Examination Program Yearbook
The success of the Association of Social Work Boards social work licensing examination program depends on the hard work of a diverse group of volunteers, consultants, and contracted item writers committed to public protection. Together, these social workers ensure that the ASWB examinations remain fair, valid, and reliable.
Demographic information is self-reported by participants at ASWB’s request.
2021 Examination Committee
The Examination Committee is made up of successful former item writers who are subject matter experts representing the diversity of the social work profession. This committee, appointed by the ASWB Board of Directors, typically meets up to four times a year to review and approve questions for use on the ASWB examinations.
2021 examination development meetings
- January 8–9, Exam Committee, online
- January 13–15, Form Review, online
- March 12–13, Exam Committee, online
- March 26–28, Form Review, online
- June 4–5, Exam Committee, online
- June 9–12, Form Review, online
- August 6–8, Exam Committee, Washington, DC
- August 20–22, Item writer training, online
- September 24–26, Exam Committee, Reston, VA
- September 29–October 1, Form Review, online
Item writers
Item writers are practicing social workers contracted by ASWB to write questions for the social work licensing exams. ASWB works to recruit item writers who are representative of the social work profession. The charts below show the racial/ethnic and gender breakdowns of active item writers in 2021, compared to 2019 data on social work graduates compiled by CSWE.
2021 item writers
The gallery below includes photos and demographic information for all item writers contracted to write for the social work licensing exams in 2021.
Consultants
ASWB contracts with experienced social workers who work directly with item writers in the creation of the questions that are presented to the Examination Committee. The consultants are all successful former item writers and Examination Committee members. These consultants also attend Examination Committee meetings to provide guidance and gather feedback from the committee on the work of item writers.
2021 form reviewers
Subject matter experts conduct a final review of each complete form of an examination before it goes online for administration. Form reviewers are primarily emeritus members of the ASWB Examination Committee.
Adolpha Bassett (North Carolina), MSW
African American • he/him
Direct practice: Hospital and community mental health practice with children and adults in crisis
Shannon Bender-Bell (British Columbia), BSW, MSW
Caucasian • she/her
Direct practice: Trauma, domestic violence, grief
Liz Johnston (California), MSW, Ph.D.
White • she/her
Direct practice/Academia: Addictions and trauma
Deborah Jones (British Columbia), BSW, MSW
White • she/her
Direct practice/Academia: Mental health, supervision, children, youth, and families
Jay Memmott (Kansas), MSW, Ph.D.
White • he/him
Academia: Mental health, substance abuse, gerontology, research
Benjamin Rosenberg (New York), MSSW
Korean • he/him
Direct practice: Community mental health in outpatient settings wiht experience with English- and Spanish-speaking populations, program management, supervision, continuous quality improvement
Trish Smith (Alberta), BSW, MSW
Caucasian • she/her
Direct practice/Academia: Mental health, child protection, social work practice in rural and northern communities
Mary Stebbins (Virginia), MSW
Caucasian/White • she/her
Direct practice: Children’s mental health and child welfare
Charu Stokes-Williams (Guam), MSW, Ph.D.
African American/Black, Asian • she/her
Direct practice/Academia: Alcohol and drug abuse prevention and treatment
Bora Sunseri (Louisiana), MSW
Asian • she/her
Direct practice: Child welfare, continuous quality improvement, clinical work with military members/families as well as clients in the correctional system, private practice specializing in adoptions, and clinical social work supervision
Michelle Piper Tremba (Florida), BSW, MSW
Caucasian/Asian • she/her
Direct practice: Mental health in inpatient psychiatric settings and clinical social work supervision
Stephanie Washington (Texas), MSW, Ed.D.
Black • she/her
Direct practice/Academia: Supervision and consultation to individuals and agencies