Melissa Lilliewood is Principal and co-owner of Vector Federal Solutions, LLC, a small business specializing in innovative services solutions tailored to the social service and logistics requirements of state and federal agencies. Over 20 years of experience in administrative leadership in nonprofit and military social service environments underpin her capabilities for strategic planning, resource alignment, and achieving service delivery objectives that have defined Vector’s success since its founding in 2013. Passionate about leading responsiveness in operations, Ms. Lilliewood’s accomplishments include increasing accessibility to counseling and crisis support for children and families in rural and underserved urban areas in TN, KY and Washington, DC. Ms. Lilliewood’s demonstrated leadership in military community social support services in the US and abroad includes overseeing the development of resources and collaborative agreements to bridge service delivery gaps for sexual assault and intimate partner violence survivors and initiating culturally informed approaches to violence prevention and outreach. Additionally, her commitment to quality improvement and advocacy has impacted enterprise level policy and contributed to congressional reports in advancing critical interests of wounded, ill, and injured Servicemembers. Ms. Lilliewood holds the MSSW degree from the University of Tennessee and is currently a DSW Candidate at the University of Kentucky, specializing in Administrative Leadership. Ms. Lilliewood’s doctoral research interest is in the survey and application of leadership models to macro practice in community prevention work, with a specific focus on improving practice with military populations.
Melissa Lilliewood
BSSW, MSSW
Leadership Models in Macro and Community Practice: Survey and Application
- April 23, 2024
- 4:00 PM -
- 5:00 PM
Abstract
This presentation analyzes the present understanding of social work leadership by exploring the application, effectiveness, and development of leadership models to macro and community practice environments. The session presents a study and synthesis of leadership models as related to the distinct philosophical, ethical, and historical foundations of social work macro practice while highlighting opportunities to adapt, develop, and integrate macro leadership practice frameworks to increase proficiencies in meeting the needs of diverse and complex populations and environments. In strengthening the conceptualization of social workers as leaders, the presentation introduces a model of social work prevention leadership developed by the presenter that integrates social justice principles and transformational leadership theory in prevention work with military affiliated populations. The Military Macro Practice Leadership Model (MMPLM) aims to provide key social work leadership knowledge, strategies and competencies that support solutions around the reduction of harmful behaviors in military communities. As applied in the prevention of intimate partner violence, this session demonstrates how the MMLPM’s core domains underpin a leadership curriculum for social work administrators in family violence work.