The College of Social Work Hall of Fame Award is presented annually to graduates of UK’s BASW, MSW, or Ph.D. Programs who have made exceptional contributions to the field of social work, locally, nationally and/or globally. The recipient will be recognized and inducted into the Hall of Fame at a dinner on May 20, 2011, in Lexington.

Inductees
2012 Inductee Audrey Tayse Haynes

Audrey Tayse Haynes, 1985 MSW graduate of UK’s College of Social Work, is currently Senior Vice President and Chief Government Affairs Officer for YMCA of the USA.  In this position, she is responsible for leading the government relations and policy efforts of the nation’s 2,687 YMCAs and 50 YMCA state alliance organizations. 

Audrey’s career in Washington, D.C. dates back to 1993 and she has held different posts in the Clinton/Gore administration, as well as directing former Kentucky governor Paul Patton’s national office.  In addition, she has held appointments in the administrations of two other Kentucky
governors.

Throughout her career, Audrey has been a strong advocate for welfare reform, health care, education, family and medical leave, domestic violence prevention and many other issues important to youth and families. Audrey has received numerous state and national awards for her advocacy for mental health care, adult education and other issues impacting youth and families

2011 Inductee, Sherri Weisenfluh

On a national level in recent years, Sherri has helped to develop the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Standards for Palliative and End of Life Care and she has pioneered the effort in the development of an advanced social work credential to demonstrate clinical expertise in hospice and palliative care. A member of the Academy of Certified Social Workers, Sherri has been inducted into the National Academies of Practice for her many contributions to the field. In addition to her local duties, Sherri chairs the National Council of Hospice and Palliative Professionals Social Work division. She is a sought after speaker on the regional, state and national levels, and is known as an author and major contributor to hospice and palliative care literature. According to Betsy Clark, Executive Director of NASW, Sherri is "... an outstanding hospice social worker and a role model for social workers everywhere."

2011 Inductee, Chris Groeber

As President and CEO of CHES, Chris is responsible for the development and oversight of the business plan that supports non-profits in a variety of ways, including providing embedded management technical assistance, grant development, continuous quality improvement processes and management information systems.

Previously, Chris held the position of CEO of Croney & Clark (now KVC Behavioral Healthcare Kentucky), a private child welfare service agency where he oversaw all staff, budgeting and administrative activities. Utilizing his previous partnerships and state-wide relationships, Chris worked with staff at KVC to implement new public child welfare collaborations in order to provide intensive assessment and comprehensive services to at-risk families. Prior to his work with KVC, Chris was an assistant clinical professor and Director of the College of Social Work’s Training Resource Center (TRC). At the TRC, Chris managed a program budget of over 3 million dollars and maintained the crucial partnership with the state Cabinet for Families and Children.

2010 Inductee, Patrick Yewell

The College of Social Work is pleased to announce the 2010 Hall of Fame inductee, Patrick Yewell; Executive Officer of Family Juvenile Services, Administrative Office of the Courts. Patrick was formally inducted into the Hall of Fame on Friday, May 7 th, 2010 at a celebration with his colleagues and supporters.

2009 Inductee, Patricia R. Wilson

The College of Social Work is proud to announce the 2009 Hall of Fame award winner, Patricia R. Wilson. Pat, who is commissioner of the Department for Community Based Services, was formally inducted into the College’s Hall of Fame at a celebration dinner on May 22, 2009. Pat is an MSW graduate from our program, and she has worked in the area of child welfare for over thirty years. Since becoming DCBS commissioner in January 2008, Pat represents a vital voice for social workers state-wide and their most vulnerable clients.

Anyone is eligible to nominate an individual, and self-nominations are accepted. To nominate someone for this special honor, please include the following in your nomination packet:

1) nomination cover sheet (PDF)
2) nominee’s vita or resume
3) specific evidence of major contributions to the field of social work
4) comments on professional reputation
5) contact information for the nominator and nominee, and if desired
6) a maximum of 3 additional letters of support

All materials should be sent to:

Heather Bosworth
Office of the Dean College of Social Work
University of Kentucky
619 Patterson Office Tower
Lexington, KY 40506-0027
heather.bosworth@uky.edu