Hi everyone!! So, I am a social worker (thru and thru BSW, MSW, PhD). I’ve practiced in a variety of areas (hospital, international, anti-human trafficking and mental health to name a few). I began teaching in 2011 and have loved being around students and seeing the future our our profession. More importantly for this space, I have (had) many different roles including: daughter, sister, mother, partner, volunteer, founder, organizer, cultural leader, student, teacher, advocate, traveler, friend, caregiver, and like you all, so much more! I will be sharing my story from time to time, however I am most excited to hear about all of you. This blog came to be after my own experiences and conversations with friends, family, colleagues and mentors. I realize over and over again that so much of what I do is influenced by my social work background. Being a social worker has prepared me to navigate life differently, and I would suggest sometimes with more awareness, knowledge, compassion, and a fundamental appreciation for social justice and humanity. Shelagh was my professor and mentor in my undergraduate, become colleague, turned classmate during our PhD’s, and now friend for life! She and I have often found ourselves discussing the very topic of this blog…so who better to partner up with!