2017 Honorees
Lifetime Achievement
Jackie Hong
Chris Langworthy has always been a social worker. She is committed to the profession, is proud to be a social worker and her practice deeply reflects social work values and ethics. Chris began her career as a psychiatric social worker at the Queen's Medical Center, where she provided mental health services in the psychiatric unit. She later moved to Lanai with her family and established the first mental health services office on the island . She assisted in the development and implementation of the community wide mental health services plan, and provided a wide range of direct and preventive mental health services. She also served as a consultant to other community agencies such as the school, hospital, and service providers. When Chris returned to Oahu, she worked as a Staff Development Specialist for the Dep't. of Human Services and provided continued education support for social service staff. She moved on to become the Practicum Specialist and Project Manager for DHS, Adult Protective Services Student Unit. In this capacity, Chris developed the first MSW and BSW student unit within the Dep't., supervising and educating over 40 UH social work students and managing a 3 year elder abuse research project under Dr. Oscar Kurren. After seven years at DHS, Chris took on the position of Assistant Director of Practicum at the Myron B Thompson School of Social Work, UH Manoa. She assisted in the development, implementation. and evaluation of all practicum activities in the MSW and BSW programs. Overall, Chris was instrumental in practicum leadership and development of professional social work practicum training and education of our current and future social workers for the State of Hawaii. She has worked tirelessly to develop and maintain practicum sites and supervisors for MSW and BSW students, importantly serving as a strong advocate for student learning in the field and supporting field instructors in their responsibilities. At the School, she participated in the Social Work Engagement Committee, MSW and BSW Curriculum Committees, School Personnel Committee, Accessible and Distance Education Planning Team Committee, International Affairs Committee, School of Social Work Administrative Team, UHM Specialist Faculty Forum, and Maternal and Child Health Interdisciplinary Leadership Education Program. Additionally, Chris participated in various practicum liaison activities serving as a member of community councils including Ho'ola ia o na Kupuna 'ihi project; Hi'ilei Training Project; Hawaii Child Welfare Education Collaboration; Pulama I Ke Ola; Psycho-Social Rehabilitation Training Project; Ke Ola O Hawaii; Queens Medical Center, Student Internship Program. Chris has been an active member of NASW, serving as the elected Region XII Representative on the National Committee on Nominations and Leadership Indentification, Vice President of the Hawaii Chapter; Member-at-Large, Hawaii Chapter; Chair of the NASW Nominations and Leadership Committee, Hawaii Chapter. She is currently serving as Co-Chair of the Chapter's Book Committee. Chris enjoys strong ties with the Hawaii Democratic Party and served as an alternate delegate for District 19 for two years. She and her family also hosted exchange students through the Wo International Center at Punahou School between 1991 -2001. She has taken post graduate courses to enhance her knowledge and skills and continues to benefit from continuing education coursework. |
2017 Honorees
The mission of the We Are Oceania is to advocate for the health of Micronesian individuals and families, empowering them to weave their indigenous skills, knowledge, and being/values with their newly acquired knowledge of their new community on O‘ahu, in order to reach their full potential and become self-sufficient.
Della Au Belatti is serving in her sixth term as the State Representative for House District 24 (Makiki, Tantalus, Papakolea, McCully, Pawaa & Manoa). Representative Belatti serves as the Chair of the House Committee on Health, is one of four co-convenors of the Hawai‘i State Women’s Legislative Caucus, and is a Commissioner on the Judiciary’s Access to Justice Commission. She has been involved in crafting and passing significant legislation impacting women, families and children, including marriage equality, reproductive health care rights for women, ensuring access to emergency contraceptive care to sex assault victims, and rape kit testing legislation. In addition to her legislative duties, Representative Belatti is an associate attorney with the Law Office of Eric A. Seitz with an active civil rights litigation practice. She is a graduate of the University of Hawai‘i’s William S. Richardson School of Law, Princeton University and Maryknoll School.2017 Scholarship RecipientsRachel Keaton
Brigham Young University Hawaii Cheyenne Heimataura T M Leiataua
Brigham Young University Hawaii Leilani Maxera
Hawaii Pacific University Marc Malate
University of Hawaii at Manoa Paumalu Cassiday University of Hawaii at Manoa |
