Professional Experience
WURZWEILER SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK, YESHIVA UNIVERSITY, New York, New York
1992-Present: Professor (tenured). Courses at Wurzweiler include “Law and Social Work,“ “Child and Family Welfare,“ “Social Work Organization,“ and “Social Policy.“ Other courses include “Corrections Law” at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, and “Education Law” at Azrieli School of Education and Administration.
CENTER FOR ADOPTION RESEARCH, UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS MEDICAL SCHOOL, Worcester, Massachusetts
2002-Present: Senior Fellow. Developing practical responses to the real-world challenges of adoption and foster care by addressing a broad range of regional, national and international issues. These includes conducting research, developing informational resources, analyzing and developing practices and policies.
OHIO DEPARTMENT OF YOUTH SERVICES, Columbus,Ohio
1991-1992: Administrator of Judicial, Licensing, and Foster Care Services. Monitor relationship between the department and Ohio’s 88 juvenile courts; supervise licensing of more than 650 private and public facilities; supervise foster care reimbursement and placement service for youths on parole.
1990-1991: Assistant General Counsel. Legal counseling on all aspects of juvenile corrections including policy review; arbitration and union matters; extensive work with juvenile courts throughout Ohio as well as with Ohio Supreme Court; decide litigation strategies with Attorney General.
GOVERNOR’S OFFICE, Columbus, Ohio
1989-1990: Executive Assistant to the Governor for Health and Human Services. Principal advisor to the Governor on all aspects of the following departments: Health; Human Services; Mental Retardation/Development Disabilities; Aging; Mental Health; Rehabilitation; and Alcohol and Drug Addiction. The budgets of all of these departments were in excess of $5 billion, one fourth of all state expenditures. Considerable interaction with department directors, legislative leadership, federal, state, and local officials.
MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES, SOCIAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION, Baltimore,Maryland
1987-1989: Deputy Executive Director. Responsible for oversight operation of 2,500 staff. Program areas include foster care, adoption, child protective services, day care, adult, family, and adolescent services. Prepare and present testimony, including budget, for legislative committees and Governor. Member of the Child Fatality Review Team. Contact with federal and state agencies, national child and adult advocacy organizations, Attorney General, etc. Program budget in FY 1988 was $150 million.
COLUMBUS JEWISH FEDERATION, Columbus,Ohio
1986: Executive Associate and Legal Counsel. Assist in planning budget, and campaign efforts. Legal advice included debt collection, construction contracts, land acquisition.
OHIO DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES,Columbus,Ohio
1984-1986: Deputy Director/Executive Assistant to the Director. Prepare and allocate department’s $3 billion budget. Act in place of director in her absence. Chief negotiator in collective bargaining. Assist in formulation of policies, procedures, and administrative rules necessary for efficient management and operation of the department. Present testimony before legislative committees. Represent department with Governor, legislators, other state and federal agencies, public interest groups, media; directly supervised legal department, office of personnel, equal employment opportunity.
1983-1984: Acting Chief Legal Counsel; Assistant Legal Counsel. Legal counseling on all aspects of public welfare, including policy and rule review, Medicaid, adoption, foster care, child abuse and neglect, adult protective services, food stamps, day care, income maintenance. Develop litigation strategies in conjunction with Attorney General. Contact with county welfare departments, other state departments.
FEDERATION FOR COMMUNITY PLANNING, Cleveland,Ohio
1980-1983: Planning Associate, Commission on Health Concerns. Principal planner for Committee on Handicapping Conditions, Committee on Frail Elderly, and Committee on Family Care. Proposal writing, research concerning aged and disabled persons.
BENJAMIN ROSE INSTITUTE, Cleveland,Ohio
1977-1980: Director of two eight-person multidisciplinary teams of professionals serving low-income, frail elderly in Cleveland’s inner city. Responsibilities included case supervision, research, statistical, and budget reports; coordination of services with other health and social service agencies.
Education
CLEVELAND-MARSHALL COLLEGE OF LAW,CLEVELAND STATE UNIVERSITY, Cleveland,Ohio
1983: Law degree.
CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY, SCHOOL OF APPLIED SOCIAL SCIENCES, Cleveland,Ohio
1977: Masters degree.
OBERLIN COLLEGE, Oberlin,Ohio
1975: Bachelor of Arts degree. Majored in religion. Elective work in music.
Teaching Experience
WURZWEILER SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK,YESHIVA UNIVERSITY, New York, New York
2003-Present: Professor.
1997-2003: Associate Professor.
1992-1997: Assistant Professor.
OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY, Columbus,Ohio
1992: Adjunct faculty at College of Social Work. Taught graduate course, “Social Welfare Policies and Programs II.“
1991: Adjunct faculty at College of Social Work. Taught graduate courses, “Family & Child Policy,“ and “Social Work and Law.“
CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY, Cleveland,Ohio
1983: Adjunct faculty. Taught graduate course, “Disabled Persons in American Society—A Legal Perspective.“
Activities
1997-Present: Co-Editor and Managing Editor of The Social Work Forum.
1998-Present: Editorial Board, Journal of Law and Social Work.
1999-Present: Editorial Board, International Social Work Journal.
2002-Present: Editor, http://www.jlaw.com
2003-Present: Editor-in-chief, Adoption and Child Welfare Law Reporter
2003-Present: Editorial Board, Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics
2004-Present: Editorial Board, Families in Society
Memberships
Bar of the United States Supreme Court
Bar of the State of Ohio
Honorary Fellow, American Academy of Adoption Attorneys
National Association of Social Workers (NASW)
Family Court Reform Coalition