NASW Foundation National Programs

NASW Social Work Pioneers^®

Geneva Lundberg (1905-198?)

After receiving her RN, Lundberg accepted a position as nurse-in-residence at Rockville College, Rockville, Illinois. Her experience at Rockville College made her aware that nursing was not her primary interest, social work was. She entered the University of Chicago, School of Social Work and earned a masters degree with a specialty in psychiatric social work.

Lundberg went to work for the State Department of Welfare in Indiana and remained there until coming to the federal government in the early 1940's when she accepted a position with Lucille Smith in the Federal Welfare Program.

In 1949, Lundberg joined the US Public Health Service Chronic Disease Program. She served a consultant to this program until the early 1960's when she went to Turkey for 2 years with her husband Karl, who was serving as a consultant on Social Security to the Turkish government.

Returning from Turkey, Lundberg worked as a freelance consultant on the social aspects of chronic diseases to a number of different organizations.