Political Social Work in Action
With Jenna Powers, Tanya Smith, Dr. Nancy A. Humphreys, Carolyn Peabody, and Kate Coyne-McCoy at the Humphreys Institute’s Campaign School for Social Workers
My political social work research and teaching is informed by my political social work practice in the community. I have been involved in the political realm as a US Senate staffer, elected official, candidate for office, campaign volunteer, organizer, and advocate. Since 2004, I have worked with the Humphreys Institute for Political Social Work at the University of Connecticut to educate social workers about voting, running for office, advocacy, and other methods of political involvement.
Capitol Hill
I worked for the U.S. Senate for nearly ten years, primarily in the office of US Senator and Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle, from my home state of South Dakota. I also worked for Senator Ben Nelson from Nebraska and Senator Mark Pryor from Arkansas.
Electoral Campaigns
In addition to running for office myself, I have volunteered and worked on a variety of campaigns for issues and candidates at the local, state, and federal level. All of those experiences feed into the information we share at the Campaign School for Social Workers and my writing about political social work.
2023 Campaign School for Social Workers participants
2020 Campaign School for Social Workers participants
2019 Campaign School for Social Workers participants
Senator Tom Daschle, 2004
Board of Education in Bethany, Connecticut, 2023
State representative and US Senate campaign, 2016
State representative campaign, 2016
State Senate campaign, 2016
US Senate campaign, 2012
US Senate campaign, 2006
Advocacy
I have advocated at the local, state, and federal level on issues such as voting rights, the social safety net, health care, reproductive rights, and intimate partner violence. I often train social workers or social work students about ways to incorporate political social work and advocacy into their careers, such as keynote addresses to the attendees of NASW-Michigan LEAD Day and the New York State Social Work Education Association Conference.
Opinion Pieces
I am a member of the Scholar Strategy Network which is an organization of university-based scholars who are committed to using research to improve policy and strengthen democracy. As part of this work, I published two opinion pieces in the Connecticut Mirror.
Legislative Testimony
I have testified in front of several legislative committees, including the testimony captured above with help from my daughter. Below are examples of my testimony on a variety of issues.
Voting
It is crucial to the health of our democracy that the right to vote is accessible to all who are eligible, and that we seriously consider any laws, policies, or institutions that create barriers to that process. For several years, I served as the Deputy Registrar of Voters in my town and have been a pollworker since 2016. I am trained as an Elections Moderator by the State of Connecticut. In addition, I engage in research relating to voting rights, train social workers to make voting more accessible to their clients and communities, and advocate for better voting policies and procedures. My work has been featured in the resources linked below. I am fortunate to work with many of the people at the forefront of this work in the social work profession, including those pictured below.
With Tanya Rhodes Smith, Mary Hylton, Katharine Hill, Jason Ostrander, and Addie Sandler
With students and colleagues at the Campaign School for Social Workers
With Justin Hodge
With Jenna Powers and Jason Ostrander
With students and colleagues at the New York State Capitol