NY, NJ and CT Alumni working in all job sectors needed for annual networking event

Saturday, April 5th is CSSW's annual Alumni and Student Networking Day. Four panels representing each of the four method areas will speak to audience members on their career paths. This will be followed by lunch and networking. We need alumni in all job sectors to join us and connect with students and other alumni. THIS IS NOT A JOB FAIR! This is an opportunity to share your job experiences, career trajectories, and tips for conducting job searches with alumni and students who are exploring career options.

Email sswalumni@columbia.edu if you need more information. If you or would like to register for the event, click here.

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Don't forget to send us your Class Notes for the next issue of AlumniNotes. Post a class note online in our alumni directory or email us with your latest news. We can't wait to hear from you! Read our latest Class Notes here.


notes


How You can assist students

It's that time of year again! When students return from Spring Break next week, many will be looking to alumni for assistance. How can you help them?


Class notes

Ruthie Arbit '12 is working in Massachusetts as a clinical social worker through Early Intervention specializing in maternal and infant health. Ruthie also has DIR-Floortime Certification.

Johanna Creswell Báez ‘06, LCSW and Kristen J. Renshaw ‘06, LCSW opened up the New York branch of Wediko Children's Services two and a half years ago and now it is a thriving non-profit providing direct mental health services in some of the most impoverished areas of New York City, primarily through school-based services.  They have grown tenfold over the past two and a half years and currently work in twelve schools across the five boroughs providing consultation to school staff on clinical issues, professional development workshops, parent/family workshops, and direct services to students through individual, small group, and classroom social and emotional skill-building workshops.  Johanna and Kristen currently have a staff of eleven with three CSSW social work interns.  Out of Wediko’s eleven staff, four are CSSW alumni and six are social workers. Please check out their great work at www.wediko.org or email jcreswell@wediko.org or krenshaw@wediko.org to find out more or to get our dynamic services in a school near you.

Johanna Creswell Báez ’06, LCSW is currently a post-residency Ph.D. fellow at Smith College in clinical social work (ABD) and is currently starting her dissertation on school social workers and social and emotional skill building.

Tara Batista, 2014 CSSW Ph.D. candidate, just published an article in the Journal for the Society of Social Work and Research titled "Network Meta Analysis for Complex Social Interventions: Problems and Potential."  A book review that she just wrote reviewing David Tobis' From Pariah's to Partners: How Parents and Their Allies Changed New York City's Child Welfare System was in the January issue of Journal of Children & Poverty.

Kristin Battista-Frazee’94 has moved from direct practice work with older adults to positions in Washington DC with trade associations, Mental Health America and the National Council for Behavioral Health, focusing on mental health policy issues and working on public education campaigns to break the stigma around mental health disorders. Kristin also has marketing experience with online learning companies to sell continuing education products to the behavioral health profession an, with 2U, Inc. was the marketing director for the University of Southern California's online MSW program. Currently, she is a marketing consultant at 2U, Inc. and works with the Network for Social Work Management to support their marketing efforts. Kristin’s memoir, The Pornographer's Daughter, will be published in September 2014, from Skyhorse Publishing. Her book has been optioned to develop into a TV series by David Koechner, actor, comedian and producer, and Steve Barnett, producer and former President of Kopelson Entertainment. Connect with Kristin on her Linkedin Profile or visit her website at  www.kristinbattistafrazee.com.

Natalie Benjamin ’09 started a new job as a therapist at Sacramento Native American Health Clinic (SNAHC) in Sacramento, CA.

Rosemary Bova ’71 is a member of Columbia University Alumni Association’s Career Coaches Network. A non- traditional career with many twists and turns informs her unique approach to career, executive and life coaching.

Lois Carey ’74 published her seventh book When Pixies Come Out to Play: A Play Therapy Primer.   It is a compilation of many years of work as a play/sandplay practitioner.

Robert Collin ‘83 recently wrote and edited a 2 volume book on the future of energy called Energy Choices: How to Power the Future, published by ABC-Clio press (2014) The book was co-edited and authored with his wife, Robin Morris Collin, a professor of law, and it contextualizes many energy sources in terms of markets, communities, government roles, environmental impacts, sustainability, and environmental justice.  Volume one covers traditional energy sources like oil, gas, nuclear, and coal; and volume 2 covers alternative energy sources like solar, wind, wave, and biomass.  Since finishing this energy book, Robert has begun research and writing a book on waste called Trash Talking; Waste Practices Around the World for the same publisher.  He is also currently writing a book chapter on sustainable development and equity with Robin Collin for the Sustainable Development Handbook, Routledge Publishers. 

Marina Kaneti ‘06  recently curated an exhibit entitled "Visions of Beauty: Arnold Genthe and the Art of Photography" for the German Historical Institute (GHI) in Washington DC. An article about the exhibit was published in the Washington Post. The exhibit is part of a GHI-sponsored Immigrant Entrepreneurship Project for which Marina also wrote an article.

Sasha Diamond-Lenow ‘09, is now director of social work at StreetSquash. This year StreetSquash created a full time social work position which includes individual counseling, group work, family engagement, workshop and program development and staff support.  It is the only full time social work position created in the NUSEA (National Urban Squash and Education Association) Network and is paving the way for student support and staff training in several other programs. 

David J. Feinerman ‘08, MSSW, SPHR was asked to present at the Cleveland Society for Human Resources Management's Staffing Management Association Annual Conference in May 2014.  David and his colleagues from Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District created a new internship model that blends traditional internship programs with a practicum placement framework, entry level employment and leadership/management training. This unique model is intended to address the "skill gap" many employers are facing and the significant barrier to employment many recent graduates experience when attempting to secure a job within a field of study. David and his team are also creating a free academic whitepaper, available in May 2014, which will document the specifics of this unique program to allow employers to create or enhance an internship program.  You can connect with David at djf2116@caa.columbia.edu .

Dina Fisher ’96 is on the Board of Directors of The Children's Hope Chest in Westchester NY.  The mission of CHC (a non-profit organization) is to help local families who suffer from abuse, neglect, poverty, and illness.  It strives to increase social action by promoting adult and youth volunteerism.

Jo Hariton’73 has been a Weill Cornell Medical College faculty member since 1982 and received a Ph.D. in Social Work in 1992 from NYU. Currently she runs the Social Skills Program for Children and Adolescents at New York Presbyterian Hospital, Westchester Division.  She also has a private practice in Westchester. Jo received Teacher of the Year from the psychology postdoctoral fellows in 2007, and received the NASW award in 2009 for Distinguished Service to the Profession. She has enjoyed a wonderful career and has no plans to retire!

Erlin Ibreck ’82 is regional manager for grant-making in the Africa Regional Office for Open Society Foundations.

Roslyn Jefferson ’80 was recognized for her community activism at the Albany Common Council's African-American History Month recognition ceremony on February 3, 2014.  Roslyn is active in numerous community groups and anti-violence initiatives, including SNUG and the Albany Peace Project.

Natasha Josefowitz's '65 book Living Without the One You Cannot Live Without: Hope and Healing After Loss has been selected by Kirkus review as one of the best Indie books for 2013.

Lenard W. Kaye ‘82DSW/PhD is the co-author with Edward Thompson Jr. of A Man's Guide to Healthy Aging: Stay Smart, Strong, and Active, published by Johns Hopkins University Press (2013). This is Dr. Kaye's 13th book on specialized topics in health care and aging. He is also the recent recipient of a National Institutes of Health grant to assess the efficacy of a falls prevention program for older adults with vision impairment. Dr. Kaye is the Director of the University of Maine Center on Aging and a Professor in the University of Maine School of Social Work

Jody Kemmerer ’13 accepted a job with Long Island DBT group, where she performs dialectical behavior therapy with adolescents and families. This summer Jody will be moving to Boston to begin the Beckwitt-Hughey Fellowship at McLean Hospital's 3 East DBT program. She is the first fellow to be accepted with a master's in social work. She is grateful for this opportunity to continue her training in DBT under excellent supervision, and excited about starting this new chapter in Boston. 

Brittany Larson ’13 works at The Bronx Defenders as Social Worker, Criminal Defense Practice

Katie Lorenzo ‘13, LMSW works at the Epilepsy Foundation of Metropolitan New York (along with fellow graduate Theodore Maturo ‘13), providing psychotherapy for persons with epilepsy, including those with cognitive deficits. Katie also works in a private practice in Staten Island (Silver Lake Psychotherapy) providing fee-for-service psychotherapy to individuals, children, and couples. 

Arthur Lynch ‘83Ph.D. has several book releases:

Rachel Mann ‘02, LCSW recently opened a private practice after nine years practicing in a mental health and substance abuse clinic.  Rachel sees individuals, couples and families. She has also received post graduate training from the Institute of Contemporary Psychotherapy in Family and Couples Therapy. Her private office is located near Columbia, on West 101st street. 

Joseph G. Moore ‘70, PhD, LCSW is “ambivalently” retiring on June 30th after 49 years of working in social work, mostly in child welfare, and after spending the last 15 years in private practice.  “It has been a wonderful, wonderful ride.”

Sholpan Primebetova ’09 has been identified as one of the most outstanding Kazakhstan alumni graduated from a university in the United States. The U.S. State Department is featuring the 20 most prominent Kazakhs to have earned U.S. degrees in two upcoming exhibits in Almaty and Astana.  Sholpan is in the running for one of the 20 positions. 

Britt Rathbone ’86, LCSW, CGP, BCD is pleased to announce the publication of her book, Dialectical Behavior Therapy for At-Risk Adolescents: A Practitioner’s Guide to Treating Challenging Behavior Problems (New Harbinger, 2014).

Traci L. Shinabarger ‘02, LCSW, MPA, BCBA recently became the Child and Family Ombudsman for the State of Montana.  Read the news release here.

Jonathan Sibley ’04 will be presenting at the NJ NASW conference for the 4th year this May in Atlantic City, NJ. His workshop is called "Coaching? An Introduction and Ethical Considerations for Social Workers." In addition to his private practices of psychotherapy and executive and personal coaching, Jonathan is also on the leadership team of the Association of Integrative Coach Therapist Professionals, where his responsibilities include international outreach and ethics. Since graduating, Jonathan has also completed a research project called "Development of an Instrument for Microanalysis of Coaching Sessions" which was funded by the Institute of Coaching at Harvard.

Julie Siegel ’13 is a primary therapist in the Mount Sinai Continuing Day Treatment Program, for chronically mentally ill adults.

Angelie Singla ‘06 will be speaking for The Center for Nonprofit Success at a workshop called “How to Build a Successful Relationship with Grantmakers” on April 10, 2014. Angelie is also teaching a course for the post-master’s program at the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College called Grant Implementation: You Got the Grant- What’s Next?

S. Lala Ashenberg Straussner '86DSW is currently teaching at Hebrew University in Jerusalem where she is a Distinguished Visiting Professor, after finishing her appointment as a Fulbright Distinguished Chair to Masaryk University in the Czech Republic in Fall 2013, as part of her sabbatical from New York University.  Her newest publications are the third edition of the widely use textbook, Clinical Work with Substance Abusing Clients (Guilford, 2014) and the article on the changes in diagnosing substance abuse, "The DSM-5 Diagnostic Criteria: What's New?" published in  the Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions, Volume 13, issue 4. She also has been listed in Who's Who in America, 2014 edition. 

Pascale Victor ‘01 recently published a book titled Field Work with an Open Heart which is available on Amazon.com.

Tiffany Williams '07 is coordinating a campaign for the National Domestic Workers Alliance to lift up the voices of nannies, maids, and caregivers who have survived human trafficking. The campaign, called Beyond Survival, is a healing, leadership development and advocacy initiative led by workers to change the dialogue about human trafficking and worker rights in the United States. 

 

Publications

pixiesLois Carey '74 (2014), When Pixies Come Out to Play: A Play Therapy Primer, Genoa House.

When Pixies Come Out to Play is a compilation of many years of Lois Carey's work as a play/sandplay practitioner. The book weaves history and theory of the method, as well as rich case material told in a warm and moving voice. A wealth of information.

 

 

 

 

Healthy_AgingLenard Kaye '82DSW/PhD (2014), A Man's Guide to Healthy Aging: Stay Smart, Strong, and Active , Genoa House.

As they reach middle age, most men begin looking forward to "what's next." They gear up to experience renewed productivity and purpose and are more conscious of their health. A Man’s Guide to Healthy Aging is an authoritative resource for them, and for older men, as well. In collaboration with a variety of medical experts, the authors provide a comprehensive guide to healthy aging from a man’s perspective.

 

 

RathboneBritt H. Rathbone '86, ACSW, LCSW-C (2014), Dialectical Behavior Therapy for At-Risk Adolescents, New Harbinger Publications.

Drawing on proven-effective dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy for At-Risk Adolescents is the first reader-friendly and easily accessible DBT book specifically targeted to mental health professionals treating adolescents who may be dangerous to themselves or others. If you work with adolescents who exhibit at-risk behavior, you know how important it is to take immediate action. However, you may also have trouble “breaking through” the barrier that these young people can build around themselves. The DBT skills outlined in this book are evidence-based, and have been clinically proven to help build emotion regulation skills, which are useful for all age groups, though perhaps especially for the millions of at-risk adolescents experiencing depression, anxiety, anger, and the myriad behaviors that can result from these emotions.

 

JourneySam Sterk '75 (2013), Sammy's Journey, CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

Sam Sterk's life experiences with asthma, abuse and neglect in his family of origin as well as multiple family separations helped shape this manuscript. During the first ten years of his life he was hospitalized anywhere from ten to thirteen times each year. Soon-to-be eleven year old asthmatic and traumatized Sammy is told that he must leave his family for two years. No face-to-face contact is allowed while he's institutionalized in the Denver, Colorado asthma facility. Sammy faces many changes such as being sent away from his family, learning English, attending an American school, and developing friends in a new country. His courage and resiliency help him to adjust to the challenges that lie ahead.

 

StraussnerShulamith Lala Ashenberg Straussner '86DSW (2013), Clinical Work with Substance-Abusing Clients, Third Edition, The Guilford Press.

A leading professional resource and course text, this book provides practical guidance for treating clients with substance use disorders in a variety of contexts. Expert contributors present major assessment and treatment approaches together with detailed recommendations for intervening with particular substances. Clinical techniques are clearly explained and illustrated with helpful case examples. Important topics include harm reduction; strategies for working with family members; and ways to meet the needs of specific populations, including women, adolescents, older adults, LGBT clients, and those with frequently encountered co-occurring problems.

 

in memoriam

We acknowledge with great sadness the passing of the following alumni and faculty. They will be missed for the pride that they brought to the school for their work.

Catherine Amon '93
Harriet K. Frank '44

Sidney Miller '53
Phyllis R. Sands '51

Norma D. Totah '55
Curtis V. Willig '71