KATHY LEE
Encouraged to contribute to society in a positive way, Kathy Lee set her sights on becoming a social worker. There were very few women in the field at the time, but Ms. Lee was determined to succeed. She obtained a Bachelor of Science from Texas Women’s University in 1969 to help her achieve her goal, and became the club director of the Special Services Department of the U.S. Army that same year. Ms. Lee then advanced through positions like unit manager of Presbyterian Hospital, program director of the Office of Senior Affairs, assistant director and director of the Retired Senior Volunteer Program, and transportation project coordinator, all in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She continues her work as a human services administrator
BARBARA A. BERG
Truly committed to bringing dignity, kindness, and concern to people, Barbara A. Berg has found social work to be the perfect profession. She started by building her knowledge at institutions like Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, and Virginia Commonwealth University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Social Work, respectively. Then, to strengthen what she learned, she accrued hands-on experience as a postgraduate intern in the NICU at the White Memorial Medical Center and at the West End Family Counseling Center. As Ms. Berg steadily developed expertise in communication, stress management, and relationships both at home and on the job, she also grew in acclaim amongst her peers. Her subsequent efforts in positions like
SUSAN B. PARKER
Seeing a lack of justice in society, particularly for people who are different, Susan B. Parker knew she had to do something to set things right. She researched and considered a variety of options, and ultimately decided to focus on psychology and social work. Ms. Parker knew almost immediately that she had found what she was meant to do. She accepted her first position in the field, psychiatric social worker at Orange County Mental Health, in 1974, and the rest is history. Ms. Parker quickly garnered a reputation for excellence, which propelled her to roles like executive director of the Grafton County Planning Council and the New Hampshire Developmental Disabilities Planning Council, commissioner of the Department of Mental Health in
MIRIAM D. DAVIS
If Miriam D. Davis had the chance to live her life over, she wouldn’t change a thing. Everything she went through in her younger years led her to social work, her true calling. She genuinely loved her career, and is proud to have helped so many people. Ms. Davis began her journey wanting to pursue religion, but felt unfilled after two years in the field. She wasn’t sure what to do until a chance encounter with her sister’s friend led her to social work. At the time, all that was required was a college degree and a desire to better the lives of others, and Ms. Davis definitely qualified. She proceeded to apply for and obtain a position as a
ARLEEN EVANS O’REILLY
Always striving to be the best she can be, Arleen Evans O’Reilly has dedicated her career to ensuring that people have the tools needed to succeed at life. She abhors knowing that others are being taken advantage of, personally or professionally, and decided at a young age that she had to do something about it. She proceeded to obtain a Bachelor of Science in social work from California State College (now the California University of Pennsylvania) and a Master of Science in human services and gerontology from Capella University, and to become certified as a social worker. Over the years, Ms. Evans O’Reilly has become familiar with several different aspects of the field. She started as a medical social
LINDA ELIZABETH NEE
Ever since she was a little girl, Linda Elizabeth Nee knew she wanted to go into social work. She really cares about other people, and thought the field presented a good opportunity for her to make a positive difference. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Russell Sage College in 1961, and immediately obtained a position as a social worker in the Social Service Department of the New York Neurological Institute at the New York Presbyterian Hospital. In 1967, Ms. Nee left to become a medical social worker in the Tuberculosis Center of the Medical College of Virginia, and in 1968, she furthered her professional standing with a Master of Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University. From that point
SUSAN MATORIN
Certified as a social worker in the state of New York, Susan Matorin is celebrating more than five decades of excellence in her field. She is currently serving as the treatment coordinator of the Affective Disorder Team of the Cornell Psychiatry Intensive Outpatient Program, where she’s been since 2000, and as a member of the Advanced Council and the 2nd Vice Chair of the Columbia School of Social Work, where she’s been since 1994. Previously, Ms. Matorin garnered experience as the program director of the Cornell Psychiatry Intensive Outpatient Program, the director of social work at the Payne Whitney Clinic at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, the chief of ambulatory social work in psychiatry at the NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center,
CATHERINE LYNCH
Interested in knowing the country around her, Catherine Lynch decided the U.S. Census would be the perfect fit. She lived in a rural area, and was frustrated with the lack of perception about the realty of the way things were there. Her main goal is to leave the world a better place, so she enjoyed the opportunity to interact with so many interesting people. During her time with the government agency, Ms. Lynch served as an assistant crew leader. She retired in 2010. For most of her life before joining the U.S. Census, Ms. Lynch was a social work administrator. From 2005 to 2007, she was the director of development services at the Miami Children’s Hospital Foundation, and from
DELORES L. PARRON-RAGLAND
With expertise in government, academics, social welfare, and mental health, Delores L. Parron-Ragland was a highly-regarded figure in her communities. She championed the concerns of the underrepresented, fought for the rights of those who couldn’t fight for themselves, and was genuinely devoted to using her position to help others. Initially in child welfare as a social worker for the Spence-Chapin Adoption service and an adoption selection social worker for the Child Welfare Division of the District of Columbia Department of Human Resources, Dr. Parron transitioned to the role of psychiatric social worker with the Hillcrest Children’s Center in 1969. The hands-on experiences gave Dr. Parron a wealth of new knowledge, which she sought to share with her peers as
MIEKO KOTAKE SMITH
Deeply committed to women’s issues, Dr. Mieko Kotake Smith has led an impressive and prestigious career as an educator in the field of social work. She has always enjoyed both research and working with students, and she is proud to have been able to successfully merge her two interests. Dr. Smith feels it is important to chase dreams and do everything possible to achieve them. With that in mind, she started her journey by earning a Bachelor of Arts from Tsuda College in Tokyo in 1964 and has continued to further her academic knowledge over the years. In 1972, she obtained both a Master of Arts from Kent State University and an educational specialist degree, and in 1980, she obtained