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Congratulations! Many of you are just finishing your Spring Term, some of us have a few more weeks to go; all of us are eating, breathing, and sleeping "internships." The work of field directors and coordinators is never done. We continue to be responsive to the ever changing landscape of social work education in a world that needs social workers more than ever. Many of us had an opportunity to gather, virtually, at the Social Work Distance Education Conference in April to learn in community. Thank you SWDE Field Consortium for hosting a general session for field educators.
The NANFED Board is humbled and honored to have new colleagues to share their passion and creativity with us, and with you, in our ongoing efforts to provide resources, networking, and mentorship for field educators across the US and Canada. Since January, we have welcomed 3 new Board members: Nicole Oceanak, Assistant Director of Field Education, Online-Blended MSW Programs, School of Social Work, Rutgers University NJ; Kat Werner, Director of Field Education, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, and Yatesha Robinson, Field Faculty, University of Michigan School of Social Work, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Yatesha will become the Assistant Director of Field Education, Online Program in August. Read their bios below.
In March, NANFED reviewed nominations and selected a recipient for the 2022 Heart of Social Work Award. Thank you to those who nominated a dedicated field instructor. This award honors field instructors who have made outstanding contributions to field education and the social work profession. Without the dedicated education and mentorship of a field instructor, BSW and MSW students would not have the support they need to integrate their learning, and who they are, as they emerge as social workers and colleagues. Read about the recipient, Leigh Bolin, below.
NANFED is proud to launch a new initiative to fund one *new* (0-2 years) field educator to participate in the CSWE APM Field Education Institute (value of $250). If selected, you will need to register independently for APM and will be reimbursed by NANFED for the cost of the Institute. Nominations are due by July 1st, 2023.
We look forward to seeing many of you at CSWE APM in Atlanta, GA in October. Stay tuned for plans for a social gathering at APM, TBD.
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Katharina Werner (Kat)
Katharina Werner (Kat) worked in the social services field for over 15 years and has extensive experience supporting women, children, and families affected by primary and secondary trauma, homelessness, domestic and sexual violence, commercial sexual exploitation, and human trafficking. She worked at the YWCA Missoula for eight years and coordinated a program for homeless families, oversaw the women's shelter, and acted as the Domestic and Sexual Violence Program Manager. During her time at the YWCA, she helped start the Missoula Human Trafficking Task Force and served as the task force Chair for seven years. In addition to her direct service experience, she developed and facilitated trainings on the issues of commercial sexual exploitation, trauma-informed care, and trauma exposure response to spread awareness and educate community advocates, law enforcement and medical personnel, and community members across Montana.
Through her direct service and program management work, Kat was able to build both experience in and a passion for social policy and civic engagement. She served on the National Social Work Voter Mobilization Campaign (also known as Voting is Social Work) which strives to integrate nonpartisan voter registration and engagement into social work education and practice. Kat, an immigrant to the United States from Germany, brings a global lens to her social work practice and teaching. She has engaged in social justice efforts in Germany, India, and parts of SE Asia and teaches a study abroad course in Berlin focusing on refugee resettlement and social justice.
Kat graduated with her MSW from the University of Montana School of Social Work in 2012 and holds a Clinical Social Worker License. She returned to UM in 2016 to join the Field Education Program and currently serves as Director of Field Education and Associate Clinical Professor.
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Yatesha Robinson
Yatesha Robinson joined the U-M School of Social Work Office of Field Education in 2018, where she serves as a Lecturer and Field Faculty for the Online Program. Dr. Robinson has over 25 years of non-profit and direct service experience with women, children, youth, and families. She has served the community in various capacities, including promoting trauma informed programs and practices in schools; supporting mental health and economic empowerment among adolescent and adult women; and offering pregnancy and grief counseling services to women in Washtenaw County and at the Women's Huron Valley Correctional Facility.
Dr. Robinson has also served as the Director of Family Support Services for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Kalamazoo where she provided parenting education, life skills, and workshops on physical and mental wellbeing to fathers, mothers, families, and teen parents. This role led to her becoming a National Training Associate for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, allowing her to train Club staff across the country on promoting and celebrating diversity, while combating and preventing prejudice, bigotry and discrimination for their Youth for Unity Programs.
Dr. Robinson holds a doctorate in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences with research interests that include: behavioral interventions that promote wellbeing among African Americans; sense of community; purpose in life; healing and resilience after trauma; and the impact of environmental messaging on psychological wellbeing. She began teaching undergraduate and graduate courses at Western Michigan University in 2004 and graduate courses at the University of Michigan School of Social Work in 2015.
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Nicole Oceanak
Nicole Oceanak, MSW, LSW is the Assistant Director of Online-Blended Field Education for Rutgers School of Social Work. Ms. Oceanak earned her MSW at Rutgers School of Social Work and is a proud alumni of the Violence Against Women and Children Certificate Program. She has been working at the School of Social Work since 2014, beginning at the Center on Violence Against Women and Children (now The Center for Research on Ending Violence). Upon transitioning to field education, she has been working with MSW students to have a successful field placement experience. In her role as Assistant Director, Ms. Oceanak oversees over 500 students across the country and works with her field education colleagues to build relationships with agencies and partners nationally. Ms. Oceanak is also a proud member of the Distance Education Field Consortium.
In addition to her current role, Ms. Oceanak is also an adjunct faculty member teaching in the campus and online programs. She also proudly served on the Inaugural Staff Council for the School of Social Work as the Vice Chair from 2020-2023.
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Congratulations Leigh!
Leigh Bolin, LCSW - Leigh is currently the Executive Director of the Resource Center for Parents & Children in Fairbanks. Prior to her current position she served as the Forensic Services Department Manager for Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation in Dillingham, which was her first experience working in the Child Advocacy Center field and where she grew passionate about that line of work. Leigh also currently serves as the President of the board for the Alaska Children's Alliance, as well as the Treasurer for the Alaska Impact Alliance. Before moving to Alaska in 2015 she began her social work career in St. Louis, MO working primarily with individuals living with chronic and persistent mental illness. Leigh is a licensed clinical social worker in Alaska and Missouri. She received her BA in Psychology from the University of Missouri – St. Louis, and her Master of Social Work with a concentration in non-profit management from Saint Louis University in 2012. Leigh has served as a field instructor for the University of Alaska, Fairbanks for the past 4 years. Leigh has a passion for working with children and families, as well as child advocacy work, and it shows in everything she does. Leigh is an incredible leader, supervisor and field instructor, and we believe she deserves the honor of this nomination and this award. Leigh lives in Alaska with her spouse and two cats, Evie and Florence. In her free time she likes to read, cross stitch, and drink tea.
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Are you a * New * Field Director or Coordinator? If you have been in your position for less than 2 years, a member of NANFED, and are planning to attend the CSWE APM in Atlanta, GA (October 26-29), nominate yourself to attend the Field Education Institute. Specific breakout sessions will examine anti-racist social work field education policies and practices.
Nominations are due by July 1st!
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You have two options for joining or renewing your NANFED membership for 2023.
Purchase an Individual ($35) or Institutional Member ($100) annual membership
OR
Receive 50% off your membership dues simply by submitting ONE document for our repository.
For the 2023 year, please considering submitting one document for our document repository for one of the following NEW categories:
· Online Field Program Resources
· Employment Based Practices and Policies
· Justice, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion (JEDI) Field Resources
· Field Consortia Bylaws
Send your document to info@nanfed.org for your 50% off discount!
CONTACT US: https://www.nanfed.org/contact
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