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More on The Theme: The Future is Macro and Macro is NowThe conference theme highlights the critical and expanding role of macro social work in shaping societal futures and addressing immediate global challenges.
"The future is macro" underscores the growing acknowledgment that sustainable solutions to social injustice, economic disparity, environmental degradation, and political instability require systemic, large-scale interventions. These interventions focus on changing policies, organizational structures, and social norms at a broad level. "Macro is now" reflects the urgent need for these systemic approaches in the present moment. With the rapid pace of societal changes and the emergence of global challenges like climate change, migrations due to conflict or economic necessity, and widespread social and health inequities, the tools and perspectives of macro social workers are needed more than ever. This urgency is about applying macro social work's principles and methods to create immediate, impactful changes while also laying the groundwork for future advancements. Addressing large-scale, complex problems cannot wait for the future; the time to act is now. |
Opening Plenary Speaker: Victor Manalo
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It is our pleasure to announce that Victor Manalo, Ph.D., MSW, will be our esteemed opening plenary speaker at this year's conference. Victor is the Immediate Past President of the NASW-California Chapter Board of Directors, former Mayor and city councilman for the City of Artesia, California, and member of the Los Angeles County Mental Health Commission (LACMHC). Victor also holds a Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of Southern California and a Master’s Degree in Social Work from California State University, Long Beach. For over 25 years, he has taught policy, political practice, and community organizing in the School of Social Work at California State University, Los Angeles. On his podcast, the Macro Social Work Mentor, Victor interviews macro direct practice social workers and shares what he has learned from over 30 years of his journey from MSW student and university professor to elected official and political social worker.
We are honored to have Dr. Manalo speak at our conference and share his insights and experiences with all of us. In his opening plenary, From Compassion to Action: Building Political Influence through Relationships, Victor will share his unique experience as an elected and appointed local government official to inspire social workers to engage in politics as a means to challenge structures of power and privilege and to effect positive change. His remarks will explore joy as a counter-balance to compassion when we are empathizing with those who are victimized by the current political climate.
We are honored to have Dr. Manalo speak at our conference and share his insights and experiences with all of us. In his opening plenary, From Compassion to Action: Building Political Influence through Relationships, Victor will share his unique experience as an elected and appointed local government official to inspire social workers to engage in politics as a means to challenge structures of power and privilege and to effect positive change. His remarks will explore joy as a counter-balance to compassion when we are empathizing with those who are victimized by the current political climate.
Keynote Speaker: Bethany Johnson-Javois
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We are thrilled to announce Rev. Bethany Johnson-Javois, MSW (she/her) as the keynote speaker for Macro United 2025. Bethany is a health and racial justice advocate dedicated to the improved health and well-being of the people of the Greater St. Louis region and Southern Illinois. She is President & CEO of Deaconess Foundation, Pastor of Monument of Faith Church, Inc., former CEO of the St. Louis Integrated Health Network (IHN), and former Managing Director for the Ferguson Commission.
Bethany returns to Deaconess Foundation as President & CEO after having formerly served on the Foundation’s Board of Trustees. Devoted to the Deaconess mission and guided by faith, Bethany leads the Foundation in its continued pursuit of the improved health of the Metropolitan St. Louis and Southern Illinois communities and its people through philanthropy, advocacy, and organizing for racial equity and policy change.
Bethany formerly served as the CEO of the St. Louis Integrated Health Network (IHN), a position she held for 12 years. She led the health intermediary nonprofit in serving the region’s safety net health care providers and the local community to promote the mission of providing quality, affordable, accessible care to all residents of Metropolitan St. Louis, with an emphasis on the medically underserved. Her leadership in the healthcare sector has garnered notable recognition including being selected by Mental Health America of Eastern Missouri as a Silver Bell Award recipient for her outstanding community service, leadership, vision, and values, and being selected as St. Louis Children’s Hospital Community Advocate of the Year. She was selected by the St. Louis Business Journal to be in the class of Diverse Business Leaders and received the Access to Equal Justice Award from the Washington University School of Law’s Clinical Education Program. Under her leadership, the IHN was chosen as The St. Louis American Advocacy Organization of the Year.
She possesses over 20 years of experience rolling-up-her-sleeves working and volunteering in the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors focused on equalizing the quality of life for under-resourced, yet vibrant people. Bethany's expertise lies in creating systems change infrastructure and developing tactical strategies that increase responsiveness and equity for the people for whom our public systems are accountable to serve. As pastor at Monument of Faith, Inc. with the gift of evangelism, she is a noted motivational speaker, trainer, and facilitator around purpose leadership and spiritual development.
Notably, Bethany was named the Managing Director for the Ferguson Commission in 2015. The Ferguson Commission, an independent, volunteer group appointed by Missouri Governor Jay Nixon, was charged with addressing the underlying root causes that led to community unrest in the wake of Michael Brown’s death. After a comprehensive study that included extensive community engagement, the Commission published an unflinching report of its findings and 189 calls to action that charted a new path toward healing and positive change for the residents of the St. Louis region.
In her keynote address, Bethany will share how Deaconess Foundation has emerged as a national model for philanthropy-driven social justice. Her keynote will explore the power of values-driven funding, grassroots advocacy, and strategic policy change in sustaining and advancing equity efforts. Attendees will gain valuable insights into how these approaches intersect—and how macro social workers can serve as vital catalysts for lasting, systemic transformation.
Bethany returns to Deaconess Foundation as President & CEO after having formerly served on the Foundation’s Board of Trustees. Devoted to the Deaconess mission and guided by faith, Bethany leads the Foundation in its continued pursuit of the improved health of the Metropolitan St. Louis and Southern Illinois communities and its people through philanthropy, advocacy, and organizing for racial equity and policy change.
Bethany formerly served as the CEO of the St. Louis Integrated Health Network (IHN), a position she held for 12 years. She led the health intermediary nonprofit in serving the region’s safety net health care providers and the local community to promote the mission of providing quality, affordable, accessible care to all residents of Metropolitan St. Louis, with an emphasis on the medically underserved. Her leadership in the healthcare sector has garnered notable recognition including being selected by Mental Health America of Eastern Missouri as a Silver Bell Award recipient for her outstanding community service, leadership, vision, and values, and being selected as St. Louis Children’s Hospital Community Advocate of the Year. She was selected by the St. Louis Business Journal to be in the class of Diverse Business Leaders and received the Access to Equal Justice Award from the Washington University School of Law’s Clinical Education Program. Under her leadership, the IHN was chosen as The St. Louis American Advocacy Organization of the Year.
She possesses over 20 years of experience rolling-up-her-sleeves working and volunteering in the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors focused on equalizing the quality of life for under-resourced, yet vibrant people. Bethany's expertise lies in creating systems change infrastructure and developing tactical strategies that increase responsiveness and equity for the people for whom our public systems are accountable to serve. As pastor at Monument of Faith, Inc. with the gift of evangelism, she is a noted motivational speaker, trainer, and facilitator around purpose leadership and spiritual development.
Notably, Bethany was named the Managing Director for the Ferguson Commission in 2015. The Ferguson Commission, an independent, volunteer group appointed by Missouri Governor Jay Nixon, was charged with addressing the underlying root causes that led to community unrest in the wake of Michael Brown’s death. After a comprehensive study that included extensive community engagement, the Commission published an unflinching report of its findings and 189 calls to action that charted a new path toward healing and positive change for the residents of the St. Louis region.
In her keynote address, Bethany will share how Deaconess Foundation has emerged as a national model for philanthropy-driven social justice. Her keynote will explore the power of values-driven funding, grassroots advocacy, and strategic policy change in sustaining and advancing equity efforts. Attendees will gain valuable insights into how these approaches intersect—and how macro social workers can serve as vital catalysts for lasting, systemic transformation.
Commitment to Community Speakers
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Trish Kohl
Professor, Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis Dr. Kohl’s scholarship draws upon several years of clinical social work practice with children and parents in low resource communities. Her research is focused on the development, testing and implementation of interventions to promote the emotional development of young children, treat early childhood emotional and behavioral problems, and prevent child maltreatment. With a particular focus on families facing adversity, she has carried out this work with diverse populations locally, nationally and globally. Ellicia Lanier Founder and Executive Director, Urban Sprouts Ellicia is the founding Executive Director of Urban Sprouts, a diverse Reggio Emilia school focusing on early childhood education. With over 15 years of experience in the field, Lanier is committed to realizing her vision of social justice through early childhood education. Ellicia demonstrates an impressive track record in community outreach. She has partnered with early childhood educators through the Healthy Sprouts Initiative and spearheaded innovative community programs, including partnering with Youth in Need to service low- to moderate-income families via a generous Head Start grant. |
Joey Saunders
Chief of Strategy and Institutional Advancement, Urban Sprouts Joey is an award-winning educator, writer, filmmaker and strategic consultant. He transitioned from a classroom teacher to a mayoral policy advisor before creating the Tomorrow Builders Fellowship in St. Louis. Through that program, he engaged thousands of community members to reimagine and redesign a more equitable early education system. This movement led to winning a ballot initiative to establish Missouri's first public stream of funding for early childhood programs serving divested communities. He is the co-author of the book Childcare Justice. Now, Joey is supporting Urban Sprouts to become world-renowned for bringing excellent early education to all children regardless of income or identity. He and Ellicia contributed greatly to crisis relief efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic and, now, through their collaborative leadership of tornado relief efforts focused on early education providers and the families and children they serve. To learn more about this effort and how you can lend a helping hand, you can visit bit.ly/stlecetornadovolunteer or support Urban Sprouts directly at UrbansproutsCDC.org Stephanie Andersen Manager, Clark-Fox Policy Institute Stephanie Andersen is the manager of the Clark-Fox Policy Institute at the Brown School, where she works to align scientific research with lived experience to advance policies focused on improving child well-being. Prior to joining the institute, Stephanie spent a decade in public health policy research. Notably, she trained researchers in effectively communicating the social and policy implications of their work and played a pivotal role in disseminating research on policy strategies to reduce tobacco use. |
Closing Plenary Panel Speakers
The Role of Macro Social Work in Responding to the Backlash
Against DEIA and Social Justice Research
Against DEIA and Social Justice Research
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Shannon R. Lane, MSW, PhD
Associate Professor, Wurzweiler School of Social Work at Yeshiva University Shannon will be the Director of the Nancy A. Humphreys Institute for Political Social Work and Professor In Residence at the University of Connecticut School of Social Work in Fall 2025. Her political social work experience includes ten years with the US Senate, primarily in the office of Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle as well as local service as an elected member of her school board and an elections administrator. Shannon earned her MSW from the University of Michigan, and PhD in Social Work from the University of Connecticut. She has co-authored two books, Political Social Work: Using Power to Create Social Change (Springer) and Social Welfare Policy in a Changing World (Sage). Amy Murphy-Nugen, MSW, PhD Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Associate Professor, Indiana University School of Social Work Dr. Amy Murphy-Nugen is the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and an Associate Professor at the Indiana University School of Social Work. Her research focuses on the social determinants of health, particularly housing loss and its impacts, informed by her practice and policy experience in housing, community development, and nonprofit leadership and management. |
Dawn Apgar, PhD, LSW, ACSW
Associate Professor and Director, BSW Program, Seton Hall University Dawn is currently Director/Associate Professor at Seton Hall University and oversees its BSW Program. Dr. Apgar has extensive direct practice, policy, and management experience in the field. She served as Deputy Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Human Services from 2000-2017. In this position, she oversaw an $11 billion annual budget and over 15,000 employees. Dr. Apgar has authored many academic journal articles on her research related to social work training and licensure, and specializes on the intersectional impacts between social work regulation, practice, and education. Darlyne Bailey, PhD, ACSW, LISW, Moderator Professor Emeritus and Dean Emeritus of the Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research and Founder and Director of the Social Justice Initiative, Bryn Mawr College A licensed Clinical Social Worker, Darlyne “walks her Macro talk” in her classroom teaching and public speaking, community- based research and publications, and through her service for the past 13 years with her friends in the Special Commission to Advance Macro Social Work, and as chair and member of several boards in academia, philanthropy, and the human services. |
