Social Work Leaders Selected for Induction into Hall of Distinction

Photo and caption:  Members of the Hall of Distinction Committee at a recent induction celebration. L-R front row: Janlee Wong, Benjamin Cuellar, Suzanne Dworak-Peck, Nancy Lim-Yee and Esther Gillie . L-R back row: Back Joseph Nunn, Catharine Ralph and Colleen FriendNot pictured: Frances Caple, Kim Gaghagen, Anita Harbert, Jim Kelly, Peter Lee. Photo credit: Amy Tierney/Thrive Images

The California Social Work Hall of Distinction Committee has announced the social work leaders selected for induction in 2018. From a vast array of extraordinary nomination submissions, this year’s inductees will be:

• Bill Coggins, founder of Kaiser Permanente Watts Counseling and Learning Center
• Kathy Kubota, child welfare advocate, program trailblazer and social work training innovator
• John Oliver, leader in social work education, administration and social justice advocacy
• Yasuko Sakamoto, for development and delivery of wide-ranging, high impact, culturally-sensitive programs
• June Simmons, exceptional innovator, collaborator, and leader in health promotion and health care delivery programs for seniors
• Diane Takvorian, extraordinary macro social worker committed to advancing health policies and promoting environmental justice

This distinguished group will be recognized at an induction ceremony and reception beginning at 3:00 pm on October 27, 2018 at the Los Angeles Airport Marriot Hotel. The ceremony is held in conjunction with the NASW-CA Annual Conference. Everyone is invited to attend. To place a tribute message in the commemorative program, please email cswa@usc.edu to request to be on the invitation list.

Since its inception in 2002, the mission of the California Social Work Hall of Distinction has been 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 Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work—maintains oral histories of social work leaders, and collections of historically significant documents in the development of social welfare in the state.

Find more information and view videos of recent events at www.socialworkhallofdistinction.usc.edu and www.usc.edu/cswadigital.