Annual Conference

Social Work compassion and action national association of social workers


Conference Details

Theme: Social Work: Compassion + Action

Date: April 3-4, 2025, from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM

Location: Sheraton Hotel, Birmingham, Alabama
Booking Link: https://book.passkey.com/event/50925075/owner/16607/home

Organizing Committee: NASW-AL Conference Committee

Conference Due Dates:

Conference Registration ends March 26, 2025, 11:59 pm (CST)

On-site registration available April 3, 2025, 8:00-12:00 pm (CST)

Members-      $165

Non-members-$200

Students (members)-$0

Students (non-members)-$65

Presenter rate is $100 for the conference presentation.  Presenters must provide proof of their registration. The regular registration rate is $165 members and $200 non-members to attend the conference. Student members are $0 and student non-members are $65.

Call to Workshop Proposal Abstracts

Call to Workshop Proposal Abstracts due January 10, 2025

Instruction for Proposal submission * attached

Notice of Proposal acceptance by February 10, 2025

Permanent PDF application to include these items below:

  • Title of the Proposal
  • Name, Affiliation, and Contact Information of the Presenter(s)
  • Brief Biographical Information of Presenter(s) and Resume(s)/ Vitae(s)
  • Proposal Category and Track
  • Abstract (maximum 300 words) Summarizing Content of the Proposal
  • Detailed Description of the Proposal, Including Objectives, Key Takeaways, and Relevance to the Theme
  • Audio-Visual or Technical Requirements, if applicable

Call to Exhibitors due March 14, 2025

Contact gbouie-haynes.naswal@socialworkers.org and we will invoice you through PayPal.

Exhibitor set up at the conference April 2 2025, beginning at 10:00 am (CST)

Call to Student Volunteers and Monitors




Call for Nominations due  March 26, 2025, 5:00 pm (CST)

Submit Nominations Here!

BSW nomination

MSW nomination

Social Worker of the Year

Lifetime Achievement

Public Citizen of the Year

Social Work and Legislative Advocacy Day:

Social Work Advocacy Day, March 5, 2025
Legislative Chair: Molly Cole
Public Policy Coordinator: Reginald Virgil
Keynote speaker and panelist: Dr. Anthony Estreet.
Advocacy Day Sponsor: Patrice"Penni" McClammy, HD,76

Keynote Speaker

Dr Curtis DavisDr. Curtis Davis is a passionate advocate for social change and strives to bridge any between academia and practice. Holding a Bachelor of Social Work degree from the University of Mississippi, a Master of Social Work from the University of Alabama, and a PhD in Social Work from Tulane University, Dr. Davis is committed to fostering a deep understanding of the structural factors that contribute to inequality and trauma.

His practice experience has primarily been in forensic social work, where he has advocated for families as a forensic interviewer, investigator, and social worker at a public defender’s office, as well as in various other adjudicating scenarios. This hands-on work has deeply informed his research and approach to social justice, particularly in how structural oppression and trauma are experienced and conceptualized in marginalized communities.

As an active and devoted pracademic (practitioner and academician), Dr. Davis seamlessly integrates his academic knowledge with his real-world experience to empower students, colleagues, and communities. His academic research has focused on alleviating the stressors of structural oppression, with specific attention to how oppression-based trauma is conceptualized and how socioeconomic and racial disparities influence harmful birth outcomes for expectant families.

Dr. Davis’ teaching and research aim to promote compassion and action, encouraging a holistic approach to addressing social issues by tackling both personal and systemic factors. His dedication to this work has earned him some accolades, including the Faculty Award for Early Career Achievement in Social Work Doctoral Education from the Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education in Social Work.

In both virtual and in-person spaces, Dr. Davis emphasizes the importance of creating nurturing environments for social work students and practitioners, believing that true change begins by cultivating spaces of compassion, collaboration, and empowerment. His work reflects a profound commitment to action that both transforms lives and challenges systems to evolve for the betterment of all.

Workshop Schedule

Read the Workshop Schedule here.