| Chapter 2021 Awards |
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Online registrations are officially open!Join us on Thursday, December 16 (6:00 pm - 7:30 pm EST)
The NASW Massachusetts Chapter is hosting its 48th Annual Awards Celebrations virtually on Thursday, December 16, 2021, to celebrate and recognize our honoree’s achievements, dedication, and support to our social work community. Ceremony Agenda: 6:00pm Ceremony begins 6:00 - 6:10pm - Room open for all attendees and welcome remarks by NASW-MA Awards Committee member, James Hardeman 6:10 - 6:15pm - Welcome remarks by NASW-MA Executive Director, Rebekah Gewirtz 6:15 - 6:20pm - Special Guest: NASW President, Mit Joyner, LCSW 6:20 - 7:20pm Award presentations 7:20pm Ceremony ends
For questions about the ceremony or congratulatory ads, please email our Program Manager at cmedinaadames.naswma@socialworkers.org
Click here to download the event’s Flyer
Award Honorees:
Congratulatory Messages:
To: Milagros "Milly" Arbaje-Thomas, MSW Congratulations, Milly! We met over 25 years ago when you were at ABCD and I had deep admiration for you from the first moment. You exemplify everything that drew me to this profession. The impact you have made in the lives of residents in Boston and beyond is breathtaking. You make me proud to be a social worker, and I am honored by our lasting friendship. Love, Jane Matlaw To: Helene Kress, MSSS Congratulations to Helene Kress from her loving family. She has always been an amazing role model and we are so blessed to be along for the ride of her lifetime of achievement. From: Ronnie Haas
Mazel tov, Helene Kress, on receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award! We are proud of your service to the community. May you go from strength to strength. Love, Your Clergy at Temple Beth Elohim
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Meet our Award Honorees:
Sara McCabe is the Chief Operating Officer at Wayside Youth & Family Support Network. She began her social work career at Wayside in 2003 and has held many roles including Direct Care Counselor, Special Education Teacher, Training and Risk Management Director and Vice President of Residential Services. In addition to her role as Vice President, Sara also oversaw the Marketing and Development Department and led the Agency's 2020 Strategic Planning process. Sara has served on the policy committee for the National Network for Youth in Washington DC and she works with MA based trade organizations on advocacy and child welfare policy needs. Sara partnered with Children’s League of Massachusetts to Co-Chair a provider committee. Through the work of this committee, a comprehensive white paper was developed outlining critical changes that were needed in the child welfare system to ensure children and families would achieve better outcomes. In 2010 Sara joined NASW’s Social Worker Safety Training task force and provided Crisis and Safety training for Colleges and organizations throughout Massachusetts.
With over 15 years of experience and training in crisis management, Sara led Wayside's COVID-19 communication which includes ongoing policy and protocol development, data collecting, and reporting on outcomes. Wayside opened the first DCF COVID positive program for children and young adults and still operates the only DCF Quarantine program for children and young adults. Sara completed her undergraduate work at Framingham State University and her Graduate social work degree from Wheelock College. She holds an independent clinical license in social work. In addition to her role at Wayside, Sara is mom to 9-year old twins, an adjunct professor at Boston University in the School of Social Work and a Registered Yoga Teacher.
Roselene “Beckey” Rowe. My interest in social work began while pursuing my undergraduate degree in Psychological Sciences at Fitchburg State University, where I completed a practicum at Our Fathers House emergency shelter in Fitchburg. Working at this shelter was my first experience with the homeless population and individuals struggling with substance use. Once I obtained my bachelor's degree, I pursued my MSW degree at Salem State University. I was blessed to have two amazing internship experiences, one at a Lahey Health Behavioral Services residential treatment program for women struggling with substance use and their children, and the second at Lawrence General Hospital working with patients who presented with traumas, substance abuse, as well as patients with palliative care and hospice needs. My work experience in the field of social work has included working as a recovery specialist and then transitioning into the role of a clinician at the same Lahey Health Behavioral Services residential treatment program where I completed my first internship. I also spent some time working as an ‘ACO Adult Behavioral Health Social Worker’ at Lowell Community Health Center where I worked with clients within the Wellforce ACO with complex medical and mental health needs. From this position, I transitioned into my current role working in private practice at Connecting to Greatness in Leominster, MA as a mental health therapist.
Outside of my professional work in the field of social work, I also spend my personal time planning and executing outreach programs for the homeless population in Lowell and Lawrence through my church and personal ministry called “Level Up”.
Milagros “Milly” Arbaje-Thomas is a seasoned executive with over 20 years experience overseeing non-profit organizations. She is currently the President & CEO of the Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity (METCO), the largest and second longest-running school desegregation program in the country. METCO places 3,200 students from Boston into 33 participating suburban school districts with the goal of reducing racial isolation and increasing diversity. Prior to that, she spent 15 years at ABCD, Boston’s antipoverty agency, supporting more than 85,000 low-income residents through its city-wide network of neighborhood-based organizations. Milly oversaw neighborhood sites in Parker Hill/Fenway, Mattapan, and Jamaica Plain as well as the Citywide Hispanic Center, and then served as Deputy Director of Field Operations for all sites. Milly also co-founded and served as President of the Roxbury Presbyterian Church Social Impact Center (SIC) for 14 years. She began her career as a clinical social worker at Brookside community health center in Jamaica Plain. Born in the Dominican Republic, Milly holds a Bachelor Degree in Psychology with minors in Education and Women Studies, a Master in Clinical Social Work from Boston College, a Certificate in Non-Profit Management from Boston University School of Management, and an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Humane Letters from Emmanuel College.
Keith Mascoll SAG-AFTRA, AEA is an Actor, Producer, Mental Health advocate, Sneaker-head, and Founder of the Triggered Project. Keith is a co-host of the Living a Triggered Life Podcast with his wife Roxann, and a Luminary for the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Keith strives to use his art for social change in the black and brown community. As a survivor of sexual abuse Keith hopes to help end the stigma that surrounds mental health, and black and brown men. Keith is a also a co-founder of a professional black theater company, The Front Porch Arts Collective. Look for Keith in the lead role in the movie Confused by Love on Amazon Prime, and as Applesauce in The Polka King on Netflix. Learn more about Keith at keithmascoll.com and www.triggered1.com
Helene Kress. I was born in Boston to second generation American parents and grew up during the Great Depression and the Second World War. I have seen a lot of social change and a lot that resists change. I came to social work later in life than many. I was the mother of two elementary school children when I went back to school to complete my BA and earn my social work degree...an MSSS from Boston University. Today this is not an unusual path. In the 60's I was an anomaly. So much so that my daughter's third grade teacher one day announced to the class that Carol's mother went to school, too. (This third grader is now a social worker). Once I had my social work degree I went to work in the Social Service Department at the Beth Israel Hospital. It was one of my best decisions. I still had a lot to learn, and that was an amazing place to do just that. I found mentors and colleagues who enriched my personal and professional growth. Starting out as the social worker for cardiac surgery, I then covered the kidney dialysis unit. These were both very new programs at the hospital. By the time I left the BI after ten years, I was the Chief Social Worker for Special Services. After spending some years as Social Services Director at Framingham Union Hospital, I moved out of hospital social work. I joined a psychotherapy practice group and at the same time, went to work to develop elderly services for Jewish Family Service of Metrowest. JFS was a small agency then, with three or four employees but it has grown into a powerhouse of an agency in the Metrowest area and I am very proud to have been there at the beginning. I retired as Executive Director of JFS in 1996 and for a year, my husband and I did some traveling, but I really missed social work. I found my way back to working with the elderly, in a nursing home for a few years, and as a geriatric care manager. And then I retired again, only to join up with an amazing group of colleagues in what we called the Center for Diversity and Social Change. We saw ourselves as advocates, teachers and change agents, and created a workshop on "Race: The Power of an Illusion." It was based on a series of films made by PBS. It was well received and led us to realize there was a need and desire for people to talk about race. We then wrote a paper on the importance of leadership in addressing issues of racial equity in society and the workplace, which was recently published, and we created a CEU course for NASW. At the last Symposium the Center presented an intensive on the subject. I have been a member of NASW for 50 years. I served as Treasurer twice and chaired five or so committees/ commissions/ task forces. My professional life has been eclectic and rewarding, blessed with thoughtful mentors, creative and supportive colleagues , and opportunities to contribute to our profession.
Online registrations are officially open!Join us on Thursday, December 16 (6:00 pm - 7:30 pm EST)
For questions about the ceremony or congratulatory ads, please email our Program Manager at cmedinaadames.naswma@socialworkers.org
Click here to download the event’s Flyer
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