Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners
Term ends: 2027
Please give a brief biography, including your education, licensure or certification level and employment history:
I am a licensed clinical social worker and higher education administrator with more than 20 years of experience in social work education, field instruction, and workforce development. I currently serve as the Assistant Dean of Field Instruction and Clinical Associate Professor in the University of Maryland, Baltimore County’s Baccalaureate Social Work Program. I oversee undergraduate field education and work closely with community partners to prepare future social workers through competency-based experiential learning grounded in an anti-oppressive lens. Prior to joining UMBC, I spent 11 years at the UNLV School of Social Work as the Field Associate and BSW Program Coordinator. I hold a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, a Master of Social Work, and a Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership. I have served on the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners since 2020 and value the opportunity to contribute to the profession through regulation, public protection, and leadership. My professional interests include social work field education, higher education leadership, workforce development, and strengthening the preparation of the next generation of social workers.
Give a synopsis of your regulatory and professional experience. Please emphasize your involvement with ASWB:
I was appointed to the Board of Social Work Examiners in Maryland in 2020. In 2021, I was named as the Continuing Education subcommittee Chair and since 2022, I have served as the Vice Chair of the Board. Since 2022, I have participated in many ASWB events and in 2024, I was a BMX co-facilitator at the Education Meeting and then appointed to the Regulatory Research Committee and attended Leadership Weekend. in August, 2024. In November of 2024, I was elected to the Board of Directors, a position that I highly value and cherish. In this role, I am serving as the board liaison to the Exam Committee and was able to participate in the Standard Setting meeting in January of 2026 and the Exam Committee meeting in October, 2026. In addition, I am a member of the Friends of ASWB and the Supervision Toolkit Taskforce, and have presented with ASWB staff twice at the Baccalaureate Program Director (BPD) Annual Conferences in 2025 and 2026.
Finally, make a brief statement on the major issues you see facing ASWB, and how you would address them:
I believe ASWB’s greatest opportunity is to continue strengthening public confidence in social work regulation while supporting member boards in preparing a competent, ethical, and diverse workforce. This requires balancing public protection with workforce needs, embracing innovation while maintaining rigorous standards, and engaging stakeholders transparently. ASWB has an important role in helping regulators navigate emerging issues such as AI, workforce shortages, interstate license mobility, and competency assessment while remaining grounded in its mission of protecting the public. I would love to be part of the team to collaborate with a diverse range of stakeholders, including social workers and administrators/registrars from different backgrounds and specialties, to ensure that policies, practices, and competency exams meet the evolving needs of the profession.