We are excited to share with you our slate of candidates for the 2024 NAPSW Elections!
This year, we are selecting candidates for Vice President, Treasurer, Nomination Committee, and Board of Directors. The full ballot also includes several proposed amendments to our NAPSW Bylaws.
Members, we need your votes to thrive as an organization, so please review the candidate bios and cast your vote TODAY!
Please remember that your membership must be active through the end of the voting period on April 18th. You may vote by following the link in your email, or from your Member Menu under Engagement then Elections, or through the NAPSW mobile app.
As always, if you have any questions or difficulty, please contact web@napsw.org.
Candidates for Vice President:
Kim Stobbe, LCSW (Illinois )
Current employment: I am currently employed at Northwestern Medicine in Huntley as the OB & MFM Social Worker. Within this role, I provide care coordination and discharge planning for patients on labor and delivery and the postpartum unit as well as the immediate care nursery. I meet with patients in MFM to provide resources and support for mental health issues and other psychosocial stressors. I participate in many committees and lead the mother baby council to enhance services on the unit and promote a better work environment.
Summary of NAPSW or other perinatal activities: Current Vice-President, 2022-2024; Board of Directors & Education Co-Chair, 2020-2022; Chicago Conference Co-Chair 2022
Candidates for Treasurer:
Dawn Raadt, Retired (Minnesota)
Current employment: Formerly LSW with the State of MN, Board of Social Work. I am now retired, after working 27 years at Mayo Clinic Medical Social Services, Rochester, MN, assigned to the Obstetrics units. I have covered NICU, PICU and Pediatrics as well. During the pandemic I returned to Mayo Clinic, to work, mostly in the difficult hospital discharge areas. I was also employed at our Community Action Center Food Access Resource, Northfield, MN in 2021. My passion now is volunteerism, and I spend hours each week at our local Food Access Resource.
Summary of NAPSW or other perinatal activities: I have served on the NAPSW Board, as well as one term as President of the NAPSW. I was also on the Social Action committee, and twice accepted as a breakout speaker at NAPSW conferences. I received the NAPSW Award for Excellence in 2012. I have been involved with many organizations including March of Dimes-locally and was a facilitator for the Mayo Perinatal Loss group for over 20 years.
Goals/vision for NAPSW: To retain new members and keep our organization viable, we must first be a fiscally responsible organization that places the highest priority on making certain that our resources are managed well, while continuing to provide the best support and education opportunities to members. I will do my absolute best to assure as Treasurer that this continues.
Candidates for Nomination Committee:
Daphne L. Fielder, MSW, LMSW (Nevada )
Current employment: I currently work as a NICU/Perinatal Social Worker with Sunrise Children’s Hospital in Las Vegas Nevada. We are the only Level 4 NICU in the state of Nevada and receive Babies and Families from the entire state as well as surrounding states. In our 72 bed NICU, our 22 bed Labor and Delivery and our 42 bed Mother Infant Unit, the Social Worker is a vital part of the team, meeting with every family in the NICU, providing assessments, crisis intervention, family support, hospital and community information, community resources, state resources and interfacing with community and state agencies. Our NICU/Perinatal Social Work team also works closely with our Perinatal Nurse Navigator to support families preparing for a possible prenatal extended hospital stay and/or their NICU baby to be born, through our Perinatal Prenatal program.
Summary of NAPSW or other perinatal activities: I remember the first time I heard about NAPSW and thought, Yes! an organization that understands my work. I attended my first NAPSW Conference in 2010 and I was hooked. I have been a member since that time. For the last two years, I have been honored to serve on the NAPSW Board of Directors. I have also been privileged to be on the Seattle Conference planning committee. In my job I have been involved with the State of Nevada Department of Health CARA implementation. Recognizing the great value to our families and colleagues, a couple of Social Workers in our state along with myself have created a Nevada network of Perinatal Social Workers to distribute new resources and information regarding changes of information in our state. Locally in Las Vegas, we also created a Perinatal Social Worker networking dinner periodically throughout the year.
Goals/vision for NAPSW: My hope, whether as a member, on the Board of Directors or any role of leadership in NAPSW is to share my experience as a Perinatal Social Worker of 39 years to encourage and support other Perinatal Social Workers in their practice by helping to continue to build this NAPSW community that so many, who have gone before us, have established. This community of professional Perinatal Social Workers is constantly working, equipping, and encouraging a team of Perinatal Social Worker to provide their best practice. Sharing with our colleagues and learning from our colleagues, strategies, and practice, benefits not only the members but our clients.
Candidates for Board of Directors:
Brittney Borlik, LCSW, PMH-C (California)
Current employment: I work as a perinatal prevention therapist at Ohana, Center for Adolescent and Behavioral Health. I belong to the community health and outreach team that aims to help families with mental fitness education and specially curated support. My team consists of four committed clinicians who work with varied populations depending on need. The other three providers promote mental fitness and drug-free awareness in the middle schools and high schools, while I help new parents with education and community building to improve their wellbeing and mental health outcomes. As a perinatal prevention therapist, I support parents during the pregnancy and postpartum period, a vital time for their mental health and their children’s development. I provide preventive and free education and support on topics such as resilience, mental health, identity, relationship, and work-life balance. I run classes and workshops both online and in-person at our behavioral health center and at different community locations, such as libraries, community health centers, schools, pediatrician offices, and OBGYN clinics. I adapt my content and delivery to the needs and requests of the community. I currently co-run a weekly mom support group and am currently building a virtual working moms support group that will take place during the lunch hour to help moms as they go back to the job force. As part of my work, I travel around the county and teach providers about perinatal mood disorders and how early screening can improve access.
Summary of NAPSW or other perinatal activities: I come from a hospital social work background, where I worked with the L&D, NICU and mother/baby units. I faced challenges in linking inpatient families to outside resources. In my current role, I apply my inpatient experience to design my programs. I care deeply about bridging the gaps in community education and support for perinatal mental health, for both the birth person and the support person. I helped create a weekly father support group, which has had a successful retention rate and meets the support, needs of fathers, and partners who are often ignored by care givers. I am also a part of the Monterey Maternal Mental Health Task force, where I collaborate with local organizations and therapists to support maternal mental health and raise the voices of the providers who have been doing the vital work. I am dedicated to the mission and vision of Ohana and to the families that I serve. We understand that supporting the mental health of parents leads to a better outcome for their children. Increasing the support for families is preventing and reducing mental health issues in youth now and in the future.
Goals/vision for NAPSW: I respect the creativity and resourcefulness of social workers who create amazing things out of limited resources to address a need. Our work in social work can reflect our life journeys and experience. I transitioned solely to perinatal social work during the pandemic because I felt I could connect with others as a pregnant mother at that time. My enthusiasm and sincerity for this work comes from empathizing with those who are in the middle of their challenging journey. I joined the advocacy committee through NAPSW because I am enthusiastic about understanding problems and increasing access. NAPSW provides opportunities for us to share strategies with other professionals who have faced or are facing similar issues. My main goal is to increase access to support (for both birthing and support individuals), and I am keen to learn from the NAPSW community with humility. My goal is to contribute a passion for access and early screening detection and exchange what I have discovered while learning from others. I have a unique outlook as a perinatal social worker who has been in both inpatient and outpatient settings and my vision has been expanded by it.
Anna Bullard, MSW, LCSW, APHSW-C (Kentucky)
Current employment: I am currently the only Licensed Clinical Social Worker embedded in the NICU at Kentucky Children’s Hospital. In my role, I support families with babies who have extreme prematurity, genetic abnormalities, neurological conditions, and other serious diagnoses throughout the admission. I am also consulted by the medical team to provide brief therapeutic support and coordinate mental health follow-up for parents suffering from a postpartum mood disorder. In the coming weeks, my role will transition to also contain an outpatient component with our Complex Care Program which is ran by a Neonatologist.
Summary of NAPSW or other perinatal activities: I became a member of the NAPSW almost two years ago when I transferred from a pediatric palliative care team to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. I presented at the 2023 NAPSW Virtual Conference. I currently coordinate our Peer Mentoring Program in the NICU at Kentucky Children’s Hospital. I serve on the board as the Secretary for Down Syndrome Association of Central Kentucky. In my role prior to the NICU, I created a process in coordination with KCH’s pediatric pathologist for families to receive the results of their child’s autopsy by coordinating a family meeting with the pathologist and other specialists involved in their care.v
Goals/vision for NAPSW: My hope in serving on the Board for the NAPSW is to give back to an association that offered me an abundance of resources and support when navigating my new role in the NICU. While bringing my unique experience in pediatric hospice and palliative care, I hope to utilize this experience to help support the NAPSW in efforts to support perinatal/infant loss. I would also like to support the NAPSW in creating a standard of NICU social workers being able to follow a family throughout the continuum of neonatal care- from birth to discharge from NICU Graduate Programs.
Yessenia Cantu, LICSW, PMH-C (Washington)
Current employment: I currently work at Seattle Children’s Hospital as a medical social worker and bereavement clinician. Most of my time as a social worker has been supporting patients and families impacted by complex congenital heart disease, primarily in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit setting. Our cardiac ICU serves a range of ages, but most often, we collaborate with neonates who need cardiac intervention in the first few days, weeks, and months of life, making most of my interactions with parents and caregivers in the perinatal period. As a bereavement clinician, I provide grief counseling to parents impacted by child loss through individual therapy, couple’s, therapy, and group therapy.
Summary of NAPSW or other perinatal activities: I first became a NAPSW member in 2020 when I decided to take a more direct focus in the perinatal field. This past year, I have been an active member in the 2024 NAPSW planning committee for the Seattle conference. I had the great task of being on the speaker's committee for the conference and hope that the topics and conversations that come from the speakers evoke growth in us all! I am also a member of Postpartum Support International. v
Goals/vision for NAPSW: I hope to contribute to NAPSW, a perspective that identifies and elevates the unheard voices in the perinatal field. As a perinatal social work network, we can continue to challenge one another with the goal of leveraging our positions for good, unlearning approaches of harm with marginalized communities, and serving our underserved patients and families in a more equitable manner. I envision us continuing to lean and build upon the NAPSW community with efforts for collective learning and open dialogue about how we might contribute to shifts in the crucial work of perinatal mental health.
Karen Tabb Dina, PhD, MSW (Illinois)
Current employment: My research agenda addresses inequities in perinatal mental health as related to maternal mortality and morbidity in populations, clinics, and communities. I am one of the foremost international experts on perinatal patient engagement, perinatal mental health, racial disparities, and social determinants in maternal and child health. I have authored over 110 peer-review journal articles and global burden of disease reports, have been cited over 45,000 times, and have a 39 h-index. I regularly speak for invited medical grand rounds, continuing education seminars, conference plenaries, with policy leaders, and as invited keynote nationally and internationally. As a research investigator (PI, MPI, and co-I), I have acquired over $40 million in grant or contract funding and currently support nine research staff, graduate assistants, and consultants. I make regular media appearances—including InStyle Magazine, The Washington Post, and NPR’s All Things Considered to name a few.
Summary of NAPSW or other perinatal activities: My life purpose centers on achieving excellence in perinatal social work and gathering evidence through perinatal mental health equity research. I am a leader of the new perinatal center and will be leading a mentoring core to train the next generation of perinatal social work researchers. More importantly, in this center I also co-lead engagement efforts where we work with eight different advisory councils. As a mom of 3 (and a person who had significant perinatal loss), it brings me purpose to work alongside people with lived expertise and give voice to their experiences. I hope in the future that NAPSW can include the voices of the families we support.
Goals/vision for NAPSW: Social Work research often falls behind other disciplines in the visibility and application of research findings to improve clinical outcomes. One thing I appreciate about NAPSW is the rapid translation of research into improving clinical practice. In professional and policy circles I often reference NAPSW, and most have not heard about our organization. My goal for this organization is to increase and broaden our membership. More importantly, I would like for NAPSW members to have a seat at the many perinatal policy tables across the country and partner with organizations such as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the Taskforce on Maternal Mental Health, the White House and more.
Ryan Nicoll, MSW, LISW-S, PMH-C (Ohio)
Current employment: I currently work as The Fetal Center social worker at Nationwide Children’s Hospital (NCH) in Columbus, Ohio. I have worked at NCH since 2007 and spent my first 15 years in Neonatology in both inpatient and ambulatory settings. I transitioned to the prenatal side in 2021 and developed the social work role as NCH established a fully functioning Fetal Care center. I provide direct clinical interventions and collaborate closely with the interprofessional team and referral sources. I engage in opportunities to provide education regarding The Fetal Center to other departments/local health care programs and actively work with leadership on program development.
Summary of NAPSW or other perinatal activities: I have been fortunate to attend the NAPSW conference several times. I remember feeling exhilarated during my first conference, energized by meeting so many other perinatal social workers who experienced similar joys and challenges. I have learned so much from my perinatal colleagues and am looking forward to presenting a break-out session at this year’s conference. I received my Certification in Perinatal Mental Health this past fall and am committed to continuing my education in the field. I previously served on the Ohio Maternity and Newborn Advisory Council, Ohio Infant Mortality Task Force, and co-founded a perinatal loss support group along with local genetic counselors and chaplains.
Goals/Vision for NAPSW: My goal is to continue to learn from my perinatal colleagues while also offering my own expertise and experiences. I hope to share the information I gain with my local perinatal colleagues and encourage them to join the organization as we represent one of the largest neonatal centers in the country. I value what NAPSW can offer in determining needs for education, policy, diversity, health equity, and best practice. I believe in positive change and the power of passion and determination. I continue to be impressed by the expertise represented by NAPSW members and know anything is possible with this group! I would be honored to serve on the NAPSW Board of Directors.
Lily Sacks-Hubbard, LMSW (Michigan)
Current employment: I am the lead Maternal Child Health social worker at Trinity Health Hospital in Ann Arbor, MI. I cover L&D, NICU, MB and the pediatric units. I have been in my current role at the hospital since 2007. During the pandemic, I opened a small private practice, working with children and families. I leaned into my personal experience as a two-time breast cancer patient and facilitate oncology support groups, along with being a published author with an educational children’s book on cancer. I love having a mix of roles where I can use my varied skills to support families.
Summary of NAPSW or other perinatal activities: In 2022, I was the recipient of the NAPSW’s Innovative Program Award for my Diversity Focused Literacy Led Bonding Project in the NICU. My research was published in the 2023 Fall Forum. I have worked with my state’s legislature on policies regarding incarcerated women who give birth and Safe Delivery laws—both of which I was able to impact change through educating policy makers. My work is different every day, but I strive to touch families in the perinatal world at many points in their journey.
Goals/Vision for NAPSW: Being on the BOD for NAPSW would provide an amazing opportunity to share my experiences and learn from others regarding best practice to help optimize the dissemination of our joint knowledge to all members of NAPSW. I also look forward to being able to help shape policies in the perinatal world.
Danielle Stone, MSW LICSW(MA) LCSW(CT) PMH-C (Massachusetts)
Current employment: I am the Owner and Clinical Director for The Life Workshop, Inc. a reproductive, perinatal, and maternal/parental mental health practice providing virtual services to folks throughout Massachusetts and Connecticut. Our goal is to meet people where they are at, providing high quality, evidence-based treatment supporting them to meet their goals. In my role, I maintain a clinical caseload of reproductive, perinatal, and maternal/parental mental health clients in addition to overseeing the overall practice operations and providing supervision, training, and support to our interns and clinical team.
Summary of NAPSW or other perinatal activities: As of present, I have rounded out my first year as a member of the NAPSW and am an active participant in the listserv. Additionally, I am a member of PSI. I have engaged in my local chapter PSI-MA and serve on the Hampshire County Perinatal Coalition. I believe in building a local collegial network and fostering relationships so have been meeting collegially with local perinatal and maternal mental health providers. I also provide ongoing training to my staff team and locally in my community with my most recent presentation being in October as the Keynote Speak for Advance Psychotherapy Practice presenting on perinatal mental health. In April, I will be co-presenting at the Jones Foundation Infertility Counseling Conference, which I attended as a participant last year.
Goals/Vision for NAPSW: I hope to contribute as an involved and engaged member in committees bringing my perspective as both a practitioner and as someone with lived experience. I hope to further the mission of NAPSW, engaging more social workers as the specialty of perinatal mental health is shared and learned about. Knowledge is power and ensuring that as many practitioners that can have perinatal training, receive it to further their ability to provide high-caliber treatment to those they serve.
Stacie Westbrook, MSW, LCSW (Oregon)
Current employment: I am employed at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford OR. I work in a thirty-two bed Level 3 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and thirty-two bed Family Birth Center/Family Newborn Department. I have worked here for 18 years and as of February 4, we moved into our brand-new hospital space, which will eventually include the couplet care model, allowing for some of our mothers and NICU neonates to be cared for in the same room in the NICU. Asante RRMC is a regional center serving nine counties in both Southern Oregon and Northern California. Many of the counties we serve, are rural are affected by socioeconomic factors impacting employment, housing, food scarcity and limited access to resources. In the NICU, I see all the families of infants in the NICU within the first 24 hours of admission. I follow with each family weekly and/or as needed which can be determined by myself, the care team and/or the family. I see families in our Family Birth Center/Family Newborn Care Departments for a variety of reasons which may include resources, mental health, substance use disorder, illness adjustment, etc.
Summary of NAPSW or other perinatal activities: If elected, this will be my second term on the Board of Directors. In my first term, I have served on the Communications Committee working with the NAPSW Forum. I have learned so much in my first term and have valued being a part of this process that governs this amazing professional organization.
I am active in our Eat, Sleep, Console program for infants exposed to opioids in utero and work very closely with our physicians, RNs, and community partners in assisting families in how to care for their newborn and accessing resources for a safe discharge for their newborn. Additionally, I collaborate closely with our team in medication for opioid use disorder inductions for our pre and postnatal women. Our community has been impacted by substance use disorder and I am continually working to find ways to advocate for and support newborns and their families. I also am an advocate of mental health for our families and work to create resources and access for them. Because of the rural makeup of the communities, we serve this can be challenging yet I am always working toward supporting families in their journey.
Goals/Vision for NAPSW: I would like to see NAPSW continue to be the well respected and valued professional organization that it is. I am excited to see offerings coming available that would include CEU’s for ongoing education with accessibility remotely. I would also like to continue working on the Communications Committee and adding to the NAPSW Forum to ensure it remains relevant and well received in the work that we do. Being a member of the Board of Directors has allowed me to widen my scope of interest in this field and I hope to continue to do so in this position.