Thank you, Monica, for your gracious and energetic reign as our President these past two years.
By watching Monica perform her duties as President of the Society, you would never guess that the board strongly influenced her decision to take the position when we struggled to find our next leader. Monica, being dedicated to the Education Committee, wanted to keep her position as Education Chair, so she agreed to fulfill both roles. She did them both well.
Board members jumped at the chance to thank Monica for her work. Several of them repeated the words kindness, work ethic, and inclusiveness. Katie Mark shared, “Monica always keeps social workers top of mind but also looks at the bigger picture, thinking about our community and humanity as a whole. Her genuine passion for supporting people and making our community stronger shines through in everything she does. She has brought so much thoughtfulness, compassion, and heart to her role as President.”
Mark La Chapelle and Tia Wilcek applauded her leadership and her responsiveness to social justice issues affecting the disenfranchised in our community.
Under her leadership, MSCSW advocated for and achieved legislation that requires insurance companies in Minnesota to pay for supervised services. She championed the raising of $10,000 to combat food insecurity, our membership reached 557 members, a new education initiative was launched, and a social opportunity for members, The Collective Cup, was established. Monica is reluctant to take credit for any of it, saying, “MSCSW is a consensus-based, volunteer-led bunch of social workers, so anything accomplished during my tenure is truly the work of the team.” Our board is strong: many dedicated social workers comprise our group, but you cannot discount the work of an inclusive, respectful leader like Monica.
She came into the presidency during a very tumultuous time, when civil rights were rolled back for many minority populations. The Annunciation shooting occurred just over a year ago, and Operation Metro Surge upended immigrant communities. While she would have preferred that none of these things occurred, she did appreciate the opportunity to connect with the community through writing on the listserv. Members and definitely her Board noted and appreciated her compassion and writing skills.
Monica says writing is second nature for her. She graduated summa cum laude with an English degree in 1996. After a few years of working at various administrative jobs, Monica earned her MSW degree in 2007 from the University of St. Thomas-University of St. Catherine School of Social Work. She was lucky to be hired as a part-time therapist at a social service agency, where she worked for 8 years. During that time, she worked in a rural area before committing to working in a “wet house” harm reduction program for men with active alcohol use disorder, and with the unhoused population. She shares, “The men at the wet house taught me so much about trauma, resilience, and relationships.” She was fortunate to obtain two years of Somatic Experiencing training that informed her practice there.
Monica has been an independent contractor with Nathan & Associates in Roseville since 2018. During that time, she has continued to develop her trauma skills, becoming a Master ART Clinician and training in Anchor Relational Therapy (formerly AIR Network). She is hoping to do training in ERP for OCD in the future. Monica has had one other crucial role the entire time she has been a social worker: Mother. She recently became an empty nester and is looking forward to doing more professional development in the future, as well as possibly a return to community theatre.
Monica says she is happily stepping into her new role on the MSCSW Board of Directors: Past President. We are happy to have the assurance that she will remain active in providing her experience and wisdom in her new role. Tia Wilcox, President-elect, will follow Monica into the Presidency and will continue their productive and considerate working relationship.
In-closing, the words of the Board Secretary, Stephanie Meittunen, said it best,
“Monica is passionate about advocating for marginalized populations, and her commitment to creating meaningful change is truly inspiring. She consistently shows up, follows through, and leads with compassion, integrity, and purpose. Monica actively seeks opportunities to collaborate with other agencies and organizations, helping MSCSW build stronger connections and broaden its impact.
Her hope for positive change and her desire to leave the world better for future generations are evident in everything she does. Monica embodies the values of the social work profession, not only through her advocacy and leadership, but also through the genuine care she demonstrates for others. I am grateful for her dedication to MSCSW and for the example she has set for all of us.”
Thank you, Monica.
~ Written and submitted by Bev Caruso, LICSWe
