Published on : July 7, 2022
July 7, 2022, Alexandria, VA – The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) today welcomed a new Chair of the Board of Directors. Hilary Weaver, DSW, is a professor and associate dean for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the University at Buffalo School of Social Work and she will serve as chair for three years.
As a social worker, educator, and researcher, most of Weaver’s work focuses on the interplay of culture and helping processes with a particular focus on Indigenous Peoples and a secondary focus on refugees. Members of these populations share commonalities as they are often displaced, have experienced trauma, and are enveloped in foreign cultural contexts. Weaver is Lakota and has lived much of her adult life in Haudenosaunee territory in Western New York.
“I am so grateful for the opportunity to lead the CSWE Board of Directors at a remarkable point in time. It is the board’s role to ensure that CSWE provides support to its programs, and right now, we are focused on helping programs provide quality education amid a pandemic that has yet to truly abate and will have lingering implications for years to come. CSWE is also preparing to release the updated Education Policy and Accreditation Standards that will guide social work education for the next seven years, which reflects a great deal of work on the part of our members and staff,” Weaver said. “I am grateful to follow the exceptional leadership of Dr. Saundra Starks, who served as a wonderful thought partner as CSWE supported and led programs through the COVID-19 outbreak and a nationwide reckoning with institutional racism.”
Weaver has presented her work across the globe, including several times at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. She has more than 100 publications, including co-authored and edited books. She has received funding from the National Cancer Institute to develop and test “Healthy Living in Two Worlds,” a culturally grounded wellness curriculum for urban Native American youth. She also serves as president of the Indigenous and Tribal Social Work Educators’ Association and was the youngest person to be awarded the American Indian Elder Award from the Indigenous and Tribal Social Work Educators’ Association in 2017. She serves as the inaugural Global Indigenous Commissioner for the International Federation of Social Workers.
“Hilary brings a level of patience and understanding to CSWE’s Board of Directors that is appreciated by so many and we are glad that the members of CSWE will benefit from her thoughtful and compassionate nature. She is a dedicated educator and advocate for underserved communities and populations who will bring new perspectives to CSWE’s leadership,” said CSWE President and CEO Darla Spence Coffey, PhD, MSW.
Contact: [email protected].
About the Council on Social Work Education
Founded in 1952, the Council on Social Work Education is the national association representing social work education in the United States. Its members include more than 850 accredited baccalaureate and master’s degree social work programs, as well as individual social work educators, practitioners, and agencies dedicated to advancing quality social work education.