President
Carol Sobelson
After graduating from Boston College, I attended Columbia University School of Social Work. I moved to Concord in 1984, I taught at Connecticut University School of Social Work on the Concord campus while maintaining a private practice. Although I do not teach at the present time, I maintained a private practice in NH for over 40 years and I recently retired in May 2020. I have had the honor to participating on many nonprofit boards over the years : The Circle Program, a non profit organization for disadvantaged young girls in NH through a residential summer camp and year-round mentoring program, CATCH (Concord Area Trust for Community Housing) a non profit that creates affordable workforce housing in the Concord area, and currently Riverbend CMHC and NASW NH. Living in Concord has allowed me to remain active on board projects and being able to attend legislative hearings on issues that effect NH citizens as well as social workers in our state. Over the last 7 years during my tenure on the NASW NH board, I have enjoyed being a part of a vibrant organization. It is my hope to continue my commitment to NASW NH as President elect . The prior presidents have mentored me well by their dedication to social issues and their investments towards making NASW NH a powerful and influential organization in our state. I am honored to work alongside a group of highly talented and skilled social workers on the NASW NH board. My colleagues and I strive to enhance professional growth and development through offering professional learning opportunities sponsored by our chapter, create and maintain professional standards for social workers, and to advance sound social policies in our state. My investment in working on the board has become a highlight of my professional career.
Vice President
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Kevin Keefe, LICSW, CAI is the Chief of Service Excellence & Compliance with WestBridge, which means he is the Chief of first impressions and assures that WestBridge is in compliance with ethical standards as well as internal and external regulatory requirements. Having worked at WestBridge for more than 16 years, he has utilized his skills in almost every department of WestBridge. He is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW), a Certified ARISE Interventionist (CAI), Trainer & Intern Supervisor as well as a NAMI-trained Connect-Suicide Prevention trainer. Kevin supports WestBridge in direct clinical care & family work, as a member of Leadership, and in overseeing all licensing, compliance, and facility management for WestBridge. Kevin believes in the power of Social Work and has supported the supervision of social workers for over 20 years. As a Social Worker, Certified ARISE Interventionist and Connect-Suicide Prevention trainer, Kevin understands and values that connections allow for greater protection and wellness for individuals, families and communities.
Secretary
Emily Krueger, MSW Emily has been a member of the NH NASW since 2016, she was previously a Student Board Member when she was a second-year student at Plymouth State University, and is now very excited to be on the NH NASW Board again, now as Secretary. Emily attended the Advanced Standing MSW program at the University of New England in Portland, ME where she received the Training in Aging Diversity (TRIAD) stipend to pursue an interest in the aging population. She graduated in May 2020. Prior to graduate school, Emily received her BSW in May 2019 from Plymouth State University with a minor in Gerontology. Emily is currently employed as a Service Coordinator at the Upper Valley Haven in White River Junction, VT. The Upper Valley Haven helps individuals of all ages, as well as families who are experiencing homelessness become connected to community resources, shelter and food. Emily is proud to say she works at the Haven and is enthused that this is where she is starting her social work career.
At Large
Courtney Porter, MSW Courtney currently works as the School Social Worker in Claremont, New Hampshire. As the first to hold this position in her school district, Courtney has used her 17 years of experience as an educator to work with other school professionals to create a program that brings social work services and supports to the students and families of her community. Courtney also serves as the President of the New Hampshire School Social Workers Association.After graduating with the first cohort of online MSW students at UNH in 2016, Courtney immediately enrolled in the M.Ed program. Courtney enjoys volunteering in her community and currently serves as the Vice President of the Kiwanis Club of Claremont.
Celia Woolverton, LICSW, LCSW Celia Woolverton, LICSW, LCSW has maintained a private practice since 1988 and is licensed in the states of Tennessee, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. In addition to her psychotherapy practice, Ms. Woolverton is a certified mediator, having undergone formal mediation training in Tennessee and Massachusetts. She is a Principal of MacLeish & Woolverton, LLC, a Co-Mediation firm with offices in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Tennessee.
Ms. Woolverton has served as a Parent Coordinator for families; written court evaluations for victims of sexual violence; and is an expert witness in the areas of sexual violence and divorce. She has done extensive work and lectured nationally on sexual violence. She works with numerous victims of childhood sexual abuse and trains on identifying abuse and neglect.
Ms. Woolverton has worked in the area of substance use disorder since 1985 and was the Clinical Director of two substance use disorder treatment facilities in Washington, DC and in Nashville, TN, respectively.
Ms. Woolverton has served as a board member for Massachusetts Citizens for Children, and on the board of Prevent Child Abuse Tennessee. She has worked extensively with the Tennessee Department of Child and Family Services, supervising cases. She has supervised BSW students at Plymouth State University and she continues to supervise MSW clinicians in New Hampshire and Tennessee.
Ms. Woolverton received her BA from The Colorado College; her MSW from The Catholic School of Social Service; and a post-graduate certification in advanced psychotherapy and psychoanalysis from The Washington School of Psychiatry. She also received a two-year training certification on Primordial Sound mediation from the Chopra Center.
Jorge Santana, MSW Jorge Santana, MSW, is the Executive Director at PACE Career Charter High School and has been serving youth and families for two decades. His years of direct experience with mentoring, child welfare, in-home therapy, and crisis response informs his innovative and adaptive approach to programming and community building. Jorge specializes in helping organizations with unique models overcome the obstacles they face and fulfill their mission and potential. A strong believer in leadership development for both his teams and those he serves, Jorge's ultimate goal is to work himself out of a job.
Nick D'Amore Nick began working on the NASW NH board as a Master's Student Representative before transitioning to an At-large position. Nick has worked on a number of community-based and social justice initiatives through various roles as a social worker, researcher, educator, and writer. He is finishing up graduate school in UNH's dual degree MSW/MS Kinesiology program where he specializes in Adventure Therapy and policy advocacy. Currently, the bulk of his work focuses on equity, food justice, and law enforcement reform. He plans to continue working as a macro practitioner after graduation so that he can remain involved in all manner of advocacy and activism in his community, Outside of work, Nick is passionate about a wide range of outdoor sports, reading for pleasure, and all aspects of the culinary world.
Gina Apgar, MSW UNH Gina Apgar is a graduate social work student at the University of New Hampshire. She earned an associate degree in Early Childhood Education, a bachelor’s in Human Service and Early Childhood Development, and recently completed the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) program. Gina has over 12 years’ experience working with diverse populations in the fields of early education and human services. She has held roles in early education, home visiting, family support, and advocacy. She is focused on cultivating resilience and improving systems of care to promote optimal outcomes for children and families, with a particular interest in adverse childhood experiences.
April Mariska, MSW, LICSW April Mariska is currently employed as a Senior Psychiatric Social Worker at New Hampshire Hospital. In addition, April is also an adjunct professor at Plymouth State University. A member of the NASW since 2003, April has been active in several state chapters over the years through several moves. Professional memberships also include the NH Providers Association and the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science. Recent community involvement has included volunteering with the NH Pandemic Response Team and the NH
Disaster Behavioral Health Response Team.
Student Board Members
Elizabeth Robinson, MSW Student Representative
Zach Marx, UNH BSW Student Representative
Julianna Labul, PSU BSW Student Representative
Past-President
Becky Parton, MSW, LICSW is currently employed by the Dartmouth Trauma Interventions Research Center. This role combines her background of both mental health practice and child protection work. She is the project coordinator for the New Hampshire Adoption Preparation and Preservation project and works closely with the NH Division for Children, Youth and Families (DCYF). She provides training and consultation to DCYF and Mental Health providers across the state. Becky previously worked in community mental health providing family and child therapy. She is trained in Child Parent Psychotherapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Becky’s early career was working for child protection. Becky is the co-chair of the Children’s Issues Committee for NH NASW. She is also a part of the CEU committee and the Ethics Committee. In the past, she sat on SLAC as well. Becky is a Teaching Lecturer at Plymouth State University for the undergraduate Social Work program and is an Adjunct Professor for the University of New Hampshire for both their online MSW program and their Durham undergraduate program. Becky’s passion is working with children and families and she has been involved in statewide efforts to increase awareness and prevention of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).