ENGAGE Strategist Sonia Harb has been appointed board chair of the Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) in January 2024. MLPP is a nonpartisan policy institute that addresses poverty and analyzes the impact of state and federal budgets and policies on residents with low incomes. “Engaging community and supporting grassroots advocacy is near and dear to my heart and the work the League is doing in that space is transformative,” she said.
Research Fellow Greer Hamilton, PhD ’23, has been selected as an Agent of Change Fellow. Sponsored by the Environmental Health News and Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, the program is designed to empower emerging leaders from historically excluded backgrounds in science and academia to reimagine solutions for a just and healthy planet.
Online Program Manager Antuan Featherstone has been selected for the Detroit Regional Chamber's 44th Leadership Detroit Class. Leadership Detroit is a nine-month program designed to challenge emerging and existing community leaders from Southeast Michigan to bring about positive change. As part of Leadership Detroit 44, Featherstone will join nearly 75 executives across Southeast Michigan, representing a cross-section of the community, including business, organized labor, government, education, media, civic groups, health services and community organizations.
ENGAGE Program Manager and Lecturer Fatima Salman has been named to the Higher Education workgroup of the Growing Michigan Together Council. “The diverse workgroup members of the Growing Michigan Together Council will be instrumental in our effort to grow our economy and population while protecting our natural resources,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “These members represent a range of professions, communities, and perspectives—all of which are essential to developing a comprehensive strategy for growth. I look forward to hearing from the council and its workgroups later this year.”
ENGAGE Program Manager and Lecturer Fatima Salman was invited by Vice President Kamala Harris to attend the Eid ul Adha celebration at her residence last week. Salman spoke with Harris and Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff about the impact of social workers across the country. Salman is also the president of the Michigan Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers and the National Council of Chapter Presidents Chair.
ENGAGE Program Manager and Lecturer Fatima Salman spoke about the role of social workers in creating policy that supports mental health on the podcast “Breaking Through” with Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner.
“Policy affects all of us,” said Salman. “We actually had the most amount of social workers running for office and winning ever in Michigan which is phenomenal because they approach policy through a mental health perspective. And how critical and amazing is that?”
Assistant Director of Research & Financial Operations Jodi Caviani and Hannah McPherson, administrative assistant to the Associate Dean of Educational Programs, have both received the 2023 Colleen Karim Staff Excellence Award. This new award recognizes staff members who accomplish exceptional performance and achievements in their job role, going above and beyond in their day-to-day efforts, championing and supporting the work of others, and advancing diversity, equity and inclusion.
DEI Program Manager Dillon Cathro has been elected to the U-M Police Department Oversight Committee, which receives and makes recommendations regarding grievances against any police officers deputized by the university. “Social Workers have a responsibility to tackle difficult issues that impact our most vulnerable and marginalized community members, both on and off campus, and police conduct is one such issue,” said Cathro.” I'm hopeful that the committee will provide thoughtful, intentional leadership and recommendations that reimagine the ways security and safety are maintained.”
Faculty Member: Associate Professor Cristina Bares
Community Partner: Kartav Patel, Manager of Youth Services, Southwest Economic Services
Faculty Member: Assistant Professor Ashley Cureton
Community Partner: Shadin Adityeh, Director of Employment and Economic Empowerment Programs, Jewish Family Services of Washtenaw County and Detroit
Faculty Member: Lecturer Maureen Okasinski
Community Partner: Rose Gorman, Executive Director, The Tuxedo Project
Faculty Member: Associate Professor Beth Glover Reed
Partner: Angela Gabridge, Executive Director, Sage Metro Detroit
ENGAGE: Detroit Strategist Sonia Harb argues in Crain's Detroit Business editorial that the proposals Governor Whitmer outlined in the 2022 State of the State address can provide equity and stability for Michigan workers.
“As the governor emphasized multiple times, there needs to be a multi-pronged approach to solving a particular problem. We can't solve child care problems by only subsidizing the cost of care—we need to also support the provider network and care providers. Her systems approach to problem-solving shows she understands the complex problems facing our state and its residents, and what is needed to solve them,” writes Harb.
University of Michigan
School of Social Work
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Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1106