
100 Distinguished Alumni
GSSWSR graduates nominated their peers and colleagues for inclusion in a list of our 100 Distinguished Alumni. We are pleased to list them below and recognize their accomplishments and their dedication to the service of others.
Ann A. Abbott
MSS โ69, PhD โ77
Former chair, Graduate Department of Social Work, West Chester University and Associate Dean, Rutgers University School of Social Work
Faith Angell
MSS โ65
U.S. Magistrate Judge, Eastern District, PA
Khary M. Atif
MSS โ97, MLSP โ98
Program Administrator for Staff Development Support, Philadelphia DHS
Beth I. Barol
MSS โ86, PhD โ98
Associate Professor, Director of the MSW program, Widener University Center for Social Work Education
Linda R. Barth
MSS โ73
Clinician working with children, families and individuals
Joyce O. Beckett
MSS โ69, PhD โ77
Professor Emerita, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Social Work
L. Diane Bernard
PhD โ67
Retired social work educator and CDWE leader; advocate bringing womenโs and LGBTQ issues to the forefront of social work education
Sharon Bishop
MSS โ71
Co-founder of Calibre Associates, consulting organization on human services and human resource issues
Joretha Bourjolly
PhD โ96
Associate Professor, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Penn School of Social Policy and Practice
Yvette Bradford
MSS โ90, MLSP โ90
Former senior administrator with Liberty Lutheran Services and Philadelphia Corporation for Aging; community volunteer
Lynette M. Brown-Sow
MSS โ81
Vice President, Marketing and Government Relations, Community College of Philadelphia
Page Walker Buck
MSS โ04, PhD โ08
Associate Professor, Director of MSW program, West Chester State University
Patricia Millar Burland
MSS โ56
Retired GSSWSR professor of clinical social work; leader, PA Society for Clinical Social Work
Jean Campbell
MSS โ13
Outpatient therapist, behavioral specialist consultant and mobile therapist
Patricia L. Chapman
MSS โ81
Philanthropist supporting women balancing education and family
Lewis C. Chartock
PhD โ74
President and CEO, Metropolitan Employment and Rehabilitation Services/Missouri Goodwill
Darla Spence Coffey
PhD โ99
President, Council on Social Work Education
Soraya Davis Coley
MSS โ74, PhD โ81
President, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Sandra S. Cornelius
MSS โ68, PhD โ76
President, Elwyn
Adelaide Cromwell
CERT โ43
Professor Emeritus, Boston University
Philip W. Damiani
MSS โ76
Executive Director, Delaware County Court System (Retired)
Joan K. Davitt
MSS โ93, MLSP โ94, PhD โ03
Associate Professor and Hartford Geriatric Social Work Scholar, University of Maryland School of Social Work
Merle M. Drake
MSS โ82
Founder, CEO of Supportive Older Women's Network (SOWN) 1983โpresent
Fanita Blumberg
English MA โ42, CERT โ42
Transactional Analysis theorist, training analyst and practitioner
JoAnne Fischer
MSS โ73
Executive Director of Maternity Care Coalition (1989-present)
Anna S. Forbes
MSS โ92
Global women's health activist and policy analyst
Ellen W. Freeman
MSS โ73, PhD โ76
Research Professor, Co-director of the Human Behavior Reproduction Unit, University of Pennsylvania Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Mariah Fenton Gladis
MSS โ72
Founder and Director, Pennsylvania Gestalt Center
Judith Green
MSS โ90, MLSP โ90
Coordinator, Family to Family program, National Alliance on Mental Illness, Main Line
Laura Cohen Groves
MSS โ95, PhD โ06
Associate Professor and Chair, Social Work Department, Cabrini College
Gloria M. Guard
MSS โ78, MLSP โ80
Executive Director of People's Emergency Center (1983-2010)
Anne B. Hagele
MSS โ75
Executive Director, Philadelphia Senior Center, Retired
Raheemah Shamsid-Deen Hampton
MSS โ02
Southeast Regional Director, Commonwealth of Pennsylvaniaโs Office of Children, Youth and Families
Lina Hartocollis
MSS โ89, PhD โ99
Dean of Students and Director of the Doctorate in Clinical Social Work Program, Penn School of Social Policy and Practice
Julius A. Hayes
MSS โ87, MLSP โ88
National Officer/Local leader, National Association of Black Social Workers; supervisor, Philadelphia DHS
Ethel B. Hill
MSS โ65
Social Security Administration Federal Women's Program Manager (Retired); Howard County, MD, civic leader
Stephen M. Holden
MSS โ67, PhD โ75
New Jersey Superior Court Judge
Linda Denise Houser
PhD โ10
Associate Professor, PHD Program Director, Widener University Center for Social Work Education
Demetrius S. Iatridis
PhD โ55
Professor Emeritus, Boston College Graduate School of Social Work (1966-2012)
Roberta R. Iversen
MSS โ82, PhD โ91
Associate Professor, Director, Master of Science in Social Policy Program, Penn School of Social Policy and Practice
Carrie Jacobs
MSS โ83
Executive Director and co-founder of The Attic Youth Center for LGBTQ youth
Celeste M. Johnson
MSS โ78, PhD โ06
Associate Professor, Widener University Center for Social Work Education; research focus on urban adolescents and trauma
Aulikki Kananoja
MSS โ71
Awarded the first Finnish presidential honorary title for social workโthe highest honor for a profession (2012)
Stephen E. Kauffman
PhD โ92
Associate Professor, Widener University Center for Social Work Education; Teagle Assessment Scholar of Center for the Inquiry of Liberal Arts based at Wabash College
Nancy J. Kirby
MSS โ65
Coordinator of Alumni Connections, GSSWSR, former Assistant Dean and Director of Admission, GSSWSR (1983-2010)
Carole Landis
MSS โ95
Chairwoman, Landis Foundation for Social Action
John G. Loeb
MSS โ69
Senior Vice President, Public Health Management Corporation, retired (1971-2011); Chairperson GSSWSR Board of Advisors
Robin S. Mama
MSS โ84, MLSP โ84, PhD โ90
Dean and Professor, Monmouth University School of Social Work; Representative of the International Federation of Social Workers at the United Nations
Marcia L. Martin
PhD โ82
Co-Dean (2002-2009); Associate Dean, Director of Field Instruction, adjunct faculty, GSSWSR
Thaddeus P. Mathis
MSS โ68
Professor Emeritus, Temple University School of Social Administration; Founder, Institute for Africana Social Work
Ruth W. Mayden
MSS โ70
Dean, GSSWSR (1987-2002); NASW President (1999-2001); Annie E. Casey Fellow (2002-2013)
Patrick T. McCarthy
PhD โ81
President and CEO, Annie E. Casey Foundation
Judith L. M. McCoyd
PhD โ03
Associate Professor, Rutgers University School of Social Work; research focus on trauma and bereavement
Suzanne M. McMurphy
MSS โ84, MLSP โ85, PhD โ93
Associate Professor, Social Work, University of Windsor; focus on community research
Justine McNamara
PhD โ04
Senior Research Fellow, NATSEM, University of Canberra
Susan A. Messina
AB โ86, MSS โ91, MLSP โ92
Social justice advocate and activist for LGBTQ issues and childbirth education
Honora Rose Miller
MSS โ99, MLSP โ99
Director,Commission on the Status of Women and the LGBTQ Commission, San Mateo County, CA
Judith Dabney Miller
MSS โ85, MLSP โ86
Associate Director, Women's Law Project
Tselane Mokuena
MSS โ94, MLSP โ94
Deputy Executive Director, Tripartite Secretariat-South Africa, Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo; former South Africa Consul to Canada and to Germany
Jean Campbell Moore
MSS โ49
Associate Professor Emerita, Temple University School of Social Administration; founder, Career Ladders Program; program host, WRTI
Anthony Morelli
MSS โ12
Director of Off-Site Programming, Peter's Placeโa Center for Grieving Children
Alice Muludiang
MSS โ05, MLSP โ06
Advocate for Sudanese refugees in the US and for capacity building in South Sudan; board member, Global Education Motivators
Sabina N. Neem
MSS โ07, MLSP โ07
Associate Director, Office of Multicultural Affairs, Seattle University; Co-Chair, Seattle LGBT Commission
Sheila Nielsen, MSS โ73
President, Nielsen Career Counselingโexecutive coaching firm
Dolores G. Norton
MSS โ60, PhD โ69
Professor Emerita, University of Chicago School of Social Administration; first African American tenured professor at 91ณินฯอ๘
Ann OโBrien
MSS โ03, MLSP โ03
CEO, Montgomery Early Learning Centers; former Senior Vice President, United Way of Southeastern PA
Catherine Ormerod
MSS โ99, MLSP โ99
Founding director, Non-Profit Executive Leadership Institute (NELI), GSSWSR; Vice President Programs and Partnerships, Living Beyond Breast Cancer (LBBC)
Cheryl Ann Parks
PhD โ97
Dean and Professor, Simmons College School of Social Work
Belle B. Parmet
MA โ40, CERT โ40
Former Director of Psychiatric Social Worker at Carrier Foundation; early pioneer in family therapy practice
Joan T. Pennell
PhD โ90
Professor of Social Work and Director of Center for Family and Community Engagement, North Carolina State University
Felice Perlmutter
PhD โ69
Professor Emeritus, Temple University School of Social Administration; pioneer in social work administration
Linda Cherrey Reeser
MSS โ60, PhD โ69
Professor, Director of BSW Program, Western Michigan University
Lawrence S. Root
MSS โ71
Professor and Director of Office of Global Activities, University of Michigan School of Social Work
Tawana Ford Sabbath
MSS โ71, PhD โ86
Community elder, clinician and mentor; local and national NABSW leader
Allyson Y. Schwartz
MSS โ72
Former PA US Representative and PA State Senator; President and CEO, Better Medicare Alliance
Deena Schwartz
MSS โ65
Social worker and advocate for persons and families dealing with longer-term intellectual disabilities
Nicholas C. Scull
MSS โ02
Clinical Director, Fawzia Sultan Rehabilitation Institute; Assistant Professor and Assistant Dean, American University of Kuwait
Carol Shapiro
MSS โ78
Founder and President of Family Justice, community centered re-entry program; Ashoka Fellow
Valerie Shapiro
MSS โ05
Assistant Professor, co-director of Center for Prevention Research, UC-Berkeley School of Social Welfare
Corey Shdaimah
PhD โ05
Associate Professor, Academic coordinator of MSW/JD program, University of Maryland School of Social Work
Edmund A. Sherman
PhD โ67
Professor Emeritus, SUNY-Albany School of Social Welfare
James H. Sills
PhD โ81
Former state representative, city councilman and two term mayor of Wilmington, DE
Paula T. Silver
PhD โ92
Dean and Professor, School of Professional Studies, Widener University
Basha A. Silverman
MSS โ12
Vice President for Strategic Planning, Jewish Family and Children's Services of Greater Philadelphia
Barbara L. Simon
MSS โ76, PhD โ81
Associate Professor, Columbia University School of Social Work
Rosa Lee Smith
MSS โ51
Retired counselor, LaSalle University, mentor to countless social workers; collaborator with Dr. Warren E. Smith, community psychiatrist
Deborah Spungen
MSS โ89, MLSP โ90
Founding Director of Families of Murder Victims and Anti-Violence Partnership of Philadelphia
Harold E.Stafford
MSS โ73
Former Secretary of Labor, State of Delaware; more than 30 years of management of Delaware state agencies
Gail S. Steketee
MSS โ73, PhD โ87
Dean and Professor, Boston University School of Social Work
Patricia A. Stewart
MSS โ81
Advocate and national consultant on HIV/AIDS issues in the African American community; clinician and social work mentor
Jennifer Stotter
MSS โ99, PhD โ10
Director of EEO/AA, University of Hawaii at Hilo; former Director of AA/EEO, CVS Caremark Corporation
Emiko Anne Tajima
PhD โ99
Associate Professor and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, University of Washington School of Social Work
Tony Thurmond
MSS โ95, MLSP โ96
Representative, 15th Assembly District, California; former Richmond, CA, council member; youth services advocate
Niambi Robinson-Tillman
AB โ92, MSS โ94, MLSP โ95
Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Dallas, TX
Theresa Peaches Valdes
AB โ99, MSS โ03, MLSP โ03
Dean of Undergraduate Admissions, 91ณินฯอ๘
Shirley Waites-Howard
MSS โ77
Social work educator, bereavement counselor and longtime community activist
Nina Wall-Cote
MSS โ00
Director, Bureau of Autism Services of the PA Department of Public Welfare
Bertha S. Waters
MSS โ79
Community advocate and activist for social justice and social change
Elizabeth Werthan
MSS โ73
Dedicated advocate for women's health and rights; former Executive Director of CHOICE and Board Chair of Womenโs Way
Henry L. Westray
MSS โ74
Former State Coordinator and Chair, Maryland Governor's Commission on Suicide Prevention
Scott M. Wilson
MSS โ65, PhD โ76
Social work education consultant, Senior Educational Specialist, Division of Standards and Accreditation, Council on Social Work Education
Robert E. Young
MSS โ57
Retired Clinical Social Worker and Researcher, Eastern Virginia Medical School