Hard work recognized … with your help
“We know how hard the work can be,” said Tim Brown, former president of the ASWB Board of Directors, when he introduced the awards session at the 2019 Annual Meeting of the Delegate Assembly.
That year, the Glenda McDonald Award was presented to Emily DeAngelo of Louisiana and the Sunny Andrews Award was presented to Robert Payne of Idaho. The work got even harder the following year for staff and members of social work regulatory boards, so it seemed right in 2020 to recognize every social work regulator for rising to the challenge of continuing the mission of public protection during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now in 2021, as the pandemic’s effects begin to recede in the United States and Canada, ASWB is eager to resume its 20-year tradition of acknowledging the outstanding service and accomplishments of members and staff of social work regulatory boards. The association will award the Glenda McDonald Award to up to two board administrators and the Sunny Andrews Award to up to two regulatory board members at the 2021 Annual Meeting of the Delegate Assembly in New Orleans in November.
A difficult time to serve
“It’s always important to recognize people who do an outstanding job,” says Melissa Ryder, ASWB’s director of volunteer engagement and outreach, “but it’s especially meaningful this year when so many have put in extra time to continue to support the mission of public protection during a difficult time.” And even though many are separated physically from the volunteers and staff members they work with, Ryder hopes ASWB members will take the time to notice and nominate deserving individuals. “Nominating a colleague gives you a great opportunity to reconnect across a distance.”
Meaningful recognition
Receiving an award is meaningful to the recipients as well. “When they hear the remarks prepared by the board or individual who made the nomination,” Ryder says, “award recipients are touched and appreciative that their extra effort was noticed.”
Award winner Emily DeAngelo of Louisiana agrees. She was especially moved in 2019 because she had known the board administrator for whom the award was named. “To receive an award named after Glenda is a great privilege and honor,” DeAngelo said in accepting the award, “and I am very humbled by it.”
We need your help, expertise
Who in your jurisdiction demonstrates extraordinary commitment to service on an individual regulatory board? Who has done excellent work in the challenging pandemic environment?
Submit your nominations for the Sunny Andrews Award and the Glenda McDonald Board Administrator Award by July 23. Questions? Call Director of Volunteer Engagement and Outreach Melissa Ryder at 540.829.6880, ext. 3060, or email mryder@aswb.org.
Do you know someone whose commitment to board service should be recognized? Nominate a board administrator or board member for an ASWB award!
Glenda McDonald Board Administrator Award
The award for regulatory administrators is named in memory of Glenda McDonald, longtime executive director and registrar of the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers and ASWB volunteer.
- Promoting the ethical, responsible, and effective functioning of a member board
- Facilitating a fair, efficient, and responsible process for legal regulation in a member jurisdiction or on behalf of a member board
- Educating the public and the profession on legal regulation
Sunny Andrews Award
The award for regulatory board members is named in honor of Sunny Andrews of Nebraska, a former president of the association.
- Upholding the integrity of a member board’s functioning and processes
- Enforcing the ethical performance of a member board
- Giving selflessly of personal time and effort to support the work of a member board