Before I knew what a social worker was, much less an oncology social worker, I wanted a meaningful career. I initially gravitated to public policy and chose political science as my undergraduate degree. I thought I would spend my career as a political scientist. All that changed when I met a social worker. Moved by her tenacity and compassion, I seriously began to consider social work as a profession. Whenever I reflect on my career, I think about her and the other social workers I met at this small non-profit. They were the first to warmly welcome me into this wonderful profession. Fast-forward to a master’s degree, an internship, and several years in direct practice and as a supervisor: I wanted to return to the macro sphere and embrace a new set of opportunities. Only this time, my view was guided by years of oncology social work expertise.

My current job title is “Social Work Clinical Quality Specialist.” In this capacity, I am responsible for evaluating and improving system-level processes. I work hard to ensure high-quality social work services are consistently delivered across a large organization. As the first Clinical Quality Specialist in my department, I helped define my role. Though an exciting prospect, it took time to determine my priorities and daily tasks. I quickly realized I needed to expand my knowledge of data management and visualization. With assistance from a kind data analyst and the extensive knowledge available online, specifically from @exceldictionary on Instagram, I learned the foundational skills I needed. After continued practice and exposure, my skills have improved, and I now enjoy teaching others to master pivot tables in Excel with confidence.

Another early gap I identified was the need to better understand the technical aspects of the social work workflow. Prior to the Clinical Quality Specialist role, I never thought about how consults were structured or reported, nor how documentation could be utilized to demonstrate our impact. This structural knowledge remains vital in my current projects. By identifying and closing information gaps, I  successfully blended my clinical skills with the system-level and data management knowledge required in my current role.

I also discovered an even greater need to reach out to the wider oncology social work community. Through my participation in AOSW, I had the opportunity to meet social workers who were also working on data management, education, and quality improvement initiatives. Over the last several years, these contacts have proven to be invaluable. I have implemented several initiatives that began as brainstorming sessions and side conversations among this group of brilliant social workers. In addition to the valuable networking, I joined the Finance committee in 2021 and had the incredible opportunity to serve on the Board of Directors as Secretary-Treasurer from 2022-2024. This role gave me the platform to expand my leadership skills and learn more about the logistical and fiscal resources needed to advance AOSW’s mission. It was also another opportunity to identify areas of personal interest and development. I am currently AOSW’s liaison to the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer, where I am honored to represent oncology social workers on the national level. One of my favorite things about social work is the incredible versatility it provides. There are so many opportunities to expand and grow. It isn’t contained by one job description; it’s truly an expansive skill set.