Alumni/ae Profiles
The Boston University School of Social Work has graduated more than 8,000 women and men who have made and continue to make a difference throughout the nation and around the world in their work with individuals, families, groups, and communities. Following are profiles of some of these graduates.
Jenn Brandel (’98)
Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts
Full-Time Program
Jenn’s interest in the field of social work stemmed from her early volunteer work at a rape crisis center. Her commitment to community-driven initiatives and her understanding of the ways in which larger social and political issues impact individuals, families, and communities brought her to BUSSW. While attending the School, Jenn developed highly sophisticated clinical skills and gained valuable experience during her first- and second-year field placements where she worked with women and children at a battered women’s shelter and with gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender youth at two of JRI Health’s clinical programs. In addition to her clinical studies, she chose to concentrate on macro practice skills as well, including program development and human services management.
Much of Jenn’s post-graduate experience has combined public health and social work approaches, focusing on high-risk, hard-to-reach communities who are disproportionately affected by social and health problems.
Currently, Jenn is working as an independent consultant with Fresh Perspective, a company she launched earlier this year. In addition, she works part-time at the Emerson College Counseling Center, providing short-term clinical services to students.
Douglas Brooks (’99)
Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts
Full-Time Program
Douglas found his way to social work as a result of working on a multidisciplinary team in an AIDS service organization. He decided that, of all the models and theoretical perspectives, the social work model seemed the most client oriented. Whenever the team faced a dilemma, the social workers always asked the question—what is best for the client?—whether the client was an individual, a family, or a community.
Douglas choose BUSSW after researching seven schools of social work. The School stood out as the choice most relevant to his desire to contribute to the amelioration of the social ills in urban environments.
Having worked in human services for many years before attending the School of Social Work, Douglas came to graduate school with an understanding of the dynamics of the field, but with an interest in learning more about the theories that continue to serve as an underpinning of his work. He regards his two years at BUSSW as one of his most valuable life experiences. Most salient are the memories of supportive and challenging professors, exciting field placements, and the deeper comprehension of the marriage between clinical and macro social work.
For his first field placement, Douglas interned at City Year working as a counselor with individuals, as well as facilitating intensive feedback sessions for the young people who were involved in various urban projects. His second placement was at the Justice Resource Institute where he trained in psychotherapeutic techniques with individuals and groups. He was also involved in macro activities, including a project that connected local business people with the youth of an adolescent community center.
Douglas is currently the Director of Evaluation and Planning at the Justice Resource Institute. He also consults with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health HIV/AIDS Bureau and the CDC and works with a team from Massachusetts that consults to the Eastern Cape Province (ECP) of the South Africa Department of Health. He is also enrolled in the Interdisciplinary PhD Program in Sociology and Social Work at Boston University.
Sukhi Bubbra (’97)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Full-Time Program
A graduate of the University of Toronto, Sukhi’s first thoughts about social work were spurred by her science courses and by volunteer work in the community. “This is where I found my niche, working in the community and dealing with the emerging issues. I then decided that social work could provide the perfect opportunity to do what I wanted to do.”
Sukhi’s choice of BUSSW was based on two main factors—the School’s group work program and its emphasis on the urban social work practice and diversity. “In hindsight, I’ve come to the conclusion that I had probably the best education possible. My experience at BUSSW enabled me to increase my level of expectations both for myself and for others with whom I work.
“All the right light bulbs were going off. One of the School’s most important gifts was that it provided an opportunity not only to learn great clinical skills, but it also encouraged considerable insight on my part. It helped me to strengthen my understanding of why I wanted to be a social worker.”
Returning to Toronto after graduation, Sukhi was hired by the Center for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), a large agency that offers a wide array of addiction and mental health services through outpatient treatment and residential programs. Her initial responsibilities were to conduct psychosocial assessments, facilitate structure relapse prevention groups, and supervise social work students.
Sukhi currently works in CAMH’s Concurrent Disorders Clinic and the Family Service, offering individual counseling, trauma work, and couples, family, and group work. She also facilitates trainings and workshops on topics concerning families, mental health issues, and addictions. Sukhi continues her strong commitment to diversity in agency services and the community-at-large and has completed coursework in family mediation, as well as has a part-time private practice.
Sharon Carothers (’93)
Washington, DC
Advanced Standing Program
Sharon graduated from the School’s Advanced Standing Program. Her interest in macro social work was sparked by an undergraduate advisor who is a social policy expert and by the love of her first statistics course. Sharon was drawn to BUSSW because of its solid reputation in macro work, the urban setting, and the opportunities for professional networking. Her field placement at the Institute for Health and Recovery—formerly the Coalition for Addiction, Pregnancy, and Parenting—was “incredibly significant to my entire career trajectory!”
Currently, Sharon is a vice president of the American Legacy Foundation, an independent, public health foundation located in Washington, DC. Legacy was created from the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement between the states and tobacco companies and is responsible for the successful youth prevention counter-marketing campaign, truth™. She has over 10 years experience in the areas of policy development, social marketing, public/private partnership development, and performance measurement. Sharon asserts that the solid foundation in qualitative and quantitative analysis skills and career advice received at BUSSW were the key factors both in choosing her career path and in her subsequent success.
Melanie Joy Cohn-Hopwood (’03)
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Advanced Standing Program
Prior to coming to BUSSW, Melanie spent many years working in South Florida’s gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community with youth and adults, as well as with HIV-infected and affected individuals. It was her work with youth in particular that gave her the incentive to move to Boston to further her education.
BUSSW met Melanie’s vision of a training program committed to working with urban populations, as well as an excellent emphasis on research and scholarship. She was also drawn to BUSSW’s commitment to teaching clinical along with macro social work skills.
Melanie believes that her field placement at Codman Square Health Center gave her a strong foundation in community mental health, and prepared her for her first job post-MSW as a clinician at Community Counseling of Bristol County. With the help of BUSSW Professor Renee Spencer, she completed an independent study in feminist theory and practice that enabled her to more fully study and integrate feminist and relational theories into her practice with clients.
In May 2004, Melanie completed BUSSW’s Advanced Certificate Program in the Treatment of Psychological Trauma. Through this program she became certified in Tapas Acupressure Technique (TAT) and is excited about integrating mind-body techniques into her clinical work.
Melanie currently works as the program coordinator for medication adherence and peer support programs at the Boston Living Center, an agency serving the needs of HIV+ individuals. In this position, she has the opportunity to combine the clinical, administrative, and program-development skills she learned at BUSSW. She also conducts workshops and trainings both independently and through the San Francisco-based Center for Sex and Culture on a variety of topics including pleasure anatomy and physiology, safer sex, LBGT issues, STD’s and HIV.
Kelly Crowley (’03)
Cary, North Carolina
Full-Time Program
Kelly chose the field of social work because it complemented her interests in community service and public policy. She received a bachelor’s degree in social welfare from the University of California at Berkeley, during which she completed an internship with the Alameda County Juvenile Court System. After graduation, she worked in San Francisco, CA, for a non-profit child-care subsidy agency, where she gained both macro and clinical experience as a case manager. This experience solidified her desire to obtain a MSW.
Kelly chose BUSSW because of its academic reputation and excellent financial aid opportunities. Her field placements at Leaders of Tomorrow, a K–5 school-based program, and the Lesley University Counseling Center provided her with both clinical and macro experience necessary in today’s social work.
After graduating, Kelly worked at Riverside Community Care in Newton, Massachusetts, where she provided intensive home-based services to families referred by the Department of Mental Health. After obtaining her independent license, she relocated to North Carolina and currently works for the NC Division of Mental Health as the System of Care Coordinator promoting family-centered and community-based practice. This macro position allows her to use her experience as a clinician to affect program and policy implementation on the State level. She does clinical work part-time for Caring Family Network, a Raleigh-based mental health provider.
Kelly is a member of the School’s Alumni Association Board.
Will Halpin (’03)
Boston, Massachusetts
Full-Time Program
Will’s passion for social work began as an undergraduate when he realized that his keen interest in leadership in community service through his roles in new student programming, student health programming, and international student services could translate into a professional career. He so enjoyed working with multicultural adolescents in an alternative high school setting in urban Orlando, Florida, after college that he decided to get his MSW. His appreciation of and belief in the systemic (political, social, economic, and environmental) influences on an individual’s well-being are what deterred him from a career in clinical psychology and toward clinical social work.
Will believes that BUSSW offered him the chance to train in a complex urban environment with rich learning experiences, choose internships from a plethora of social service organizations that many other programs in other cities could not provide, and receive a dual degree in social work and public health. During his first year he interned as an individual/group counselor at a residential substance abuse program for multicultural, homeless adults living with HIV and long-term addiction. His second-year internship was with a primarily gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender (GLBT) population at Fenway Community Health Center as a medical social worker for HIV-positive patients and as a psychotherapist.
After graduation, Will returned full time at Fenway Community Health Center as a medical social worker, psychotherapist, and substance abuse counselor. He specializes in treating crystal methamphetamine addiction in gay and bisexual men and has conducted many trainings and conferences on risk assessment and treatment methods for health care providers across the state and nationally. He recently completed writing a statewide health education curriculum utilizing a multi-system approach to address methamphetamine prevention through collaboration with child protective services, public safety, medical providers, and mental health/addiction treatment providers. This curriculum was piloted across the state during the summer of 2006 in regional trainings through the Department of Public Health. Will completed his MPH in the summer of 2006.
Sophia Henry (’01)
Atlanta, Georgia
Full-Time Program
Sophia received her BA in psychology from Clark Atlanta University. Her motivation for choosing the field of social work came from her post-graduation work with at-risk populations and her desire to have an impact on greater society. She chose BUSSW because of its overall reputation, urban mission, faculty, and location, allowing her to work with diverse populations. She graduated with a concentration in clinical social work practice and a specialization in groupwork. Her field placements at Leaders of Tomorrow and Roxbury Juvenile Court Clinic and the academic coursework strengthened her knowledge, skills, motivation, and drive in the social work profession.
Sophia is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and a Certified Psychosocial Rehabilitation Practitioner (CPRP). Sophia currently works for the Georgia Rehabilitation Outreach in Atlanta, where she serves as the Team Coordinator for the Forensic Assertive Community Treatment Team (FACT). She leads the multidisciplinary team which works with a chronically mentally ill and dually diagnosed population. Her team in the first year of existence saved the state 1.3 million dollars by reducing the amount of hospital and jail admissions and increasing consumers’ community involvement. She is rewarded when helping consumers obtain and maintain stability in the community and increase self management of their illness through a variety of therapeutic approaches. In addition to this role she has recently embarked in the private practice sector and opened Integrating Body, Mind and Life, a therapeutic counseling service that helps the average person cope with life stressors to dealing with the more severe mental health issues. She credits her ability to work in a variety of settings with diverse populations to the education and training that she received at BUSSW.
Geri Hull (’95)
New York, New York
Full-Time Program
Geri, a California native, obtained two master’s degrees before landing in the Boston University School of Social Work.
Though a history major in college at UCLA, Geri found herself “doing all kinds of activities” that led her initially to pursue a master’s in counseling psychology degree at Harvard University. After working for two years on the adolescent psychiatric unit of Children’s Hospital in Boston, Geri decided to return to school. Her choice at that time, a doctoral degree in developmental psychology, “unfortunately was not a good fit for me.” Geri left the program and her job at Children’s to attend Boston University’s School of Social Work.
A concentrator in clinical social work practice, Geri recalls her two years in the School as “fantastic.” She was especially pleased with her two field placements and with the many “wonderful friends” she made. “Overall, my experience at the School was different from the other graduate programs. It felt like home.”
Geri’s first position as a professional social worker was as clinical coordinator of the Women’s Health Sciences Division of the National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder at the Veteran’s Administration Medical Center in Boston. She held this position with great satisfaction for two years, but then decided to move to New York City.
Geri went to The Big Apple with a position at Corporate Counseling Associates, an employee assistance program serving more than one hundred client companies. Serendipity intervened about a year later when she became the manager of Player and Employee Assistance Programs at the National Football League, with the goal of “helping people to be their best personally and professionally.” Along with the Player Development Directors at each team, the department has been helping players and their families with their off-the-field lives.
Though the challenges may be many for a social work professional—and a woman—in a male-dominated sports culture, Geri has made a contribution. “My social work education has taught me that I can make a positive difference, even by starting with small changes.”
After seven enjoyable years with the NFL, Geri traded in constant travel for a job that would allow her to stay local more often. She spent a year as the Director of Field Practicum Placements at NYU School of Social Work before moving on to become Account Executive at FEI Behavioral Health, an EAP/Work-Life/Crisis Management company. She continues to appreciate the versatility afforded by her social work training.
Aleta Johnson (’86)
Barrington, Rhode Island
Off-Campus Program (SEMA)
An alumna of the School’s off-campus program in Southeastern Massachusetts, Aleta has developed a varied social work career since graduation in 1986. Upon leaving the School of Social Work, Aleta began working in clinical practice. She served in the outpatient departments of both The Providence Center and The East Bay Mental Health Center.
Since then Aleta has focused much of her practice on the treatment of anxiety disorders. She has led numerous support and education groups on the management of anxiety.
Aleta has a private practice with a focus on anxiety disorders and treating culturally diverse populations. She provides workshops and consultation in these areas of specialization. Her conference presentations have included the Anxiety Disorder Association of America, the Women’s Division of the American Psychological Association, the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education, and the National Association of Student Personnel and Administrators in Higher Education, to name a few.
Aleta also works part time for Brown University’s Psychological Services Department, working with students of color, in particular, and collaborating on research in the area of racial identity and mental health, subjects on which she is published.
Barbara Kondilis-Petropoulos (’98)
Athens, Greece
Full-Time Program
Barbara graduated from the full-time program in 1998 and completed her Master’s in Public Health the following year. She first became interested in the field of social work after studying psychology and working for an HMO. Barbara knew that BUSSW was the right choice because of its location, academic reputation, and its dual degree program in social work and public health.
Since graduation, Barbara has worked for the B.U. Wellness Center, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention as a Public Health Prevention Specialist, and the Rhode Island Department of Health’s Diabetes Prevention and Control Program where she served as the chronic care collaborative coordinator. More recently, Barbara heads a health literacy research project and serves as Part-time Faculty at the Hellenic American University in Athens, Greece. Barbara believes that her field placements with The Cambridge Hospital and the Lynnfield School System were important stepping stones in developing the skills needed in her career endeavors.
Lahlayne Sullivan Manzi (’99)
North Andover, Massachusetts
Off-Campus Program (NEMA)
During an undergraduate internship at a grammar school in Lawrence, Massachusetts, Lahlayne had the opportunity to work with a talented group of social workers. These individuals made a positive difference in the lives of their students/clients and the families of these students. Inspired by this experience in the Lawrence school system, Lahlayne decided to further her education in the field of social work.
The program offered by the BUSSW appealed to Lahlayne for many reasons. First, the School had an excellent reputation among professionals in the field of social work, and second, the off-campus program afforded her the flexibility she needed through part-time, weekend study.
Lahlayne believes that her BUSSW education benefited her professionally and personally. Her studies and internships afforded her a solid academic foundation and the practice skills necessary to function well within the host setting of a public school. Presently, Lahlayne is a School Adjustment Counselor at Timberlane Regional High School, providing individual and group counseling services to students identified as emotionally disabled and/or learning disabled.
Michael Novack (’97)
Waltham, Massachusetts
Full-Time Program
Michael Novack graduated from the BUSSW in 1997. He first became interested in the field of social work after graduating Saint Michael’s College in Vermont with a degree in Political Science. During his college career, Michael was actively involved in community service. After graduation, he became interested in how complex political and social systems impact people’s lives and how they navigate through these various systems. Michael chose the BUSSW because of its urban mission, strong faculty, numerous research opportunities, and excellent academic reputation.
Michael specializes in the growing field of gerontology. He has worked extensively with low-income elders through positions at a variety of organizations, including the Elder Service Plan PACE Program (Program for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly), long-term care and assisted living facilities, and the Town of Lexington, Massachusetts Social Services Department.
He currently works as a Geriatric Care Manager for Elder Resources of Newton, Massachusetts. Michael also continues to be actively involved with the School as Immediate Past President of the Alumni Board, member of the Board’s Steering Committee, and as an alumni recruiter for potential students.
Mark Rutherford (’95)
West Palm Beach, Florida
Full-Time Program
Mark received his MSW in 1995 after working in the HIV/AIDS field as a social worker for five years. He was initially drawn to the School because its strong urban mission seemed a good fit with his desire to work with at-risk populations. He was proud to be the first recipient of the Thomas D. Mackey III Memorial Scholarship awarded by the BUSSW. This award recognizes the contributions of a student whose is committed to working in the HIV/AIDS field.
Mark believes that his BUSSW second-year field placement at Fenway Community Health Center was a rich training ground for his diverse work. He also credits Professor Carolyn Dillon for sparking his interest in human behavior. She was the first person to help him begin to grasp the complexities of the human mind and heart.
After many years of working in non-profit organizations, Mark opened a private practice in 1999. As a Certified Imago Therapist, his focus has been on relationship counseling. Mark also continues to work heavily within the HIV community as a contract therapist for various organizations. He feels it is a good balance with his work in the private sector. Mark also is the author of a syndicated advice column titled, “QuestionMark?” and is the call-in psychotherapist for a weekly South Florida radio talk show.
Naomi Stanhaus (’70)
Chicago, Illinois
Full-Time Program
Naomi has had her own consulting practice in Chicago for the past thirty years. She provides services such as proposal evaluation, planning, and writing to nonprofit organizations and charitable foundations, and she consults and trains in grantsmanship. Naomi provides consultation to the nation’s leading foundation in the field of aging, The Retirement Research Foundation, as well as to organizations that span the full range of health, education, and social services.
Naomi strongly believes that one of the most important strengths of social work is the diversity of professional paths that one can take.
“I made the decision to attend graduate school in social work during the turbulent sixties,” recalls Naomi. She entered the Boston University School of Social Work in fall 1968, just after the infamous Democratic National Convention in Chicago that August. Her focus was community organization. “My graduate social work experience really changed my life,” explains Naomi.
Naomi’s first position after receiving her MSW was with the National Council of Senior Citizens (NCSC) in Washington, DC, then one of the largest membership organizations for older people in the United States. She then relocated to Chicago, where she worked for Hull House Association, coordinating programs in aging.
As her reputation in the field of aging grew, Naomi was recruited by The Chicago Community Trust, a community foundation, to help the organization determine how it could improve its grantmaking to foster the development of services for the elderly. This initial one-year contract led to Naomi’s decision to develop her current independent work with foundations and nonprofit organizations.
Ruth M. Vega-Dillard (’80)
Milton, Massachusetts
Full-Time Program
Originally from Costa Rica, Ruth came to Boston University School of Social Work as part of a federally funded Puerto Rican leadership program.
Ruth believes that Boston University “opened a lot of doors and opportunities” for her. She identifies the School’s then-generic approach as a factor that attracted her to the program, and remarks that she has continually relied on the skills and tools she gained through her experience. She feels that the School’s positive, supportive environment facilitated her own growth and increased her self-confidence.
Since graduation, Ruth has worked as a clinician at the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and at the New England Home for Little Wanderers in Boston. Presently, she is a social worker at the McKinley School on Warren Avenue in Boston. She supervises social work students from several local programs.
She serves on several committees at McKinley. Additionally, Ruth has been a member of the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers Executive Board, and is co-chair of the Committee on Ethnic and Racial Affairs.
Ruth is a past member of the School’s Alumni Association Board.
Susan Yi-Millette (’88)
Worcester, Massachusetts
Advanced Standing Program
Susan, originally from Korea, was an Advanced Standing student who attended Boston University School of Social Work directly following an undergraduate social work experience. She chose this program because of the opportunity to study community organization, management, and planning, and because she was attracted to the School’s multimethod approach to social work education. “Not only does Boston University provide a well-rounded social work education in your field of practice, but the School also is committed to graduating social workers who are capable in a variety of skill areas.”
Following graduation, Susan worked as a policy analyst for the Massachusetts Federation of Nursing Homes, where she interpreted state and federal laws and regulations pertaining to long-term care.
Susan remembers “professors who are open, accessible, committed, and willing to be mentors to students.” She continues to be involved in efforts to recruit people of color, stating that she respects the School’s desire “not only to recruit these students, but also to make sure their experiences are positive.”
Susan is a former member of the School’s Alumni Association Board.
Published by Trustees of Boston University
One Sherborn Street
Boston, MA 02215
18 September 2007
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