Award for Excellence Past Winners
2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006
2011 — Barbara J. Menard, LCSW
Barbara J. Menard, LCSW, of San Diego, California, has been awarded the National Association of Perinatal Social Work (NAPSW) Award for Excellence for 2011. This NAPSW award recognizes outstanding achievement in the field of perinatal social work, and is presented to one recipient each year at national conference. The award was presented at the opening banquet of the 35th Annual NAPSW conference, on May 11th, 2011, in San Francisco, California.
Barb was nominated by three NAPSW members, Debby Segi-Kovach (All Children’s Hospital, St. Petersburg, Florida); Kay Ammon, (Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, San Jose, California.); and Margery Pentland, (University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, Washington). Kay had written in her nomination letter that she nominated Barb “as she is totally dedicated to her work, [and] to NAPSW. She is a tireless worker.” The nominations spoke of her quiet dedication to her jobs, her numerous volunteer activities, and her management of the Menard Family Foundation.
Barb has been a member of the NAPSW since 2000 and has served this organization in many capacities, including elected positions to the Board of Directors (2002-2005) and Secretary (2005-2009). She still serves as Bylaws Chair, and recently was a program co-chair for the 2011 NAPSW conference, held in San Francisco.
Barbara Menard received her Bachelor of Arts degree from University of San Francisco, her Masters in Theological Studies from the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago, and her Masters in Social Work, from Loyola University in Chicago. She has worked for Catholic Charities in their Pregnancy, Parenting and Adoption services program in San Diego. She also worked at the Vista Del Mar Child and Family Services. Currently, she works at Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women and Newborns, as a per diem social worker. She additionally is employed as an independent contractor for Adoption Alliance, a program of Jewish Family Services.
Barb’s generosity and desire to give back to the world around her is also evidenced in her volunteer work and philanthropy. She volunteers by facilitating a monthly meeting of the Ignatian Volunteer Corps, where she is a spiritual reflector and advisor. She is the chair of the program committee for the Friends of Jung group. She plays guitar and sings at the shelter at St. Vincent de Paul Village. She serves on the Scripps Mercy Hospital Foundation Board.
Desiree James, MSW, program manager for the Infant Adoption and Foster Care program of Catholic Charities, San Diego, had this to say of Barb:
“She exemplifies ‘called to serve’ in her every word and deed. I’ve met and admired many dedicated professionals, but few represent as she does, the dearest marriage of true vocational love. By definition, not all of her work is pleasant or jubilant, but if there is joy to be had in helping new moms or babies or scared adoptive parents, this is what Barb reaps from her life’s work.”
Barb resides in San Diego, California. She loves to travel, sing and spend time with loved ones and friends.
2010 — Judie McCoyd
Judie McCoyd, Ph.D., QCSW,LCSW, assistant professor from Rutgers School of Social Work,Rutgers University, New Bruns -wick, New Jersey, has been awarded the National Association of Perinatal Social Work (NAPSW) Award for Excellence for 2010. This NAPSW award recognizes outstanding achievement in the field of perinatal social work, and honors one recipient each year at our national conference. The award was presented at the opening banquet of the 34th Annual NAPSW conference, on May 5, 2010,in Midway, Utah.
Judie has been a member of the NAPSW since 1991, and has served this organization in many capacities,including elected positions to the Board of Directors (1999-2003) and Vice-President (2003-2007). As mentioned, she co-chaired the 2009NAPSW conference held in Philadelphia, and was the Call for Papers chair for the Las Vegas NAPSW conference in 2006. In 2009 she also contributed, with Lisa Baker, PhD,LCSW, to a multi-segment “how-to”guide for perinatal research. There she emphasized the importance of “examining our practice wisdom and other beliefs about social work intervention ... assuring that we are developing new knowledge” that meets the mission of “Every baby, every family ... supported with competent and compassionate care.” Judie McCoyd received her Bachelor’s of Science from Albright College in Reading, PA, her Master of Science in Social Work (MSSW) from Columbia University (GSSW) and her Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from Bryn Mawr College (Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research) ,in Bryn Mawr, PA. She was a social worker at Philadelphia’s Methodist Hospital on the Obstetrics, Gynecology and Oncology floors and at Pennsylvania Hospital on the Antepartum, Obstetrics , Gynecology and Neonatal Intensive Care floors.
Judie has been a professor at Rutgers University since 2004 and was recently tenured (effective July 1,2010) and promoted. Her current research interests involve the inter-section of perinatal health care, medical technologies, decision-making and bereavement. She has researched and published extensively. She has two recent books with co-authors:Grief and Loss Across the Lifespan: A Biopsychosocial Approach (Springer,2009) with Carolyn Walter, Professor Emeritus from Widener University,and Social Work in Health Settings,co-edited with Professor Toba S. Kerson of Bryn Mawr College Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research. She also maintains a small clinical practice.
2009 — Anne-Marie Quinn Hallman
Anne-Marie Quinn Hallman, from Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Bellflower, California has been awarded the National Association of Perinatal Social Work (NAPSW) Award for Excellence, for 2009. This award was given at the opening banquet of the 33nd National Conference, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on May 6th. Anne-Marie was nominated by three NAPSW members: Kay Ammon, San Jose, CA., Barb Menard, San Diego, CA., and Debby Segi-Kovach, St. Petersburg, FL. Debby had written in her nomination letter “Anne-Marie is an amazing person, mother, wife, friend and perinatal social worker. She has learned to balance her personal life and professional life in an extraordinary way”. Kay Ammon wrote “Anne-Marie has a positive attitude about anything she does and inspires others to be better professionally and personally.” Anne-Marie has been a member of the NAPSW since 1991, and has served this organization in many capacities, including elected positions as NAPSW President (2003-2005), Vice President (2001-2003) and Board Member (1995-2001). She has been the chair of several of the NAPSW’s committees: Long-Range Planning, Standards and Awards, and is the current Membership Chair.
2008 NAPSW Award for Excellence Sharon K. Williams
Sharon K. Williams, MSW, LISW, from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center’s Regional Center for Newborn Intensive Care, in Cincinnati, Ohio has been awarded the National Association of Perinatal Social Workers’ Award for Excellence for 2008. This award was given at the luncheon meeting of the organization’s 32nd National Conference in Indianapolis on May 9. Sharon was nominated by three NAPSW members: Linda DeBaer, Memphis, Joni Hardcastle, Seattle, and Kristi Vargo, Cincinnati. Joni was able to be present at the luncheon and shared her reasons for the nomination: “Sharon’s steadfast and constant commitment to perinatal social work and NAPSW makes her a person who can be counted on,” she said. “She is a gem!” In addition, Linda had written in her nomination letter that Sharon is one of the most dedicated members of NAPSW.
2007 — Deborah Calvert
2007 NAPSW AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN PERINATAL SOCIAL WORK Deborah Calvert, MSW, LSW, received the 2007 NAPSW Award for Excellence in Perinatal Social Work for her many contributions to the field of perinatal social work, and her high level of commitment to NAPSW. The award was presented May 9 at the opening banquet of the 31st National Conference on Perinatal Social Work in Asheville, North Carolina. Deb was nominated by three colleagues, Margery Pentland, Dawn Raadt, and Judie McCoyd. Deb has a BSW from Moravian College in Bethlehem, PA, and received her MSW from Marywood University in Scranton, PA in 1980. Deb has a wealth of experience in the perinatal field, but started out at the Divine Providence Hospital Community Mental Health Program as a clinical social worker and as a field instructor for Marywood University Graduate School of Social Work. In 1984, Deb became the clinical coordinator and acting director of Social Services at Shriner’s Hospital for Children in Philadelphia. As her career developed, Deb briefly worked at the Children’s Seashore House in the Rheumatology Department as the clinical social worker, where she coordinated parent-adolescent groups and implemented a transition program for teens into adult care. She also organized training for the “Parent Phone Network.”
2006 — Margery Pentland
2006 NAPSW Award for Excellence in Perinatal Social Work Margery Pentland, MSW, LICSW received the 2006 NAPSW Award for Excellence in Perinatal Social Work at the luncheon meeting of the 30th National Conference on Perinatal Social Work in Las Vegas, Nevada April 21. Margery was honored for her many contributions to the field of perinatal social work as well as her tremendous commitment over the years to the leadership of NAPSW. Joni Hardcastle and Debby Segi-Kovach, both previous honorees of the Award, nominated Margery. Margery became a member of NAPSW in 1984 and has been one of NAPSW’s most active and dedicated members ever. As most of you know, Margery was the very committed President for 2 terms, 1999-2003. She served also on the BOD for 4 years prior to becoming Vice-President for 3 years and then leading NAPSW as President during some very challenging times. She continued to serve and guide NAPSW as Immediate Past President who acts as the Awards Chair and the Long Range planning Chair. She spearheaded the Strategic Planning group, which met in August 2001 to plan for the growth and health of NAPSW for the years ahead. Many of our accomplishments in the past few years grew out of the August meeting including the website development, membership growth, and the new exhibit. Margery also co-chaired the 1999 National NAPSW Conference in Seattle Washington with Joni Hardcastle. Margery is currently the WEB chair. We are grateful to her for the leadership and vision that she has given to NAPSW over the years and will continue to give in the future.
