Changing of the Guard, Summit on the Metropolitan Family

Every year in early June, the NASW IL Chapter Board of Directors is preceded by an Annual Leadership day, in which new Chapter District Chairs/Board members come together to participate in day long training about the Association and planning for the upcoming fiscal year.  Approximately 50% of our Board turns over annually, so it is extremely important that we conduct these trainings on a regular basis.  This was also a year in which we transition to a new Chapter President.  Giesela Grumbach completes her two year as President on June 30, 2007 and Kathy Wehrmann assumes the position of Chapter President on July 1, 2007.  These two days of meetings with new Board members, continuing Board members and  outgoing Board members were very energizing.  Our new Chapter Board of Directors (see below) is excited to get to work beginning July 1^st.

Kathy Wehrmann, Phd, LSW,MSW  - President – Champaign, IL

Don Phelps, PhD, LCSW – First Vice President – Aurora, IL

Dennis J. Crowell, ACSW, LCSW, MSW, Second Vice President, Pekin, IL

Carol Acord, MSW, LCSW, ACSW, CSW-G, Treasurer, Champaign, IL

Yolanda Jordan, LCSW, MSW, Secretary, Bolingbrook, IL

Nicole Lee, MSW, Chicago District Chair, Chicago, IL

Milka Ramirez, LSW, MSW, Chicago District Board Representative, Chicago, IL

Melissa Weppner, LCSW, MSW, Three Rivers District Chair, Elmhurst, IL

Candi Gray, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C, East Central District Chair, Normal, IL

Kathy Reese, ACSW, LCSW, MSW, Jane Addams District Chair, Rockford, IL

Joseph Harper, LCSW, ACSW, DCSW, MBA, CADC, Metro East St. Louis District Chair, Chester, IL

Karen Washington, LSW, Peoria District Chair, Peoria, IL

Janice Whitfield, Mississippi District Chair, Macomb, IL

Elaine Jurkowski, PhD, MSW, Southern Illinois District Chair, Carbondale, IL

Marilyn Stevens, LCSW, MSW, Springfield District Chair, Springfield, IL

Cheri  Sinnot, LCSW, Northeastern District Chair, Northbrook,IL

Daniel Potter, MS, LCSW, BCD, Northeastern District Board Representative, Skokie, IL

Janice Hockensmith, ACSW, LSW, Calumet District Chair, Bourbannais, IL

Ilana Rich, Graduate Student Representative, Loyola University Chicago

Matthew Knysz, Undergraduate Student Representative, Aurora University

On May 30^th, I had the honor and opportunity to represent the Illinois Chapter at the Inaugural Summit on the Metropolitan Family, sponsored by Metropolitan Family Services in Chicago, one of the oldest human services agencies in the city of Chicago, which has been providing a wide range of vital services to residents of the Chicagoland area for 150 years.  Richard L. Jones, Ph.D., President and CEO of Metropolitan Family Services, was the Summit Convener.  Richard is a social work, a member of NASW and Chair of the NASW Insurance Trust.  As Richard noted in his welcoming note to participants, the objective of the summit “is to prioritize issues, debate ideas, and inspire new directions that will strengthen our region’s families.”  A wide range of experts, business and agency leaders, representatives from government and media were in attendance to discuss future strategies to strengthen families. Keynote speakers included Juan Williams, Senior Correspondent for National Public Radio, Political Analyst for Fox News, and recent author of “Enough – The Phony Leaders, Dead-End Movements and Culture of Failure That Are Undermining Black America,” spoke on “Urban Youth – Problems and Promise,” and Pulitzer Prize Chicago Tribune syndicated columnist Clarence Page, who spoke on “Restoring the Family as a Bedrock Institution.”   Their remarks set the table for the rest of day’s workshops and discussions.   The event was a major undertaking by Metropolitan Family Services, bringing together an impressive array of stakeholders.  What was very significant about this event was the vision that Richard Jones provided for this event, which was imbued in the social work values of strengthening families and social justice.