NYU Silver Alumnae, Students, Adjunct Faculty, and Staff Honored by NASW-NYC

On Thursday, December 4, the New York City chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW-NYC) will hold its 8th Annual Awards Dinner, an evening honoring social work leaders in New York City. The event honors social workers across the generations, presenting awards to seasoned leaders, mid-career professionals, and leaders new to the field. This year’s honorees include six people affiliated with the Silver School of Social Work.

Kate Barrow, MSW ’08, an adjunct faculty member, will be recognized as an emerging leader for her work with the Red Hook Community Justice Center, a rehabilitative justice court where she serves as director of the Alternatives to Incarceration program. “I am so honored to be receiving the Emerging Leader award from NASW-NYC,” shared Barrow. “The award is truly a testament to the incredible community of radical social workers putting social justice at the heart of their work, of which I am just one small part.”

Jane Lee, a PhD student and research scientist at the Center for Latino Adolescent and Family Health, will be receive an Emerging Leader award. “I feel truly honored to be recognized by NASW-NYC and am inspired by my fellow honorees who are at varying stages of their careers,” said Lee. “I am motivated to continue to promote the livelihood of vulnerable populations and am grateful to the NYU Silver School of Social Work and Center for Latino Adolescent and Family Health community that has helped me to accomplish this important work.”

Onaje Muid, an adjunct lecturer, will receive a Mid-Career Exemplary Leader award. Muid is clinical associate director at Reality House, Inc., which offers group and individual substance abuse treatment and vocational rehabilitative services. He said, “It is quite special to be recognized by the NASW-New York Chapter and have the opportunity to lecture amongst distinguished faculty under the most capable leadership of Diane Grodney, coordinator of the Diversity, Racism, Oppression, and Privilege courses. My award is best understood in having the topic of social justice become more central to our profession to promote equity. I am most pleased to be here at NYU when receiving this award.”

Gary Parker, deputy director of the McSilver Institute for Poverty Policy and Research, will receive a Mid-Career Exemplary Leader award. "From my early days as a front line, grassroots community organizer to my current work researching the root causes and consequences of poverty, I have always been committed to ensuring the basic needs of our society’s most vulnerable are met,” said Parker. “I am honored to be a part of, and recognized by, a profession that continues to fight against oppression and for economic, social, and political equality."

V. Clare Morris, MSW ’09, and Danielle Murphy-Coward, MSW ’11, will both receive Emerging Leader awards. Morris will be recognized for her work with iGotITtoo, an organization dedicated to ending digital inequality in underserved communities in New York City by offering programs focused on IT literacy, employment, and community-building. Murphy-Coward will be honored her work with the Institute for Community Living (ICL), where she serves as associate director of the Personalized Recovery Oriented Services program. She provides supervision and guidance to a team of 30 interdisciplinary mental health professionals employed by ICL, working to ensure the quality of implementation of interventions for adults with severe and persistent mental illness.

Libby Traynor, MSW ’98, was honored with a Mid-Career Exemplary Leaders Award. She is the senior vice president for behavioral health services at Staten Island Mental Health Society, Inc. (SIMHS). SIMHS provides assistance to more than 5,300 people each year in 21 locations in Staten Island. The Behavioral Health Services Division offers a variety of clinical and preventive mental health and related services to children, teens and young adults, and their families.