Alumni & FriendsCollege of Social Work Alumni Hall of Fame

2023

Brandy Jemczura

MSW ’11, Founder and Executive Director of Seeds of Caring, a leading youth service organization based in Columbus

Dr. Jamie Mitchell, PhD

’10, Associate Professor of Social Work at the University of Michigan School of Social Work

Dr. Nasser Aloud, PhD

’04, Associate Professor in Clinical Social Work, Department of Sociology and Social Work at Al-Imam University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Rachel Ramirez

MSW ’07, Director of Health and Disability Programs and the Founder of The Center on Partner-Inflicted Brain Injury at The Ohio Domestic Violence Network (ODVN)

2022

Lisa Durham

BSSW ’88, MSW ’97, Assistant Dean of Strategic Initiatives and Community Engagement for The Ohio State University College of Social Work

John Gregory

MSW ’06, Senior Vice President of Operations at LifeCare Alliance

Linda Powers Kunze

MSW ’90, MetroHealth Burn Foundation and Cleveland Clinic

Sharon Urquhart Richardson

MSW ’76, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (retired)

2021

Dr. Ramona Denby-Brinson

PhD ’95, Dean of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Social Work

Ritika Sharma Kurup

MSW ’03, Senior Director of Learning and Activation at StriveTogether

Traci Lewis

BSSW ’85, Director of The Ohio State University Office of Diversity and Inclusion’s ACCESS Collaborative (A Comprehensive College Experience for Single-Parent Students) Program

Dr. Patricia Lyons

MSW ’88, Director of the Social Determinants of Health Innovation Center at Molina Healthcare

2020

Dr. Edward R. Canda

MSW ’82, PhD ’86, Professor Emeritus at the University of Kansas (KU) School of Social Welfare.

Dr. Gretchen Clark Hammond

MSW ’00, PhD ’11, CEO of Mighty Crow.

Luann Cooperrider

BSSW ’78, Probate-Juvenile judge in Perry County, OH.

Stephen Marson

MSW ’76, Professor Emeritus at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke (UNCP).

Dr. Cleora “Cleo” Smith Roberts

MSW ’64, Professor Emerita at the University of South Florida School (USF) of Social Work (posthumous).

2019

Joe Borgo

MSW ’72, Founder and Executive Director of J.B. Borgo & Associates.

Lori Criss

MSW ’92, BSSW ’91, Director of the Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services (MHAS) for the State of Ohio.

Kenneth “Ken” Murray

BSSW ’73, Faculty Associate at Arizona State University School of Social Work.

James B. O’Hora

MSW ’64, CEO of Planned Parenthood of Broome and Chenango Counties of New York (retired).

Dr. Cleora “Cleo” Smith Roberts

MSW ’64, Professor Emerita at the University of South Florida (USF) School of Social Work (retired).

2018

Duane Casares

MSW ’90, CEO of Directions for Youth & Families (DFYF).

Adrienne Gavula

MSW ’09, Development Director for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and a community lecturer for the College of Social Work (posthumous).

Terry Russell

BSSW ’72, Executive Director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Ohio (NAMI).

Druann Whitaker

BSSW ’77, Chief Strategy Officer at the National Youth Advocate Program.

Dr. Kenneth Yeager

BSSW ’92, MSW ’93, PhD ’99, Director of the Stress, Trauma and Resiliency (STAR) program at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

2017

Dr. José Ashford

MSW ’76, Professor at Arizona State University (ASU) School of Social Work.

Captain Gregory Biedenkapp

MSW ’63, Former Executive Director of Community Action Lexington Fayette County Inc.

Rejeana Haynes

MSW ’89, Vice President of Clinical Operations at St. Vincent Family Center in Columbus.

Tuesday Ryan-Hart

MSW ’98, President and Founder of Tuesday Ryan-Hart LLC.

2016

David R. Grove

MSW ’83, Family Therapist and Supervisor at David Grove, LISW.

Dr. Annette Jefferson

PhD ’96, Board Chair of the Greater Hilltop Area Shalom Zone.

Ami Peacock

MSW, LISW-S ’93, Manager for the Mount Carmel West Healthy Living Center.

James (Jim) Stahler

MSW ’76, Director of Public Policy and Campaign Director at United Way of the Greater Dayton Area (retired).

Patricia Kay Werk

MSW ’70, Developer and Manager of the Netcare Access Community Crisis Response Team and Critical Incident Stress Management (retired).

2015

Dr. Robert Applebaum

MSW ’77, Associate Dean College of Arts and Science and Professor of Gerontology at Scripps Gerontology Center at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

Bill Owens

MSW ’84, Executive Director of the Clintonville-Beechwold Community Resources Center (CRC).

Dr. Rhonda Reagh

PhD ’90 MSW ’80, Founder and CEO of Reagh and Associates.

2014

Judy Sillince Braun

BSSW ’71, MSW ’76, Founder and President/CEO of COVA (Center of Vocational Alternatives for Mental Health, Inc.) (retired).

Dr. Gregory Clapp

PhD ’95, Professor and Associate Dean for Research at The Ohio State University College of Social Work.

Alan Gill

MSW ’77, CEO of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC).

Gregory Hamilton

MSW ’79, AmeriCorps VISTA member.

2013

Dr. Kathryn S. Icenhower

BSSW ’77, is the CEO and Co-Founder of SHIELDS for Families in Los Angeles.

Dr. Alfred L. Joseph, Jr (posthumous)

PhD ’95, MSW ’89, Associate Professor of Social Work at Miami University of Ohio.

Dr. Jacquelyn Meshelemiah

PhD ’95, MSW ’91, BSSW ’90, Associate Professor at the Ohio State University, College of Social Work.

Robyn C. Morris

MSW ’01, Clinical Director for Group Living with the National Youth Advocate Program (NYAP).

Richard Schira

MSW ’72, Director of the Referral Department at Franklin County Children Services (retired).

2012

Dr. Denise A. Goodman

PhD ’93, Child Welfare Professional for more than 35 years.

James N. Miller

MSW ’55, Administrator of The Beej Business.

Dr. Joseph R. Palmer

BSSW ’56, PhD ’70, (in memoriam) Owner of Mediation Services of Ohio.

Dr. Glenn E. Rohrer

BSSW ’66, MSW ’73, Tenured Professor and Director of the School of Justice Studies and Social Work at the University of West Florida.

2011

James Clark

MSW ’81, President and Chief Executive Officer of Daniel Memorial.

William Ellsworth

MSW ’81, School Social Worker for Lexington Local Schools and a Community Lecturer, Field Instructor, and Education Coordinator for The Ohio State University Mansfield Campus.

Steven Geib

BSSW ’81, Executive Director and Founder of Agape for Youth, Inc.

Ruth Schildhouse

BS, Social Admin ’49, Executive Director of the Columbus International Program for 29 years.

2010

Jack Rothman

MSW ’51, Professor Emeritus of social work from UCLA.

Monit Cheung

MSW ’82, PhD ‘86, Professor and Associate Director of the Child and Family Center for Innovative Research at the Graduate College of Social Work, University of Houston.

Patrick Leung

BSSW ’81, MSW, ’81, PhD ’86, Professor of Social Work, Director of the Office of International Social Work Education, Coordinator of the Social Work Research Center, and Evaluator for the Child and Family Center for Innovative Research at the Graduate College of Social Work, University of Houston.

2009

Gregory Behling

BSSA ’54, MSW ’57

Sandra Stephenson

BSSW ’74, MSW ’75, Director of the Ohio Department of Mental Health, appointed by Governor Ted Strickland in 2007.

Wayne Moore

MSW ’75, Professor of Social Work and Sociology at North Carolina A&T State University.

Eileen Saffran

BSSW ’74, MSW ’76, Founder and Executive Director of The Gathering Place.

2008

Alvin Hadley

MSW ’59, Executive Director of the Columbus Metropolitan Area Church Council (retired).

James H. Ward, Sr.

PhD ’74, Retired Dean and Distinguished Professor Emeritus of School of Social Work, Portland State University (PSU).

LeVerne McCummings

PhD ’75, Past President of Cheyney University of Pennsylvania.

Sandra F. Cannon

MSW ’78, Manager and Chief of the Office of Forensic Services, Ohio Department of Mental Health.

2007

H. Stanley Eichenauer

MSW ’70, Retired Senior Advisor Administrator, Mental System Transformation, US Department of Health and Human Services.

Samira Beckwith

MSW ’77, President and CEO of Hope Hospice and Community Services in Ft. Myers, Florida.

Claudia Coulton

MSW ’72, Professor, Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University.

Beverly Watkins

PhD ’88 Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs, Savannah State University.

2006

Valarie Omega Justiss Vance

PhD ’49, Post-Doc Lecturer

Gregory Michael Seelig

MSW ’76, Dean of Caudill College of Humanities at Morehead State University (MSU Moorhead).

Marguerite Turnbull

MSW ’68, Past Director of Girls Work at Pillsbury Settlement House.

Gregory “Jack” Marshall Ford

BSSW ’69, First African American Mayor of Toledo.

2006

Valarie Omega Justiss Vance

PhD ’49, Post-Doc Lecturer

Gregory Michael Seelig

MSW ’76, Dean of Caudill College of Humanities at Morehead State University (MSU Moorhead).

Marguerite Turnbull

MSW ’68, Past Director of Girls Work at Pillsbury Settlement House.

Gregory “Jack” Marshall Ford

BSSW ’69, First African American Mayor of Toledo.

2023

Madison Eagle

MSW ’18, Belonging and Student Support in the Student Life Center for Belonging and Social Change (CBSC) and Wild Hope Therapy.

2022

Erin Harris

BSSW ’12, MSW ’13, The Ohio State University Nisonger Center Aspirations Program and LEND, Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities,

2021

Erin Harris

BSSW ’12, MSW ’13, The Ohio State University Nisonger Center Aspirations Program and LEND, Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities

2020

Elon Simms

BSSW ’09, MSW ’10, Vice President of Community Impact at Crane Group.

2019

Dr. Patrice Palmer

MSW ’10, BSSW ’09, Reentry Support Specialist at Franklin County Office of Homeland Security & Justice Programs.

2018

Dorothy Martindale

BSSW ’13, Membership Associate for the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Ohio Chapter.

2017

Dr. Solomon Hill

MSW ’08, Tenured Faculty Member at Central State University (CSU).

2016

Jimmy Portner

MSW ’07, Intensive Treatment Division Director at the Columbus Ohio Veterans Administration.

2015

Danielle Smith

MSW ’10 BSSW ’08, Executive Director of the Ohio Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers.

2014

Kelly Knight

MSW ’07, BSSW ’03, Associate Director at Franklin County Children Services (FCCS).

2013

Lori Scott

BSSW ’04, Director of the NASA Science, Engineering, Mathematics & Aerospace Academy (SEMAA) at Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland, OH.

2012

Angela K. Stoller-Zervas

MSW ’05, Supportive Services Manager for Community Properties of Ohio.

2011

Sue Villilo

MSW ’05, Executive Director of Faith Mission.

2010

Shannon Easter

MSW ’00, Director of Clinical and Supportive Services for Faith Mission/Faith Housing, Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio.

2009

Dr. Holly Dabelko-Schoeny

PhD ’02, Associate Professor at The Ohio State University College of Social Work.

2008

Nancy L. Sidell

PhD ’98, Professor and Chair of Department of Social Work, Anthropology and Sociology, at Mansfield University.

2007

Keith Alford

PhD ’97, Associate Professor at Syracuse University College of Human Services.

2006

Kenneth R. Yeager

PhD ’99, Assistant Clinical Professor at The Ohio State University’s College of Medicine and Department of Psychiatry.