Class Notes

Beverly Caruso, BSW ’69, has spent more than 50 years in private practice in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She also volunteers as the clinical director of a psychotherapy center that trains early-career professionals to provide low-cost therapy to underserved clients who cannot otherwise access care.

Ellen E. Grant, MSW ’74, is the senior executive director of corporate social responsibility at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. She volunteers as an advisory board member for Boston University’s Black Women’s Health Study. Additionally, she is a therapist, executive coach and author; her most recent book is The Female Worker’s Fourteen Commandments for Powering Up Your Career.

Robert C. Boneberg, MSW ’76, published Choosing to Accept God’s Gifts: A Slender Book of Reflections.

Michael Wise, MSW ’81, accepted a position as CEO of 18Doors, a leading national organization dedicated to empowering interfaith relationships and fostering inclusive Jewish communities.

Ellen P. Fink-Samnick, MSW ’83, DBH, LCSW, was awarded the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award by the National Association of Social Workers’ Virginia and Metro D.C. chapters.

Mark O’Brien, MSW ’83, LCSW-R, retired from his role as Erie County commissioner of mental health. Previously, he served as director of mental health for Orleans County, CEO of Hopevale Inc. and co-founder of Integrity Partners for Behavioral Health. He continues to work part time in private practice at Family Counseling Associates.

Jayne Kiel, MSW ’85, owns a private therapy practice and is a notary loan signing agent.

Peg Barrett, MSW ’87, LCSW-R, is a school advocate at Mental Health Advocates of Western New York, where she develops presentations and guides a team of youth peer advocates who facilitate peer-led support groups, provide one-on-one support and educate students in urban, suburban and rural districts on such topics as anxiety, depression, self-harm and coping strategies. Previously, Barrett served for 30 years as a school social worker in the Lancaster Central School District, bringing her experience and unwavering commitment to youth mental health.

Phil Zickl Jr., MSW ’87, established T. S. and D. Good Agency, a health and wellness nonprofit in Buffalo.

Brian Gabriel, MSW ’90, retired from the Department of Veteran Affairs, Veterans Crisis Line in 2022.

Kevin L. Wright, MSW ’97, is a program director at BestSelf Behavioral Health.

Marcy Abramsky, MSW ’99, published the latest issue of her magazine, InspireOn, in February and continues to serve clients across New York State through her private practice, including by facilitating connection groups for parents of children in high school.

Kimberly Girdlestone, JD ’00, MSW ’99, owns a private practice, Transformation Counseling & Consulting, in West Seneca, New York. 

Carisa Houck, MSW ’01, serves as a parole officer in the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision in New York.

Katherine Courtney, JD/MSW ’06, is a supervising attorney for the New York statewide Disability Advocacy Program. She was recognized as a Leader in Law at the Attorney of the Year Awards by the Daily Record in Rochester.

Cindy A. German, MSW ’08, started a business, Finding Space, where she applies social work skills to help clients downsize belongings, declutter and transition to senior living.

Elaine S. Rinfrette, PhD ’10, retired in 2022 and remains involved in many social work and community organizations. She leads tours as a volunteer docent for Explore Buffalo, serves as a board member for Hearts and Hands, and recently led a group of students to Albany for Capital Action Day with the National Association of Social Workers.

Katie Homer, MSW ’12, serves as the director of corporate and foundation relations at the University at Buffalo, where she secures corporate gifts and foundation grants for the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Public Health and Health Professions and the School of Social Work.

Nancy S. Kusmaul, PhD ’13, associate professor of social work at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, received the Elaine M. Brody Thought Leader Award from the Social Research, Policy and Practice section of the Gerontological Society of America.

Bradley K. Hamm, MSW ’14, is the founder and owner of a private practice, A Peace of My Mind Clinical Social Work, which recently celebrated its second anniversary.

Sara Mahler, MSW ’15, social work supervisor at Catholic Health, joined the board of directors for Arc GLOW, a nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of people with developmental disabilities and their families in four Western New York counties.

Kate Hilliman, MSW ’17, deputy commissioner of recreation for the Erie County Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry, brings macro social work approaches to connect the people of Erie County to the outdoors.

Kwasi Boaitey, MSW ’18, successfully defended his doctoral dissertation in human development at the University of Rochester. He serves as director of culturally responsive management and assistant director of the Health and Incarceration Pathway program at the University of Rochester, and as a core investigator for the Office of Health Equity.

Emily Horton, MSW ’19, LMSW, was promoted to senior therapist at START Children’s Center Inc., a Child Advocacy Center in Rensselaer County, New York. She serves as a supervisor, legal advocate for children and forensic interviewer.

Sarah Huerta Well, MSW ’19, was promoted to associate director of access services at the University at Buffalo’s Office of Accessibility Resources.  

Morgan Mahoney, MSW ’20, works at the Erie County Medical Center’s Inpatient Psychiatry Unit.

Deja Middlebrook, JD ’21, MSW ’20, was named diversity, equity and inclusion administrator II at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Julia Carey, MSW ’21, passed her LCSW exam and is a hospital social worker working with patients in the emergency room and medical floor.

Matthew L. Schwartz, DSW ’23, MSW ’18, co-authored a textbook, Financial Social Work: Micro, Mezzo and Macro Practice, that will be published this summer.

Hannah G. Ginn, PhD ’24, is an assistant professor at Salisbury University and published two recent studies: “Sexual prohibitions on sexually ableist grounds: A conceptual analysis critiquing ‘capacity to sexual consent’ policies” and “Capable of risk: Sexual risk and the dignity of marginalized women.”

Vanity Jones, MSW ’24, is a co-founder of an advocacy platform, BBRIDGE (Black Relationships by Initiating Development Growth & Empowerment). She is also a current PhD in Social Welfare student in the UB School of Social Work and will soon start a clinical graduate assistantship at UB’s Counseling Services.

Walaa W. Kadhum, MSW ’24, was promoted to supervisor care manager at BestSelf Behavioral Health.

Aaron Kottke, MSW ’24, started a new position as a senior counselor II at Horizon Health Services.

Candra Skrzypek, PhD ’24, MSW ’17, accepted a position as an assistant professor of social work at the University of North Florida.