Staff News

Academic Program Analyst Jason Harrison and Field Education Coordinator Talia Ingham received the 2024 Colleen Karim Staff Excellence Award. This 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.

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.