AOSW Connections
Editorial Team
Editor-in-Chief
Amy Colver, MSSA, MA, LISW
Editor
Katherine Easton, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C
AOSW Communications Director
Brittany Hahn, LCSW
Managing Editor
Patricia Sullivan
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2025 Themes
February: Workplace & Culture
May: Therapeutic Techniques
August: Palliative Care
November: Caregivers
Kudos! Achievements of AOSW Members
It is clear that we oncology social workers are a mighty group, with a tireless passion. We are educators and advocators, planners and comforters. We are brilliant coordinators, our problem-solving skills are incomparable and our well of empathy never runs dry. So before you read the following accolades and formal recognition, please join me and take a moment to honor each and every oncology social worker—because, at the end of the day, we are all in this together.
It is an honor to highlight some of the extraordinary work that oncology social workers do day in and day out. Below is a compilation of the awards, honors, memberships, fellowships, publications and certifications that our members have received in the past few months.
Awards & Honors
- Alison Snow, PhD, LCSW-R, OSW-C (New York) received the NASW-NYC Mid-Career Exemplary Social Work Leader Award in December 2015.
- Caroline Macuiba, MSW, LCSW (Oregon) was the recipient of Oregon Health & Science University's Quality Prize for Performance Excellence Week for her collaboration with an interdisciplinary team to present a poster on their recent Advanced Directive Initiative.
- Carolyn Messner, DSW, BCD, ACSW, LCSW (New York) was recently inducted as a Fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine and also elected as a Fellow of the American Psychosocial Oncology Society (APOS). She is the recipient of the 2016 APOS Outstanding Training and Education Award and was recognized for her pioneering use of teleconference technology to bring evidence-based, psychosocial sensitive, cancer-related information to people living with cancer, cancer survivors and their caregivers.
- Mary Ripper, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C (Missouri) was honored as a 2015 Compassionate Care Award winner at Hannibal Regional Healthcare System’s 2015 Service Awards Banquet on September 17, 2015. As a winner of the 11th annual award, Mary joins the ranks of team members involved in direct patient care who demonstrate extraordinary compassion toward their patients and families.
- Penny Damaskos, PhD, LCSW, OSW-C (New York) is the recipient of the 2016 Project on Death in America Award for Career Achievement from the Social Work Hospice and Palliative Care Network (SWHPN).
Memberships & Fellowships
- Kathryn Roundtree, MSW, LCSW (North Carolina) is participating in a committee for the American Case Management Association to assist in creation of the 2nd edition of the ACM examination.
- Shirley Otis Green, LCSW, ACSW, OSW-C (California) is one of 32 clinicians who have been chosen for the 2-year California Health Care Foundation Health Care Leadership Fellowship.
Publications
- Alison Snow, PhD, LCSW-R, OSW-C (New York) is a co-author of a chapter in the textbook, Oncologic Emergency Medicine: Principles and Practice: “The Interface of Emergency Department, Oncology, and Palliative Social Work: Psychosocial Interventions in Oncologic Emergencies.” This is the first comprehensive clinical reference on cancer emergencies and will be published in 2016.
- Christina Bach, MBE, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C (Pennsylvania) was interviewed for an interdisciplinary article in the December 25, 2015, edition of Oncology Times titled: "The Survivorship Care Gap: How Financial Toxicity Affects Your Patients and How to fix it."
- Nancy Bourque, LCSW (New York) & Emily Sherlock (New York) authored an article, “Integrating Gestalt Psychotherapy Into Social Work Practice With Adult Oncology Patients,” that will be published in Social Work in Mental Health later this year.
- Renee Katz, PhD, MSW (Washington) is the co-author and publishing editor and author of "When Professionals Weep: Emotional and Countertransference Responses in Palliative and End-of-Life Care" (2nd ed.). This book is part of Robert Neimeyer's collection, “Series in Death, Dying and Bereavement: Treatment of Suicidal People.”
Certifications
- Camille Ellard, LSCSW (Kansas) and Kelli Herbers (Kansas) recently completed the process to become Certified Hypnotherapists through the Wellness Institute.
- Congratulations to Catherine Lindner (Florida) and Elena Slamando (Florida) who received their OSW-C in the past six months.
Forward your career news to me to be included in the next Kudos column!
About the Author
Kate McFadien, MSW, LSW, OSW-C
Social WorkerNemours Children Hospital
Kate McFadien, MSW, LSW, OSW-C
Social WorkerNemours Children Hospital
Articles
Achievements of AOSW MembersAchievements of AOSW Members
Kudos: Achievements of AOSW Members
Kudos! Achievements of AOSW Members
Kudos! Achievements of AOSW Members
Kudos! Achievements of AOSW Members