Regional winners are now in the running for the statewide awards. One statewide award winner will be selected from each of the social work award categories by the NASW Ohio Board of Directors. Regional and State winners will be recognized at the NASW Ohio Social Work Celebration Gala on March 23, 2024 - Save the Date! 

Learn more about the Annual Awards process HERE>>

Region 1

Region 2

	Student of the Year, Axicalli Bernal Axicalli Bernal is a student attending the University of Akron. She is majoring in Social Work. She is first generation to attend college. She wants to make her family proud. Throughout the years, she has been involved in many organizations where she has volunteered. She is currently the treasurer of UA Latinos at the university. As she keeps moving forward with her education, she wants to be a voice for the people who do not feel comfortable speaking up for themselves especially in the minority community. She appreciates Professor Michelle Kreidler for believing in her and seeing something in her. She is grateful for this opportunity to be selected as the 2023 National Association of Social Workers’ Student of the Year Award.
	Emerging Leader, Jasmyne Wilson Jasmyne Wilson has been in the social work field since 2016. Since that time, she has had her experience in different areas of social work but found her passion with children and mental health. In May of 2021, Jasmyne graduated from The University of Akron with a master’s in social work. Since then, jasmyne has evolved as a clinician and more recently an emerging leader. Jasmyne has took on the task of being an internship supervisor, where she is continuing to learn and grown. Soon, she will be able to sit for her independent license. Jasmyne is eager to see what the future has to offer. Thank you to Mrs. Prather for believing in Jasmyne even when she didn’t always have the confidence in herself.
	Outstanding Service to NASW, Martha Lucas, MSSA, LISW-S Martha served as NASW Ohio Chapter Ethics Committee Chair 2011-2023. She coordinated training and consultation with NASW National, provided ethics consultations, led the CEC in creating the Volunteer Advocate Guide, Ethics Consultation Panel and, most notably, spearheaded development of the Ethical Dilemma Guide. She has 11 years experience in child welfare,7 as NEO Regional Training Center Training Coordinator, 4 direct service. She was Grant Management Project Director, Research/Evaluation, and Juvenile Justice Planner for Summit County Criminal Justice Commission federal and state fund Regional Planning Unit 1975-83. Martha is most proud of her family, husband, Bob, children, Rob and Megan, and grandchildren, Grace, Lotus, River, Zephyr.
	Social Worker of the Year, Renee Leber MSSA, LISW-S Renee is a critical thinker and a solution-focused problem solver that is viewed as a change agent helping grow Behavioral Health at Family Health Services. As the first-ever BH Clinical Director, her efforts and passion for trauma-focused care has led to offering new services as well as multiple new school-based clinics throughout local districts. Renee supports fellow clinicians by strongly encouraging boundaries and self-care to ensure a healthy work-life balance. As the NASW OH, Region 2 representative for Erie/Huron Counties she brings different professional and social events to the area. Renee continues to work tirelessly to break barriers to ensure quick access to high quality behavioral health services without financial stressors.
	Lifetime Achievement, Timothy McCarragher  Tim McCarragher, Ph.D., LISW-S has been at The University of Akron since 2000, serving as Director of the School of Social Work and Family Sciences since 2008. From 2020-2023, Tim also served as the Interim Dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences. He is currently the UA principal investigator for Ohio’s University Consortium for Child and Adult Services (OUCCAS), a collaboration with Ohio University and the University of Cincinnati. Prior to UA, Tim worked in the field of HIV, serving as a case manager, therapist, services coordinator, grant writer and researcher. A veteran of the US Air Force, Tim served as a Chaplain Candidate at US Air Force bases in England and Italy while he pursued graduate studies in theology in Rome, Italy.
	Agency of the Year, Family Health Services  Family Health Services (FHS) is located in Erie and Huron Counties within NASW Ohio Region 2. FHS has been witnessed to uphold the true commitment of continuing care to our community by removing barriers. As a Federally Qualified Health Center the agency is already able to provide quality affordable primary care, behavioral health, and dental services. However, in recent years Family Health Services saw a bigger need in the community for transportation and created an initiative to where they can provide free transit to/from appointments. Every patient is always met with a smile as they are welcomed into the facilities.

Region 3

	Student of the Year, Pranit Lanjewar Mr. Pranit Lanjewar currently pursuing a master of social work at Case Western Reserve University with a healthcare specialization. Pranit is at present doing his field practicum at the VA in HUD VASH program. He has been awarded with an Outstanding Field Practicum Award at the end of his first year. He successfully achieved a few milestones in the school last year such as receiving student spotlights on the school websites as well as on its social media handle, being a student representative for the Dean's Advisory Committee meetings, being invited as a student panelist for one of the Abroad Exchange Students Program, and is a co-chair for International student's organization in the school.
	Outstanding Service to NASW, Stephanie L. Ash Stephanie L. Ash, MSW, LSW, Esq. (she/her) serves as the Region 3 Director on the NASW Ohio Board of Directors and is a member of the NASW Ohio Social Work Criminalization Task Force. Steph holds dual licensure as an attorney and Licensed Social Worker in Ohio and enjoys blending her law and social work backgrounds in her advocacy. In 2022, Steph testified on behalf of NASW Ohio in opposition to HB 454, which would have banned gender-affirming care for minors. She continues to attend hearings and submit testimony against HB 68, a similar bill. Steph uses her skills as a lawyer to analyze legal cases against gender-affirming care bans in other states to support advocacy efforts and encourages others to get involved in the policy process.
	Social Worker of the Year, Jonathon Henry Jonathon E. Henry, MSSA, LISW-S, CCM, earned his Bachelors of Arts in Social Work from The University of Akron and his Masters of Science in Social Administration from Case Western Reserve University; his concentrations were Child Welfare and Adult Mental Health. Jonathon currently attends Case Western Reserve University, working towards obtaining his Ph.D. in Social Welfare. Jonathon began his career in social work in Child Welfare due to his personal experience with the Child Welfare System. Jonathon has fostered several children and has recently adopted his two sons. Jonathon has formerly served as the President of the Ohio Cleveland Association of Black Social Workers. He is genuinely passionate about people and serving his community.
	Lifetime Achievement, Kathleen Farkas Kathleen J. Farkas is Emerita Associate Professor of Social Work at the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at CWRU. During her 35 years on the faculty, she held a number of research, administrative and teaching leadership positions at the school and with national and international organizations . She chaired the school’s Curriculum Committee, the direct practice faculty as well as the specialization faculty for substance use disorders and recovery. Dr. Farkas's publications include two books, forty-seven peer reviewed journal articles, twenty-one invited book chapters, twenty-four review essays, and numerous other monographs. Dr. Farkas holds an Ohio independent social work license with supervisory designation.

Region 4

	Student of the Year, Michele Marie Irby Michele Marie Irby is a recent graduate of Capella University where is has obtained her Master of Social Work (MSW) degree. To her credit, she graduated with Distinction, cumulating a 4.0 GPA. Currently, Mrs. Irby is the Executive Director for Niles Treatment Services, a Medication Assistance Treatment facility in Niles, OH. In this position, she serves both administratively and clinically. Mrs. Irby’s desire is to obtain her LISW-S and her LICDC to continue serving both the mental health and addiction populations.
	Social Worker of the Year, Cheryle Herr Cheryle’s contributions to the Social Work community include excellent client care and using her professionalism to help integrate students to the field of Social Work. Cheryle is employed at Cope Treatment Center where she travels across counties working with the elderly community. Cheryle leads by effectively communicating and being solution focused. Encouraging students and co workers to continue to learn and grow as a person which includes focusing on self-care. Cheryle’s ability to remain open minded and view conflicts from another person’s perspective demonstrates her ability to effectively achieve results that will satisfy everyone involved.
	Lifetime Achievement, Mari Alschuler Mari Alschuler, Ph.D., LISW-S, PTR, is an associate professor of social work at Youngstown State University, a private practice therapist, and a poetry therapist and trainer. Mari has been a NASW member for 33 years and recently served as Region 4 Director. Mari was one of the first AIDS social workers globally. A crusader for equality for LGBPTQIAA people, Mari specializes in working with transgender and queer people. She has contributed scholarly articles and book chapters, is a poet and fiction writer, and is a trainer of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, MBSR.
	Agency of the Year, Alta Care Group The mission of Alta Care Group is to support the social, emotional, behavioral, educational, and physical well-being of children, adolescents, young adults and their families. In the course of 45 years, Alta Care Group has provided care to over 20,000 children and families in Mahoning County. Exclusively a child, adolescent and family behavioral health and comprehensive preschool provider, Alta serves a yearly average of over 3,000 children, adolescents, young adults and their families up to the age of 21. New this year, is Mobile Response and Stabilization Services. Alta is one of 14 providers in the entire state of Ohio, recently scoring very high on the State fidelity review.

Region 5

	Student of the Year, Zaymetrius Jones Zaymetrius Jones is a graduate student in the MSW program at OSU. While attending OSU, they are building a social work career around issues important to the Black LGBTQ+ community. They are a member of the Columbus Association of Black Social Workers and the National Association of Social Workers. They are currently a member of the Region 5 planning committee, where they co-facilitated the organization’s first LGBTQ+ Holding Space. This group provides a safe space for LGBTQ+ social workers to share and support one another. They are also currently a member of the Social Work Criminalization Taskforce, where they contributed to the Gender Affirming Care Whitepaper that was handed out to state representatives on NASW's Statehouse Day of Action. Through their work, they want to continue building trust and emphasizing education and communication between the Black LGBTQ community and our cis-hetero counterparts. Zaymetrius plans to obtain their LSW after graduation in Spring 2024.
	Emerging Leader, Matthew Tippit Matthew Tippit is a Policy Associate at Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio. He holds both a Bachelor's and Master’s Degree in Social Work from The Ohio State University. While obtaining his Master's degree, he interned at the Ohio House of Representatives, where he helped draft legislation and handled constituent outreach and casework. Matthew is passionate about influencing a wide range of policies that impact children, which led him to his current position at Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio. At CDF-Ohio, he co-leads the Ohio Children’s Budget Coalition, helped secure an expansion of the free school lunch program statewide and focuses on Democracy Defense policies. He also serves as a Co-Chair for the NASW Ohio Legislative Advocacy Committee.
	Outstanding Service to NASW, Cynthia Tyson, Ph.D., MSW, LISW Cynthia Tyson, Ph.D., MSW, LISW, serves as the NASW-OH Region 5 Co-Director, serving Columbus, OH. She brings a diverse background encompassing academia, research, activism, social work, and clinical therapy to her role. She is a Professor in the College of Education and Human Ecology at The Ohio State University, a NEDA certified End-of-Life Planner and Death Doula, and a clinical therapist at Focus Counseling Clinic in Columbus, OH. As an independently licensed social worker, she addressed the issues of grief and loss at every stage of life, managing end-of-life care and formulating effective coping strategies to mitigate the impact of racialized stress and trauma.
	Social Worker of the Year, Dr. Joanne Lunceford  Dr. Joanne Lunceford earned her DSW from the University of Southern California, her MSSA (MSW-equivalent) from Case Western Reserve University, and her BA from Miami University. She has worked in various capacities as a social work/ criminal justice professional for over 25 years, and currently serves as the Deputy Director of The Columbus Office of Violence Prevention through the Office of the Mayor. In 2006 she founded a grassroots violence prevention organization, and in early 2023 she launched a racial justice company. She has taught various topics to career college students, Doctor of Social Work students, and probation and parole officers. Her career work has focused on the intersectionality of Race, Social Work, and Criminal Justice.
	Lifetime Achievement Award, Gretchen Clark Hammond  Gretchen Clark Hammond, PhD, MSW, LSW, LCDCIII, TTS is the CEO of Mighty Crow. She was inducted into the College of Social Work’s Hall of Fame in 2020 with a Distinguished Career Award. OSU Teaching Awards include: Outstanding Community Lecturer in 2012, Outstanding Doctoral Student Teacher in 2008, the Outstanding Graduate Teaching Associate in 2006 and 2007 and was the MSW Graduate of the Year in 2000. In 2011, she received the Randall M. Dana Award of Excellence from the ADAMH Board of Franklin County. In 2008, she received the Ernest E. Hayden Award from the Ohio Association of Residential Recovery Services. In 2007, she was honored by her alma mater, The University of Toledo as the Edward H. Schmidt Outstanding Young Alumni.
	The Buckeye Ranch Community Based and Education Services  The Buckeye Ranch has been in existence for over 60 years. TBR's Community Based and Education Programs are very active in the communities that they serve. Most recently ODE recognized the School Based Program for innovative urban programming and highlighted collaboration with Columbus City Schools. Additionally, TBR provides evidence-based programming that is also client-centered, culturally responsive, and trauma-informed. These services are provided in collaboration with other systems to provide effective treatment options for our youth and families in the Central Ohio community.

Region 6

	Student of the Year, Mackenzie Harbin Mackenzie Harbin, LSW, CDCA, received her BSW at Mount St. Joseph University in May 2023. She is pursuing her MSW full-time through NKU’s accelerated master’s program. Although it is a requirement for students to complete experiential learning to complete their degree, she has gone above and beyond by completing three service learning credit courses. Her heart for children has been on display throughout these experiences. Mackenzie has been a Baby Cuddler at Good Samaritan’s NICU stay, provided services at the family center for the Brighton Center, and interned at Focus on Youth, where she advocated for foster and adoptive children. She has honed her interpersonal and critical thinking skills, building a firm industry knowledge foundation.
	Social Worker of the Year, Amy Roberts Amy Restorick Roberts, PhD, MSSA, LSW, FGSA has a passion for social work, education, and research to improve the quality of life of older adults. She provides leadership in Ohio and nationally in the areas of addressing elder abuse and neglect; promoting international social work; and supporting aging education, research, and practice. Dr. Roberts has published over 30 peer-reviewed journal articles, one co-edited book, over 15 reports, and has made over 75 regional, national, and international peer-reviewed presentations - including one presentation with Danielle Smith in 2021 to share their collaboration to improve nursing home care. Dr. Roberts teaches across the social work curriculum and serves as the BSW Program Director.
	Lifetime Achievement, Walter Smitson Dr. Smitson has dedicated his life’s work to addressing mental health issues among adults and children and providing hope to them and their families. For the past 55 years, he has led Central Clinic and has grown it from a small organization with 35 employees to its current configuration with 250 employees in 11 locations in Hamilton, Warren and Clermont counties serving 18,000 individuals each year. He has maintained the historic collaboration with UC Medical School; the Clinic has trained thousands of psychiatry residents, as well psychology and social work students from other universities. He is highly respected as a subject matter expert on mental health and addiction issues and is a highly regarded community leader.
	Agency of the Year, Cincinnati Veteran Affairs Medical Center/ Social Work Cincinnati VA Social workers are leaders in breaking barriers inside and outside the organization, and they recruit and guide future social workers not only for the organization but for the community at large. Cincinnati VA Social Workers reach outside the VA to locate resources and build partnerships that will serve the needs Veteran’s and their families. Dr. Christie Watson DSW, Chief of Social Work and her leadership team Kristen Lawwill LISW-S, Sarah Thompson LISW-S, Amanda List LISW-S provide training and guidance to social workers, and offer field placement experiences for undergraduate and graduate students. Dr. Watson has worked tirelessly to ensure that Cincinnati VA Social Work department is one of diversity and inclusion.

Region 7

	Student of the Year, Keslina Luoma Keslina Luoma, LSW, is currently a home based mental health therapist at CHOICES in Dayton, OH. Prior to this position, she worked and interned as a domestic violence victim advocate with Artemis Center. While at Artemis, Keslina conducted research demonstrating the prevalence of high risk danger and lethality factors local victims face. This research has assisted in advocating for the needs of victims in Montgomery County.
	Social Worker of the Year, Shawnieka E. Pope Shawnieka E. Pope MSW, LISW-S, LCSW is the Assistant Clinical Professor and the newly appointed School-Based Mental Health MSW Program Project Director for the Family Science and Social Work Department at Miami University, Ohio. She is the recipient of the 2023 Peter M. Magolda Teaching Excellence Award. Shawnieka has over two decades of clinical and macro work. She has served as a field instructor supporting nearly 30 BSW and MSW students from her hometown Indianapolis and Ohio. She was awarded MSW I field instructor of the year. Shawnieka has served as a social work educator for numerous social work programs across Ohio. She is the proud parent of three adult children, Ashton, Shawnye', and A'naia.
	Lifetime Achievement, Elizabeth (Liz) Rieger  Liz Rieger MSW, LISW-S began her career in long-term care, where she developed protocols for admissions, and social work participation in an interdisciplinary team. Liz moved to a hospital setting. She covered units, ED, on call and developed a social work clinic program. Liz then became a school social worker. During her tenure in the schools, and with 26 years of social work experience, Liz graduated in 2007 with an MSW from UC. Liz retired in 2012 and opened her own practice where she continues to work. Liz’s passion for social justice drew her to advocacy. In addition to becoming an anti-oppression informed practitioner, Liz joined NASW’s Legislative Advocacy and Criminalization of Social Workers committees.
	Agency of the Year, The Fudge Foundation  Derrick Fudge was enjoying a night out on Saturday, August 3, 2019 with his son, Dion Green, and other family members in Dayton’s Oregon District. That enjoyment ended when in the early hours of August 4th he was shot outside of a bar. Derrick Fudge is one of eight victims that lost his life that night during the Dayton mass shooting. In the year following the shooting, Dion turned his pain into strength by authoring the book “Untitled: Act of God. Act of Man.” and founding The FUDGE Foundation to help individuals that are impacted directly and indirectly by mass shootings, gun violence, and other forms of trauma. Dion is a father, author, presenter, peer support counselor, and most importantly, a survivor who offers hope to others.

Region 8

	Emerging Leader, Nicholas Milburn Nicholas Milburn, an emerging leader in social work, holds a BA in Sociology and a Minor in Social Work from Shawnee State University. They continued their academic journey at Arizona State University, earning an MSW in May 2023, solidifying their commitment to excellence in social work. Currently a Non-Medical Case Advocate at Equitas Health, Nick promotes independence and health for HIV+ individuals in Ohio. Previous roles at the Domestic Violence Project and KinderCare showcased their crisis management and childcare skills. As a Customer Service Supervisor at Dick's Sporting Goods, Nick displayed adaptability and leadership. Their role in the union bargaining team at Equitas Health Workers United highlighted exceptional negotiation skills.
	Social Worker of the Year, Verlinda Michelle Bennett Verlinda Bennett worked over 30 years with individuals with a range of life experiences. She was employed as a social worker with Stark County Department of Job Family Services. She spent her tenure with the department with the goal of reuniting families & investing in communities where they lived. While working full-time, she completed her Master of Social Work Degree. Influenced by principles of social work, she transferred her knowledge, skills & experience to her current role of Associate Professor at Stark State College. Her love of education and commitment to professional development led her to complete a Master of Education Degree. She is known to be an encourager and loves to see people succeed in the midst of trying circumstances.
	Agency of the Year, House of G.R.A.C.E. Residential Services, LLC House of G.R.A.C.E. Residential Services, LLC, is a growing, women-led, minority healthcare business launched in 2017 by co-visionaries and co-laborers, Dr. Audra Martin, LISW-S, CEO, and Haydee Thomas, RN, COO. Their primary population served are those diagnosed with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities; and a secondary diagnosis of a mental health disorder. Their other services are Home Health and Adult DayHab. The foundation model is a social worker and nursing team that focuses on building resiliency in all ages (youth/young/and aging adults). They promote inclusion and focus on innovative, scheduled community activities/non-residential settings. They provide G.R.A.C.E. (through Giving, Resources, Advocacy, Care, and Equality).