Tribute To Social Workers

The NASW Foundation remembers and pays special tribute to those Social Workers who lost their lives while performing social work duties.  We want to express our thanks to Dr. Elizabeth Clark, former NASW Chief Executive Officer/Executive Director and former NASW Foundation President; Dr. James J. Kelly, former NASW President; and the NASW Social Work Pioneers® for providing leadership on this important project.

In the October 2010 edition of the NASW News, Dr. Kelly presented an article, "NASW The Urgency of Social Worker Safety," in which he said: 

"We became social workers in an effort to help others. We chose this helping profession because we thought serving others was a cause worthy enough to devote our careers to it. However, unlike many other helping professionals, social workers often must put themselves in harm’s way in order to help their client." 

The full article is available in the 2010 NASW News archive on the NASW website. 

We Remember These Dedicated Social Workers Who Gave Their Lives In Service To Others

• Gabe Zimmerman - 2011, Arizona - NASW Press Release - NASW Mourns The Loss Of Social Work Leader Gabe Zimmerman; Social Workers Speak - "In Memory: Gabe Zimmerman;"  and National Public Radio (NPR) - "Arizona Victim Gabe Zimmerman: 'Devoted His Life To Social Work.'"
• Sharone White Bailey - 2010, Virginia - Social Workers Speak, "Social Worker, 'Eastern Shore Citizen of the Year' Sharone White Bailey Murdered;"  and The Virginian Pilot Article.
• Charles Keith Springle - 2009, Baghdad - Arlington National Cemetery Announcement; and New Bern Sun Journal Obituary, Eastern North Carolina.
• Brenda Lee Yeager - 2008, West Virginia - NASW West Virginia Statement; and Tribute to Ms. Yeager. 
• Diruhi S. Mattian - 2008 Massachusetts.
• Boni Frederick - 2006, Western Kentucky.
• Teri Zenner - 2004, Kansas - H.R. 2165 Teri Zenner Social Worker Safety Act - To establish a grant program to assist in the provision of safety measures to protect social workers and other professionals who work with at-risk populations.
• Greg Gaul - Iowa, 2004 - USA Today Article.
• Donna Millette-Fridge - 1998, New London, Connecticut.
• Steven Tielke - 1997, Fort Wayne, Indiana.
• Rebecca Binkowski - 1993, Kalamazoo, Michigan.
• Barbara Synnestvedt - 1993, Whitmore Lake, Michigan.
• Phyllis Caslin and Florence Pike - New York, 1992 - New York Times Article.
• Robbyn Panitch - 1989, Los Angeles County, California.
• Ladonna Wolford - 1988, Romney, West Virginia.
• Norman W. Fournier - 1987, Tacoma, Washington.
• Paul T. Grannis - 1987, Northeastern Kentucky.
• Jose Manuel Parada - 1985, Santiago, Chile.
• Michael Schwerner - 1964, Philadelphia, Mississippi.
• Madeleine Levy - 1944, Auschwitz, Poland.
• Social Workers at the Chicago L&R Relief Commission - early 1930s, Chicago, Illinois.