Executive Committee

President

Kathryn Conley Wehrmann, PhD, MSW, LCSW

Kathryn Conley Wehrmann, PhD, MSW, LCSW (Illinois Chapter), received her PhD and MSW from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. She is currently a faculty member and BSW Program Director at Illinois State University (ISU). She also served in public child welfare and healthcare settings, providing a sound background for being chosen to be a Senior Fulbright Scholar to Romania where she taught and conducted research on child welfare reform. Dr. Wehrmann served at ISU as principal investigator on two child welfare training grants and was recognized for successfully securing approximately $1M in grants and contracts.

Honored as NASW Lifetime Achievement award recipient at the district level, she served as NASW District Chair, state Conference Chair, Illinois Chapter President, National Board Representative for Region IX, and member of the Executive Committee. She's a current member of the Baccalaureate Program Directors, and the Fulbright Association.

President Elect

Mildred “Mit” C. Joyner, MSW, LCSW

Mildred “Mit” C. Joyner is a professor emerita of social work at West Chester University (WCU) in Pennsylvania. Joyner received a BSW from Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, and her MSW from Howard University’s School of Social Work in Washington, DC. 

Her professional career began at Chester County Children and Youth services as a protective service worker; she was promoted to department head, then legal liaison of the child abuse unit. Joyner later joined the faculty at WCU as an associate professor, where she was elected by the faculty as department chair of the undergraduate social work department. She retired from the university as a full professor, and presently works as a consultant. 

Joyner is a member of the Association of Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors, Council on Social Work Education, and NASW, where she recently ended her term as national vice president. In West Chester she serves on the board of directors of Chester County Food Bank and is a bank director at DNBFirst.

Vice President

Ebony Speakes-Hall, MSW, LISW

Ebony Speakes-Hall, MSW, LISW (Ohio Chapter), is assistant professor and field coordinator for the Bachelor of Social Work Program at Central State University. She received her master of social work from Case Western Reserve University. She was awarded her master’s in divinity from Virginia Union University, and her bachelor of science in biblical studies from Cincinnati Christian University. 

Speakes-Hall is pursuing her doctorate in clinical social work at the University of Pennsylvania. She is an active member of the NASW Ohio Chapter, where she chairs the PACE committee in Region 7. She has also served as director and was awarded the Outstanding Service Award in 2018. She is on the board of the American Civil Liberties Union, Ohio affiliate, where she serves as the Equity Officer. She was the recipient of the NASW MSW Student of the Year award for the State of Ohio.

Secretary

Jose Ramos, Jr., MSW

Jose A. Ramos, Jr., MSW, earned a master’s degree in social work from the University of Long Beach. He serves as the director of Prevention Department at Children’s Bureau Southern California. Ramos has worked for Children’s Bureau for the past 24 years and has over 30 years of experience working in the child welfare field. Ramos is also an adjunct professor at California State University, Northridge, in the MSW department and was an adjunct professor at Springfield College. 

He has taken on multiple leadership roles throughout his career, including as Value School Charter Board Member, California Family Resource Association Policy Council Member, NASW Policy Committee, California Citizen Review Member of Child Abuse Prevention, and most recently as a Board Member of the California chapter of NASW. Ramos was born in Ecuador and came to the United States at age 10.

Treasurer

Enrico "Rick" DeGironimo, LCSW, ACSW

Rick DeGironimo, LCSW, ACSW (DE Chapter), is a professional social work manager with many years of senior financial and leadership experience serving as the executive/CEO of several multimillion dollar nonprofit organizations. His education includes dual undergraduate degrees in economics and sociology; and an MSW in community organization and planning from Rutgers University.

His accomplishments include starting new innovative organizations and programs and correcting the financial and quality course for several others. He consults with organizations on management and strategic planning. DeGironimo has served on numerous association and nonprofit boards, including NASW and NASW-New Jersey, and he currently serves on the NASW Audit Committee and the board of East Mountain Hospital, New Jersey.

Region II Representative

Amy Di Mauro, LCSW

Amy Di Mauro, LCSW (Connecticut Chapter), is a Clinical Director and student internship coordinator at Rushford, one of Connecticut's leading non-profit providers of addiction and mental health treatment for teens and adults. She is a graduate of Springfield College School of Social Work (SSW). She completed her undergraduate degree at University of Connecticut. She is on faculty at University of St. Joseph’s School of Social Work as a preceptor and Boston University School of Social Work as a field advisor. Additionally, Amy serves on the board for Springfield College School of Social Work.

She has moderated and presented on several panels and workshops at conferences across the state of Connecticut, including the NASW annual conference. NASW leadership positions include serving on the Nominating Committee, Delegate Assembly, Region Representative, and as President for NASW-CT. She is currently a member of the finance committee of both the NASW-CT and National Board of Directors.

Region  Representative III

Debra Faria, LCSW, ACSW

Debra Faria, LCSW, ACSW, earned her MSW from Syracuse University in 1985. She is chair of the Department of Social Work at the College at Brockport, State University of New York and co-directs the College at Brockport/Nazareth College Greater Rochester Collaborative MSW program. Debra has been project director for a number of federal, state and foundation-funded training grants focusing on child welfare, gerontological social work and international education. 

Debra has a demonstrated record of leadership and service to the NASW New York State Chapter, including serving in the roles of president, vice president, board member-at-large, delegate to the Delegate Assembly and a number of chapter committees. She has also held leadership roles on the board of the NYS Society on Aging and currently serves on the Council on Social Work Education’s Commission on Accreditation.

Region  Representative VIII

Peggy Weber, PhD, ACSW, LCSW, LCAC

Peggy Weber is associate dean for the College of Health and Human Services at Indiana State University. She also works as a clinical social worker, and has a doctoral degree in social work from the University of Utah, an MSW from Indiana University School of Social Work, an MS in gerontology from Indiana State University, and a BS in social work from St. Mary-of-the-Woods College. Weber has an LCSW and LCAC in Indiana and her ACSW through NASW.

Positions she has held in NASW's Indiana Chapter include president of the board of directors, treasurer, and chairperson of the Conference Committee. She has also been an Indiana Delegate for NASW since 2012. Past honors include Regional Social Worker of the Year for the Indiana Chapter, NASW; and from Indiana State University the Experiential Learning and Community Engagement Award and the Faculty Outstanding Service Award from the College of Health and Human Services.

Region Representative XIII

Martha Guerrero, LCSW

Martha Guerrero, LCSW (California Chapter) serves as the Vice-President of the Legislation and Political Action Committee in NASW’s California Chapter. She employed by the Los Angeles County as their State Legislative Representative on behalf of the Board of Supervisors on all social service issues. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in social work from the California State University of Los Angeles and Master’s degree in social work from the University of Southern California. 

Guerrero’s multiple years of civic participation includes currently serving on Yolo County’s Local Mental Health Board/Transportation Advisory District/Neighborhood and Homeless Courts, former Chair and member of the City of West Sacramento Planning Commission/Economic Advisory Commission/Commission on Aging/ Universal Preschool Board Member, and former County Democratic Central Committee Member. She received a commendation by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for advocating on behalf of children and has been recognized for community service.