VCU School of Social Work

M. Lori Thomas, PhD, MSW, MDiv, a 2008 alumna of VCU’s doctoral program (and MSW program) and a past recipient of our Elaine Rothenberg Award and McGrath Morris Award, among others, has recently been named a 2011 Hartford Faculty Scholar. Funded by The John A. Hartford Foundation of New York City and administered by The Gerontological Society of America, the Geriatric Social Work Initiative cultivates faculty leaders in gerontological education and research through the Faculty Scholars Program in training academic leaders to teach, mentor, do cutting-edge research, and prepare the next generation of social workers to serve older adults. Lori is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Work at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. We are so proud of you, Lori!

Congratulations to Dr. Kia J. Bentley, Ph.D. Program Director, who was elected by the GADE Steering Committee to the Chair-elect position immediately following their annual conference held March 31 – April 3, 2011 at the University of Pittsburgh. As she transitions into the Chair position, Bentley will actively participate in the roles she will be assuming as the Chair of GADE in CSWE (including the Leadership Forum and the Research Commission), SSWR, BPD, and ANSWER. Her two-year term as Chair will begin at the 2012 GADE conference.

In the capacity of Chair-elect, the Steering Committee has also asked Dr. Bentley to lead a Task Force on Strategic Directions. The committee will consider how the GADE organization can use its resources, including the current surplus, to more fully embrace its mission and increase its influence and impact.