Rachel Bennett is an MSW candidate at Stony Brook University with advanced clinical training and hands-on experience supporting young mothers in recovery at Samaritan Daytop Village’s Young Mothers Program. Her work is grounded in trauma-informed care, motivational interviewing, group facilitation, and a strengths-based approach to healing. Before entering social work, Rachel built a multifaceted career in the arts and wellness world. She has worked as a writer and professional actor, trained at the William Esper Studio and Oxford University, and is a member of SAG-AFTRA and Actors’ Equity Association. She has also taught yoga for over 16 years, bringing mindfulness, embodiment, and nervous-system awareness into her work with individuals and groups. Rachel is the founder and executive director of Caring by Card, a nonprofit that uplifts elderly and disabled nursing home residents through handmade cards sent from people across the country. She was named “New Yorker of the Week” by NY1 for this work, and Maria Shriver recognized Caring by Card for “moving humanity forward.” Across clinical work, writing, performance, yoga, and nonprofit leadership, Rachel brings deep presence, emotional attunement, and a heartfelt commitment to connection and healing. Rachel believes we are all mirrors, and when one human is uplifted to realize his or her worth, all of humanity is uplifted.

Samantha Huggins is a longtime doula and MSW who graduated in May 2026, with a focus on family systems and perinatal mental health. She is dedicated to addressing the maternal health crisis in New York State, especially with marginalized and underserved populations. Her work is grounded in trauma informed, culturally responsive care. As a parent, she brings both professional and lived experience to her commitment to supporting families.

Curtis was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, and has built his academic and professional path around supporting youth and strengthening communities. At Nazareth University in Rochester, NY, he earned his undergraduate degree in Community Youth Development and Psychology, with a minor in Business Leadership. He received his MSW degree on May 15, 2026, specializing in evidence-based practice and play therapy. His Field Placements included Play Therapy for children ages 3-10, the Youth Anxiety Center with youth ages 10-17, and the Phoenix Academy in the Greece Central School District. Deeply committed to community engagement, Curtis is actively involved in organizations such as Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Michael’s Church, the Nazareth University Department of Social Work Youth Anxiety Center, and various other local initiatives where he dedicates his time to service and mentorship. In addition to his academic and community work, Curtis played a key role in developing collegiate athletics. As the student head coach, he helped launch a women’s rugby team, leading them to an impressive 26–8 record, a bowl game victory, and an appearance in the national tournament. Blending his coaching experience, social work study and field placement experiences, he has developed strong clinical skills and is excited to begin his social work professional career.

Alyssa Polito is a Generalist Master of Social Work student at Nazareth University who has demonstrated a strong commitment to children’s and adolescents’ mental health through a dual placement at the York Wellness and Rehabilitation Institute in the Youth Anxiety Center and Play Therapy Clinic. Through this experience, Alyssa has worked with children and adolescents ages 3-17 in individual play therapy and group therapy settings, gaining experience in assessment, trauma-informed interventions for children, and interventions for teens experiencing anxiety. She is an avid dog lover and has enjoyed participating in animal assisted therapy in the youth anxiety groups she facilitates. Through strong supervision, clinical observation, and hands-on practice, Alyssa has contributed to meaningful client progress while developing clinical skills that extend across the lifespan. Alyssa maintains a 4.0 GPA and enjoys trauma-focused classes the most, including Play Therapy and Trauma and Micro social work classes such as Social Work Practice and Clinical Interventions. These experiences have strengthened her passion for working with children and adolescents and deepened her foundation as an emerging social work practitioner.

My name is Mirca Parada, and I have recently graduated from Fordham University, Graduate School of Social Service. I hold a specialized practice certificate in crisis and resilience and find passion in working with children and families. I am bilingual in Spanish and am a first generation American. I was brought to social work through working with children and families in my local community as a teacher and realized social emotional needs are the foundation of all children. I wanted to be an adult that prioritized helping children to understand their feelings and how to move with them, so I became a social worker!

I am a native South Asian New Yorker who became a social worker to help my community. I graduated from NYU in May of 2026. I did my placements at the Police Athletic League at Queensbridge, NY, and NYU Langone Brooklyn. The primary populations I worked with were minority populations, specifically those with Serious Mental Illness (SMI). What I learned from those placements was about the marginalization of minority populations, the importance of trauma-informed care, and how, as social workers, we should look past the label of a diagnosis and see the client for who they are and meet them where they are. I was also an orientation leader at NYU and a student ambassador during my time there. I was also a reading tutor at PS 102 Jacques Cartier, where I tutored grades K-5 students on phonics, comprehension, and literacy. I also conducted an independent study on South Asian alcohol use, a particular focus of mine, and I plan to pursue a PhD in it in the future. Currently, my goal is to work on an ACT team and continue my work with the SMI population. At NYU Langone Brooklyn, I worked at an inpatient psychiatric unit, working primarily with the SMI population. I assessed patients, conducted SBIRTS, made collateral calls to 40 families, and helped discharge patients using Epic. At PAL, I was a social work intern, observing children as they played for any abnormalities in their play or interactions with other children, assessing children using evidence-based scales like the PPVT-9 to assess vocabulary acquisition, connecting families to resources within the Queensbridge area, and documenting everything in Careport.

During my MSW education, I was given the chance to work with both older adults and with individuals receiving hospice care. Throughout both of these internships, I became passionate about advocating for mental health services for seniors and the necessity of planning for end-of-life care. As I begin my career as a social worker, I aim to serve as a clinician on a hospice team, where I can educate, support, and demystify the dying experience for clients and their families.

I am currently pursuing my Master of Social Work at Daemen University, with an anticipated graduation date in 2027. I am a dedicated and trustworthy social services professional with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and a CASAC-T certification. My experience includes working with individuals experiencing mental health and substance use disorders, homeless street outreach, housing services for chronically homeless individuals, OPWDD populations, grant writing, nonprofit financial planning, and policy development. Currently, I serve as Director of Operations for Friends of Night People and am honored to serve as Co-Chair of Project Homeless Connect (2024 & 2025), as well as Secretary of the Board for the Western New York Coalition for the Homeless. I am passionate about advocating for vulnerable and marginalized populations and advancing social justice, equity, and improved outcomes for individuals experiencing homelessness, mental health challenges, and substance use disorders. Known for my strong ethics, reliability, and compassion, I bring empathy and resilience to my work. Outside of my career, I enjoy family life with my spouse of 20 years, six children, pets, singing, reading, and cheering on the Buffalo Bills and the Alabama Crimson Tide football.

My name is Sherryann, and I recently graduated with my MSW from New York University. I’m passionate about social work, mental health, and helping others. In my free time I enjoy traveling, making memories with family and friends, and embracing new experiences.

Kristin Bergstrom is a graduate of Adelphi University, presently working locally as a peer advocate at Samadhi Center Inc., specializing in harm reduction and substance and alcohol misuse recovery. The center is located in Ulster County and Kristin will gratefully start as a staff counselor at the recovery center in a few months time.

Steven is a recent graduate of NYU Silver School of Social Work, where he developed a passion for lifelong learning, clinical growth, and the value of human relationships. He is particularly interested in the way our relational experiences shape emotional life and human connection. His previous internships include an adolescent PHP focused on DBT and an outpatient practice providing long-term psychotherapy under the guidance of a psychoanalytic supervisor. Currently, he interns at a Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC), where he provides individual psychotherapy. Steven has a love for learning and is highly engaged in extra training and supervision groups. His clinical interests include psychodynamic theory and trauma work, and he hopes to continue with rigorous postgraduate training and supervision in these and other areas. Steven is deeply grateful to the New York State Society for Clinical Social Work for this recognition and to the supervisors, mentors, and clients who have shaped his early social work career.