Alumni News and Notes

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1960s

Charles L. Greene (MSW ’67) was elected chair of the Alpha Phi Alpha Foundation. The foundation was created by the Eta Tau Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., to provide financial assistance to nonprofit organizations that serve and support the underrepresented community in the greater Akron, Ohio, area.

1970s

Al Condeluci (MSW ’75) is part of the Doo Wop Doctors, two longtime friends who played in a band together in their youth and have reunited in retirement to raise funds for various nonprofits in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

1980s

Ram Cnaan (PhD ’80) received a University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy & Practice 2021 Excellence in Teaching Award.

1990s

Senior Services of Alexandria recognized Kate Garvey (MSW ’91) for her leadership in developing an effective response to the COVID-19 crisis as director of Alexandria, Virginia’s Department of Community & Human Services.

Jennifer Koget (MSW ’97) was named the national director of social work, the national Fisher House and Family Hospitality program, and intimate partner violence assistance program for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for organizational awareness. In this role, Koget has the unique opportunity to lead the clinical practice of more than 17,000 social workers across the Veterans Health Administration.

2000s

Saly J. Fayez (MSW ’00), director of the Fairfax County (Virginia) Police Department Victim Services Division, was named an Unsung Heroes honoree. The Unsung Heroes are Virginians who have dedicated themselves to serving victims and fighting for their rights.

Thomas Hearn (MSW ’08) published his memoir of life on both sides of social services, “More than a Child Welfare Kid!”

After more than 20 years of service, Sandra Sue Hogue (MSW ’02) retired from the McKean County (Pennsylvania) Department of Human Services.

Johannes John-Langba (PhD ’04) was appointed regional vice president for Africa of the World Federation for Mental Health. He currently serves as associate professor and academic leader of research in the School of Applied Human Sciences and director of the College of Humanities’ Doctoral Academy at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa.

Paul Lim (MSW ’03) was named vice president of mission integration at West Virginia University Health System’s Wheeling Hospital.

Michael A. Lindsey (PhD ’02) was selected as a 2021 fellow of the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare. Lindsey also was appointed to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Community Preventive Services Task Force.

Tirelo Modie-Moroka (PhD ’03) coauthored an article in The African Journal of Social Work about teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. Modie-Moroka is an associate professor in the Department of Social Work at the University of Botswana.

Charles L. Small (BASW ’06, MSW ’07) was named Iowa State University’s interim vice president for diversity, equity, and inclusion.

2010s

Kess Ballentine (MSW ’17, PhD ’21) and Gabriella Jones-Casey (MSW ’13), along with Pitt Social Work Associate Professors Sara Goodkind and Jeffrey Shook, wrote “Evolving Education: The Power of Organizing—Micro Meets Macro” for Social Work Today magazine.

Erika Brosig (MSW ’13) was featured in Lifetime’s “Aly Raisman: Darkness to Light,” a three-hour documentary special that reveals the tumultuous journey to healing from the perspective of sexual assault survivors.

Oscar Cariceo (MSW ’14) coauthored the article “Predictive Analytics and Big Data” in the Encyclopedia of Social Work with two colleagues from Columbia University and the University of Southern California.

Throughout 2021, Johnnie Geathers (MSW ’13) shared his reflections on working in the field of social work on several podcasts, including “The Martymar Show.”

James “Jam” Hammond (MSW ’19) was named executive director of the Pittsburgh Commission on Human Relations. The commission, established by city ordinance in 1955, investigates complaints of alleged discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations within the city.

Shanon Williams Hughes (BASW ’10) was profiled as part of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s series on African American trailblazers in the city.

Robyn Markowitz Lawler (MSW ’10) was appointed to serve a one-year term on the State College (Pennsylvania) Community Oversight Board, which was created to increase transparency within the State College Police Department.

Daniel Jacobson López (PhD ’19) was appointed chair of diversity and inclusion for the University of Pittsburgh Postdoctoral Association. López also was selected as a Career Education and Enhancement for Health Care Research Diversity scholar at the Institute for Clinical Research Education in the Clinical and Translational Science Institute at Pitt.

Joseph Mahoney (MSW ’10) was named executive director of the Ellen O’Brien Gaiser Center. The Gaiser Center is a nonprofit that is licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Health. It offers both inpatient and outpatient addiction rehabilitation services and has been serving the community since 1971.

Ivonne Smith-Tapia (MSW ’16) was named the new director of refugee and immigrant services at Jewish Family and Community Services in Pittsburgh.

Cameron “Cami” Teacoach (MSW ’14) started VolunTOTS of Pittsburgh in early 2021. Each month, the group organizes activities to help young kids learn the joys of volunteering.

2020s

Carrie Finkelstein (MSW ’20) was named manager of strategic projects at the University of Pittsburgh Office of Government Relations.

Kate Gascoine (MSW ’20) was selected as one of the 2020-21 Network for Social Work Management (NSWM) Policy fellows. The Policy Fellows Program was instituted by NSWM to encourage social workers in management positions to be at the forefront of policy in their communities and organizations.

Morgan Overton (MSW ’20) is now serving as president of the Young Democrats of Allegheny County in Pennsylvania.

Do you have news to share with the Pitt Social Work community? Send your updates to sswalums@pitt.edu.