Summer Commencement July 29, 2023
Our Vision
A Better Society Through Individual and Social Change
Our Mission
Advancing the social work profession’s vision and values, the University of Michigan School of Social Work seeks to develop a more equitable, caring and socially just society. Such a society meets basic human needs, eliminates social and economic inequities and empowers individuals, their communities and institutions to reach their aspirations and potential. Drawing on an interdisciplinary faculty within a public university seated in a region of enormous need and promise, the School is dedicated to education, research and service that fosters progressive change at local, national and global levels.
Land Acknowledgment
We acknowledge that the University of Michigan, named for Michigami, the world’s largest freshwater system and located in the Huron River watershed, was formed and has grown through connections with the land stewarded by Niswi Ishkodewan Anishinaabeg --the Three Fires People, who are the Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi--along with their neighbors, the Seneca, Delaware, Shawnee and Wyandot nations.
Order of Exercises
Processional
Jordan Schug Quartet
Marshals
Amy Burandt
Field Faculty and Lecturer
Tammie Glenn
LEO Lecturer
Daicia Price
Clinical Assistant Professor of Social Work
Welcome and Introductions
Beth Angell
Dean and Professor of Social Work
Land Acknowledgment
Abigail Eiler
Clinical Assistant Professor of Social Work
Keynote Speaker
Christina Sauvé, MSW
Michigan Immigrant Rights Center
Student Speakers
Anne Flegenheimer
MSW Degree Candidate
Grey Pearmine
MSW Degree Candidate
Jasmyne Short
MSW Degree Candidate
Presentation of PhD Graduates
Reader
Zaynab Boussi
Field Faculty and Lecturer
Hooders
Lorraine Gutiérrez Professor of Social Work
Kristin Seefeldt
Associate Professor of Social Work
Presentation of MSW Graduates
Readers
Zaynab Boussi
Field Faculty and Lecturer
Justin Hodge
Clinical Assistant Professor of Social Work
Hooders
Leonardo Kattari
LEO Lecturer
Stacy Peterson
Field Faculty and LEO Lecturer
Closing Remarks
Beth Angell
Dean and Professor of Social Work
Recessional
Jordan Schug Quartet
Cover Art
The Real Blue, 1998
Sam Gilliam b. 1933
Sam Gilliam is one of the great innovators in postwar American painting. He emerged from the Washington, D.C. scene in the mid 1960s with works that elaborated upon and disrupted the ethos of Color School painting. Gilliam abandoned the traditional frames and stretchers used in painting. Instead he chose to loosely drape and suspend his paint stained canvases from the walls and ceiling.
Gilliam’s The Real Blue is a four-piece ceiling installation commissioned for the School of Social Work’s lower level and is a centerpiece of its art collection.
Dear Graduates,
Congratulations! We are thrilled to celebrate your hard work and dedication together with your friends, families and loved ones.
In pursuit of your MSW, you have gained the skills, knowledge and training to make a difference in the lives of others. You are effective, practiced facilitators and leaders who know how to take a stand, address injustice and engage the community. As you begin the next chapter of your lives, remember that education is a lifelong process. Keep in touch with your faculty and classmates and keep listening and learning from your clients and colleagues.
University of Michigan social work graduates have a reputation for their expertise, dedication and achievement. Today you join 17,000+ alumni who lead the field as policymakers, agency directors and foundation leaders, who improve lives as accomplished and effective social workers. We look forward to hearing how you apply your talents for the good of people and communities.
You have earned the term “the leaders and best.” On behalf of the Michigan Social Work community, I wish you every success as you reach out, raise hope and change society.
Go Blue, Beth Angell Dean and Phillip Fellin Collegiate Professor of Social Work
About Our Keynote Speaker
Christine Sauvé, MSW ‘11 Michigan Immigrant Rights Center
Christine Sauvé, LMSW, leads community engagement, policy advocacy and communications strategies for the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, working to ensure immigrant Michiganders experience equity, justice and belonging. Sauvé partners with immigrant communities across the state to share stories and advance policy change at the state and local levels.
Sauvé regularly speaks to community groups, elected officials and advocates about issues related to immigration, inclusion and equity. She is a member of the Michigan Advocacy Program’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, and also serves as co-chair for the Detroit City Council’s Immigration Task Force.
Previously, Sauvé served as director for the Welcoming Michigan project and contributed to several publications on the topic of social cohesion. In 2013 she was one of ten national leaders honored by the White House as a Champion of Change for her efforts to promote immigrant inclusion. Sauvé served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mauritania and Senegal, and is a member of the National Association of Social Workers.
She is a graduate of the New Detroit Multicultural Leadership program, Detroit Equity Action Lab, Welcoming Communities Transatlantic Exchange and Detroit Revitalization Fellows. Sauvé received her MSW and undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan. She is an advocate for social justice, loves birding and dark chocolate, and is happy to call Detroit home.
About Our Student Speaker
Anne Flegenheimer, MSW ‘23
Anne Flegenheimer (she/her) is an MSW candidate in Social Work Practice in the Interpersonal Practice in Integrated Health, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Pathway. She lives in Saginaw, Michigan, with her husband, Mark, and Portuguese water dog, Reggie. Flegenheimer is originally from New York City where she lived until her first child was born. She and her husband moved to his hometown of Saginaw, where they raised their two children: Trevor, a U-M alum, lives in Chicago; and Katie, an Indiana University graduate, lives in Indianapolis.
Flegenheimer graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology and George Washington University many years ago with a Fashion Buying and Merchandising degree and a business degree respectively. Her first career was in retail as a graduate of the Executive Training Program for Macy’s. She continued in the field, working with Lord & Taylor and Ann Taylor in New York City.
After her move to the Midwest, Flegenheimer decided to focus on raising her son and daughter and work in the non-profit sector as a volunteer. She worked with The Junior League of the City of New York as a teenager and has been a part of this organization for over 40 years. She transferred to the Great Lakes Bay Region chapter when she moved to Michigan.
Flegenheimer was the volunteer interim director for the MidMichigan Children’s Museum from 2020-2021. The Child Abuse and Neglect Council awarded her the Child Advocate of the Year Award in 2023 for her work as a court-appointed special advocate (CASA) from 2013-2023. This role as a CASA was instrumental in developing her desire to pursue her MSW in order to continue working in the mental health field as a therapist.
About Our Student Speaker
Grey Pearmine, MSW ‘23
Grey Pearmine (he/him) is an MSW candidate in the Social Work Practice with Older Adults and Families from a Lifespan Perspective pathway. He lives in Detroit, Michigan, with his husband, Bobby, and two young sons, George and William. Born and raised on his family’s farm in rural Oregon, he misses the ocean and mountains that are taller than 2,000 feet but strongly prefers Midwestern kindness and generosity. He feels like a real Michigander now but will, unfortunately, probably never like Coney dogs.
Pearmine graduated from the University of San Diego a long time ago with a degree in Communication Studies, where he somehow managed to keep his grades strong enough to maintain an academic scholarship while living in Mission Beach. A personal experience years later sparked his interest in becoming a hospice volunteer, which he did for many years. Through this work, he witnessed firsthand the unique perspective of social work and its impact on families navigating deeply meaningful transitions. Fast forward to the fall of 2022, Pearmine realized a longstanding dream of getting his MSW, where he was honored to participate as a Geriatric Scholar.
Pearmine would like to thank his family and friends for their support and encouragement, his classmates and professors for sharing their wisdom and knowledge, and his field instructor Julia for being the best first-time social work parent a guy could hope for. Special thanks to his husband, Bobby, for getting through that first semester. Yowza.
Pearmine intends to pursue oncology social work at Karmanos Cancer Institute, working with patients and their families as they navigate their illnesses, focusing on those transitioning to palliative and hospice care.
About Our Student Speaker
Jasmyne Short, MSW ‘23Jasmyne Short is a New Leaders in African-Centered Social Work Scholar in the Management and Leadership Pathway. Hailing from Racine, Wisconsin, Short’s passion for education and community support has been evident since her early years.
Short pursued her undergraduate education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she obtained her BSW. During her time at the School of Social Work, Short’s remarkable achievements were recognized through various awards and honors. She was the recipient of an Anti-Racism Fund Individual Student Project Grant, the Alumni Board Scholarship and he SSW Global Independent Study Grant. In fact, she is currently preparing to embark on an exciting journey to Ghana to complete a global independent study as the culmination of her degree.
As an MSW student, she interned at the Program on Intergroup Relations, a social justice education program. In the fall and winter terms, she served as a graduate assistant at Common Ground, a student-led program aimed at nurturing social identity development and enhancing group dynamics within student organizations, residence halls, Greek life, academic courses and other student communities. Currently, Short holds the position of Program Manager of the Summer Youth Dialogues program, where she supports the facilitation of critical diversity dialogues among high school students and young people in the highly segregated metropolitan area of Metro Detroit.
Short’s commitment to community and support for others stems from the profound influence of her grandmother, who passed away at the beginning of her academic journey. This personal experience has served as a reminder for her to remain strong and has reinforced her motivation for her pursuits.
Looking towards the future, Short aspires to work within higher education, specifically focusing on supporting BIPOC and firstgeneration students in social justice and DEI spaces. She is deeply passionate about anti-racist work and strives to create more African-centered spaces.
Graduates
School of Social Work
MSW Graduates
Catherine Adamowski
Tahani Al-Shamari
Nadia Alam
Dalia Ali-Khan
Charmain Allen
Marie Almasy
Aseel Ebrahim Aloraine
Preshous Austin
Audrey Baecker
Ange Gabriel Garaygay Baldado
LaShawnda Raycine Bates
Jessica Beattie
Nicholas Beaty
Owen Beird
Tabitha Bell
Andrew Benjamin
Makenzy Bennett
Claire Bensen
Lindsay Bhirdo
Allison Marguerite
Kasturi Bohn
Shyla Bradley
Chelsea Bruno
Maura Campbell
Kristina Carpenter
Shannon Lynn Carter
Emma Chandonais
Olivia D. Chang
Jadie Chauncey
Nina Chiuchiarelli
David Clark
Erin Cox
Damon Ali Creighton Jr.
Kaylee Curless
Diana Curtis
Jennifer Dear
Savannah Simone DeLaCruz
Dorian Deline
Morgan Donnelly
Sierra Downey
J’Mae Lovina Ferguson
Alicia Figeroux
Andrew Finkbeiner
Anne Hepting Flegenheimer
Priscilla Valeria Flores
Hannah Fox
Rose Charlotte Fox-Long
Abigail Gallup
Amanda Louise Goddard
Autumn Gold
José González-Rivera
Rebecca Goodman
Mari Grate
Brianna Gross
Brittany Gutermuth
Elizabeth Harris
Ebru Hatunoglu
Skylar Hawthorne
David Hay
Sara Hayden
Joseph Heger
Jessica Hilberg
Emily Hill
Sofia Hiltner
Imani Hodges
Alexis Jaster
Havilah Johns
Alexa Johnson
Jacqulyn Kane
Jessica Gail Katz
Jesse Kavieff
Katherine Kici
Emily Koenders
School of Social Work
MSW Graduates
Jeff Konczak
Mara Koning
Taryn Koury
Sara Kurdi
Dana Lambdin
Janis Miriam Lehrer
Julia Lewis
Jessica Macumber
Abbey Malbon
Bailee Mallon
Claire Marks-Wilt
Jordan Marshall
Tey’Ariana Mo’Naye
Marshall-Broaden
Kaitlin McGrath
Elena McLellan
Carlie Ann McNiff
Lisa Michaels
Saydi Miller
Sarah Marie Minnis
Ariana Moore
Andrea Shannon Mora
Alex Morales
Kenlee Morris
Ha-Eun Nam
Ellery Nyboer
Kaira Natalia Ocomen
Kohler Olszewski
Analise Osgood
Kaylee Parris
Grey Patrick Pearmine
Anna Pekrul
Maria Elizabeth Pellicier
Joel Perry
Emma Beth Phillips
Elijah Pierre
Maria Ramirez
Jennifer Randall
Sarah Reeves
Christina Reuben
Katherine Sianna Reyes
Tachi Ribeiro
Syd Riley
Catherine Rose Robeson
Amanda Courtney Rosado
Ashima Saigal
Julia Sant
Laurel Catherine Schuckenbrock
Meryl Schwartz
Aiyana Scott
Kimberly Sells
Sarah Shaffer
Yasmin Shkoukani
Jasmyne Kalysta Short
Geena Siebler
Peter Slutzker
Cassidy Marie Smith
Alexus Spencer
Briana Starks
Lenzi Nicole Starks
Melissa Stephen
Nikki Stephens
Allison Stone
Ryleigh Strong
Renée Charron Sturm
Mad Sumida
Jenna Rose Swastek
Couper Tanko
Fadia Srour Tiba
Svetlana Toder
Charles Toye
Jessica Rennae Tunesi
Haley Tuttle
School of Social Work
MSW Graduates
Desiree` Nyree Underwood
Zuleyka Uria
Katherine Waanders
Atalanta Welsh
MacKenzi Welsh
Kailey Whitted
Rebecca Wong
Brittany Young
Sidney Zimmermann
School of Social Work
Dual Degree MSW Graduates
Master of Social Work and Masters of Science in Sports Management
Ha-Eun Nam
Master of Social Work and Master of Management
Sarah Shaffer
School of Social Work
PhD Graduates
Joint PhD in Social Work & Developmental Psychology
Andrea Mora
Joint PhD Program in Social Work and Sociology
Briana Starks
School of Social Work Leadership
Dean
Beth Angell
Dean and Phillip Fellin Collegiate Professor of Social Work
Associate Deans
Joseph Himle
Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Howard V. Brabson Collegiate Professor of Social Work
Robert Ortega
Associate Dean for Educational Programs and Associate Professor of Social Work
Rogério Meireles Pinto
Associate Dean for Research and Innovation and Berit Ingersoll-Dayton Collegiate Professor of Social Work
Assistant Dean
Timothy Colenback
Assistant Dean for Enrollment Management
School of Social Work Leadership
Directors
William Elliott III
Director, Joint Doctoral Program in Social Work and Social Science and Professor of Social Work
Larry Gant Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Program Director and Professor of Social Work
Karla Goldman
Director, Jewish Communal Leadership Program and Sol Drachler Professor of Social Work
Barbara Hiltz Director of MSW Programs and Clinical Associate Professor of Social Work
Katie Lopez
Director, Office of Global Activities and Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor
Daicia Price
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Program Director and Clinical Professor of Social Work
Rachel Naasko Interim Director of Field Education
Katie Richards-Schuster Director of Undergraduate Minor Programs and Associate Professor of Social Work
Michelle Woods MSW Student Career Services Director
Erin Zimmer Director of MSW Student Services
School of Social Work Faculty
Governing Faculty
Beth Angell
Lindsay Bornheimer
Linda Chatters
David Córdova
Fernanda Cross
Ashely Cureton
Christina Dadswell
Abigail Eiler
William Elliott III
James Ellis
Katrina Ellis
Lisa Fedina
Daniel Fischer
Terri Friedline
Larry Gant
Karla Goldman
Odessa Gonzalez Benson
Andrew Grogan-Kaylor
Lorraine Gutiérrez
Jaclynn Hawkins
Todd Herrenkohl
Barbara Hiltz
Joseph Himle
Justin Hodge
Shanna Kattari
Ashley Lacombe-Duncan
Ann Y. Lampkin-Williams
Shawna Lee
Lydia Li
Kathryn Maguire-Jack
Katie Lopez
Debra Mattison
Patrick Meehan
Jamie Mitchell
Robert Ortega
Sunggeun Park
Brian Perron
Rogério Meireles Pinto
Daicia Price
Camille Quinn
Beth Glover Reed
Julie Ribaudo
Katie Richards-Schuster
Joseph Ryan
Sue Ann Savas
Katie Schultz
Kristin Seefeldt
H. Luke Shaefer
Trina Shanks
Beth Sherman
Matthew Smith
Rebecca Sokol
Karen Staller
Robert Joseph Taylor
Richard Tolman
Lynn Videka
Daphne Watkins
Addie Weaver
Lisa Wexler
Xiaoling Xiang
Mieko Yoshihama
Bradley Zebrack
Anao Zhang
Roland Zullo
Field Faculty
Zaynab Boussi
Amy Burandt
Miriam Connolly
Christina Dadswell
Rachel Naasko
Rosalva Osorio
Stacy Peterson
Aimée Vantine
Emerti
Paula Allen-Meares
Oscar Barbarin III
William Birdsall
Letha Chadiha
Barry Checkoway
Tom Croxton
Sandra Danziger
Ruth Dunkle
Kathleen Coulborn Faller
Sheila Feld
Phillip Fellin
Charles Garvin
Rose Gibson
Martha Gizynski
Leslie Hollingsworth
Berit Ingersoll-Dayton
Srinika Jayaratne
Harold Johnson
Edith Kieffer
Sherrie Kossoudji
Armand Lauffer
Laura Lein
Edith Lewis
Shirley Lockery
Susan McDonough
Sandra Momper
Elizabeth Mutschler
Thomas Powell
Beth Glover Reed
Lawrence Root
Mary Ruffolo
Daniel Saunders
Brett Seabury
Vivian Shapiro
Kristine Siefert
John Tropman
David Tucker
Diane Kaplan Vinokur
Elizabeth Voshel
Helen Weingarten
Lecturers
Cara Alexander
Daniel Alvarez
Gina Ambrogio
Dayna Asante-Appiah
Richard Barinbaum
Alethia Battles
Anthany Beasely
Trevor Bechtel
Mercedes Monaee Brown
Daphne Brydon
Brooke Buys
Adisa Chaney
Roxanne Change
Marna Clowney-Robinson
Priscilla Cortez
Sue Crabb
Colleen Crane
Julie Cushman
Sean de Four
Daniel DeSena
Bonnie Dockham
Kathleen Doyle
Linda Edwards-Brown
Kallie England
Elizabeth Evans
Rhonda Fields
Joseph Galura
Karyn Gendreau
Ayesha Ghazi Edwin
Terri Gilbert
Tammie Glenn
Irena Glover
Elizabeth Gonzalez
School of Social Work Faculty (cont.)
Kathryn Greening
Elizabeth Gumbis
Jennifer Heckendorn
Grace Helms Kotre
Gregory Hoffman
Kathryn Irish
Camille Jones
Leonardo Kattari
Erin Khang
Jax Kynn
Jamie LaLonde
Marlanna Landeros
Dana Levin
Phillip Thomas Luttrell
Douglas Manigault III
Kassandra Maple-Jackson
Erin Martinez-Gilliard
Aliyah Masudi
Patrick McEvilly
Nasreen Meah
Benjamin Moe
Maureen Okasinski
Mari Jan Pitcher
Susan Radzilowski
Kristal Reyes
Osvaldo Rivera
Fatima Salman
Monica Sampson
Laura Sanders
Diana Seales
Nitesh Singh
Andrea Smith
Megan Thiel
Jennifer Towns
Paige Walker
Stephen Wiland
Laura Yakas
Candace Ziglor
Alumni Board
President
Sabrina Clark, ‘10
Vice President
James Bui ‘01
Secretary
Amanda (Amy) Good, ‘80
Alumni Board
Constance (Connie) Ackert, ‘83
Aroosa Ahmed, ‘18
Steven Applewhite, MSW ‘74 & PhD ‘77
Peggy Bodin, ‘98
Ann Easley, ‘80
Rafael (Ray) Engel, ‘79
Karen Fein, ‘85
Janice (Jan) Fisher, ‘75
Yuri Hernandez Osorio, ‘17
Gregory Hoffman, ‘13
Vance Jackson, ‘06
Elizabeth Kinney, ‘10
Alana Kivowitz, ‘16
Sarah Koreishi, ‘01
Madinah Luqmaan, ‘16
Janice Matthews, ‘77
Kyra Miller, ‘16
Deborah Covington, ‘88
Courtney Morrison, ‘20
Ricardo Perez, ‘75
Sadé Richardson, ‘18
Milton Rodriguez, ‘97
Shannon Saksewski, ‘01
Kelly Taylor, ‘95
Bruce Thyer, PhD ‘82
Joanne Waszczak, ‘07
Kendra Webster, ‘97
Glenn Whitelaw, ‘76
Matthew Wollack, ‘12
Joanne Yaffe, MSW ’76 & PhD ‘88
School of Social Work Representatives
Beth Angell, Dean, Ex-officio
Halla Jomaa-Jouney, Executive Director of Development and Alumni Relations, Ex-Officio
U-M Board of Regents
Jordan B. Acker
Michael J. Behm
Mark J. Bernstein
Paul W. Brown
Sarah Hubbard
Denise Ilitch
Ron Weiser
Katherine E. White
Thank You
Today’s beautiful graduation ceremony looks wonderful and effortless. In truth, the Graduation Committee and many additional people devoted a great deal of talent, time and effort to make it a success. This ceremony would not be possible without the creativity, dedication and hard work of the students, faculty and staff listed below.
Graduation Planning Committee
Debra Mattison, Faculty Chair, Clinical Associate Professor of Social Work
Grant Clement, Recruitment, Admissions, and Student Services Officer (ex officio)
Fernanda Cross, Assistant Professor of Social Work
Michelle Gorton, Office Manager (ex officio)
Rebeccah Sokol, Assistant Professor of Social Work
Callie Torkelson, Recruitment, Admissions, and Student Services Officer (ex officio)
Thomas Ursing, MSW Degree Candidate
Aimee Vantine, Field Faculty and LEO Lecturer
Erin Zimmer, Director for Student Services (ex officio)
Sidney Zimmermann, MSW Degree Candidate
Roland Zullo, Associate Research Scientist, and Lecturer
Platform Party
Beth Angell
Connie Ackert
Tim Colenback
Abigail Eiler
Barb Hiltz
Joseph Himle
Debra Mattison
Rogério Meireles Pinto
Readers
Zaynab Boussi
Justin Hodge
Hooders
Lorraine Gutiérrez
Leonardo Kattari
Stacy Peterson
Kristin Seefeldt
Marshals
Amy Burandt
Tammie Glenn
Daicia Price
Sign Language Interpreter
Teryk Friar
Rachel Mazeppa
