Committee on Nominations and Leadership Identification (CNLI)
Mission Statement: This is a mandated committee. Its purpose is to solicit nominees for elective offices within the Chapter and to review nominations for the Chapter’s Annual Awards. Currently, this committee is in need of a chairperson and members from each of the branches.
If you are interested in serving on this committee, please contact Philip Pratt, MSW at ppratt312@gmail.com
Chair: VACANT - Apply Today!
Chair:VACANT - Apply Today!
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NASW- Staff: Karessa Proctor, BSW, MSW
Delegate Assembly
Mission Statement: This is a mandated body under the NASW Bylaws. Each chapter gets a certain number of delegates based on the membership of the chapter. These delegates are to be elected and are to be representative of the chapter membership geographically, racially and by gender. Delegate Assembly meets triennially to make policy and organizational decisions for our national association.
Chair: Lawrence Owusu Fianko, BSW, MSW, LMSW, CASAC
Contact: lawrence.fianko@limelightrecovery.com
Co-Chair: Vacant-Sign up today!
Co-Chair: Vacant-Sign up today!
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Executive committee
Mission Statement: The Executive Committee of the NASW Maryland Chapter plays a pivotal role as mandated by the chapter charter. Comprising the President, President-Elect (if applicable), 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice President of Budget and Finance, and the Recording Secretary, this committee convenes regularly to facilitate board actions between full board meetings. Two weeks prior to each board meeting, Executive Committee members gather to set the agenda, deliberate on important decisions, and provide guidance to the Executive Director on significant chapter matters. Meetings can be conducted either face-to-face or virtually, ensuring flexibility and accessibility. The Executive Committee's decisions, including motions and resolutions, are recorded in the minutes of subsequent regular board meetings. This committee exemplifies leadership and strategic oversight within the organization, ensuring efficient governance and responsiveness to chapter needs.
President: Philip A. Pratt, BSW, MSW, ACSW
President-Elect: N/A
1st Vice President: Brandi Stocksdale, LCSW-C
2nd Vice President of Budget and Finance: Brittany T Barber-Alexander, LCSW-C
Recording Secretary: Arielle Skinner, LCSW-C
Forensic Committee
Mission Statement: Improve quality of service implementation and delivery for both the practitioner and the clientele. Contributing to the development and implementation of integrated, coordinated, culturally and linguistically competent forensic social work standards of practices that support the values of our code of ethics.
Chair: Deborah Woolford
Contact:deborah.woolford@gmail.com
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Forensic Committee members:
Jeannette Thomas
Yvonne Davis
Deanna Miles-Brown
Legislative Committee
Mission Statement: This committee is composed of one representative from each of the practice committees and other interested individuals. The purpose of the committee is to make decisions in advance of each Maryland General Assembly session regarding the legislative priorities of the chapter. If necessary, the committee will draft legislation and promote it. Otherwise, the committee works with the Chapter’s Lobbyists to support or oppose legislation which is pertinent to social workers and/or our clients.
Chair: daphneswer@gmail.com
Contact: daphneswer@gmail.com
Co-Chair: Sign up today!
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Children, Youth and Families Sub-Committee
Mission Statement: The Children, Youth, and Families Sub-Committee operates under the Legislative Committee of NASW-MD, serving as a specialized entity focused on advancing legislative priorities impacting children, youth, and families within Maryland. Comprised of representatives from various practice committees and interested stakeholders, this sub-committee convenes to deliberate and set forth strategic initiatives before each Maryland General Assembly session. Beyond identifying legislative priorities, the committee plays a crucial role in drafting potential bills and advocating for their passage, collaborating closely with the Chapter's lobbyists to influence policy decisions that affect social workers and their clients. Through proactive engagement and advocacy, the Children, Youth, and Families Sub-Committee ensures that the voices and needs of vulnerable populations are heard and addressed within the legislative process, striving to enact meaningful change and improve outcomes for Maryland's youth and families.
Chair: Chair: VACANT-Apply Today!
Chair: Chair: VACANT-Apply Today!
Contact: Childrenyouthandfamilies.naswmd@socialworkers.org
Social Work Leadership Committee
Mission Statement: This committee is committed to strengthening and elevating the professional identity of macro social work practitioners, supporting educational initiatives, addressing concerns within the profession, and promoting social justice. Leadership activities include bridging clinical and macro social work via networking, mentoring, skills training and resource sharing, lifting up social work leaders within the committee by providing a platform to present on topics that they are skilled and passionate about, and using conferences as a platform to lift up social work leaders who are addressing systemic issues.
Co-Chair: Casey Saylor, MSW
Co-Chair: Sara Samedi, LMSW
Contact:
socialworkleadership.naswmd@gmail.com
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NASW- Staff: Karessa Proctor, BSW, MSW
Political Action for Candidate Election (PACE)
Mission Statement: PACE is the Political Action Committee (or PAC) of NASW and as such is a separate entity from the Chapter with its own board of directors and separate bank account. The purpose of the committee is to advance the public policy goals of NASW in campaigns and elections. PACE endorses and contributes to candidates who support NASW policy issues and mobilizes social workers to vote for PACE-endorsed candidates. The Maryland Chapter’s PACE works only in local and state elections. The national PACE endorses and contributes to all federal candidates, including those from Maryland. This is an excellent time to become involved with PACE which is seeking representatives from each branch of the Chapter.
Co-Chair: VACANT - Apply Today!
Co-Chair:VACANT - Apply Today!
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NASW- Staff: Karessa Proctor, BSW, MSW
Private Practice Committee
Mission Statement: The purpose of this committee is to provide support to NASW members in private practice, to answer questions that NASW members might have about private practice issues and to advocate for laws and regulations which advance and support the practice of clinical social workers and their clients.
Co-Chair: Lisa D. Fisher, LCSW-C
Co-Chair: Jennifer (Jen) Klingler, LCSW-C
Contact: naswmd.privatepractice@gmail.com
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NASW- Staff: Karessa Proctor, BSW, MSW
Social Workers Unravelling Racism
Mission Statement: SWUR is a committee of the Maryland Chapter of NASW founded in 2015 in response to Freddie Gray's death and the subsequent Baltimore Uprising. We are social workers in Maryland devoted to racial justice. We are committed to the examination and education about how racism impacts ourselves, our profession, our clients, and society. Our goal is to use these learnings to enact change in our communities and to eliminate racism in our world.
Co-Chair: Tara Parson
Co-Chair: Paulette Williams-Tillery
Contact: swur.md@gmail.com
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NASW-Staff: Karessa Proctor, BSW, MSW
Social Work in Schools (SWIS)
Mission Statement: The Social Work in Schools (SWIS) is a joint committee of NASW-MD members and members of School Social Workers in Maryland (SSWIM), the local state affiliate of SSWAA. The purpose of this committee is to help ensure that school social workers provide the highest quality services to children, families, and schools, to support and provide educational opportunities for school social workers, to educate the public about the nature of school social work and the benefits provided to children, families, and schools, to advocate for the expansion of school social work services by LEA's in Maryland and to promote the involvement of school social workers in coordinated pupil service teams.
Co-Chair: Holly Flanagan
Contact: hollyflanagan03@gmail.com
Co-Chair: VACANT-Apply Today!
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NASW- Staff: Jenni Williams, BS
Student-Faculty Liaison Committee
Mission Statement: This committee is composed of one faculty representative and one student representative from each of the eleven CSWE Accredited social work programs in Maryland. This body plans the annual Student Advocacy Day at the Maryland legislature as well as student Conferences and other student-oriented activities of the Chapter. The BSW and MSW member of the Chapter Board of Directors also sit on this committee.
Co-Chair: Gisele Ferretto, LCSW-C
Contact: gferretto@ssw.umaryland.edu
NASW- Staff: Karessa Proctor, BSW, MSW & Jenni Williams, BS
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Shared Interest Groups (SIGs)
Shared Interest Groups (SIGs) are sub-units within the NASW Maryland Chapter formed by members who share a common professional interest or focus area. Unlike committees and task forces, SIGs are member-initiated through a petition to the Chapter Board, which has the authority to approve or reject the request. SIGs aim to further the Association’s purpose by fostering specialized interests and activities within the Chapter. The petition process includes contacting the Chapter Office for procedures and may involve an appeal process. SIGs must maintain the support and engagement of their members to continue operating.
NASW-MD Chapter Latino Social Workers Affinity Group
Mission Statement: The Latino Social Workers Affinity Group of the NASw-MD Chapter is dedicated to fostering a supportive and empowering network for latino/a social workers in Maryland. Our mission is to bring together professionals who identify as Latino/a to uplift and strengthen each other while advancing the social work profession. We are committed to identifying and addressing key issues where the Latino community in Maryland remains underrepresented, advocating for increased representation within the field of social work, and ensuring that Latino/a voices are heard in both policy and practice. Through collaboration, mentorship, and advocacy, we aim to enhance the impact of social work on Maryland residents, promote the inclusion of Latino/a perspectives, and elevate the profession to better serve our diverse communities. Together, we work to create a more inclusive, equitable, and effective social work practice in Maryland.
Chair: Emilia Petrillo: ekpetrillo@gmail.com
Task Forces
Task forces are temporary groups created by the NASW Maryland Chapter Board to tackle specific, time-limited projects or issues that require focused and immediate attention. Once their designated task or objective is completed, the task force is disbanded. Like committees, task forces are accountable to the Chapter Board for their activities and outcomes. Members of task forces are appointed by the President and the Chapter Board, ensuring a diverse and competent team with a membership in good standing with NASW.
Continuing Education Task Force
NASW-Maryland is excited to announce the establishment of our new Continuing Education Task Force, which will convene quarterly to shape the direction of our standalone workshops and conferences. Task force members will play a pivotal role in enhancing our educational offerings by suggesting relevant topics, identifying knowledgeable speakers, and recommending ideal locations for these events. Additionally, they will contribute to the review of program materials and content, ensuring that NASW-Maryland continues to deliver high-quality and impactful professional development opportunities for social workers across the state. This initiative underscores our commitment to fostering a dynamic learning environment that meets the evolving needs of our members and the broader social work community.
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