’70
Karen Stromberger Miller, MSSW ‘76, retired from the Army Substance Abuse Program in December 2012. Karen is currently working PRN for St. Davis North in the ER and the Women’s Center. She also volunteers with the Micah 6 Food pantry and Uplift programs at her University Presbyterian Church.
‘94
Mariah Boone, MSSW ’94, has joined the Social Work Program at Texas A&M University – Kingsville as an Assistant Professor of Practice and Social Work Field Education Coordinator. Mariah’s professional areas of interest include juvenile justice, social policy, women’s issues and youth and family social work.
’96
Susan Krantz, MSSW ‘96, retired from the Frank Tejada VA Clinic in 2009 as a Primary Care Social Worker. She recently married a Vietnam War retired Air Force Veteran, Warren Clare, and happily resides in San Antonio, Texas.
’97
Tonya Edmond, Ph.D. ’97, MSW ’87, is an Associate Professor at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis. Tonya is conducting research to support the adoption of evidence-based practices in rape crisis centers. She legally married her life partner on their 25th anniversary.
Laura Haymes, BSW ’97, now works as a Disability Specialist with the Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services in Austin.
’99
Juli Cioffi-Smith, MSSW ’99, has taken a new position as Program Manager for Outpatient Services at the Clifford Beers Clinic in New Haven, Connecticut. Starting in fall 2014, Juli also hopes to continue her involvement as a field instructor with many local and not so local schools. Over the past 13 years, she has worked with over 10 universities and colleges in the CT/NYC area. Juli and her family have recently moved to a new home that allows her 6 year-old twins to run wild!
‘00
Kimberly Durham, MSSW ’00, lives in San Antonio and is the proud mother of Chloe (2) and Carlos (8 months). Kimberly and former Lady Longhorn (#43) Annissa Hastings have built a new program for low income girls in San Antonio, Camp Summer Dreams. This is a unique program with a focus on promoting a “camp to college” approach. Kimberly has always believed in the power of education and has now added her passion for nature and a camp environment to foster the development of young ladies. Camp Summer Dreams is currently awaiting non-profit status.
’01
Susan Schoppelrey, Ph.D. ’01, is Associate Professor and Associate Director at Radford University’s School of Social Work in Radford, Virginia. Susan’s most recent publications address community mental health, racial disparities, and substance use disorders.
Laura Elmore Sovine (formerly Smith), MSSW ‘01, has taken a new position as Case Management Coordinator for Travis County Health and Human Services Family Support Services Division in Austin, Texas. She received her AP license designation two years ago. Laura serves as adjunct faculty for the School of Social Work at The University of Texas at Austin. She also is a contracted social historian for the Office of Capital Writs, where she works on the legal team for post-conviction death penalty cases. She recently got married, and traveled to Spain. Her 7-year old son is almost as excited about reading as he is about Legos.
’03
Mary Hancock, BSW ‘03, is Deputy Chief Executive at Somerset Community Foundation in Bath, United Kingdom
’04
Darcie DeShazo, MSSW ’04, was recently promoted to Executive Director of The Settlement Home for Children in Austin, Texas. Darcie has been a part of The Settlement Home for 13 years and recently served as the Associate Director. Programs at The Settlement Home include a Residential Treatment Center, Group Home Program, Transitional Living Program, and Foster & Adoption Program.
’05
Jason Alemán, MSSW ’05, recently attained his Ph.D. in Education with a focus in Social Justice. He has also been appointed as Director for Education and Workforce for the Family Service Association of San Antonio. He is in charge of overseeing a $4 million annual budget and all youth programming for the San Antonio area.
Michele Hanna, Ph.D. ’05, is an Associate Professor at The University of Denver.
’06
Laura Hopson, Ph.D. ’06, is an Assistant Professor at The University of Alabama.
’07
Michael A. Costanzo, MSSW ‘07, is now a Supreme Court of Virginia Qualified Guardian Ad Litem for Children.
Andrea Marquez, MSSW ’07, has been recognized by Austin AVANCE as an outstanding social worker supervisor. Andrea provides weekly supervision to MSSW students from the School who have been place at AVANCE for their field internship. Thanks to Andrea’s work, families with struggling children are paired with social work students for intensive case management in navigating the complex web of medical and social services.
’08
Octavious Bishop, MSSW ’08, BSW ’01, gave the keynote address at one of the ENCORE Family Conferences hosted by the Austin Independent School District in fall 2013.
Sunju Sohn, Ph.D.’08, MSW ’03. Is an Assistant Professor at Cheongu University in South Korea. Sunju has now been teaching for three years, and has adopted two more dogs.
’09
Meredith Bagwell, MSW ’09, is a doctoral student at Arizona Sate University. She is in her third year of the PhD program, and most recently successfully completed her comprehensive exam. She is designing her dissertation and is excited to begin conducting her own research. Hook ‘em!
Lisa M. Pokorny, MSSW ’09, has recently started to work as the Victim Advocate with the Army Community Service Family Advocacy Program at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York. Before moving to West Point with her active duty husband and three-year old daughter, Lisa worked as a Clinical Research Coordinator at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. While research continues to be an area of interest, Lisa looks forward to serving military families in a different capacity during her time at West Point.
‘11
Amanda Barczyk, Ph.D. ’11, is a Research Scientist at Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas, Trauma Services, in Austin. Amanda is also teaching Research Methods at The University of Texas at Austin.
Michael McCarthy, PhD ’11, was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. Michael is the Mental Health Flight Commander in the 82nd Medical Operations Squadron at the Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas.
Lisiane Shuler, MSSW ’11, works as a PRN at the assessment and referral office of Seton’s Mind Institute Behavioral Science.
’12
Amanda Baker, MSSW ’12, received the St. David’s medical Center September 2013 ICARE Award. Amanda is a social worker in Case Management at St. David’s Medical Center in Austin. Her award letter states that she works tirelessly to make sure patients have everything they need to resume their lives as comfortably as possible.
Tiffany Burd, MSSW/MPH ’12, was awarded a Fulbright U.S. Student Program Scholarship to South Africa in Public Health. Tiffany did her final field internship in South Africa, and is thrilled to be able to go back through the Fulbright program.
Kathryn Gallardo, MSSW’12 is the Grant Compliance and Program Manager for the Supportive Services for Veteran Families program at The Salvation Army in Houston, Texas. In the future, Kathryn plans to obtain her PhD in public health and study health disparities among at-risk populations.
Elizabeth Hawkins, LMSW, ’12, is a housing case manager with The Salvation Army Social Services in Houston, Texas. Elizabeth is also volunteering as a group facilitator at Bo’s Place and as a therapist at the Houston-Galveston Institute Walk-In Center. Elizabeth hopes to enroll in Spanish classes and reach fluency to become a bilingual Social Worker by 2016.
Kara Kai S. Kirton, MSSW ’12, is currently a Housing Case Manager at Salvation Army Social Services Office in Houston, Texas. Kara Kai currently works with young adults 18 – 25 helping them explore their goals, overcome barriers and exit the experience of homelessness.
William Lyons, MSSW ’12, is currently working as a Housing Case Manager at The Salvation Army Social Services Office in Houston, Texas. He is saving and hopes to purchase a new home in the fall of 2014.
’13
Jeff Moe, MSSW ’13, is the Veterans affairs outreach coordinator and mental health counselor at The University of Texas at Austin.