California Social Welfare Archives (CSWA)

🎉 The moment we’ve all been waiting for
Join us as we honor this year’s outstanding inductees
📅 Sat. November 15 | 🕝 5:00 PM | 📍Irvine Marriott
Register today to celebrate with us!

Your’e Invited!

We are excited to announce our upcoming 2025 CSWA Awards, where we will be honoring the following:

Dr. Andrea Garcia, LA Country Department of Mental Health, with the George D. Nickel Award for outstanding contributions to social welfare in recognition of her advocacy for Native communities and access to resources; Aurea Montes-Rodriguez, first five LA, with the George D. Nickel Award for outstanding professional services by a social worker in honor of her successful legacy of advocacy addressing systematic issues such as poverty, violence, and educational inequity in marginalized communities; Dr. Laura Abrams, UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, will be receiving the Frances Lomas Feldman Award for excellence in education in recognition of her lifetime of work as an educator and researcher.

Our registration is open!

To reserve your tickets, please visit: swarchive.org/cswa2025

We are so excited to announce that, due to an influx of new auction items, we will be extending our auction to November 22nd!

Featuring:
- Malibu vacation getaway
- Camins2Dreams wine tasting experience
- Month of health and fitness coaching from Stacy Yip Fitness

Don't miss out and place your bids now!

Join us for our Digital Viewing Experience on November 9th!

Auction: http://www.swarchive.org/auction
Registration: http://www.swarchive.org/digitalhod2024

A senior executive and advocate in both government and nonprofit sectors, Kris Perry has
dedicated her career to significantly improving lives through heightened investments in early
childhood education. Through her leadership, strategic insight, and relentless advocacy, she
has played a transformative role in shaping policies that enhance the well-being and future of
children and families, not just in California, but across the nation.
As the Executive Director of the Children and Screens Institute of Digital Media and Child
Development since 2022, Perry directs pivotal research initiatives and policy development
focused on the impact of digital media on child development. Perry has delivered compelling
presentations through major media outlets such as MSNBC, CNN, NBC, and NPR.
Perry worked in public child welfare in direct and supervisory roles, and was a valued field
instructor for several Bay Area schools of social work. More recently, she served as the Deputy
Secretary and Senior Advisor at the Office of the Governor in the California Health and Human
Services Agency (2019-2022), which developed a statewide inaugural master plan for early
learning and care. As a senior advisor to Governor Gavin Newsom, Perry was instrumental in
implementing early childhood development initiatives, effectively managing large federal grants
to support preschool programs and broaden policy and budget proposals that enhance child and
family development.
In 2018, Perry was President of the Save the Children Action Network (SCAN) in Washington,
DC, leading the political action arm of that organization and spearheading strategies that
influenced early education investments at both state and federal levels.
In 2013, after five years working its way through the courts, Perry was the named plaintiff in the
landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision in Hollingsworth v. Perry, a case that restored marriage
equality for all California residents. Following that victory, she became the Executive Director of
the First Five Years Fund in Washington, DC.

Gustavo Rangel is a social worker and former United States Marine who has dedicated his
career to serving his community and country with dedication and compassion. His journey of
service began immediately after high school when he joined the Marine Corps, serving from
2001 to 2009 as a squad leader. During his tenure, Rangel was deployed five times, including
four tours in Iraq, experiences that not only tested his resolve but also honed his leadership and
crisis management skills. Following his honorable discharge, Rangel transitioned to a career
preparation that would allow him to continue his service in different capacities.
He pursued higher education at San Diego State University, earning a BA degree in Criminal
Justice, followed by a Master of Social Work, and later, state licensure. Rangel is lauded for his
exceptional post-military leadership as an ethical social worker serving marginalized individuals,
supporting foster youth, confronting organizational racism, and diverting arrested people from
the harmful effects of incarceration.
Since 2019, Rangel has been instrumental as a Pretrial Services Officer for the US District
Court. In this role, he assists the court with bail investigations and supervises individuals
released on bail within the community. In this position, Rangel also pioneered and expanded the
MSW Forensic Student Internship Program. This program provides invaluable paid hands-on
experience and guidance to students.
Rangel worked at the Silicon Valley Law Foundation as a social worker in their Legal Advocates
for Children and Youth division, supporting young people and families as they navigated the
foster care system. Rangel’s experience also included roles at Uplift Family Services and at the
Marine Corps Community Services at its Recruit Depot in San Diego, where he was involved in
Substance Abuse Counseling and Personal and Professional Development departments.

Merris D. Obie is a Child Welfare Operations Administrator for the Karuk Tribe of northwestern
California, with over two decades of extensive experience in program management, grant
writing, and policy development, primarily with local tribal governments. With a specialized
certification as a Chemical Dependency Counselor, she has a profound understanding of the
complexities involved in chemical dependency treatment and case management practices.
Obie& #39;s approach is deeply influenced by decolonization, culture- and trauma-informed
strategies, particularly in her work with tribal communities. There, she has focused on child
welfare, youth violence prevention, program development, and drug and alcohol prevention
programs.
Obie was honored by former First Lady Hillary Clinton at the White House as one of only two
Outstanding Native American Women Managers during the Honoring of Indigenous Women of
America ceremonies in 1999, and in 2020, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg hosted
her as a guest of the Supreme Court.
As an enrolled member of the Yurok nation and with extensive lived experience, Obie
possesses deep-rooted connections and understanding of the local tribal governments in her
northwest corner of California. Her academic journey, including a BA and an MSW from CSU-
Humboldt (now Cal Poly Humboldt), was integrated with studies of the cultural and historical
origins of the indigenous peoples of California’s Humboldt, Del Norte, Trinity, and Siskiyou
counties.
During her tenure as a student member of the NASW-CA Chapter board in the early 2000s,
Obie was instrumental in educating her board colleagues about significant tribal traditions.
There, she was pivotal in establishing the Chapter’s annual Bird Woman Scholarship program
for Indigenous social work students.
Raised on the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation and hailing from the village of Katamiin, Obie
possesses first-hand knowledge of the challenges and cultural significance faced by tribes in
her locality.

Alan Wong was the epitome of a professional social worker who engaged in mission and vision
through his roles as social justice champion, change agent, policy advocate, educator, and
practitioner.
Wong earned his BA in social work in 1958 and his MSW in 1974 from what is now San
Francisco State University. He engaged in partnerships with other communities regarding
education, local funding for schools, advocacy for women and minority-owned small businesses,
affordable housing development, job training, and political organizing.
In the 1950s and 1960s, Wong was instrumental in moving the National Conference of Chinese
American Churches to join the War on Poverty. He linked his efforts as an Asian American
leader with the Black Student Union to launch the Third World Liberation Front’s strike at San
Francisco State in 1968, marking the beginning of the Asian American Movement. Wong was
arrested while demanding the establishment of an ethnic studies department. Such student
empowerment of ethnic communities led to the origin of the first Asian American Studies college
department in the nation. Later, Wong became an adjunct professor at San Francisco State and
Hayward State Universities, teaching the subject matter his work had brought forth.
Wong’s efforts enabled him to launch or strengthen programs and initiatives such as the Asian
League, the Chinatown-North Beach Credit Union, Chinese Cultural Center, Self-Help for the
Elderly, and the Chinese Hospital. His formal leadership positions included: Executive Director
of Self-Help for the Elderly, the Chinatown YMCA, Chinatown Economic Enterprise, and as a
San Francisco Community College Commissioner. His political and policy influences included:
Board Member for San Francisco Community College (elected and also appointed by Mayor
Dianne Feinstein), President of the San Francisco Chinese American Democratic Club, and
Research and Evaluation Assistant for Ron Dellums’s San Francisco Economic Opportunity
Council. He was also appointed to various organizations such as the San Francisco Social
Services Department, San Francisco Commission on Aging, and San Francisco’s Council of
Churches.

Christina Wong established herself as a highly accomplished and dedicated Licensed Clinical
Social Worker, a practitioner and policy change agent with over three decades of experience,
primarily in mental health services and social work education. Throughout her career, Wong
demonstrated an unwavering commitment to enhancing the well-being of individuals and
families, both nationally and internationally, with her expertise in counseling, program
development, and strategic policy advocacy. She has also contributed to the establishment of
NASW membership and leadership as important in the professional lives of her students and
colleagues.
Wong earned her MA in Social Work from the University of Hull in the United Kingdom, after
completing a Diploma in Social Work at Hong Kong Shue Yan College.
Wong& #39;s professional journey is highlighted by her 10-year tenure as the LCSW Member of the
California Board of Behavioral Sciences, appointed successively by Governors Jerry Brown and
Gavin Newsom. Serving from 2011 to 2021, she played a pivotal role in advancing major
regulatory changes that improved consumer protections and license portability for mental health
professionals, helping the board move from talking to doing. This included long-needed
attention to streamlining the licensing process for applicants from other states and improving
continuing education requirements to ensure high-quality mental health treatment statewide.
Her efforts earned national recognition at the Association of Social Work Boards annual
meetings.
At the Glenn County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) she coordinated children’s
mental health care. Her leadership extends to developing critical initiatives such as a behavioral
health internship program. She served social work students from Cal State Chico University for
many years, earning a 2015 Field Instructor of the Year award, and a 2013 NASW California
Chapter Chico Unit Social Worker of the Year honor.
Her background also includes impactful roles internationally, notably as Dean of Student Affairs
and MSW Program Coordinator at Hong Kong Shue Yan College, linking Eastern and Western
perspectives in social work education and practice.

Join us for our Digital Viewing Experience on November 9th!

Auction: www.swarchive.org/auction
Registration: www.swarchive.org/digitalhod2024

Mark E. Courtney has dedicated his career to enhancing the lives of children and youth,
particularly those in the foster care system. He earned a B.A. in Social Science from the
University of California, Berkeley, followed by an M.A. in Clinical Psychology from John F.
Kennedy University. He later achieved an M.S.W. and a Ph.D. from the School of Social
Welfare at UC Berkeley, where his dissertation focused on the reunification of California foster
children with their families.
Courtney now holds the title of Samuel Deutsch Professor Emeritus at the School of Social
Service Administration, University of Chicago, and he co-directs the Transition-Age Youth
Research and Evaluation Hub (TAY-Hub) at UC Berkeley. His research has been influential, as
evidenced by his inclusion in the top 2% of all scientists worldwide, ranking sixth among over
7,000 social work scholars, based on lifetime and single-year citations in peer-reviewed
publications. His work has received numerous accolades, including the 2020 Article of the Year
Award from the Journal of Public Child Welfare, and the 2015 Distinguished Career
Achievement Award from the Society for Social Work and Research
His research, including the Midwest Study and the California Youth Transitions to Adulthood
Study has had a direct impact on policy and practice across the United States. His work has
informed federal legislation and contributed to the implementation of extended foster care
programs in multiple states, benefiting countless youth.
An active member of several academic and professional communities, Courtney is a fellow of
the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare and the Society for Social Work and
Research. His leadership and advocacy efforts have significantly shaped public child welfare
policies and practice, earning him recognition from national organizations and making him a
beloved mentor and leader in the social work education community.
Overall, Courtney& #39;s career reflects his commitment to improving the welfare of children and
young adults through research, policy influence, and advocacy, leaving an impact on the field of
social work and the lives of many.

Dear Friends,

THANK YOU to everyone who braved the wind and rain to attend CSWA’s 45th Anniversary Celebration in Pasadena! The early reviews are in, and guests report that they left feeling “inspired”, that they particularly enjoyed the “delicious” salmon and asparagus, that the event was “touching in so many ways”, and that the Lomas estate was a “beautiful setting.”

Those who could not attend missed a wonderful celebration among truly delightful, diverse, and interdisciplinary colleagues, students, families, and friends. Until the video and photos are posted on CSWA’s website, www.swarchive.org, we are proud to preview a few highlights.

Dr. Joy Angela DeGruy, who received the Francis Lomas Feldman Excellence in Education Award, shared valuable and inspirational insights from her research and teaching after a truly heartfelt introduction by her daughter, Dr. Bahia Cross Overton.

George D. Nickel Award recipient Dr. Barbara Ferrer, who could not be with us in person, was well-represented by her presenter, Jim Mangia, CEO of St. John’s Community Health. In accepting the award on her behalf, Jim regaled the audience with tales of Dr. Ferrer’s valiant and impactful efforts to ensure that the most vulnerable communities in Los Angeles County had fair and timely access to life-saving vaccines during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Pastor William D. Smart, Jr., who also received the George D. Nickel Award, was certainly present in spirit through his wife and soulmate, Senior Pastor Thembekila Coleman-Smart, also known as ‘Pastor T.’ Pastor T brought the house down with poignant anecdotes about her husband’s social justice activism and community ministries, which run the gamut from acquiring new spaces for persons in need of food and housing, to personally urging President Biden to quell international hostilities.

A sizeable contingent of students from social welfare related programs throughout Southern California were also in attendance, and enjoyed rousing presentations recognizing the remarkable leadership, academic achievements, and lived experiences of Madeleine Stoner and Ralph Fertig Student Scholar Award recipients Marisa Vasquez and James DeBacco; students also learned about the impressive social work history research of doctoral student and inaugural CSWA Fellow Bethany Jo Murray.

The student experience was further enhanced by donors who supported the cost of their attendance, as well as a CSWA board member who made copies of Dr. DeGruy’s book, Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome, available to them at no cost; CSWA is truly grateful for their generosity.

Special thanks are due to many others, including, but not limited to: our gracious hosts, Don and Elaine Lomas; the CSWA Program Committee, chaired by Dorothy Fleisher with critical support from Barbara Hitchcock; our lead sponsors, St. John’s Community Health, and the National Association of Social Workers, California Chapter; former George D. Nickel Award recipient Alex Morales of the Children’s Bureau for ably emceeing the program; Dr. Benjamin Cuellar who traveled from Central California to share his experience as an inductee of the California Social Work Hall of Distinction; the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work for its broad support of CSWA and this special event; each of the donors and sponsors who gave financial support and submitted tribute ads honoring the award recipients; to CSWA Program Coordinator Spencer Carney, and all of the CSWA program staff, board and committee members, volunteers, guests, and vendors, without whom this event would not have been possible.

In looking forward to the next 45 years, we are buoyed by the exciting announcement of a six-figure bequest to the CSWA Endowment from Dona Feldman Munker! This gift will increase the endowment by approximately 30% to nearly half a million dollars and will help ensure that CSWA can build upon its mission of uncovering, preserving, and promoting the social welfare history of our diverse communities for decades to come.

We also hope that you will ‘save the date’ and join us for the California Social Work Hall of Distinction Induction Ceremony on Saturday, November 9, 2024, in Oakland California, where we will be honoring social workers Gustavo Rangel, Christina Wong, Kris Perry, Merris Obie, Mark Courtney, Dac Vu, and Alan Wong.

Again, thanks to all who participated, attended, and supported CSWA’s 45th Anniversary. Your presence and engagement matter. As Harvard Professor Vincent Brown writes:
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Historians do not get to decide what to memorialize, or how, or where. The way societies choose to mark history depends on whose stories can command material support and whose sensitivities must be treated with care.
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To learn more about the many ways you can get involved and materially support CSWA’s critical work, please visit www.swarchive.org, or contact us at [email protected] or 213-764-3069.

With gratitude,
Maurice

Maurice L. Hudson
President
California Social Welfare Archives