Dr. Charles E. Lewis, Jr.

CRISP Director

Dr. Charles E. Lewis, Jr. is the Director of the Congressional Research Institute for Social Work and Policy (CRISP). During his time on the Hill, serving as deputy chief of staff and communications director for former Congressman Edolphus “Ed” Towns, he was instrumental in creating the Congressional Social Work Caucus with the idea it would be a platform that would allow social workers to have more of a voice in Congress. While on the Hill as the staff coordinator for the Social Work Caucus, Dr. Lewis organized briefings for the National Association of Social Work (NASW), the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), and the Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR). In 2012, he founded CRISP as a 501(c)4 nonprofit, nonpartisan organization to complement the mission of the Social Work Caucus and to ensure its presence on the Hill as Congressional Member Organizations such as the Social Work Caucus must be recertified every two years prior to the start of the new Congress. Following Mr. Towns’ retirement in 2013, CRISP, under his leadership continues its works of encouraging and assisting social workers to engage with their Congressional representatives. Dr. Lewis was inducted as a Fellow in the American Academy of Social Work and Welfare in recognition of his contribution to the emerging field of political social work. Since March of 2016, Dr. Lewis has coordinated a Social Work Day on the Hill where social workers from all walks of life gather to celebrate the many contributions our profession has made to Congress and the federal government. Each year CRISP brings hundreds of social work students to the Hill for our Student Advocacy Day on the Hill when learn to engage with congressional staff and advocate for legislation relevant to social work and the populations we serve. Dr. Lewis is an adjunct professor at Columbia University’s School of Social Work and supervises students in the MSW policy concentration. He was also an adjunct professor at the Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work at the University of Southern California where he taught communications courses in the Doctor of Social Work (DSW) program. He was on the faculty of Howard University School of Social Work prior to going to the Hill to work with Mr. Towns. A professional social worker, Dr. Lewis received his M.S.W. degree in clinical counseling at the Whitney M. Young, Jr. School of Social Work at Clark Atlanta University. He earned his Ph.D. in social policy analysis at the Columbia University School of Social Work in 2002. He strongly believes that social workers have much to bring to the policy discussion because of their hands-on knowledge about the real-world experiences of people from all walks of life. Dr. Lewis has been a strong advocate for children’s mental health as president of the Mental Health Association of the District of Columbia and has published extensively about the need for early detection and treatment as a means to reduce the overrepresentation of African Americans and Latinos in the criminal justice system. Dr. Lewis co-edited a book in 2011 with former Philadelphia Mayor Dr. W. Wilson Goode and Howard School of Divinity professor Dr. Harold Dean Trulear entitled, Ministry with Prisoners and Families: The Way Forward, presenting ideas to reduce the constant flow of young people of color into the criminal justice system by addressing their psychological and behavioral needs at an early age. He is a strong proponent for increased mental health services in schools. Speaking at a forum at the Center for American Progress titled: “Everyone Isn’t Obama: Black Men and Social Policy,” Dr. Lewis stated the over-representation of young people of color in the criminal justice system is the number one civil rights issue today for African Americans because of the economic and relational penalties incurred by individuals, families, and communities.

Gary Parker

Speaker

Gary Parker has spent more than two decades engaged in policy practice. First as a government employee and then as a university-based policy analyst and researcher, he has partnered with policymakers on the local, state and federal levels to develop, implement and evaluate policies aimed at improving the health and mental health children and families. As the former deputy director of the NYU McSilver Institute for Poverty Policy and Research, he led several community-based participatory research projects and collaborated with community and government partners to connect evidence-based solutions to policy decision-making. As director of the Clark-Fox Policy Institute, Gary leads a programmatic agenda driven by a commitment to advancing social and economic justice for children and the adults who care for them. Through the institute, he leverages a vast network of transdisciplinary scholarship and community knowledge to inform critical policy issues. Gary brings a passion for social justice and racial equity to all of his work and continually seeks to put theory, his academic training, and his commitment to stakeholder collaboration into practice to affect positive social change. He is among the seven community leaders selected in early 2020 to serve on Forward Through Ferguson’s board of directors, which has been charged with supporting the burgeoning network of residents and organizations pushing forward the racial equity movement in the St. Louis region.

Barbara Lee

Message from Congresswoman Barbara Lee

Congresswoman Barbara Lee has been representing California’s 12th District (formerly 13th) since 1998. She is the highest ranking African American woman appointed to Democratic Leadership, serving as Co-Chair of the Policy and Steering Committee. She also serves on the Budget Committee and the powerful Appropriations Committee, which oversees all federal government spending.

Luisa Lopez

Senior Leadership Team

Luisa Lopez is a native of New York City and currently serves as President of the Latino Social Work Coalition and Scholarship Fund, and Director of Social Services and Communications at the Urban Outreach Center in New York City. She previously served as Director of Digital Media at the office of the Manhattan Borough President’s Office, and served in the Washington, DC office of former Congressman José E. Serrano as a policy fellow focusing on youth homelessness in the South Bronx.  In her career, she has concentrated on developing and implementing social interventions aimed at effecting positive change at all levels of government. Additionally, Luisa has become an advocate for destigmatizing infertility in communities of color. As President of the Latino Social Work Coalition and Scholarship Fund, she is a fierce advocate for increasing the number of culturally and linguistically competent social workers serving in New York City’s most vulnerable communities, as well as for elevating the importance and value that social workers bring to all areas of public life and civic engagement.

Schai Schairer

ARTIST

Schai Schairer is a dynamic spoken word artist, motivational speaker, and nonprofit leader based in Montgomery County, Maryland. Born in Haiti, Schai was adopted and raised in the U.S. Schai has become a strong advocate for adoptees, LGBTQI individuals, and women impacted by the justice system. Schai expresses her experiences through powerful spoken word poetry performances that inspire and motivate. Her talents have led her to speak at universities, conferences, and community events nationwide. As Executive Director of Fighting Injustice Standing Together (F.I.S.T.), Schai works tirelessly to support currently and formerly incarcerated women through creative programs and resources. Under her leadership, F.I.S.T. has grown exponentially and received recognition from community leaders.

Jessica Mitchell

Speaker

Leah Topek-Walker has been a social worker for 18 years. Leah began working in a community-based mental health clinic, and was privileged to work with individuals with HIV/ AIDS and who were involved in the carceral system. She currently serves as faculty in the Stony Brook School of Social Welfare Practicum Department, and supervises the library social work program. She is dedicated to working on issues of liberation, social justice, and creating systemic change that empowers communities. Leah is working on her doctorate in social work, and currently serves on the Long Island Legislative Committee for Our Unhoused Neighbors and other academic and community committees.

Natasha Cooks

Speaker

Natasha is a BSW student in her senior year at Stony Brook University, looking to further her degree and apply for the Master’s advanced standing program. Natasha is an e-board member for the Undergraduate Social Welfare Alliance(USWA). She has dedicated many years to working with individuals with developmental disabilities where she has been focused on equality for all. Natasha’s current practicum placement is in the library setting where she assists individuals with various tasks to promote self-sufficiency. She currently serves on the Long Island Legislative Committee for Our Unhoused Neighbors.

Jessica Hare

Speaker

Dr. Jessica Hare serves as Vice-President, Outreach at American Promise. Dr. Hare has over 17 years of professional social work experience that ranges from child welfare, military social work, medical social work, school social work, and most recently Political Social Work. Dr. Hare has proven to be committed to the empowerment of black women and girls, while advocating on their behalf to promote leadership development and gender equity in the areas of health, education and economic empowerment. Dr. Hare plans to continue utilizing her social work knowledge and skills to stand against social injustice while empowering not only oppressed populations, but all populations. Currently residing in the Atlanta Metropolitan area, in her down time, Dr. Hare enjoys exercising and spending quality time with her children Morgan (14) and twins Nicholas & Megan (9).

Nicole Capozziello

Speaker

Nicole Capozziello, MSW, is a doctoral candidate at the University at Buffalo School of Social Work. Her work focuses on criminal justice reform, gardening and nature access, and storytelling as a means for social change. She is the Therapeutic Gardening Coordinator for Grassroots Gardens of Western New York and the co-director of Social Workers & Allies Against Solitary Confinement (SWASC).

Mary Buser

Speaker

Mary Buser, LCSW, is a former assistant chief of mental health on Rikers Island, where she worked in the solitary confinement unit. Post Rikers, she has been an outspoken advocate for the incarcerated, especially those with mental illness, and people held in solitary confinement. She is a published author and frequently writes articles about the criminal justice system. She serves as the co-director of Social Workers & Allies against Solitary Confinement (SWASC).

Dan Ferris

Speaker

Throughout his career, Dan has led initiatives in offices of government affairs, community public health organizations, and research institutes. As an Assistant Professor of Practice, Dan applies his experience through teaching, research, and continued commitment to policy change. After serving as the inaugural Assistant Dean for Policy Initiatives at the Brown School, he currently leads training and education initiatives for the Social Policy Institute, where he supports emerging leaders in policy practice and research through innovative programming. His research focuses on participation, as he examines systems and disparities around areas such as food insecurity and elections. Dan earned his PhD in Public and Social Policy from Saint Louis University.

Emma Mehrabi

Speaker

Emma is an experienced policy director with a demonstrated history of coalition building, policy analysis, and management. She is skilled in legislative research, campaigns, advocacy, and working in Congress as a strong community and social services professional. Currently the Chief-of-Staff at the Congressional Progressive Caucus Center, Emma has worked on domestic poverty issues for over a decade, including seven years spent working in Congress for Representative Barbara Lee, including serving her Legislative Director. She earned her Master of Social Work (MSW) focused on policy and nonprofit management from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Jewel Stafford

Speaker

Jewel Stafford serves as the Assistant Dean of the Office of Education, and her work focuses on developing, implementing, and evaluating racial equity initiatives with students, faculty, and community partners. As a teaching professor, her primary areas of scholarship are racial equity, reproductive health inequities, intimate partner violence, social policy, and community-based participatory research. Her current work explores the influence of acculturation and racial socialization on reproductive health outcomes for black communities. As the Director of the Racial Equity Fellowship program, she led three cohorts of students through a region-specific curriculum in varied community field placements. She continues to collaborate with researchers and develop community-based training and curriculum for community members. Before joining the Brown School, she was a research coordinator on NIH-funded grants, administering multiple community-based public health research projects and collaborating with community leaders and researchers to develop culturally appropriate evaluation tools and assessments. As a social worker, she utilizes her skills, community-engaged scholarship, and research experience to work with diverse populations to drive policy, promote partnerships, and improve health outcomes.

Christina Chiarelli-Helminiak

Speaker

Christina Chiarelli-Helminiak is a Professor of Graduate Social Work and serves as the interim Associate Director and Academic Advisor for Academic Success Programs at West Chester University. In her current role, Dr. Tina assists students traditionally excluded from the academy in navigating institutional policies that create barriers to their success. She is currently planning the third Campaign School for Social Workers to be held in the greater Philadelphia region. Her research focuses on the intersection of social justice and human rights especially within higher education.

Sierra McNeil

Speaker

As a proud social worker, Sierra McNeil strives to create opportunities that promote awareness of underrepresented groups in spaces that largely negate the importance of including persons with diverse lived experiences which is crucially needed to create much needed system change. Sierra earned her MSW from Temple University. Sierra currently serves as the Director of Workforce Development where her primary task is addressing the behavioral health workforce crisis in Philadelphia and throughout the Commonwealth. Additionally, she is the current President for NASW-PA. Sierra is passionate about improving the behavioral health system so that people receive effective care.

Ebonnie Vazquez

Speaker

Dr. Ebonnie Vazquez is an undergraduate Social Work professor at West Chester University, teaching macro social work courses geared toward training students on how to effectively advocate for social change. She has more than 20 years of professional macro social practice. She is also the CEO of Sistah Sircle Resiliency Network, LLC, a non-profit organization that provides mentoring and social support to single parents in the Harrisburg area. She is a published author and motivational speaker. She is also a moderator and co-facilitator for Insight Resources, LLC, where she works to address racism and inequality through training and group facilitation.

Steve David

Speaker

Steve David serves as the advocacy director at the Ohio State University were he conducts nonpartisan voter engagement and advocacy training for students and health and human service workers.

Leah Topek-Walker

Speaker

Leah Topek-Walker has been a social worker for 18 years. Leah began working in a community-based mental health clinic, and was privileged to work with individuals with HIV/ AIDS and who were involved in the carceral system. She currently serves as faculty in the Stony Brook School of Social Welfare Practicum Department, and supervises the library social work program. She is dedicated to working on issues of liberation, social justice, and creating systemic change that empowers communities. Leah is working on her doctorate in social work, and currently serves on the Long Island Legislative Committee for Our Unhoused Neighbors and other academic and community committees.

Jocelyn Yow

Speaker

Jocelyn Yow has ten years of experience in politics and has worked at all levels of government in the United States. She won her election for Eastvale City Council in Riverside County with a 40 point margin at the age of 23, and at the age of 25, she became the youngest woman of color to serve as mayor of a California city. In addition to serving on the city council, Jocelyn also serves as the legislative advocacy director at IGNITE National, where she spearheads the organization’s legislative priorities. Under her leadership, IGNITE successfully co-sponsored and passed over 20 legislations focusing on women’s rights and voting rights across the country. Prior to joining IGNITE, she worked for Congressman Gil Cisneros and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi. Jocelyn is a strategic thinker and a team-player with strong project management skills. She has been featured on Yahoo Finance, Ms. Magazine, PBS, CalMatters, ABC7, Spectrum News, Mashable SEA, Malaysia Kini, among others. Jocelyn obtained her master’s degree from Harvard Extension and her bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley.

Matt Scott

Keynote Speaker

Matt Scott is the director of storytelling and engagement at the global nonprofit climate solutions resource Project Drawdown, and is the founding director of the Drawdown Stories program where he helps everyday people find their role in climate solutions and justice on the community level. Matt is the host of the climate solutions short documentary series Drawdown's Neighborhood, featured on the Weather Channel's Pattrn streaming network. Prior to his work at Project Drawdown, Matt was the global community lead and storyteller of the NASA International Space Apps Challenge, the world's largest global problem-solving hackathon — engaging over 100,000 people in over 150 countries. While building Space Apps – what’s been called the U.S. government’s largest citizen diplomacy initiative – he also worked with the Australian Government, Pivotal Ventures by Melinda Gates, USAID, the United Nations, Nike, Walmart, and the Obama White House. Matt is the creator of Let’s Care, where he’s interviewed 100+ changemakers and created the film 20s & Change: San Francisco, recognized at three film festivals to-date.