Welcome New Alumni Association Board Members

This summer, alumni elected 5 new members and 3 returning members to the Alumni Association Board of Directors.  Each member will serve 3 years. 

Stacey L. Bellem '07 (Long Island, NY)
Stacey is a Counselor, Educator, Writer & Activist, Luminous Shift, LLC.  She works with local secondary schools and non-profit agencies on Long Island addressing psychosocial issues in adolescence (e.g. adolescent development; mental health; healthy relationships and abusive relationships). She is also writing on these issues and working as an activist in domestic violence with national leaders in this field to raise awareness on gendered violence and batterer accountability and treatment programs.

Meta Bodewes '04 (Greenwich, CT)
Meta is Site Supervisor for Children’s Aid Society, Bronx Preventive Services.  Before working for CAS, Meta was project coordinator for St. Barnabas Hospital Child Advocacy Center.  She has served as Co-chair of the CUSSW Alumni Association’s Professional Development Committee and was a member of the Alumni Association Nominating Committee. Meta is currently a member of the Recent Graduates Committee and actively participates in alumni outreach activities.

Jean Golden '66 (New York, NY) 
Jean Golden has had a private psychotherapy practice since 1977.  A very active member of the Alumni Association, Jean has co-chaired the Hall of Fame Committee for several consecutive years, worked with the Conference Planning Committee, and is a member of CUSSW’s Mary Richmond Society.  This is Jean’s second term on the Board.

Trelan Nicole Holder '06 (Yonkers, NY) 
Trelan is a therapist at Montefiore Medical Center, Adolescent Risk Evaluation Program, where she completes Bio-psychosocial Assessments to identify each patient's mental health status, substance use and legal history, school and vocational history, familial and community dynamics. She co-facilitates a weekly psychotherapeutic support group for adolescents living with HIV/AIDS focusing on various issues—adjustment to illness, health, treatment adherence, disclosure, peer and familial relationships. She provides individual psychotherapy and psycho-education to patients whom are receiving pharmacological treatments.

Michelle Melendres '07 (Los Angeles, CA)
Michelle is an instructor at Mount St. Mary’s College Department of Sociology, Gerontology, and Social Work. She teaches full-time, advises about 35-45 students, and is involved in faculty governance and committee work.  Michelle has assisted CUSSW for the past several years with student recruitment and speaks with alumni and graduating students who are interested in moving to California.  

Bonnie Ritt '93 (Lake Worth, FL)
Bonnie is a Clinical Social Worker with a private practice in Palm Beach County, Florida.  An active board member for many years, Bonnie has hosted a regional alumni reception, speaks with graduating students and alumni who are interested in moving to Florida, and assists the Alumni Office with other outreach initiatives.  This is Bonnie’s second term on the Board.

Regina D. Ross '75 (Bronx, NY)
Regina is Director for the Department of Education, where she co-directs the Students in Temporary Housing program in the Bronx, providing supervision for forty Family Assistants as well providing support services and advocacy for approximately 12,000 children and their families.  Regina is an active member of the Alumni Association, supporting the many programs and events, and has served as Chair for the Nominating Committee for several years.  This is Regina’s second term on the Board.

Tonia Spence '02 (New Haven, CT)
Tonia is a clinical social work instructor for the Yale Child Study Center Outpatient Psychiatric Clinic for Children.  She was a member of the Alumni Association Nominating Committee, host for a regional alumni reception, participant in the Alumni Conference, and has been a guest speaker at CUSSW.  Tonia also has a Masters in Special Education from Bank Street College of Education and is a former special education itinerant teacher for Jewish Board of Family and Children Services-Child Development Center and YAI, and a former middle school teacher in NYC public schools.

Congratulations also go to Rachel Crayne Pereira '92 (Colonia, NJ), who was recently elected to the Alumni Association's Nominating Committee.  Rachel provides oversight (including all administrative and supervisory responsibilities as well as grant monitoring and management) to a team of 10 HIV counselors in three hospitals in the Newark community who educate, test and counsel high risk individuals on HIV and AIDS.   She is a member of NASW, Board Member for BrighterDayz, Inc. and a member of the Continuing Education Approval Committee (under NASW).

If you would like to nominate an alumna (us) for the Board of Directors or the Nominating Committee, please send name, address, and contact information of your nominee to sswalumni@columbia.edu.  Self nominations are welcome.