• Receiving the Distinguished Service Award from CASW in 1993 was my first contact with CASW. I had no inkling that over time this organization would provide me with so many opportunities throughout my social work career.
  • Attending joint meetings of Presidents and CASW Board as well as national conferences in 1999 and 2000 as NBASW President.
  • Being nominated in 2007 as the CASW Director from New-Brunswick after ten years on the NBASW Board including my term as president.
  • Having the privilege and honor to be a member of the CASW Board from 2007 to 2017 including three years as Treasurer under the leadership of Veronica Marsman and Darlene MacDonald  followed by five years in their footsteps as CASW president.
  • Acceding to the role of CASW president a few short months after our Federation Partners from Alberta and Ontario had decided to end their partnership with CASW in March 2011  was daunting .  Given that the Quebec Association had left CASW in 2003, the loss of two more partners representing more than 50 % of all the social workers in Canada was cause for concern in relation to our status as a National Organization. To this end, the remaining partner organizations made a decision to offer affiliate membership to individual social workers from Quebec. Ontario and Alberta until such time as we could conclude an agreement with their respective provincial associations to rejoin the CASW federation. The commitment to work towards the objective of reunification never faltered as the Board and partner organizations promoted open dialogue as well as concrete actions to demonstrate the value of a united federation.
  • Proceeding with an internal competition in 2011 to fill the position of Executive Director left vacant on the retirement of Eugenia Moreno in 2010 after her 21 years as our ED.  Our policy officer Fred Phelps, who had covered the position on an interim basis , proved to be the leader with the skills and dedication that we needed during particularly tumultuous times . Transitioning the management and operations of CASW in accordance with the new governance model was a monumental task. Under Fred’s guidance and direction our staff succeeded in implementing the strategic directions and revised policies adopted by the Board  and enhancing the profile of CASW on the national scene. The keen analytical and writing skills of our policy and communications consultant Sally Guy were also invaluable,  as she crafted media releases, numerous communications and policy papers. 
  • Undertaking a review of our membership agreement with partner organizations as well as our by-laws and personnel policies to ensure conformity with  our new policy governance model implemented in 2011 as was recommended in a 2010 study commissioned by the CASW Board 
  • Participating in the the elaboration of major position papers over the years : Canada Social Transfer & Accountability Matters 2012 ; The Canada Social Transfer & the Social Determinants of Health 2013; Equity & the Future of Canadian Social Policy 2014; New Social Care Act for Canada 2015
  • Partnering with CASWE to organize a major social work conference in July 2014 in St-Catherines in conjunction with the Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences which brought together representatives from the three pillars of our profession ie. social work educators, regulators and practitioners.
  • Meetings on the Hill with Cabinet Ministers, MP’s of all parties and senators which were often facilitated in great part by Senator Percy Mockler and his staff in Ottawa.
  • Negotiating an agreement in 2015 with the Alberta College to rejoin the CASW federation before the end of my term in office as president was personally gratifying. I was extremely pleased to learn that the Ontario Association rejoined the CASW Federation in 2021 as well as the imminent return of the Quebec Association in 2026. What better occasion to celebrate our 100th anniversary as we enhance the ability and stance of CASW to speak on behalf of a  united profession both on the national and international scenes. Kudos to the CASW Board members, partner organizations and Jan Christanson-Wood, Joan Davis-Whelan and Barb Whitenect who provided the leadership for the reunification of our CASW family.
  • Representing CASW on the Executive committee of IFSW for three years as President for the North American region and two years as member-at-large. Three World Conferences in Stockholm 2012, Melbourne 2014, Seoul 2016. Regular meetings of the IFSW in addition to special meetings  at the UN in New York, the World Health Organization in Geneva and the Latin American conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico. These are but a few of the numerous opportunities  that I am grateful for as I got to share the perspectives of CASW on a number of social justice and social development issues.
  • Co-chairing a sub-committee with the review of the IFSW constitution and by-laws required hundreds of hours of work with skype meetings and e-mail exchanges over a two year period. A series of drafts were developed and circulated for feedback from the over 120 member organizations of IFSW. The final draft of numerous proposed amendments required a 75% majority vote at the General Assembly in Seoul in July 2016. I was asked to present and explain the amendments at the general meeting. My nomination to act as parliamentarian was also confirmed by the assembly for this general meeting. My being designated for these roles by the IFSW executive led to a vote by the CASW Board to extend my term for an additional year beyond the normal 4 year tenure as prescribed in the CASW by-laws. I was extremely appreciative of the Board’s consideration in this regard so I could complete the mandate I had been given by IFSW. I was fortunate to be accompanied by our Executive Director Fred Phelps for the 2016 meeting in Seoul as he was of great help in providing logistical support and advice for many aspects of the deliberations and outcomes. 
  • Receiving the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012 and the Senate 150th Anniversary Medal in 2019 for community service was a source of personal pride. It was especially gratifying because it was first and foremost my profession of choice that merited recognition given that it is really by adhering to the values and principles of our profession that we make a difference in people’s lives. 
  • Finally, as I reminisced, my thoughts went first and foremost to the heartfelt appreciation for the support of so many colleagues and for the friendships that I will cherish forever. My best wishes for the continued success of the CASW Federation as well as the International Federation of Social Workers.