Meet Mit Joyner

NASW Member Spotlight

By Paul R. Pace | Social Work Advocates

Mildred “Mit” C. Joyner, MSW, LCSW, completed her term as vice president of the NASW board of directors in summer 2018. She said she volunteered to run for the position after retiring from a 32-year career as a full professor with emeritus status at West Chester University of Pennsylvania. She directed and chaired the undergraduate social work department at the school for 25 years.

“I wanted to go back to practice but I didn’t want to obtain a paying job, so I went back to NASW and decided to run for vice president,” Joyner said.

“I was taught as an undergrad at Howard University that you always belong to your professional association,” she said.

Part of her inspiration to serve was to aid NASW in its mission to ensure social workers have the proper skills to practice as well as the tools to do their jobs ethically, while also making sure the public is protected.

“I think it’s critical we get back to really getting people to understand the mission of NASW and to teach those who are entering our profession what a professional organization does,” she said.

Joyner is a proponent of social work students having board training and experience so they gain an understanding of the governing functions of for-profit and nonprofit organizations.

“It is the board’s responsibility to make sure the staff and the CEO carry out the program goals and adhere to (the organization’s) fiduciary obligations,” Joyner said.

Social workers need to be on boards of their professional organizations, but they also need to be on boards outside their specialty, she said.

“We need to be on every board in America so that our voices are heard,” said Joyner, who volunteers her time to serve not only on additional nonprofit boards but also at a bank.

Learn about NASW governance