How Bryn Mawr is Advancing Change through Social Sector Leadership
The Bryn Mawr College Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research is prominent in educating leaders in social justice, social change, and social impact. We are pleased to welcome four outstanding members of the Bryn Mawr College community who are advancing social change. Please join us for an engaging panel with experts on diversity, equity, and inclusion; corporate responsibility; and social impact investing talk. Hear them talk about how social work education prepared them for their careers as social sector leaders. A free CEU credit is available for this session. All are welcome!
Darla Spence Coffey PhD 1999 (keynote) served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) from 2010-2022. CSWE is the national association for social work education, representing over 900 accredited undergraduate and graduate programs of professional social work. Through its programs and initiatives, CSWE promotes emerging technologies, interprofessional education, international collaboration and innovative models, pedagogies, and practices to advance social work education. As the voice of social work education, CSWE works to strengthen the position of social work within higher education, the national political environment, and in the perceptions of the general public. Coffey received her BSW from Eastern College, her MSW from the University of Pennsylvania, and her PhD from the Bryn Mawr College Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research. She has an extensive background in social work practice in the areas of mental health, substance abuse, and domestic violence. Coffey is a Distinguished Fellow in the National Academies of Practice and is the 2017 recipient of the Advocate for Human Rights Award by the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western Reserve University. Coffey currently serves as a Senior Leadership Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania School of Policy and Practice to advance the value of social workers in leadership positions in all sectors.
Kary A. James, Chair of the Board of Advisors for the GSSWSR, is President of The Moriah Group and leads the company in building thriving communities of color, advancing positive life outcomes for young people of color, and spearheading social change. As former Vice President of Equity & Inclusion for ICF, James was principally responsible for the design and execution of the firm’s Public Sector Group equity, inclusion and justice agenda and chaired the Black Employees Community Network. James also has led as the Executive Director of the largest federal child welfare contract that serves as the nation’s hub for national best practices and policy in child protection and foster care. She is driven by a belief that sustainable social impact is grounded in an organizational culture of learning, innovation, respectful engagement, and effective collaboration. For over two decades, James has devoted her professional career to creating equitable, diverse, and inclusive cultures within systems and organizations. Her essential work has advanced an anti-racist advocacy framework in leadership development, organizational cultures and strategy development and planning. With an expertise in racial justice and equity, organizational leadership, system re-designs and strategic thinking, James holds an MSW from Norfolk State University and a BS in Sociology and Criminal Justice from Old Dominion University.
Shawn Maxam MSS MLSP 2014 is Associate Provost for Diversity and Inclusion at Princeton University. In this role, he leads strategic partnerships and projects associated with campus climate, academic departments, data analysis, and history and sense of place, among others. Shawn is deeply committed to board service and educational non-profits. He serves as a trustee for the Princeton-Blairstown Center and the University NOW Day Nursery. Maxam earned his BFA from Long Island University and two Masters degrees from Bryn Mawr College in Social Service and Law & Social Policy.
Suzanne Quigley MSS MLSP 1996 has over twenty-five years of experience in corporate responsibility and project management. Quigley joined QVC in July of 2010 to lead the community affairs team, which continues to be part of her current role as global director of corporate responsibility for Qurate Retail Group (QRG). QRG is comprised of the leading retail brands QVC, HSN, Ballard Designs, Frontgate, Garnet Hill, and Grandin Road. Her previous role was VP of community initiatives at Capmark Finance Inc. Before that, she was the manager of housing and community initiatives for the Fannie Mae Foundation’s northern regional office in Philadelphia. Quigley graduated from Bryn Mawr College Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research with an MS in social service and an MS in law and social policy, and from Villanova University with a BA in political science. She also received a certificate in nonprofit management from the Nonprofit Executive Leadership Institute at Bryn Mawr College. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Pennsylvania Conference for Women and is a member of the Boston College’s Center for Corporate Citizenship ESG Reporting Advisory Group, Sustainability Leadership Forum and the Retail Industry Leaders Association’s Sustainability Committee.
Bryn Mawr College welcomes the full participation of all individuals in all aspects of campus life. Should you wish to request a disability-related accommodation for this event, please contact Diana Nemceff. Requests should be made as early as possible.