Lauren St. Hill, LCSW, is a Research Social Worker at the Veterans Administration New Jersey Health Care System in the Department of Mental Health Research and Program Development. Ms. St. Hill received her Bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies from Cornell University, and her Masters in Social Work from the Rutgers School of Social Work Intensive Weekend Program. She has been with VA NJ since 2006, contributing to the development, provision, and evaluation of clinical programs for Veterans addressing suicide prevention, Parkinson's disease, homelessness, and substance abuse. In addition to facilitating individual and group Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy and CBT at the VA, Ms. St. Hill recently created and facilitated a 5-day clinical teacher training program in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Suicide Prevention (MBCT-S). Ms. St. Hill also leads a national mindfulness meditation call through the War Related Illness and Injury Study Center (WRIISC).

Former Dean and Professor Laura Burney Nissen is with the Portland State University School of Social Work. With a commitment to innovative and equity-centered systems change, Laura has worked with futures practice and lenses throughout her career. She is in the a foresight practitioner and a Research Fellow with the Institute for the Future. She has just been awarded a two-year grant to launch a national Social Work Education Futures Lab from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to provide infrastructure and inspiration to further develop applications of a futures lens for the social work profession. For additional information about her work, please visit: www.socialworkfutures.com, follow on Twitter @lauranissen.

Henrika McCoy, MSW, MJ, PhD, LCSW is an Associate Professor and Interim Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Student Services at Jane Addams College of Social Work, University of Illinois Chicago. Dr. McCoy’s research has predominately focused on strengthening the screening of mental health needs for youth who have juvenile legal system involvement and on examining the intersection of mental health and juvenile delinquency, particularly for African American boys ages 12 to 17. Her work also focuses on the violent victimization experiences of Black males, ages 18 to 24. She has received federal and foundation funding to support her research. She recently ended a three-year term as a Director-at-Large for the Society of Social Work and Research and is currently the Co-Chair of the Division on People of Color and Crime for the American Society of Criminology.
Although she is currently a professor, she previously worked as a school social worker, therapist, and case manager providing services in a range of with adolescents, and their families, who were engaged in multiple systems and in need of various supports and services. She made the decision to become a professor when she realized the lack of representation of Black voices was harming Black people, and ultimately Black communities, including those where she was residing and working. Ultimately, she is committed to using her work to improve the lives of Black people.

Dr. Jill Levenson is a Professor of Social Work at Barry University in Miami, FL. She is a SAMHSA-trained trauma-informed care instructor, and Lead Coordinator for the Trauma-informed Training Initiative at Barry’s Center for Human Rights & Social Justice. She has published 6 books and over 100 articles, and in 2019 was named by the Journal of Social Service Research as one of the nation’s top 100 social work scholars. Her research has been funded by the National Institutes of Justice, the CDC, and the National Sexual Violence Resource Center. Dr. Levenson has been a practicing licensed clinical social worker in South Florida for over 30 years. She works with survivors and perpetrators of sexual assault and interpersonal violence, as well as other clients with trauma-related disorders. She has provided TIC trainings in more than 20 states, Canada, Mexico, Hong Kong, Australia, and New Zealand.

Steve Burghardt, MSW, PHD, is a Professor of Social Work at Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College-CUNY. The author or co-author of 10 books and many articles, his recent book, “The End of Social Work: A Defense of the Social Worker in Times of Transformation,” has been called an “essential work” by Sandy Bernabei and “one of the most important social work books of the 21st century” by Barbara Milton, NJ NASW Social Worker of the year (2014).

Zander Keig, MSW, LCSW, BCD is an award-winning social worker: 2020 National Social Worker of the Year, 2018 California Social Worker of the Year, public speaker, educator, and author, as well as a sought-after diversity workshop facilitator and trainer (including WPATH Advanced Behavioral Health Courses), and longtime national trans community organizer.

Allan Barsky, JD, MSW, PhD is a professor with the Sandler School of Social Work at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. He served as the Chair of the NASW National Ethics Committee and facilitated the work group that proposed revisions to the NASW Code of Ethics regarding the use of technology in practice. His book authorships include “Ethics and Values in Social Work,” “Clinicians in Court,” and “Conflict Resolution for the Helping Professions.” Dr. Barsky is also a past recipient of the “NASW Excellence in Ethics Award” and the “FAU Scholar of the Year Award.” He has a regular ethics column in the online professional magazine, “The New Social Worker.” For further information, please see https://barsky.org/publications.

Edith L. Slater DSW, LCSW is a bilingual Spanish doctor of clinical social work in New Jersey and Hawaii. She is the director of a New Jersey-based agency, a member of the CSWE Council on Practice Methods and Specializations, and is also a published author who advocates for social justice imperatives as an integral aspect of mental healthcare. Her work includes the intersection between social justice and mental healthcare in practice as well as social work education. Dr. Slater has developed the Clinical Advocacy Model, a framework to help social workers address clients' dual needs for social justice and mental healthcare.

Noelle M. St. Vil, assistant professor, joined the UB School of Social Work faculty in 2015. St. Vil's research focuses on Black male-female relationships. St. Vil believes Black intimate relationships are typically underrepresented (left out of discussions/ignored) or misrepresented (discussions leave out/ignore racism and its impact on all aspects of Black lives and experiences, including intimate relationships). St. Vil’s work faces the disproportionate risks and dangers faced by Black Americans, especially Black women, but looks at these risks and dangers through a lens that is critical of historical, structural racism and affirming of Black resilience and relationships. For this, she uses theories and frameworks that are grounded in the Black Perspective and Black Feminism. St. Vil steers her research toward practical changes and improvements and focuses on how supporting the intimate relationships of Black Americans will have dividends for broader systems (e.g., families, communities). St. Vil concentrates on two dimensions of Black intimate relationships: 1) intimate partner violence; and 2) sexual behavior, health, and well-being. St. Vil’s ultimate research goal is to develop and evaluate culturally specific preventative interventions that support strong and positive intimate relationships among Blacks in America, which will consequently strengthen Black families and communities at large.

As a practitioner scholar, I believe in the importance of integrating our theoretical knowledge to our practice in the field of Social Work. It is my academic mission to ensure our students are constantly applying scholastic thought with applied learning. My experience is both in non-profit and government sectors and presently the Clinical Director of a multiservice specialty practice and serves as a clinical consultant to community mental health agencies.
My research interest are the following: Clinical phenomenological field narratives and self-reflexivity, Chinese philosophy on modern philanthropy, mindfulness intervention with immigrant and first generation children, and cultural intersection among men and masculinity. I have presented nationally and internationally at various Social Work conferences regarding the above and extremely passionate about this profession and equally as passionate about educating the future leaders of this field on deconstructing oppressive social systems.
Social Work is the quintessential transdisciplinary field, and as educators and student scholars we must upload the charge to lead discussions about social change and interpersonal healing both in the classroom and with our respective communities. It is my intent to provide a learning environment that breeds ontological thought in order to move our legislation, communities and most importantly ourselves through the stages of change.

Cortney Harding is a professor, author, and the founder of Friends With Holograms, an agency that helps brands, advertisers, and entertainment companies understand VR and other emerging technologies. Harding teaches a series of seminars that explain best practices for using VR, creating content, and staying up-to-date on the latest technical developments in the space. She also offers consulting for brands and agencies who want to make the leap into VR, using her deep network of connections to put them together with the best partners to make their visions a reality.
Prior to launching Friends With Holograms, Harding worked on partnerships for Moth+Flame VR, which has produced content for brands like AT&T, Ram Trucks, and Discovery Communications. She spent several years consulting for music-tech companies and before that, served as the music editor at Billboard Magazine.
Harding has released two books: “How We Listen Now: Essays and Conversations About Music and Technology” and “How We’ll Listen Next: The Future of Music From Streaming to Virtual Reality.” She is also the co-editor of the Music Business Toolbox and the second edition of “Music Success in Nine Weeks,” and writes regularly for Cuepoint and Upload VR, among other outlets.
Additionally, Harding is a professor at the Clive Davis School of Music at NYU, and has been a frequent speaker at conferences like SXSW, Further Future, VRDC, VRLA, and Creative Tech Week.
She is also the co-founder of Dreamfuel, a crowdfunding startup that helps athletes and teams raise money for their training and equipment needs while engaging with a wider community of fans and supporters.
Harding received an MPA from New York University, and her BA from Wellesley College. She lives in New York City, and is a thirty-six time marathoner and ultra-marathoner.

Sandy Gibson, PhD, LCSW, LCADC is a Professor with The College of New Jersey. She received her masters and PhD in social work from the University of Maryland with a specialization in addictions. She worked as an addiction counselor for six year in Alexandria, Virginia before completing her PhD in social work and becoming a Study Director at a research institute at Temple University for seven years. There she developed and evaluated addiction prevention and treatment programming. In 2010 she became faculty at TCNJ in the Department of Counselor Education where she teaches addiction counseling, research and statistics, measurement and evaluation and practicum/internship. During her tenure at TCNJ, she received a contract from Mercer County to direct the Intoxicated Driver Resource Center and recently developed new curriculum that is now used statewide, and a psychoeducation program for adolescents who are convicted of their first possession of cannabis charge that offers accompanying expungement upon completing. She also recently finished a study exploring how the use of Narcan to save someone’s life or have one’s own life saved affects drug use behavior change in the future. Now, she is actively working to promote harm reduction and a shift from a criminal justice to public health-based approach to drug use in New Jersey.

Jennifer D. Oliva, JD, MBA is the Associate Dean for Faculty Research and Development, Professor of Law, and Director of the Center for Health & Pharmaceutical Law at Seton Hall Law where she specializes in health law, food and drug law and policy, evidence, and complex litigation. An honors graduate of Georgetown University Law Center, Professor Oliva was a Public Interest Law Scholar and served as Executive Notes & Comments Editor of The Georgetown Law Journal. Prior to attending law school, she earned an MBA at the University of Oxford. She was elected a Rhodes and Truman Scholar while a cadet at the United States Military Academy. After law school, Professor Oliva served as a federal appellate law clerk to the Honorable Stephanie K. Seymour on the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit and the Honorable Thomas L. Ambro on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Her work has been published by or is forthcoming in the California Law Review, Duke Law Journal, Northwestern University Law Review, Ohio State Law Journal, Washington Law Review, North Carolina Law Review, and online companion to the University of Chicago Law Review.

Anne Marie M Ramos, LCSW, RPT-S, has worked primarily in New Jersey for over 38 years with families and children/adolescents as a clinical social worker and supervisor, and has provided workshops for CE credits nationally on topics related to working with this population. She has an extensive background in play therapy and is a Registered Play Therapist – Supervisor through the Association for Play Therapy and has recently become a Certified Autplay Therapy Provider. Through her outpatient work in mental health and other community settings as well as exploring current research, Ramos found that incorporating caregivers in a dynamic way in treatment sessions improved client outcomes and satisfaction and reduced premature client termination. One of her specialties is children and families exposed to domestic violence and has clinically coordinated programs for this population for the past 22 years. She is the author of the book, Parents as Healers: Bringing the Caregiver into the Healing Process Through Play and Home-Based Strategies. She currently holds the title of Director of Children’s Services of Jewish Family and Children’s Service in Clifton, N.J.

Trinay V. Thomas is a faculty member and the Associate Director of Field Education and Teaching Instructor at the Rutgers School of Social Work. Ms. Thomas has been a Licensed Clinical Social Worker for nineteen years and was a psychiatric social worker for six of those years. Ms. Thomas has been teaching the MSW level course, Clinical Assessment and Diagnosis for the past four years. Ms. Thomas also has her clinical supervision certificate and provides supervision and mentorship to licensed social workers earning clinical hours. Ms. Thomas provides psychotherapy at her telehealth private practice called The Good Healing Firm, LLC that serves clients experiencing anxiety, depression or trauma. Ms. Thomas earned her B.S. degree in Criminal Justice at Newark College of Arts and Sciences and her MSW degree at the Rutgers School of Social Work.

Dr. Pax is an assistant professor and directs the new Bachelor of Social Work program at New Jersey City University, Jersey City, NJ. She is also a part-time clinical social work practitioner specializing in the young adult through aging populations. Her presentations, publications, and research include topics such as: clinical supervision in social work, social work ethics, assessment, and practice with the young adult and aging populations. She also serves on various boards and committees throughout NJ including the State Child Fatality & Near Fatality Board.

Jackie Uveges, LSW (she/they) is a 2020 graduate from the Rutgers University School of Social Work currently working as a primary therapist at The Renfrew Center of Southern New Jersey. Prior to starting at Renfrew, Jackie was employed as a Permanent Supportive Housing Case Manager in West Philadelphia, working with women and families who had experienced homelessness and housing insecurity.

Andrea Cole is an Assistant Professor in the new, fully online Master of Social Work (MSW) Program at Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Her research agenda is focused on youth and young adult mental health including trauma and experiences with community violence, mental health services research, implementation science, and suicide prevention. She was a co-investigator for the National Institute of Mental Health grant examining the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of a virtual training program to improve clinicians’ skills in suicide prevention. She is also formerly a coordinator for a SAMHSA-funded intervention to prevent psychosis in youth and young adults.
Beyond her teaching and research, she has over 12 years of clinical practice experience providing crisis services in a hospital setting, home-based foster care services, and therapy to youth, adults, as well as families. She maintains a small private practice, employing evidence-based mental health interventions as well as a feminist lens.

Dr. Zakia Clay earned her Masters and Doctorate degree in Social Work from Rutgers University.  In addition, she completed her undergraduate studies at Kean University and obtained a Dual Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Psychiatric Rehabilitation.  Dr. Clay also holds a certificate in Clinical Supervision, Seminar in Field Instruction (SIFI), and Psychiatric Rehabilitation.
Dr. Clay’s practice experience includes community mental health, crisis services, and private practice. She has also provided training and consultation services to community providers and mental health authorities. Her passion for working with students began when she started teaching community college courses. In 2012, she received an award for Outstanding Contribution to Psychiatric Rehabilitation Education. Shortly after, Dr. Clay began working in academia full time. She aims to cultivate collaborative learning communities where respectful dialogue, active learning, critical thinking, and reflection can take place.

Dr. Erica Goldblatt Hyatt is an administrator, clinician, and author with over 15 years' worth of experience in the field of death, dying and bereavement. As of 2020, she has earned a dual appointment between the Rutgers School of Social Work and the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences at Robert Wood Johnson Medical Center. She received her Doctorate of Social Work, Master of Social Work, and Master of Bioethics degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Arts from McGill University. She is also a current faculty fellow at the Rutgers Center for Historical Analysis. A notable figure in thanatology, Dr. Goldblatt Hyatt is the author of the only self-help book available for bereaved teen siblings, entitled "Grieving for the Sibling You Lost" (New Harbinger Publications, 2015). She is a special editor for aging at the journal, Reflections: Narratives of Professional Helping, and a peer-reviewer for several academic publications. Her commercial blogs can be found on websites including The Mighty, Huffington Post, and Scary Mommy, among many others. A nationally-recognized speaker, Dr. Goldblatt Hyatt  has been commissioned to train healthcare providers, social workers, death educators, and ethicists.
Dr. Goldblatt Hyatt is a passionate advocate for women's reproductive rights and has been featured in media campaigns by Planned Parenthood of Pennsylvania as well as repeatedly welcomed at press conferences alongside Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf. In her clinical practice, Dr. Goldblatt Hyatt is one of the few specialists in the United States working with women and families who have experienced the heartbreaking choice of ending a pregnancy due to fetal anomaly. Her published "ACCEPT" model is the only intervention available for social work and mental health clinicians to combine modern grief theory, narrative, and cognitive approaches to create a manualized treatment protocol for this unique group. She works with women across the spectrum of perinatal/baby loss, and also specializes in infertility.

Karie McGuire, LCSW, DSW, has spent most of her career working with victims of all forms of human trafficking in New Jersey. Starting as a case manager and then moving to the role of supervisor, she led the team in crisis intervention, case management, clinical services, trainings for the community, and partnering with law enforcement. She currently works at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, NJ in the maternal/fetal care and emergency departments. At the hospital she chairs the Cooper Against Domestic Abuse committee which works to combat all forms of interpersonal violence through educational trainings and community engagement. Her recent publications have been specifically focused around domestic minor sex trafficking and complex trauma. Karie is also a part-time lecturer at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey in the School of Social Work.

After earning her MSW, Dr. Kaiser worked as a researcher and development worker for few years, conducting macro-level research on both structural barriers to providing services to disadvantaged children and adults in society. She has lived and worked in different countries among diverse populations, and feels these experiences have added a rich perspective to my own learning and academic practice. Additionally, the opportunity to work with and live within diverse global communities has instilled in her a deep appreciation for understanding the value of cultural competence and a dedication to teaching this important aspect of social work to students.

Jamie Wasserman has been in practice for 25 years working with individuals, couples, families and groups. Jamie focuses her sessions on removing the internal and external obstacles that get in the way of a robust experience of well-being. Her approach is active and educational. Jamie helps her clients cleans up past self limiting negative beliefs or traumas using modalities like EMDR, Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Emotional Freedom Technique, (The Tapping Cure). She then educates them about their unique, internal operating system and how to mindfully care for themselves moving forward to create their perfect life.

Nancy B. Graham, LCSW, is the Professional Relations Representative for The Renfrew Center of Northern New Jersey located in Paramus. She has many years of experience as a mental health professional and clinician both in New York City and New Jersey. Since joining The Renfrew Center in 2001 she has done numerous presentations to educators, parents, students, health care professionals and community organizations about eating disorders and body image issues. She also has a private practice in Bergen County, NJ.