Profiles: Alumni in the Spotlight

Angenie McCleary Is New County Commissioner
Angenie McCleary, MSW '07, credits her social work education as great preparation for the county commissioner position to which the governor of Idaho recently appointed her. “A social work education gives you great perspective and appropriate skills for working in a political position,” she said. “It enables you to handle crises and resolve conflicts.”

McCleary cites her practicum with Washington state Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson as “very helpful in learning more about state politics.” While working with Dickerson, McCleary—along with Melissa Bailey, MWS ’06, and Diane Arnold, MSW ’07—played a key supporting role in the successful effort to enact a family-leave act into law.

An article about McCleary's appointment cites a large contingent of well-wishers. She can count us in as well.

Quintana-Jefferson

NASW Publication Shines Light on Marlinda Quintana-Jefferson
Marlinda Quintana-Jefferson, BASW ’80, MSW ’86, was recently featured in a National Association of Social Workers (NASW) publication highlighting Hispanic social workers, which asked why they chose the profession and what challenges they encounter in serving the Hispanic community. Quintana-Jefferson, who also has a Ph.D. in social work from Barry University in Miami, is currently patient care administrator for the HIV/AIDS office of the Broward County Health Department in Florida.

A native of Chile, Quintana-Jefferson worked full-time and studied English while earning her two degrees at our School. “I have fond memories of the School,” she said. “Allethia Allen [assistant professor emeritus] taught a lot of classes related to minority women and cultural competency, and I took every one of them. There were no Latina women there at the time, but I felt validated because of her.” From Florence Stier, professor emeritus, Quintana-Jefferson took classes in planning and administration, “something I thought at the time I would never use, but which gave me tools that became of tremendous value to me over time.”

Quintana-Jefferson has been asked by VDM Verlag, an academic publishing house in Germany, to grant permission to publish a monograph of her doctoral dissertation, Adherence to Antiretroviral Medications Among HIV-Infected Pregnant Women. The monograph, in English, is scheduled to appear later this year.

Read more about Marlinda Quintana-Jefferson in her own words.