Take a moment to recognize these oncology social workers who have been awarded, honored, published, licensed and certified in their endeavors to continue to improve the quality of life for cancer patients, their families and communities.
 

Awards & Honors

Alison Snow, PhD, LCSW-R, OSW-C, (New York, New York) was awarded an American Cancer Society Masters Training Grant to train MSWs in oncology social work.

Cara Kondaki, MSW, LCSW, ACSW, OSW-C, (Weston, Florida) received the NASW Broward County Social Worker of the Year Award for 2016.

Craig Pressley, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C, (Warrenville, Illinois) was awarded Aurora University School of Social Work’s 2015-2016 Field Instructor of the Year Award for developing an oncology social work training program at the Warrenville Cancer Center.

Csaba Laszlo Degi (Cluj Napoca, Romania) was appointed to the first national Committee for Social Work and Support in Oncology in Romania.

Elizabeth Rohan, PhD, MSW, (Chamblee, Georgia) submitted an abstract to the 8th Biennial Cancer Survivorship Research Conference titled “An Exploration of Patient Navigation and Community Health Worker Survivorship Activities Across National Comprehensive Cancer Control Programs.” Her abstract was one of only six out of 190 that received a Certificate of Merit.

Sean Powell, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C, (Tampa, Florida) was named the Director of Social Work for Moffitt Cancer Center at the University of South Florida in February.

Teri Sahn-Silver, MSW, LMSW, OSW-C, (Commerce Township, Michigan) was selected by the Great Lakes Caring Home Health and Hospice to receive the 2016 Essential Piece Award.

Terry Mahoney, LICSW, OSW-C, (Duluth, Minnesota) is the recipient of The American Cancer Society’s Lane Adams Quality of Life Award. This award is reserved for national recognition of those unique caregivers who lead in their area of expertise and make a significant impact on patients, families and communities.

Innovations

Jessica Voights (Chicago, Illinois) helped to launch Northwestern’s first adolescent/young adult edition of “Cancer Connections,” a quarterly lecture series focused on psychosocial care and survivorship.

Robin Katz, MSW, LSW, (Chicago, Illinois) piloted a new six-week blood cancer support group at her facility.

Publications

Alison Snow, PhD, LCSW-R, OSW-C, (New York, New York) co-authored “Group-Based Psychosocial Services: Assessing Outpatient Oncology Needs,” which will be published in The Journal of Community and Supportive Oncology (in press).

Csaba Laszlo Degi (Cluj Napoca, Romania) co-authored “Experienţe în plan psiho-social ale pacienţilor aflaţi în fazele parcursului tumoral” in Social Work Review, March 2016. He also co-authored “Mental Health Protection of Cancer Patients Through Mindfulness and Expressive Writing” in Cognition, Brain, Behavior. An Interdisciplinary Journal, April 2016.

Katherine Easton, LCSW, OSW-C, (Decatur, Georgia) authored “Depression—The Unwelcome Guest” in Coping With Cancer Magazine, March/April 2016).

Licensure and Certifications

Crystal Ward, MSW, LSW, (Chicago, Illinois) earned her Licensure in Clinical Social Work (LCSW).

Gerrie Jakobs, LCSW, OSW-C, (Scottsdale, Arizona), Katie McFadien, MSW, LSW, OSW-C, (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), Lisa Rosenberry, OSW-C, (Mount Holly, New Jersey) and Margaret Brammer, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C, (Edwards, Colorado) earned their Oncology Social Work Certifications (OSW-C) through the Board of Oncology Social Work.

Karen Freeman, CTTS, (Woodbury, New Jersey) earned her Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist (CTTS) Certification.

Congratulations to everyone for their hard work and dedication to our profession as oncology social workers!

Forward your career news to me to be included in the next Kudos column!