Executive Advisory Committee

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The SWAA Executive Advisory Committee will advise the Dean regarding the college’s alumni engagement. They will serve as ambassadors as appropriate, encouraging fellow alumni participation in SWAA and related activities.

Executive Advisory Committee Members

Xavier Chavez

Xavier Chavez graduated from New Mexico State University in 2020 with a Bachelor of Social Work and from the University of Kentucky College of Social Work in 2022 with a Master of Social Work and a Graduate Certificate in Clinical Social Work.

Xavier currently works as a master's licensed school social worker in Gallup, New Mexico, practicing with general education students and is a certified CPI non-violent crisis intervention instructor. He works with students from all grades, kindergarten to twelfth grade, to provide social-emotional support and therapy. He started his career working in corrections as a re-entry specialist.

Outside of social work, Xavier is a high school girls soccer coach and a sports official. He officiates soccer, basketball, and baseball for both youth and adults. Most of his time is spent with social work and sports. However, when he does have free time, you can find him with friends, family, or out on the golf course.

Jennifer Hancock

Jennifer Hancock graduated from the University of Kentucky College of Social Work in 1996 with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work and in 1998 with a Master of Social Work.

Jennifer is the President and CEO of Volunteers of America (VOA) of Mid-States, and has served in many capacities during her more than 20 years of professional leadership in the nonprofit sector and in her 15 years advancing the mission of VOA. Under her leadership, VOA has become a nationally recognized expert in providing family-focused and results-oriented solutions for the opioid and addiction crisis. Working closely with a wide range of elected officials and community leaders, the organization has earned consistent recognition for providing best practice care in nearly 50 programs.

Jennifer has led VOA through unprecedented growth and now oversees a $50 million budget and a team of more than 650 professionals across 4 states. In addition to recovery services, VOA also delivers solutions in the areas of veteran services including suicide prevention, housing and homelessness, public health, comprehensive care for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and a Restorative Justice program that helps to keep youth out of the criminal justice system. Her love for bringing diverse stakeholders together to solve a complex social problem and seeing the tangible and many positive outcomes of the mission of VOA is what drives her most.

Jennifer is active in the community, serving as Chair of the Leadership Louisville Center and on the boards of the Kentucky Children’s Justice Act Task Force, University of Louisville School of Public Health, Impetus for a Better Louisville, Smart on Crime, National Office of Volunteers of America, AdventHealth Hospital, West End Opportunity Partnership, 1 Clay County, You Decide, Kentucky! and as an Advisory Council Member of Young Professionals Association of Louisville. She was recently honored to receive the 2022 Business First Power 50 award as well as the 2022 Enterprising Women award.

Tasha Kozak

Tasha Kozak graduated from New York University with a Bachelor of Science in Social Work and from the University of Kentucky College of Social Work in 2021 with a Master of Social Work and a Graduate Certificate in Clinical Social Work.

After completing her graduate field placement at the Red Cross of Spain, Tasha continues to serve isolated groups and communities in the region of Malaga. She is interested in geriatric social work focusing on those affected by Alzheimer’s disease.

Devonia Love-Vaughn

Devonia Love-Vaughn graduated from the University of Kentucky College of Social Work in 1996 with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work and in 1997 with a Master of Social Work. She is currently a doctoral student at Louisiana Tech University in the Educational Leadership program with a concentration in Higher Education Administration. She is also a 2019 graduate of the second cohort of the University of Louisiana System’s Management and Leadership Institute.

Devonia currently serves as the inaugural Dean of Inclusion Initiatives and Student Success at Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, LA, she is the first African-American female to be appointed to a dean position at Louisiana Tech. Additionally, she is an adjunct instructor in the Human Development and Family Science department. Prior to her March 2020 appointment to dean, Devonia served as the director of Multicultural Affairs at Louisiana Tech for four years.

Devonia began her career in higher education 12 years ago as an adjunct instructor, professional advisor and student affairs professional. Prior to higher education, she spent 12 years in the social work profession, where she honed her love of social justice practice, policy and working on behalf of under-served/under-represented populations. Her diverse educational, professional, and personal experiences serve as motivation to create and advocate for accessibility, diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Devonia believes that embracing diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility are not only a fundamental part of academic excellence, but are also the building blocks for social and civil belonging.

Devonia has been married to LaMonte Vaughn, Jr (a 1997 UK alumnus), head track and field coach at Grambling State University, for 24 years. They are the proud parents of Brianna Love Vaughn (21) a sports marketing major at Louisiana Tech University. Devonia’s family plays a key role in her professional and personal success as they encourage her to be a change agent, serve others and lead in a way that is authentic, compassionate, and engaging.

Timothy Olsen

Major Timothy Olsen graduated from the University of Kentucky College of Social Work in 2012 with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work, from the Army’s Master of Social Work Program in Fort Sam Houston with a Master of Social Work, and is currently a student in the UK College of Social Work Doctor of Philosophy program, with a focus on moral injury and suicide prevention in National Guard populations.

Timothy has been in the military for 20 years, starting as an enlisted soldier, performing clinical work focused on trauma and substance use at Veterans Affairs hospitals in Kentucky and Tennessee, and currently serving as the Deputy State Surgeon and Director of Psychological Health for the Kentucky Army National Guard. He also maintains a part-time private practice in Lexington.

Shericka Smith

Dr. Shericka Smith graduated from Transylvania University with a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, from the University of Louisville with a Master of Science in Social Work with a concentration in School Social Work, and from the University of Kentucky College of Social Work in 2022 with a Doctorate of Social Work.

Dr. Smith is a mental health coordinator for Fayette County Public Schools. She also serves as a part-time instructor with the UK College of Social Work as well as providing mental health counseling at her co-owned agency, Wellness Within, PLLC.

In her free time, Dr. Smith enjoys traveling and watching movies with her dog, Ellie Mae.

Shawndaya Thrasher

Dr. Shawndaya Thrasher graduated from American InterContinental University with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and a minor in Forensic Science in 2010, the University of West Georgia with a Master of Arts in Criminology in 2013, the School of Social Work at the University of Georgia in 2016 with a Master of Social Work, and the UK College of Social Work in 2021 with a Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work.

Dr. Thrasher is an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work at Louisiana State University (LSU) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and an LSU Social Research and Evaluation Center faculty affiliate. Her work centers on understanding socio-ecological, intersectional, and intergenerational risk and protective factors for violence and violence-related outcomes in childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood, with an emphasis on racial/ethnic minorities, marginalized populations, and moderating effects of gender, race/ethnicity, and overlapping stigmas. Additionally, she is a Co-PI on a Louisiana Department of Education grant aimed at Behavioral Health Support and Infrastructure Development and is tasked with school assessment and professional development related to youth violence prevention.

She has more than eight years of direct practice as a youth behavioral specialist in a psychiatric treatment facility/school setting. Dr. Thrasher has also received recognition for her dedication and contributions to the student body, the Social Work profession, and the LSU/Baton Rouge community. In 2022, she received the LSU Black Women Empowerment Ally Award. In the spring of 2023, students nominated her as the keynote speaker for the LSU School of Social Work Hooding and Pinning Ceremony, and in the fall of 2023, she received the UK SWAA Rising Star in Social Work Award. In her free time, Dr. Thrasher enjoys expressing her creativity through fashion, art and design, and poetry writing. She also loves traveling, especially abroad, to experience diverse cuisines.

Sabri Williams

Sabri Williams graduated from the University of Kentucky College of Social Work in 2020 with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work and in 2022 with a Master of Social Work. During undergrad she served as a student ambassador for the College of Social Work. She currently serves as an Alumni Mentor.

Sabri has 5+ years of combined educational, employment, and practicum-based experience. Fields she has worked in include global or humanitarian aid, refugee resettlement, homeless intervention and prevention, healthcare, and disability services. Sabri currently works as a Clinical Research Coordinator, while simultaneously preparing to obtain her social work license.

Following undergrad, Sabri enrolled in a service term with the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC), in which she completed 1,700 hours of indirect service. Her team's service areas included environmental restoration, disaster mitigation and recovery, community development, and emergency response to COVID-19. Sabri shared more about her service in a College of Social Work Alumni Spotlight titled, “Q&A with Sabri Williams.”

In 2023, Sabri was a fellow at the National Association of Social Work, California Chapter where she worked on initiatives related to transition age youth (TAY) and membership engagement. She was the author of a 3-year strategic plan for a pilot program called Foster2Social Work (F2SW). She also co-facilitated monthly Mindfulness Time for Social Workers and the Social Work Peer Support Group.

Over the course of her career, Sabri has earned a Dean's Service Award (2020) from the University of Kentucky College of Social Work, Coast Guard Service Coin (2021), and a Congressional Service Medal (2021). She was nominated for these awards due to her commitment to social justice, service to communities, and work ensuring vulnerable citizens or groups have a voice; philosophies she hopes to continually embody.

Dr. Amanda Downing

Dr. Amanda Downing graduated from the University of Kentucky with a Bachelor of Arts in 2010, from the College of Social Work with a Master of Social Work in 2023, and from the College of Social Work with a Doctorate of Social Work in 2024.

Dr. Downing currently volunteers as a Director of Survivor Services with an all-volunteer non-profit, Night Owl Recon. Dr. Downing’s career has focused on improving internal practices and policies to support staff and service delivery to clients. Dr. Downing ‘s recent research interest focuses on addressing child welfare organizational culture to improve staff retention.

CoSW

spotlights

Our alumni are dedicated to improving the human condition through steadfast service. Their stories serve to inspire current and new generations of social workers.

Executive Advisory Committee