Social Work Leaders Selected for Hall of Distinction

By Katie Mochalski

The California Social Work Hall of Distinction Committee has announced the social work leaders selected for induction in 2014. From a vast array of extraordinary nomination submissions, this year’s inductees will be:

• L. Georgi DiStefano, pioneer in social work practice in the field of addiction;
• Dr. Marilyn L. Flynn, transformational leader and consultant for social work education, governments and nonprofits;
• Dr. Marilyn Montenegro, educator and advocate for peace, social justice, and women’s equality — with a special emphasis on helping women in prison;
• Dr. Alex J. Norman, social work practitioner, professor and effective community activist;
• Helen Ramirez, former Director of Department of Adoptions in Los Angeles and advocate for innovations in child welfare, particularly for minority children and families;
• Dr. Fernando M. Torres-Gil, social welfare and policy professor and administrator who served in two presidential administrations in the areas of aging and public policy.

 This distinguished group will be recognized at an induction ceremony and reception on the afternoon of October 25, 2014 at the Burbank Marriott Hotel, Burbank, California. The ceremony is held in conjunction with the NASW-CA Annual Conference. Everyone is welcomed to attend and invited to place a tribute message in the commemorative program. Email cswa@usc.edu to request an invitation. NASW-CA Annual Conference participants can make reservations during their online registration.

Since its inception in 2002, the mission of the California Social Work Hall of Distinction is to recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the advancement of the social work profession and/or social work practice in California. CSU Los Angeles’ Dr. Colleen Friend chairs the committee which is comprised of social work leaders from universities and social work organizations throughout the state.

The California Social Work Hall of Distinction operates as a committee of the California Social Welfare Archives, which, with support from the USC School of Social Work, maintains oral histories of social work leaders and collections of some of the most historically significant documents in the development of social welfare in the state. Find out more information and view videos of recent induction events at socialworkhallofdistinction.org and www.usc.edu/cswa and www.youtube.com/user/USCSocialWork.

Pictured above:
Some of the members of the Hall of Distinction Committee who gathered at a recent induction celebration include Janlee Wong, Joseph Nunn, Suzanne Dworak-Peck, Colleen Friend, Jim Kelly, Esther Gillies, Monika White and Frances Caple.