C LA SS N O TE S TRACIE HOGAN SIMMONS BSW ’91, was named Citizen of the Week for the first week of October 2020 by the Dalton Daily Citizen-News. Simmons, the lead social worker for Whitfield County Schools, was described as “an absolutely exceptional individual, and tremendous for the community,” by colleague Wanda Phillips. XERNONA THOMAS, ABJ ‘91, MSW ’92, EDD ’17, was appointed superintendent of the Clarke County School District in December 2020. Thomas has 28 years of experience serving students and communities in Clarke and Oconee counties as a school social worker, assistant principal, principal, chief of staff, and interim superintendent. “Despite the challenges due to COVID, she makes difficult decisions every day to ensure student achievement remains the core of what we do,” stated Tawana Smith Mattox, CCSD board vice president.
Clarke County School District Superintendent Xernona Thomas introduces the Dream Awards presentations at the MLK Freedom Breakfast January 17, 2020. Photo: Dorothy Kozlowski.
SCHNAVIA SMITH HATCHER, MSW ’98, was named dean of the University of Alabama’s School of Social Work, effective August 1, 2021. Hatcher earned her doctorate at the University of Kansas School of Social Work. She has served as director of the UNC Charlotte School of Social Work since 2016. “As an alum and former faculty member, UGA has played a significant role in my foundation as a social worker and administrator,” said Hatcher. “I look forward to potential SEC partnerships focused on community engagement and research.”
2000s In November SHELLY HUTCHINSON MSW ’00, was re-elected state representative of Georgia House District 107, which includes Lawrenceville. Her two-year term begins January 2021. Rep. Hutchinson is owner of The Social Empowerment Center. SARAH TUNEBERG BSW ’02, led Colorado’s COVID-19 testing and containment until December 2020. In that role Tuneberg organized testing, contact tracing, technology development, and support services for citizens in isolation and quarantine. Read more about her in a UGA Today Alumni Spotlight. MIRIAM SABIN PHD ’02, joined the British medical journal The Lancet at its New York offices in March. Sabin is among the authors of “COVID-19 exacerbating inequalities in the US,” published in the journal in April. “UGA School of Social Work gave me a world-class foundation in social work research that has continued to guide my work,” said Dr. Sabin. I continue to benefit from my academic preparation professionally, which ensured I could work at all levels - whether on micro level issues or global ones. As such, I have been so fortunate to have worked at the CDC, the World Health Organization and now the British medical journal The Lancet thanks to the versatility I developed at UGA SSW. I owe a great deal to the faculty and the opportunities I had and will be forever grateful. I carry my friends from UGA SSW in my heart and throughout the rest of my career.” ASHLEY ALLEN MSW ’06, LCSW, director of MaconBibb and Monroe County Health Services at River Edge Behavioral Health, was interviewed in October 2020 about rising suicide rates and available resources. Allen and her fellow MCHS staff also welcomed the opening of a new 48,000 square foot Recovery Center. The $14 million, state-of-the-art facility houses separate wings for adults and children, including a Children’s Crisis Stabilization Unit. The unit is one of only four of its kind in Georgia and the only one of three in the state that caters to clients as young as five.
C O N N E C T M A GA Z IN E
|
S P R IN G
2021
55
