Advisory Group

Valerie leads the association’s efforts to advance the profession of social work in North Carolina by advocating for social work issues such as the hiring of degreed social workers in the public and private sector, higher salary and reimbursement rates, career and professional support for members and the advancement of social justice and social welfare issues. Valerie was the career columnist for the national New Social Worker Magazine for three years and strives to help new professionals successfully transition into their social work and nonprofit careers. Valerie obtained her Master of Social Work and Public Policy degrees from the University of Minnesota. Valerie’s social work experience includes a focus on refugee and immigrant families, early childhood education, women and youth education, affordable housing, and nonprofit management. 

Sarah Reives, PhD, is the director of Behavioral Health Springboard, at the UNC School of Social Work. Her hard work, professionalism and commitment to ensuring the authentic education of diverse student populations have been a driving force in all of her professional positions. Her expertise includes behavioral health program assessment, curriculum development, instruction (face-to-face and online), program evaluation, coupled with extensive knowledge of faculty professional development and higher education administration. Sarah holds a PsD in Clinical Psychology from California Southern, and a MS from North Carolina Central University. 

Sherenne Simon, MPH, is a leader in life sciences, healthcare, and social impact. She has spent 20+ years leading initiatives, products, and pipelines to enhance health outcomes, improve corporate ecosystems, and advance social progress in the United States, Africa, and India. She is the author of  “Own Your Influence: An Unconventional Journey to Making an Impact at Work.” At the helm of Global Simon Group, a social impact company, Sherenne continues her dedication to the health and wellbeing of communities around the world.

April Parker, MSW, LCSW, is a Clinical Assistant Professor, Interim Director of Practicum Education, Director of Student Development and Leadership at the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Social Work, where she teaches courses in direct practice, leads the professional development series for students and serves as the program manager for Inclusive TEAMS and Director of the Golden Policy Fellows.  April has a clinical practice background in inpatient and outpatient behavioral health settings and has worked as a child, adolescent, and adult therapist.  In January 2021, April was awarded the Dr. John R. Larkins Award by NC Governor Roy Cooper.  This award recognizes commitment to justice and equality in the workplace and in the community.  

Monica Kearney, MSW is the Executive Director of Safe Space, Inc. in Louisburg, NC, and Adjunct Professor at East Carolina University. She has thirty one years of experience in social leadership and administration. In her current role she leads efforts to support women, children and families who experience trauma and adverse childhood experiences related to domestic and sexual violence and is an advocate for community-driven solutions. With a deep commitment to empowerment and prevention, she works tirelessly to create a safer, more resilient future for youth and families.

Vaughn Crawford, MSW, is a Senior Director at Unite Us, a technology company connecting service providers across a continuum of care. She is an experienced healthcare leader possessing expertise across diverse program strategy, development and management. She maintains strong clarity of purpose and knowledge of the urgency of need for comprehensive strategy to bring to fruition, optimize, and ensure sustainability of: collaborative programs, public-private partnerships, and collective impact work.

Ellen is a producer and documentary filmmaker. Along with producing documentary films that have been distributed on Prime and PBS, she has developed a niche practice consulting with brands and organizations about how to best communicate their stories and develop digital media assets to engage audiences. A graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill (B.A.- History) and Emory University (M.A- History), Ellen serves on the Board of Advisors for UNC-CH School of Social Work, and as a Board Member for Wild Projects, an activists arts organization in Berkeley, CA.