Published on : November 12, 2021
Alexandria, VA – The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) announced today that Darla Spence Coffey, PhD, MSW, will retire from the organization after what will be a 10-year tenure as president and CEO in December 2022.
Under her leadership the number of accredited programs has grown to 842 with 59 more in the process of currently seeking accreditation. Dr. Coffey oversaw two updates to the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards; expanded the services and support CSWE offers faculty members and students of accredited programs; elevated the role of social work in interprofessional education; provided leadership in securing a Consensus Study from the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine that focused on the need to integrate social determinants of health into the delivery of health care; and led dozens of advocacy efforts to advance higher education and social work on Capitol Hill. In the past year she has been laser-focused on advancing social work education that is decisively antiracist, anti-oppressive and anticolonial.
“Darla has been focused and dedicated to supporting the faculty, students, staff, and administrators of hundreds of social work programs at CSWE. Under her leadership, programs across the country have taken steps to improve their curriculums so that social workers have the skills to make a real difference in the lives of their clients and communities,” said Saundra Starks, EdD, LCSW, chair of the CSWE Board of Directors. “Her deep passion for students and social work is inspirational and we wish her nothing but the best in her next endeavors.”