Alumni Relations - Career Exploration Series

Starting to think about your career options?
Not sure which field of practice is right for you?
Interested in networking with alumni?

Check out the SP2 Career Exploration Series
For Graduating Students

These small group sessions bring alumni back to campus to discuss careers in social work, social policy, non-profit organizations, government, and leadership. The program offers students the opportunity to hear alumni talk about their:

Bring your questions -- Alumni have the answers
Snacks and beverages will be provided by the Alumni Relations Office

TO REGISTER FOR A SESSION:

Email alumnirelations@sp2.upenn.edu and include your:

Note: Advance registration is required. Space is limited in each session, so register early.

Students will be notified of the location of the session(s) they have signed up for upon registering.

Fall 2007 Schedule

Date

Speaker

Thursday, October 11
3:00 – 4:00pm

Lara Krawchuk, MSW’95
Part-time Instructor/Private Practice/Business Owner
SP2 / Healing Concepts, LLC

Friday, November 2
8:00 – 9:00am

Laurie Friedman, MSW’03
Director of Grants and Program Management
Center for Family Services (Camden, NJ)

Thursday, November 8
8:00 – 9:00am

Emily Amerman, MSW’77
Former Executive Director
LIFE-Living Independently for Elders (Philadelphia)

Friday, November 9
2:30 – 3:30pm

Leslie Rowland, MSW’04
School Social Worker
The Garfield Park Academy (Willingboro, NJ)

Friday, November 16
2:30 – 3:30pm

Lisa Park, MSW’02
Public Health Analyst
US Dept of Health and Human Services (Maryland)

DATE TBA

Santo Marabella, MBA, DSW’91
Chair & Associate Professor, Economics & Business
Moravian College (Bethlehem, PA)

 

Career Exploration Series Presenters

Thursday, October 11: Lara Krawchuk, MSW’95
Lara Krawchuk is the owner of Healing Concepts, LLC, and a part-time instructor at the School of Social Policy & Practice. From 1995 – 2001, Ms. Krawchuk was in the field of Oncology Social Work, working in hospice and cancer wellness programs. In the past, she had a private practice with the Council for Relationships and taught at West Chester University. Currently, through her business, Healing Concepts, LLC, Ms. Krawchuk helps professionals sustain well-being in their personal and professional lives.

Friday, November 2: Laurie Friedman, MSW’03
Laurie Friedman is the Director of Grants and Program Management at the Center for Family Services in Camden, NJ. In this position, her responsibilities include assisting the Vice President in program management, developing and monitoring program reports, writing grants, and managing the budget for two programs. Prior to this position, Ms. Friedman was the In-Home Services Coordinator, and provided therapy to families in addition to supervising forty-five behavioral assistants and family therapists. Before she came to the Center for Family Services, Ms. Friedman had already acquired extensive social work experience, working as a teacher at a high school for high-risk students, counseling adolescents in the Juvenile Justice System, and was a supervisor at a crisis shelter for homeless teens.

Thursday, November 8: Emily Amerman, MSW’77
Emily Amerman has many years of leadership experience in the field of aging. She has been involved with the federally sponsored (AOA and HCFA-CMS) community-based long term care demonstrations of the last three decades, and most recently was the founding Executive Director of St. Agnes LIFE (Living Independently For Elders), a Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). LIFE is sponsored by St. Agnes Continuing Care Center and Mercy Health System in Philadelphia, PA. Previously, Ms. Amerman held positions with the Philadelphia Geriatric Center, the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PCA), and Genesis HealthCare Inc. At PCA, Ms. Amerman directed the Pennsylvania site of the National Long Term Care Channeling Demonstration, and its subsequent transition into the Pennsylvania Department of Aging home and community-based waiver program. She implemented the Family Caregiver Support Program and the start-up of Older Adult Protective Services. She has published articles, book chapters, and spoken widely as an expert in community-based care for frail elders. She serves as director on several non-profit boards.

Friday, November 9: Leslie Rowland, MSW’04
Leslie Rowland has worked as a school social worker at The Garfield Park Academy since 2004. In this position, she leads group counseling on a daily basis to a classroom of students ages 14-17. Additionally, she provides individual counseling on a weekly basis, handles all crisis interventions, provides case management, and facilitates support groups for parents of students. In her position, Ms. Rowland also runs a School to Career night-school program.

Friday, November 16: Lisa Park, MSW’02
Lisa Park is a Public Health Analyst at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Office of Policy, Planning and Budget. In this position, Ms. Park works on policy development and planning for several of the agency’s program priorities including older adult issues, rural health and suicide prevention. Ms. Park also serves as the lead staff support for developing SAMHSA’s data strategy.  After graduating from the MSW program, Ms. Park accepted an internship with HHS/SAMHSA through the Emerging Leaders Program. This program was created by HHS to recruit new employees to the Department and provide leadership and professional development training. Through the program, Ms. Park completed several rotations at other agencies within HHS including the Administration on Aging and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. 
Emerging Leader Program’s website: http://www.hhs.gov/careers/elp.html

Date TBA: Santo D. Marabella, DSW’91
Santo Marabella, MBA, DSW, serves as Chair & Associate Professor in the department of Economics & Business at Moravian College. The focus of his area of practice, research, and consulting is Not-for-Profit Leadership and Management. In addition to his position at Moravian, Dr. Marabella is a consultant; he provides training and consulting services to for-profit and not-for-profit organizations in the areas of board and staff development, diversity, strategic planning, marketing, and more.