Class Notes

Sharon Wysocki, MSW 89, in 2006 left a mental health and chemical dependency practice in Ann Arbor, MI to pursue medical social work possibilities in rural southeastern Arizona. Since having experience as an equine assisted psychotherapist, she also pursued the dream of having a small horse ranch in which she could utilize her horses as part of the healing process – physically, mentally and emotionally. She did just that and was awarded the Pride of City of Safford award in 2009 for her work with horses and hospice patients. In 2014, she moved to Tucson to continue her work in mental health and hospice, unfortunately, this time without the horses. In 2018, her life took an unexpected turn. She evolved into a professional actor and signed with the South West Artist Group talent agency. Since then Sharon has appeared in two westerns, a horror film, TV commercial and her first supporting actor role in a film headed to the film festival circuit. Her next goal is to develop and act or do voice-overs in public service announcements for non-profits – voluntarily. The biggest surprise she discovered in the film industry is the numerous social workers who have become film makers as an avenue for activism. Her niece, Grace Wysocki, is about to embark on her journey in the Masters of Social Work at the University of Michigan. Sharon is very excited to see what frontiers her niece is about to challenge with the help of the talent in the U of M’s Social Work Department. Go Blue!

Lila Swell, MSW ’58, was inducted into the Eleanor Roosevelt Society Kappa Delta Pi, which is only for lifetime members, in October of 2019 for her contributions and pioneering work in effective education in schools throughout the United States of America.

Meryl Nadel, MSW '73, has published Not Just Play: Summer Camp and the Profession of Social Work, Oxford University Press. The first book on this topic in many decades, it argues that the summer camp experience is more than recreation. Among other historic sources, it discusses the innovative University of Michigan Fresh Air Camp which was affiliated with the School of Social Work. She is also a Professor of Social Work at Iona College, New Rochelle, NY, and is also the recent author of "The Pittsburgh Survey of 1907-1908: Divergent Paths to Change" in Social Service Review, Vol. 93, Issue 4.

Nancy Kusmaul, MSW ’00, an assistant professor in the social work program at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, was selected for the 2019-2020 Health and Aging Policy Fellows Program. She will spend the year working with Congress and with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on issues related to quality of life and quality of care for older adults.

Tyrone Hairston, MSW ’86, is a Training and Personal Development Consultant with clinical experience in intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), substance use disorders (SUD), and mental illnesses (MI). He also specializes in Utilization Management Processes with a specialty in crises and substance abuse. He was a former adjunct faculty member, and has also been recognized by “Who’s Who Among Teachers” in 2000. Tyrone is also a devoted husband, father, family member, and friend.

Nancy Kusmaul, an assistant professor in the social work program at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, was selected for the 2019-2020 Health and Aging Policy Fellows Program. She will spend the year working with Congress and with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services working on issues related to quality of life and quality of care for older adults.

Miller Stayrook, MSW ’68, worked from 1967 to 1975 at Kalamazoo Public Schools, and then worked at Bethel College in Newton, Kansas until 1986. Following this, he worked at the Kansas Department of Welfare, in both Child Abuse Investigation and Development of Computer Systems. Miller retired from the Kansas Department of Welfare in 1995, and worked at the Mental Health Association in Wichita Kansas until 1988 when he retired.

Caroline Perkins, MSW ’18, is a school social worker for a K-6 charter school in Chicago. Her day-to-day work life includes supporting diverse learners, crisis management, and behavior support. She engages in student advocacy on an individual, family, community, and district level.

Judith Newman, MSW ’73, is a Training and Supervising Analyst at the Chicago Psychoanalytical Institute, where she is also a Director of the Psychotherapy Fellowship Program. She has a private practice pf psychoanalysis, psychotherapy, and consultation. Alumnus in the area who are interested in psychoanalytic practice are encouraged to contact her.

Mia Moyad, MSW ’08, through her own exploration of self-therapy has discovered healing through art and now has a gift line utilizing her art. She also offers thera-play classes to individuals and groups, or offers team building in the workplace.

Samuel A. Lauber, MSW ’74, graduated from the School of Social Work with a specialization in Community Organization. While working for thirty-two years for the Army, Air Force, and Navy as a Federal Civil Service Employee, he had many accomplishments. From 1980-1983 he conceived and coordinated base-wide community programs in support of alcohol prevention and co-authored a desk guide called “Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment.” He then initiated and organized the first child sexual abuse seminar for professionals from Germany and The Netherlands. From 1998-2008 he presented 600 briefings and trained over 80,000 military and civilian personal, and wrote over 70 articles on mental health related issues. Samuel also earned the Meritorious Service Award and the Air Force Outstanding Civilian Career Service Award.

Karen (Ferguson) Bagwell, MSW ’88, has retired after 27 years in the mental health field, and now only works when she wants to!

Lois Aptekar Kalafus, MSW ’67, worked at Family Service of Greater Boston from 1967 until 1988, when she moved to California. She then worked as a therapist in the psychiatry departments of San Jose and Palo Alto Medical Groups. Since retiring in 2009, she has volunteered teaching English to new immigrants. In a recent trip to Tanzania, she met a Tanzanian social worker who educates and counsels Tanzanians with Albinism. Lois found her most impressive, and if others are interested in learning about the program, they can visit www.albinism-tz.org.

In May 2019, Betty Brown Chappell, MSW '71, was elected as a trustee of the Eastern Michigan University Foundation. Trustees provide guidance and oversight to development initiatives.

After decades in the social service, non-profit, and church ministry fields, in May of 2019 I took a position leading Concordia University's newer Social Work program, as BSW Program Coordinator.

I currently work in multiple capacities, in light of current problems in society and as a parent, I wrote a children's book to increase protective factors against childhood sexual abuse. I currently work in a private practice, I co-own Behavioral Health Consultants, LLC (www.bhconsultantsllc.com) and I started a nonprofit (Get the Word Out- www.G-two.org). I work with the UM School of Social Work (ART), and I work at Michigan Medicine psychiatric emergency services (PES) on the weekend.

Laurie Lytel, MSW '89, continues teaching as a lecturer in the School of Social Work at the University of Nevada Las Vegas for direct practice classes. She also has a private practice, with mostly troubled teens, which she loves. She is politically active in our troubled times, trying to work for candidates who promote social justice.

Laura Wernick, PhD '09, was granted tenure at Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service in 2018.