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.
2022 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.
2022 examination development meetings
- January 4–7, Form review, online
- March 25–27, Exam Committee, San Diego, CA
- April 1–3, Form Review, online
- April 21–23, Social Work Workforce Coalition, Tysons Corner, VA/hybrid
- June 17–18, Exam Committee, online
- June 24–26, Form Review, online
- August 5–7, Exam Committee, Alexandria, VA
- August 19–20, Social Work Worforce Coalition, Washington, DC
- September 9–10, Practice Analysis Task Force, Alexandria, VA
- September 30–October 2, Exam Committee, Reston, VA
- September 30–October 2, Form Review, Reston, VA
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 proportions of active item writers in 2022, compared to 2020 data on social work graduates compiled by CSWE.
2022 item writers
The gallery below includes information for all item writers contracted to write for the social work licensing exams in 2022.
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.
2022 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.
Miriam Balen (British Columbia), BSW, MSW, RCSW
Caucasian • she/her
Direct practice: mental health practice with children, adolescents, and adults
Adolpha Bassett (North Carolina), MSW, LCSW
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, RCSW
Caucasian • she/her
Direct practice: trauma, domestic violence, grief, sexual harassment investigation
Vicki Coy (New Brunswick), MSW, RSW-PP
White • she/her
Direct practice: bilingual private practice specializing in grief, family violence, couples, adjustment issues
Sharon Cutts (Connecticut), BSW, MSW, LCSW
Caucasian • she/her
Direct practice: teens and adults in the area of trauma, anxiety, depression, sexual minority-related issues, integration of spirituality and psychotherapy
Joseph Harper (Illinois), MSW, LCSW
White • he/him
Direct practice/Academia: behavioral health management
Deborah Jones (British Columbia), BSW, MSW, RCSW
White • she/her
Direct practice: mental health, trauma, supervision
Julia López (Missouri), Ph.D., LCSW
Latina • she/her
Academia: research, public health, sexual health, community mental health, substance use treatment
Jil Meadows (North Carolina), MSW, LCSW
White • she/her
Direct practice: medical social work, veterans social work
Jay Memmott (Kansas), Ph.D., MSW, LSCSW, LCAC
White • he/him
Academia: mental health, substance abuse, gerontology, research
Mary Stebbins (Virginia), MSW, LCSW
Caucasian/White • she/her
Direct practice: children’s mental health and child welfare
Charu Stokes-Williams (Guam), Ph.D., MSW, LICSW
African American, Asian • she/her
Direct practice/Academia: mental health, alcohol and substance abuse prevention and treatment, trauma, clinical social work supervision
Susanna Sung (Maryland), MSW, LCSW-C
Chinese • she/her
Direct practice: mood and anxiety disorders, substance use disorders, research, community engagement, government relations, policy
Bora Sunseri (Louisiana), MSW, LCSW
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
Leana Torres (Arizona), MSW, LCSW
Pacific Islander • she/her
Direct practice: military social work, community mental health, inpatient psychiatric hospitals
Stephanie Washington (Texas), Ed.D., MSW, LCSW-S
African American/Black • she/her
Direct practice/Academia: supervision and consultation to individuals and agencies