School of Social Work honors alumni, students and community partners

By Matthew Biddle
Photos by Nancy J. Parisi

The University at Buffalo School of Social Work recognized outstanding alumni, students and research partners at its annual Celebration of Excellence, held April 9 at the Garret Club in Buffalo.

Three School of Social Work graduates received Distinguished Alumni Awards for their career impact and contributions to social work.

Rita M. Andolina, MSW ’88, BA ’80, accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award for her decades of leadership and service to the School of Social Work. As a social worker, Andolina spent more than 30 years at the Western New York Developmental Disabilities Services Office, where she helped lead the shift from institutionalization to community-based care for individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities. She often bridged micro- and macro-level practice, championing person-centered approaches while reshaping systems that historically neglected the dignity of those they served.

A longtime alumni advisor for the school, Andolina previously served as president of the school’s alumni association and as a UB Alumni Association board member. She has participated in dozens of volunteer activities, including speaking at commencement for over 20 years to welcome new grads into the alumni community. Overall, Andolina redefined what meaningful alumni engagement can mean for the School of Social Work.

Shirley Mazourek, LCSW-R, MSW ’99, BA ’97, received the Distinguished MSW Alumni Award for her career impact as a health care leader and administrator. Mazourek is director of behavioral health and a clinical assistant professor at UBMD Family Medicine. She previously spent 15 years in hospital-based outpatient mental health clinics, where she provided clinical supervision and direct psychotherapy using evidence-based modalities.

Jesslyn Holbrook, JD ’11, MSW ’10, BA ’06, accepted the Louis H. Swartz Memorial Award for her profound impact at the intersection of law and social work. Holbrook is an administrative law judge with the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance and previously served in multiple roles at the Center for Elder Law and Justice. The throughline for her work has been to advance justice, dignity and compassionate service for vulnerable populations navigating complex systems.

The School of Social Work’s Buffalo Center for Social Research recognized the Buffalo Prenatal-Perinatal Network (BPPN) with its Excellence in Research Award (Community Partner Level). BPPN aims to improve pregnancy outcomes, enhance maternal and child health care, and ensure families receive comprehensive support to create a healthier future.

Mickey Sperlich, associate professor in the School of Social Work, nominated the nonprofit, with support from Associate Professors Christoper St. Vil and Robert Keefe.

Sperlich has collaborated with BPPN for nearly a decade to support new and pregnant mothers with a history of trauma, sexual abuse or violence, leveraging an intervention she co-created called the Survivor Moms’ Companion. St. Vil partners with BPPN on its Buffalo Fatherhood Initiative to promote healthy relationships between fathers and children. Finally, Keefe worked with BPPN to deliver a cognitive behavioral therapy intervention tailored for perinatal depression, called Thinking Healthy. 

To cap off the evening, the School of Social Work inducted 60 high-achieving students into Rho Kappa, the school’s chapter of Phi Alpha, the national social work honor society. Some students received their honor cords in person at the Celebration of Excellence, while online students will be recognized during a virtual ceremony in May.

Congratulations to the 2026 inductees: Maisha Ahmed, Jeremiah Alexander, Vincent Aquino, Joseph Baiz, Sophie Barrett-Kahn, Irene Berkowitz, Alexis Bostick, Claire Bressette, Michael Benjamin Bunin, Julia Card, Mary Caterina, Olayinka Dipeolu, Grace Doherty, Ashley Dressig, Jennifer Lynn Durmaj, Cayden Edwards, Jenica S. Faye, Saige Flickinger, Jennifer Glenn, Mariel Godard, Gabrielle Gutierrez, Jamie Guzman, Sarah Hassan, Rob Healy, Allison Hind, Linnea May Jimerson, Madison Kahler, Sean Kensing, Susan Koenig, Matthew Li, Eleanor "Nell" Marantz, Katrina Martin, Celeste Martinez Cruz, Julia Claire McNally Gervase, Donna Menard Verna, Nicole Mickey, Zachary Mota, Bridget  Moyer, Silvana Nardone, Irina Nikitkova, Grace O'Donnell, Ashley Pankratz, Peighton Ray, Mark Riendeau, Katherine Scardino, Mia Scott, Katrina Siladi, Troy Smith, Marly Clare Sobiecki, Abigail Tartaro, Sarah Tasseff, Olivia Tetta, Bella Marie Tomkiewicz, Cassandra Nicole Uy, Kiara Vallenilla, Carmen Vargas, Virginia Walczak, Tara Marie Wojtkowski, Yinglee Wong and Alexis Wright.

Matthew Biddle
Director of Communications and Marketing
School of Social Work
Tel: 716-645-1226
mrbiddle@buffalo.edu