaches at the Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research at Bryn Mawr College.

Letty Thall, M.S.S. ’74, Honored with Leadership Award
Letty Thall, M.S.S. ’74, honored with Philadelphia Leadership Awards by Women’s eNews. The awards are given to those who have dedicated their lives to improving the lives of women. They received recognition at a Gala held on Oct. 23 at Bryn Mawr’s Thomas Great Hall.
Thall has held many positions during her career as an advocate for women and children in Pa. She was a member of the Philadelphia police force, vice president of the Pa. Women’s Campaign Fund board, and chair of the mayor’s Commission for Women.After enrolling in Bryn Mawr’s Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research, Thall helped Women Organized Against Rape write its first grant proposal to secure funding. She co-founded Women’s Way, the leading funding, advocacy, and education organization for women in the Greater Philadelphia region. For the past eight years, she has been working for Maternity Care Coalition, overseeing the development of community education campaigns, public policy recommendations in maternal health, and the monitoring of prenatal care services for low-income families.
Women’s eNews is an award-winning nonprofit news service covering issues of particular concern to women and providing women’s perspectives on public policy. They have a writer and reader base from across the globe. Board Chair of the Women's eNews is Betsy Chandler, MSS '98.

Renna van Oot, MSS/MLSP '89 appointed as Executive Director of Friends Home in Kennett
The Board of Directors of Friends Home in Kennett is pleased to announce the appointment of Renna Van Oot as Executive Director.
Renna, a Delaware native, is a University of Delaware graduate, and also holds master’s degrees in social services from Bryn Mawr College, and a law degree from Widener University. She has over 20 years’ experience in social services, serving as executive director of other non-profits as well as for the state of Delaware. Prior to accepting a position at the Friends Home, Renna had left the practice of law to provide non-profit management consulting with the Leland Leadership Group. Renna resides in Kennett Square.

Dr. Steven M. Becker, PhD'96, Appointee for Member, Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board
President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate Dr. Steven M. Becker, PhD'96, Appointee for Member, Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board.
Dr. Steven M. Becker is a professor of Community and Environmental Health, College of Health Sciences, at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. Prior to joining the faculty at Old Dominion University, Dr. Becker was a Professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s School of Public Health, a position he held from 1997 to 2012, and has been an invited faculty member at Harvard’s’ School of Public Health course on Radiological Emergency Planning. In 2011, Dr. Becker was a member of a three-person Assistance Team that was invited to Japan in response to the earthquake-tsunami and accident at Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant. He has also served as a Member of the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements since 2005. Dr. Becker was a Kreitman Scholar and post-doctoral fellow at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel from 1996 to 1997. Dr. Becker received a B.A. in Political Science and Psychology from George Washington University, an M.A. in Political Science from Columbia University, and a Ph.D. in Social Work and Social Research in Bryn Mawr College’s Occupational and Environmental Health Program. (link)

Judith Green, MSS '90/MLSP'91 Volunteer of the Week
Main Line Times newspaper featured Judy Green as Volunteer of the Week. (read more)

Joanne Corbin, MSS'86, Children and Families Affected by Armed Conflicts in Africa
Children and Families Affected by Armed Conflicts in Africa (NASW Press, 2012) aims to enhance the awareness and knowledge of helping professionals who work with children and families who have experienced armed conflict in Africa. The book draws on the experiences of working practitioners with populations affected by armed conflicts, specifically in Uganda and Rwanda.

Dolores Norton, MSS ‘60 PhD '69 receives the 2012 Norman Maclean Faculty Award
The Maclean Faculty Awards recognize emeritus or very senior faculty members who have made outstanding contributions to teaching and to student life on campus. The awards were given for the first time in 1997 and are named for Professor Norman Maclean (Ph.D.,’40), who taught English at the University for 40 years. Norton, Samuel Deutsch Professor Emerita in the School of Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago,  graduated from Temple University in 1952, then went on to earn her MSS and PhD from Bryn Mawr College, has published on early linguistic interaction and school achievement, diversity, early socialization, temporal development in children, and black family life patterns. Career honors include the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Award for Family Support Programs, the National Association of Social Workers Mentor Award, and Chicago YMCA Outstanding Achievement Award in Education.

Beth Tomlinson MSS'95, MLSP '96
Beth Tomlinson has been hired as educational outreach director by Fizika Group LLC, a Lancaster-based firm that provides active learning solutions to schools. She is responsible for promoting the use of Fizika's products and services to schools in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states.
Since August 2010, she has served as co-chairwoman of the Vision 2020 Pennsylvania State Initiative Committee. Vision 2020, directed Cathy Ormerod, MSS, MLSP '99, is a national project of the Drexel University Institute for Women's Health and Leadership which focuses on advancing gender equality and women's leadership.

Gloria Guard, MSS '78, MLSP '80

Travelers Aid Family Services of Philadelphia has hired Gloria Guard as Executive Director. Travelers Aid Family Services is a nonprofit that assists stranded travelers and large homeless families in Philadelphia.  Gloria served as president of the People’s Emergency Center for almost three decades.

Daniel Liechty, MSS'95

Dr. Daniel Liechty promoted to Professor at Illinois State University effective August 16, 2012.

CSWE Board of Directors has appointed Darla Spence Coffey, MSW, PhD '99, as their first president.

The CSWE Board of Directors has appointed Darla Spence Coffey, MSW, PhD '99, as the first president selected by the board. Darla currently sits on the CSWE Commission on Educational Policy and has previously served on the executive committee of the Association of Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors as the elected secretary and as president of the Pennsylvania Association of Undergraduate Social Work Educators. In addition to administrative duties she is the campus liaison with the office of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.

Dr. Ilene Warner-Maron, MLSP'96 inducted as a Fellow In the College of Physicians of Philadelphia
Dr. Ilene Warner-Maron, president of Alden Geriatric Consultants, Inc. and of the Institute for Continuing Education and Research at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, has been inducted as a Fellow in the College of Physicians of Philadelphia. (read more)

 

Transcending Trauma Survival, Resilience, and Clinical Implications in Survivor Families, co-author Jennifer Goldenberg, MSS '02 PhD '08, Routledge 2011

Based on twenty years of intense qualitative research, the authors Bea Hollander-Goldfein, Nancy Isserman and Jennifer Goldenberg and contributors, present an integrated model of coping and adaptation after trauma that incorporates the best of recent work in the field with the expanded insights offered by Holocaust survivors. (read more)

Jacqueline Deitch-Stackhouse, MSS/MLSP '98, named Director of Princeton University's Sexual Harassment/Assault Advising, Resources and Education (SHARE) office

Jacqueline Deitch-Stackhouse, who has more than 13 years of experience in counseling, advocacy and violence prevention, will oversee the office's victim/survivor-centered approach to sexual harassment, assault and relationship violence throughout the University community, with a primary focus on the well-being of students. She will provide emergency response and immediate advocacy to students affected by sexual harassment and violence, and facilitate consultations to mental health, medical, legal and other resources as needed. (read more)

 

Jill B. Jones, Ph.D. ’93, Publishes Study of Women Working in Casinos

Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research alumna Jill B. Jones, Ph.D. ’97, has co-authored a new study of women who work in the gambling industry. Casino Women: Courage in Unexpected Places, published by Cornell University Press, is based on “extensive interviews with maids, cocktail waitresses, cooks, laundry workers, dealers, pit bosses, managers, and vice presidents.” (read more)

 

So Far Away A Daughter's Memoir of Life, Loss, and Love, Christine W. Hartmann MSS '98 PhD '04, Vanderbilt University Press 2011

So Far Away gives us an intimate view of a person interacting with and reacting to her parents at the ends of their lives. In a richly detailed, poignant story of family members' separate yet interwoven journeys, it underscores the complexities and opportunities that life presents each one of us. (read more)

Merin Wexler, MSS '10, Wins First Prize, Kathleen Kamen, MSS'10, Takes Second Prize in PSCSW Paper Competition!
Merin Wexler's paper, "Acculturation and the Spinning Compass", was an outstanding presentation of clinical work in a University Counseling Center. Merin, whose extraordinary writing skills stood out, emphasized the complexity and critical nature of cross cultural issues and demonstrated unusual sensitivity and self awareness in her work. Kathleen Kamen's paper, "Establishing a Therapeutic Alliance with a Challenging Client", also demonstrated acute self awareness and a willingness to reevaluate her assumptions in working with a male domestic abuser who faced multiple crises.
The PSCSW Awards for Clinical Excellence were established by the Pennsylvania Society for Clinical Social Work to acknowledge outstanding students in the areas of clinical practice and leadership. The Awards are presented annually to second year graduate students who submit a paper for review by distinguished judges. The program is open to all graduating Masters of Social Work students in Pennsylvania. The Awards program is dedicated to four distinguished PSCSW leaders who have provided inspiration for future clinicians: Patricia Burland, Mary Montague, Judith Kasser, and Anna Wiggins. Papers are judged by a panel including professors, supervisors, and experienced clinicians. The winners will also receive free membership in PSCSW for a year following graduation. All winners were honored at the PSCSW Annual Dinner in the fall.

 

Nobel Prize in physics won by Saul Perlmutter, son of alumna, Felice Davidson Perlmutter, PhD'69, more...

U.S. Representative Allyson Y. Schwartz, M.S.S. '72 member of the Historic Congressional Social Work Caucus

Tuesday, March 15th, 2011 launched the New Congressional Social Work Caucus on Capitol Hill with the help and support of member Rep. Allyson Schwartz, MSS '72. The Congressional Social Work Caucus (CSWC) is an authorized Congressional Member Organization (CMO) inaugurated in the U.S. House of Representatives during the 111th Congress. Schwartz has long been considered an advocate for children and her focus in Congress has been on healthcare issues ranging from the expansion of the federal SCHIP program, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and providing increased benefits to seniors. (read more CSWC) (read more Schwartz)

Social Work Honors Its Own at Reunion

 

Christina M. Molieri, MSS/MLSP, Local Photographer to Showcase Artwork in Upcoming Show The Lower Nine: A Post-Katrina Odyssey

Christina M. Molieri, a local community activist and freelance photographer will be exhibiting a selection of images from her time spent in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans in March, 2007. The show, The Lower Nine: A Post-Katrina Odyssey, features black and white photographs Molieri took while rebuilding parts of the ravaged city with Common Ground, an organization that formed in the days following Katrina.
Molieri spent almost two weeks with Common Ground tearing down and building up while enrolled in a Dual Master program at Bryn Mawr College’s Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research. Molieri, "My camera came along for the ride and this is what was.”
Molieri’s images will be on display September 6 to October 31, 2010 at the William Way Community Center’s Art Gallery, Philadelphia PA . An Opening Reception for the public will be held Friday, September 10, 2010, from 6-8pm and Molieri will be giving a brief talk about the background of this specific body of work and her selection of photographs.
“I wanted to do something with my work that honored the progress being made by individuals while also shedding light upon what seemed like, even a year and a half later when I was in New Orleans, the utter neglect and despair in some areas of the city. Above all, I don’t want anyone to forget what happened and what remains,” Molieri said.
For information, press inquiries, and interviews, contact Christina Molieri at cmolieri1@gmail.com or 267.496.2564

GSSWSR Community Member Patrick McCarthy, PhD '81 named next President and CEO of the Annie E. Casey Foundation

On February 19th, the Annie E. Casey Foundation Board of Trustees announced the appointment of Patrick McCarthy as the Foundation's next President and CEO. Patrick is a 1981 alum of our doctoral program and is married to Cate McCarthy, a 1980 MSS alumna and adjunct faculty member. Patrick also chairs the GSSWSR Board of Advisors, a group of highly renowned individuals committed to doing their part in ensuring our School continues to live into its mission--- locally, nationally, and across the world. Patrick's exquisite leadership abilities are grounded not only in his deep knowledge and rich experiences, but also in his steadfast commitment to the very best quality of life for all.

Congratulations to Patrick on his new leadership responsibilities as the President and CEO of the Annie E. Casey Foundation!

Responding to Financial Crisis and Building a Harmonious Society

Millicent Carvalho, MSS/MLSP '84, PhD '00, spoke at "Responding to Financial Crisis and Building a Harmonious Society" forum held in Chongqing, China in October 2009. Her paper outlined her experiences working on urban conflict in Philadelphia, using her "Seven Effective Steps for Transforming Conflict" method. Millicent has been a practicing mediator for more than 25 years and is now the host of the Internet radio show, "Wy Can't We Get Along?" on Web Talk Radio. She is the former chair and associate professor of social work at Virginia Union U. Millicent serves as president of the PA Conflict Resolution and Mediations Services, Inc. (PCRMS), which she founded in 2002. Visit http://www.donthatemediate.com/ for more information.

Life Changers-Jean Lawrence, Raymond McDevitt and Sarah Hollister

Jean Lawrence (Human Resources), Raymond McDevitt (Molecular Biologist) and Sarah Hollister (Professional Ballet Dancer) reinvent themselves. (article)

Emily Duffy, MSS ’07 and Rebecca Vlam, MSS ’95 - A side of behavioral counseling with your visit - Philadelphia Inquirer Article

A new model of care integrates counseling into the main-course medical visit, with simple techniques that can be very effective. By Don Sapatkin, Inquirer Staff Writer
Emily Duffy, a licensed social worker, was walking down the hall of her North Philadelphia clinic last month when she heard crying in Exam Room 3. She opened the door and met Patricia Stone, 26, and her children ages 5, 3, and 2.
What happened next illustrates a paradigm shift in mental health care - seamlessly integrating what is known as behavioral health into a primary practice - that is gaining traction nationwide.

Gloria Guard receives the Sower’s Seed Award from Trinity Washington University

Gloria Guard, MSS '78 MLSP '80, President of People’s Emergency Center (PEC) and recent recipient of the prestigious Philadelphia Award (2004), has also received the Sower’s Seed Award from Trinity Washington University (2009) in recognition of devoting her life to social justice and the public interest. Guard is a relentless advocate for awareness of the problems faced by indigent inner city residents and for services needed to integrate them into the mainstream of our economic and social fabric. She believes that Philadelphia's most vulnerable citizens should have the best possible housing, education, jobs, social services, health care and technology. To this end, she builds partnerships, shares resources and provides leadership and encouragement to national political officials, business leaders, neighborhood groups, and social service agencies, local and--perhaps most important to her--students and young people, who will embody the principles of equity, opportunity and social justice well beyond her lifetime.
Guard is one of the most respected champions of social justice citywide – “a major artery in this town’s heart,” Philadelphia Daily News columnist Dan Geringer once wrote. She has been honored with the Gold Coin Award from Inglis Foundation (2008), the “Community Champion Award” of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (2005), Citizen Volunteer of the Year Award from the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania (2001) and the Philadelphia Bar Foundation’s Louis D. Apothaker Award (2000). She was also named one of the 75 Greatest Living Philadelphians by the Philadelphia Eagles and Dunkin Donuts (2007).
Guard believes that no social injustice can be effectively tackled without community-wide collaboration. As a result she has a long history of serving on countless boards and advisory panels and shares her know-how with the next generation of policymakers through an adjunct professorship at the University of Pennsylvania, Fels School of Government and College of General Studies. She Chairs the Regional Housing Legal Services Board and Co-Chairs the Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition, and serves on national, regional and local boards, including One Economy, the Affordable Housing Advisory Council of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh, the Homeless Assistance Fund, Inc., ING Direct Community Advisory Board, and the Affordable Housing and Homeless Committees.

Diane Pauline Backus-McDaniels, MSS '74, honored at the Cumberland County Black Hall of Fame's (CCBHOF)

Backus-McDaniels, MSS '74, receives honor from the Cumberland County Black Hall of Fame after earning a master's degree in social work at Bryn Mawr College in 1974. She worked for several area hospitals and has worked in Nursing and Public Health for the Vineland Health Department since 1988. McDaniels is a member of at least seven organizations and committees. Among them are the Hospice Care of South Jersey Ethics Committee, the Breast Cancer Coalition and the Home Health Assembly of Social Work Committee.

Mariah Fenton Gladis Receives Pennsylvania Business Award

Mariah Fenton Gladis was named one of “Pennsylvania’s Best 50 Women in Business” in 2009 by Gov. Edward G. Rendell and five Pennsylvania business journals for her work as an international psychotherapist, Gestalt trainer, workshop leader, motivational speaker, ALS advocate, author and champion for women.
Governor Edward G. Rendell called the winners terrific examples of Pennsylvania's brightest business minds and role models for anyone who aspires to succeed. "Pennsylvania and the communities in which these award winners work are better because of them,” the Governor said. “I encourage Pennsylvania's young people to follow their lead."
Mariah Fenton Gladis, MSS, QCSW, is the founder and clinical director of the Pennsylvania Gestalt Center for Psychotherapy and Training and is on the faculty of Esalen Institute. She serves on the Board of Advisors of Camp Dreamcatcher—a camp for children affected/infected with HIV/AIDS, and is faculty and trainer for Center for a Healthy World, a volunteer-driven psychotherapy cooperative. Mariah also counsels people with life threatening illnesses and their families, hoping her personal story will serve as an inspiration.

Millicent J. Carvalho, PhD, MSS, LSW

Carvalho was selected as outstanding African American social worker by NASW in honor of Black History Month and asked to tell why they chose the social work profession and to describe the unique challenges facing our African American community.

Nancy J. Kirby, MSS '66 recipient of The Annie Inglis Gold Coin Award

The Inglis Gold Coin was awarded to Nancy Kirby, MSS '66 and Director of Admissions at the GSSWSR, in recognition of her many years of devoted service on the Boards of Inglis Foundation and Inglis House, her wise counsel as Board Liaison to the Inglis Consumer Advisory Committee and as a member of the Inglis Awards for Continuing Excellence Committee.

Jennifer Bromwell Antinoro, MLSP '04, promoted to CEO

Jennifer Bromwell Antinoro, '04 MLSP, promoted to Executive Director/CEO of Communities In Schools of the Lehigh Valley. She is responsible for overall daily management and leadership of CISLV and its varied activities. CISLV works in and with local school systems to help at-risk children succeed in school, finish high school and prepare for life. Antinoro most recently served as chief operating officer for CISLV. Her duties in that role included overseeing the organization's day-to-day activities and managing all CIS project sites in Lehigh and Northampton counties. In addition, Antinoro will continue to work with CIS and school district administration and staff, community agencies, parents and families, and the students to coordinate the community's services that benefit students and families in the CIS program.
Antinoro replaces Marty Parkes, who served as CISLV's Executive Director since March 2008. Parkes is relocating to St. Louis, where he will work as associate vice president of Image and Community Relations for Maryville University.
Antinoro earned her master's degrees in law and social policy from Bryn Mawr College and in social work from Marywood University. She has served as an adjunct faculty member at Marywood University and is currently a Field Instructor for Marywood and Kutztown Universities.In addition to receiving numerous awards for her research, including national recognition for outstanding work in policy development, Antinoro has published articles in Social Work Today.

Marla S. McCulloch, MSS '99, LCSW and current PhD Student

McCulloch was an invited speaker at the 3rd Annual Social Work Action Network (SWAN) Conference "Social Work:  A Profession Worth Saving?" at Liverpool Hope University (UK) on Sept 12th & 13th, 2008.

Ms. McCulloch's workshop, “Reconnecting with a Passion for Justice: Social Work Ethics as an Avenue to Revitalizing Practice”, was well received.  The workshops were thematical sessions dedicated to Radical aspects of International Social Work.

Social Work Action Network (SWAN) is a loose network of social work practitioners, academics, students and social welfare service users united in their concern that social work activity is being undermined by managerialism and marketisation, by the stigmatization of service users and by welfare cuts and restrictions.

SWAN is committed to the notion that good social work can make a real, beneficial difference to people’s lives. In the present political climate, SWAN believes that social work academics, service users, practitioners and students need to stand together to defend social work as an 'ethical career' - one that puts people first.

Jenn Stotter, MSS '99 received TALE Outstanding Teaching Award

Jennifer Stotter, Assistant Professor of Sociology, Social Work and Criminal Justice, was recognized for her outstanding teaching at Bloomsburg University undergraduate spring commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 10. Winners were nominated by the May graduates.

Stotter was nominated for her "motivating and strengths-based" teaching style, which inspires her students to "take a stand, make a difference and have a voice." As a social work professor, Stotter is recognized for her ability to engage her students in critical thinking, to encourage them to "complete assignments professionally and with pride" and to become "involved with community and national events." According to one nomination, Stotter "explains difficult theories in a way that everyone can understand and pushes students to think outside the box. This professor is a true believer in what she teaches and is an inspiration to everyone she encounters."

Amy Scheuren, MSS '05 Investing in Children's Education

The year she graduated, a desire to learn Spanish drew Amy Scheuren, M.S.S. ’05, to Guatemala. Centro de Estudios Pop Wuj, a Spanish language and social work/volunteer program, introduced Scheuren to several indigenous Mayan communities. She regularly volunteered at La Guarderia, which provides child care, after-school and pre-school programs in a rural Mayan village near Xela (Quetzaltenango). She then signed on to be the La Guarderia coordinator, as well as to create a youth development program in Llano del Pinal.

During her tenure as coordinator, Scheuren co-founded Jovenes Juntos, a curriculum component that arranged for basic health care and led field trips to the natural history museum and the library. Curriculum highlights included environmental education and participation in the reforestation/ greenhouse project, and a language conference which included K’iche’, a local native language. Soccer, dance, and Capoeira classes were only surpassed in popularity by the computer classes.

Scheuren is the new treasurer of the Foundation Todos Juntos (todos-juntos.org), which funds various social, medical, and educational projects in western Guatemala. Jovenes Juntos write in their journals about their experiences following a tour of the Xela volunteer firefighters station, Xela, Guatemala.

Mariah Fenton Glais MSS '72 receives business award

Mariah Fenton Gladis MSS ’72 won an international Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in the 2006 Stevie Awards for Women in Business, at a March 2 awards ceremony at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.

The Stevie Awards for Women in Business honor women executives, entrepreneurs, and the companies they run – worldwide.  The Stevie Awards have been hailed as “the business world’s own Oscars.”  (New York Post, April 27, 2005). Nicknamed the Stevies for the Greek word “crowned,” more than 165 nominated women executives and entrepreneurs from the U.S. and several other countries attended. Awards were presented in 27 categories including Best Entrepreneur, Best Executive, Lifetime Achievement, and Women Helping Women. The trophy was designed by R. S. Owens, the same company that makes the Oscar® and the Emmy.

Mariah Fenton Gladis, M.S.S., L.S.W., is the Founder and Clinical Director of the Pennsylvania Gestalt Center for Psychotherapy and Training. She has over 35 years experience as a psychotherapist and Gestalt Trainer.  Mariah, a 25-year survivor of Lou Gehrig’s Disease, carries a full caseload of weekly individual clients and 3 bi-weekly psychotherapy groups. She has trained hundreds of professionals in Gestalt therapy and conducted workshops throughout the United States, Europe, the West Indies and South America. She conducts four psychotherapy weekends a year locally, two ten-day workshops at Esalen Institute in California, and offers weekend and weeklong workshops and seminars in the U.S. and overseas.

Mariah Fenton Gladis was presented the Stevie by Carolyn Kepcher, CEO of the newly formed Carolyn and Co., an enterprise created for and by a career woman. Carolyn was formerly Executive Vice-President of the Trump Organization and is known for her role in the first four seasons of “The Apprentice.” In accepting the Stevie, Mariah said, "I’m honored to be recognized among a group of such remarkable women. We, as women leaders in the emerging global community, have the responsibility and the privilege of instilling both passion and compassion in the workplace and the world.”

Doris and Carl Schnee honored by Delaware's "Children & Families First"

Doris Schnee MSS ’83 / MLSP ’84, and her husband Carl Schnee, Esq., will receive the J. Thompson Award for their efforts to strengthen family life in Delaware from Children & Families First on Saturday, March 3, 2007.  The gala, at Wilmington Country Club, will benefit the agency’s Child’s Play program, a professional traveling theater group for young audiences that performs stories written for children, transforming students' manuscripts into plays, songs and dances.

Doris Schnee, LCSW was the second social worker in the Delaware Department of Justice Victim Assistance Program. She assisted the prosecutor with interviewing child victims. Prior to the founding of the Children’s Advocacy Center, Doris advocated for joint investigations so that victims only had to tell their story once prior to a pending trial. She continues to be a wonderful role model for others, nurturing children and reassuring their parents. Her dedication has helped Deputy Attorneys General prosecute their cases because they had the support of the victims and their families.

Doris completed her Bachelors Degree at the University of Delaware and went on to receive a Master of Social Services and Master of Law and Social Policy from Bryn Mawr College while her own children were still at home.  Since 1980 she has focused her considerable skill and compassion on women and children who have been victims of rape. Doris has also been a professional trainer for Child Protective Services (now Division of Family Services), Contact Delaware, and the University of Delaware. For sixteen years she had a private psychotherapeutic practice with couples and adults. Doris worked on a variety of articles about sexual abuse, served on professional committees and received awards including the State of Delaware Award for Excellence and Commitment in State Service. She has served on the Boards of SOAR and Planned Parenthood, but maintains her focus on client services.

Carl Schnee, Esq. is with the Wilmington law office of Bifferato, Gentilotti, Biden and Balick where he specializes in alternative dispute resolution and consultation. Mr. Schnee has been a member of the Delaware Bar since1962 and served as U.S. Attorney for Delaware from1999-2001. Prior to his appointment as U.S. Attorney, Carl was a partner with the law firm of Prickett, Jones, Elliot, Kristol & Schnee for 18 years where he practiced general litigation, personal injury, professional malpractice and criminal law. After leaving the U.S. Attorney Office, he joined the Wilmington office of Duane Morris until January 2003.

Carl received his BA degree from Muhlenberg College and his law degree from Villanova University School of Law. In 2000, he received a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies from the University of Delaware.

His long-term involvement in the community reflects his determination to promote justice through effective policy and leadership. Carl has served as Chair of the: Delaware Criminal Justice Council, Delaware Art Museum, the Children’s Advocacy Center of Delaware, Inc., the New Castle County Juvenile Detention Center Committee and the Wilmington Youth Rowing Association among others. He currently serves as Board Chair of the YMCA Resource Center and Co-Convener of the Delaware Children’s Campaign, which will raise awareness of the needs of youth in the juvenile justice system.

He is a recipient of the Outstanding Service Award in Criminal Justice from the Delaware Council on Crime and Justice, Inc. (1987), the Herbert Harley Award from the American Judicature Society (1992) and most recently, the 18th Annual Gerald K. Kandler Memorial Award from the American Civil Liberties Foundation of Delaware.

These two wonderful advocates for children are the proud parents of two sons and one daughter.

Children & Families First  is a private, non-profit social service agency in Wilmington, Delaware that strengthens families and communities by providing quality social, educational and mental health services. It was formed with the merger of four long-standing organizations:

• The Children's Bureau of Delaware
• Family Service Delaware
• Turnabout Counseling and Community Services
• The Perinatal Association of Delaware.

Hurricane Rita: A personal story 

  Luci Tony Gutman, MSS '63 shares her experiences during and after Hurricane Rita in 2005.

Shapiro receives Maud Booth Correctional Services Award

Carol Shapiro, MSS '78, Executive Director of Family Justice in New York City, received the 2006 Maud Booth Correctional Services Award from Volunteers of America in recognition of her organization's work in addressing reentry of incarcerated individuals into society.  This prestigious award is named for one of America's pioneer prison reformers, Maud Booth, and is given to a professional who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in the field of Corrections. The award was presented on August 14, 2006 at the American Correctional Association's Congress of Correction in Charlotte , NC .

Family Justice draws on the unique strengths of families and neighborhoods to break cycles of involvement with the criminal justice system.  In pursuing this mission, Family Justice assists government and communities by providing direct services, testing new methodology that promotes change, delivering training and consulting to encourage use of its methods, and serving as a resource for both the criminal justice field and the general public. A critical element of Family Justice is the direct service storefront, La Bodega de la Familia , which in conjunction with its work nationally, enables the organization to inspire and refine its family case management method, the Bodega Model , for national, state and local applications.

Liz Werthan MSS '73 honored by S.O.W.N.

Liz Werthan, a 1973 MSS graduate and member of the School's Board of Advisors, was honored on May 31, 2006 by the Supportive Older Women's Network (SOWN) with the inaugural Lois R. Fogg Memorial Award. Over 150 friends and supporters of SOWN gathered at PNC Bank's Philadelphia headquarters for a reception, silent auction, and the Fogg Award ceremony.

In presenting the award, event co-chair Susan Jaffe described how for more than three decades, Liz has dedicated herself to improving the lives of women and their families. Her efforts have benefited countless women in the Delaware Valley . Liz served as the Executive Director of CHOICE, worked on the staff of Congressman Chaka Fattah, and provided support to a number of political campaigns locally and statewide. Today, Liz continues to fight for the rights of women by advocating for an increase in state funding to enable uninsured women to receive cervical cancer screening and treatment.

SOWN's Executive Director, Merle Drake MSS '82, noted the strong presence of the GSSWSR at the reception and described how her vision for SOWN grew and took form when she was a student in the MSS management track. The organizing committee for the event, along with SOWN's Board and staff, included a number of GSSWSR graduates, and they were joined at the reception by many other alumnae/i and the School's Co-Deans to celebrate SOWN's record of excellence and to honor Liz.  

Susan Jaffe, the event co-chair, Honoree Liz Werthan, and Merle Drake , Executive Director of SOWN

SOWN was founded in 1982, and is dedicated to helping women over the age of sixty cope with the complex issues associated with aging. As a leading provider of support group services for older women in the Greater Philadelphia area, SOWN offers communities and social service providers extensive expertise in establishing and maintaining support groups. They also offer consultation services, training programs, and workshops tailored to address specific concerns of older women, their families, and the professionals who serve them.

Article: The Ruth W. Mayden Scholars

Created by her friends and colleagues to honor former Dean Ruth W. Mayden, MSS '70, the Mayden Scholarship is now three years old and has graduated its first scholar.

Nina Huizinga, MSS '90, MLSP '91 was one of the many voices belonging to a group of women at a protest in Philadelphia organized by Philadelphia Grannies for Peace, an offshoot of the nonprofit Grandmothers for Peace International, which sought to involved older women in political activism since the early '80s. Grannies for Peace trademark is its consistent attempt to enlist its members in the military. Nina was among the 11 grannies who attempted to enlist.

A Remembrance of Sister Mary Phyllis McCarthy

               by her friend, William W. Vosburgh, PhD

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