O'Leary Lecture
2011-2012 O'Leary Video
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2011-2012 O'Leary Lecture
The O'Leary Lecture took place on Thursday, February 23 in the Fawcett Center auditorium. This year's distinguished speaker was Justice Yvette McGee Brown of the Ohio Supreme Court. In keeping with the College's mission, Justice Brown spoke on the theme "Justice in the Child Welfare System."
Field education students who attended the lecture may count their time at the event toward their field hours if they signed in at the registration table prior to the lecture. These students may add the lecture time to their timesheets for the week of February 20th.
Licensed social workers who attended the lecture and signed in at the registration table may earn 1 CEU for their attendance. CEU certificates were available for pick-up at the registration table after the lecture. If you forgot to pick up your certificate, please contact Lauren Haas-Gehres at 247-7385 or haas-gehres.1@osu.edu.
For questions about the event, please contact Lauren Haas-Gehres at 247-7385 or haas-gehres.1@osu.edu.
2011-2012 O'Leary Lecturer: Justice Yvette McGee Brown
A series of firsts defines the judicial career of Justice Yvette McGee Brown. She was the first African-American elected to the Franklin County Domestic Relations/Juvenile Court. In January 2011, she became the first African-American woman to serve as a Justice on the Supreme Court of Ohio.
Justice McGee Brown was first elected to the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations and Juvenile division in 1992. As lead Juvenile Court Judge, she led the creation of the Family Drug Court and the SMART Program, a truancy and educational neglect intervention program. She served on the Common Pleas Court until 2002, when she retired from the bench to create the Center for Child and Family Advocacy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. The Center is a multi-disciplinary child abuse and family violence program that co-locates prevention, assessment, treatment, research and advocacy services for children and families experiencing abuse. She served as founding president until early 2010, when she became a candidate for lieutenant governor of Ohio.
A common theme in Justice McGee Brown’s professional and community work is her advocacy for children and families. In the news release announcing her Supreme Court appointment, Justice McGee Brown said her service to Ohio’s children and families would continue on the Court: “I have been fortunate to have a life and career that has allowed me to pour my heart into helping others and expanding opportunities for vulnerable Ohioans. I look forward to bringing my diverse experiences and thoughtful perspectives to my work on the Ohio Supreme Court.”
Justice McGee Brown graduated from Ohio University in 1982 with a degree in journalism/public relations. She continued her education at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, earning her Juris Doctorate in 1985.
An active community and corporate leader, Justice McGee Brown has served on the boards of Ohio University, The Ohio State University Medical Center, the National Council of the OSU Moritz College of Law, M/I Homes Inc. and Fifth Third Bank of Central Ohio. She is the former chair of the United Way of Central Ohio, The Ohio State University Alumni Association and the YWCA Columbus Board of Directors. In 2008, Justice McGee Brown was inducted into the Ohio Women’s Hall of Fame. Among her many honors, she has received the Champion of Children Award, YWCA Woman of Achievement Award and several honors from Ohio University and The Ohio State University.
2011-2012 O'Leary Respondent
In keeping with the tradition of the O'Leary Lecture Series, a noted scholar with expertise related to the lecture topic is invited to provide a response. Dr. Carla Curtis of the OSU College of Social Work served as this year's respondent. Sincere thanks to Dr. Curtis!
History of the O'Leary Lecture
The Robert J. O’Leary Memorial Lecture Series was established in 1985 in the College of Social Work through an unrestricted gift from the estate of Robert J. O’Leary of Ashtabula County, Ohio. Mr. O’Leary, a 1931 graduate of The Ohio State University School of Social Administration, had a varied and rich career as a social worker and social administrator. His career included leadership in the Ohio offices of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and in the Bureau of the Budget, Washington, D.C. He returned to Ohio after retiring from federal service and became Director of Social Services for the Ashtabula County Mental Health Clinic. He died March 28, 1984.
The lecture series features noted American scholars who are asked to address various issues for the professional enrichment of social workers and other members of the social welfare community. Previous lecturers are Dr. Robert H. Bremner, distinguished professor emeritus of history from The Ohio State University; Dr. Barbara Enrenreich, noted feminist, lecturer and author; Karl Dennis, Executive Director of Kaleidoscope and a nationally recognized expert on community-based care of children; Dr. Michael Sherraden, George Warren Brown School of Social Work, a national expert on welfare reform; Dr. Rosalie Kane, University of Minnesota, an international expert on health care for the aged; Dr. Alfred J. Kahn, Professor Emeritus, Special Research Scholar and Special Lecturer, Columbia University, School of Social Work; Dr. Frances Fox Piven, Distinguished Professor of Political Science and Sociology, Graduate School and University Center, City University of New York; Fernando Torres-Gil, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, UCLA School of Public Affairs; Dr. Richard P. Barth, Dean of the School of Social Work and Professor at the University of Maryland; and Dr. Sandra Danziger, Professor of Social Work and Research and Professor of Public Policy at the School of Social Work, University of Michigan.
