Purpose of NASW Alabama Chapter
The Alabama Chapter is constituted to advance the purposes of the National Association of Social Workers in
Alabama
and to encourage and facilitate participation by all members. It is a basic administrative unit of the National
Association of Social Workers, Inc. NASW works to enhance the professional growth and development of its
members,
to
create and maintain professional standards, and to advance sound social policies.
Chapter Office Staff
Executive Director
Gwen Bouie-Haynes, PhD, LMSW
Gwen brings years of experience in the public and non-profit sectors at the local, state, and national levels leading a well-known local organization in its growth and development of victim and survivor services serving the central Mississippi counties. Through her work, she has demonstrated a deep commitment to issues of advocacy, mental health, domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, stalking, and Veterans and under-served populations.
Looking forward to her new role, Gwen comments, “As a member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), I am honored to serve as the Executive Director of Alabama. It will be a great challenge and privilege for me to develop and improve social policies in the state and enhance the professional growth of NASW’s members.” I look forward working to advance equity in social policies, so that every individual and family can thrive in the State of Alabama.
Her professional social work practice experiences include program development and implementation, legislative advocacy work, non-profit development, grant-writing, consulting, and community organizing. She is a former Board member of the Mississippi Coalition Against Domestic Violence (MCADV). Her professional areas of interest are legislative advocacy, mental health, childcare, poverty, child witnesses of domestic violence and trauma, substance use, homelessness, teenage and dating violence.
Most recently, Gwen served as an adjunct professor at Jackson State University in the Master of Social Work program College of Health Sciences, teaching courses focusing on children and youth, oppression, field education seminar, as well as health and human behavior of individuals. She has also expanded her teaching capacities to include hybrid classes and online based learning courses. During her previous work experience, she was responsible for developing a program with one emergency shelter to a program with over five services including: transitional housing, legal services, services to immigrant victims, court advocacy, and a therapeutic day program.
She is a graduate of Tougaloo College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology with an emphasis in Mental Health. Gwen received her Master of Social Work degree from the University of Southern Mississippi and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Social Work with a concentration in Social Policy, Planning, and Administration from Jackson State University. She is a Licensed Master Level Social Worker. Serving as Executive Director of Mississippi and Alabama will allow her to combine these experiences to best serve the membership in two contiguous states. She is poised to work collaboratively with the NASW membership on a local, statewide, regional, and national level to bridge partnerships, increase membership, and the professional development of the state’s social workers.
Administrative Communications Coordinator
Vacant