The Future of Social Work Meets Its Legacy: NASW Foundation to Honor 2026 Social Work Pioneers® in Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The National Association of Social Workers Foundation (NASWF) will honor 10 influential leaders in the profession as the 2026 class of NASW Social Work Pioneers®. The honorees will be formally inducted at the NASW Social Work Pioneers® Reception during the NASW Annual Social Work Conference in Washington, D.C. in June 2026.

During the event, the NASW Foundation will induct the new class into its Pioneers program, which was created to honor those social workers who have made significant contributions to advancing the profession.

The NASW Foundation's Social Work Pioneers program stands as a powerful reminder that lasting change begins with bold leadership and an unwavering commitment to people," said NASW CEO Dr. Anthony Estreet, PhD, MBA, LCSW-C. "For more than three decades, we have recognized individuals whose work has not only advanced the profession, but has opened doors, broken barriers, and redefined what is possible in social work. This year's pioneers embody that spirit of transformation. Their impact reaches far beyond today, inspiring the next generation to lead with courage, compassion, and purpose."

Thirty-two years ago, NASW Board members Mark Battle and Ruth Knee played key roles in establishing and advancing the NASW Social Work Pioneers® program to ensure the accomplishments of social workers would be documented and preserved for future generations. Today, the program continues to highlight the trailblazing work of practitioners, advocates, and educators whose impact extends far beyond the profession.

Here are this year's Social Work Pioneer Inductees

▪ Freddie L. Avant, PhD, MSW, BSW
Internationally recognized social work leader, Freddie L. Avant is an educator, and administrator with a 38-year career dedicated to serving underserved and rural communities. For 18 years he worked as Director of the School of Social Work at Stephen F. Austin State University, held multiple leadership roles within NASW and the Council of Social Work Education (CSWE), and is globally recognized for his contributions to HIV/AIDS work and social work education.

▪ Allan Barsky, PhD,
Barsky is a social work professor at Florida Atlantic University and world-renown leader in social work ethics, conflict resolution, and education. With over 25 years of impact in the field, he led the 2017 revision of the NASW Code of Ethics, helped develop national standards for technology in social work practice, and is widely sought after for his scholarship, training, and advocacy advancing social justice and LGBTQ+ inclusion.

▪ Beverly Jo Buckles, DSW
Buckles has been at the forefront of advancing social work education and practice for more than four decades, serving as Dean of the School of Behavioral Health and Vice President for Behavioral Health Education at Loma Linda University Health while leading the integration of trauma- and resiliency-informed care into education and practice. Buckles founded the Practice, Research, and Clinical Training Innovation Center (PRACTIC), developed signature academic programs, and helped secure significant funding to support social work education, behavioral health workforce development, interdisciplinary initiatives, and international response efforts.

▪ Katherine Coumanis, EdD, MSW, LCSW
Coumanis is a pioneering advocate for survivors of domestic violence whose work led to the establishment of the Penelope House Program in 1979. It is the first domestic violence shelter in Alabama and one of the earliest in the United States. Her leadership was instrumental in the passage of Alabama's first domestic violence laws, the founding of the Alabama Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Mobile Child Advocacy Center, and the development of a statewide shelter model that has served more than 125,000 victims.

▪ Stephen Wanczyk-Karp, MSW
Wanczyk-Karp served as Executive Director of the NASW Connecticut Chapter from 1989 to 2024 and is widely recognized for his pioneering legislative and organizational leadership. His accomplishments include advancing Medicaid access for clinical social workers, mental health parity, telehealth expansion, trauma-informed practice, and innovative continuing education and electoral advocacy models, earning him legislative citations and recognition as a "Top 100 Lobbyist."

▪ Gwendolyn Spencer Prater, PhD, LCSW
Prater is Dean Emerita at Jackson State University and a pioneering leader in social work education whose impact extends beyond Mississippi and the profession. She founded the MSW program at Jackson State University, created Mississippi's first PhD program in social work, established the state's first Title IV-E child welfare program, and served in national leadership roles within NASW, including as first Vice President and as a leader of the NASW Insurance Trust's professional liability and ethics initiatives.

▪ Jacob Terpstra, MSW (1927-2021)*
Jacob Terpstra dedicated more than 40 years to protecting vulnerable populations through leadership in child welfare, juvenile justice, and federal policy, including roles with the U.S. Children's Bureau and as founder of the National Association of Foster Care Managers. Known as a steadfast "fighter for justice," he continued his advocacy into retirement as an author, speaker, prison justice advocate, and international human rights observer.

▪ Bruce A. Thyer, PhD, MSW, MA
Thyer has served for more than 40 years in social work education at the University of Georgia and Florida State University, where he currently serves as Distinguished Research Professor and former Dean. A founding member of the Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR) and founding editor of the peer-reviewed journal Research on Social Work Practice, Thyer helped integrate science into social work practice. Through his scholarship, leadership, and influential work on behavioral interventions, he has shaped generations of social work scholars and practitioners.

▪ Kirk Von Sternberg, PhD, MSW
Von Sternberg is a nationally recognized scholar whose pioneering research in substance use and behavioral health has emphasized the translation of science into social work practice. As co-director of the University of Texas at Austin's Health Behavior Research and Training Institute, he has led or co-led approximately $25 million in NIH- and CDC-funded research, collaborated with NASW to expand training in evidence-based interventions, and significantly influenced the field through rigorous clinical trials and mentorship of future researchers.

▪ Brad Yoder, PhD
Yoder is a pioneering educator and practitioner whose career advanced community-based mental health care, restorative justice, and social work education across Indiana. For nearly four decades as a faculty member at Manchester University, he championed antiracism education, helped establish innovative community and criminal justice programs, and provided sustained leadership within NASW, CSWE, and the Indiana Association of Social Work Educators.

*Denotes those being honored posthumously.