‘The ecosystem depends on people, not just policy’: 2026 Sheth International Alumni Award recipient shares wisdom during annual lecture
Category: 1980s
Alum Joyce Yen Feng Receives the 2026 Madhuri and Jagdish N. Sheth International Alumni Award for Exceptional Achievement
Joyce Yen Feng (MSW ’81, PhD ’88) has been awarded the Madhuri and Jagdish N. Sheth International Alumni Award for Exceptional Achievement. The award was established in 2000 to “recognize the accomplishments of distinguished international Illinois alumni who are highly accomplished in their profession, have made outstanding contributions to government, humanity, science, art, or human welfare, and exemplify the strength of their education at the university.”
Feng, whose work in areas of child welfare, ethical governance, national policy and visionary promotion and pioneering in social enterprise policy earned her the honorable title of the “Mother of Social Enterprise” in Taiwan, retired in 2022 from National Taiwan University. During her tenure, Feng dedicated herself to academic research.
Feng’s scholarly pursuits focused on child welfare and NPO development, research on Taiwan’s nonprofit sector, and “exploration of the value of social and organizational sustainability and its architecture for how a society organizes care and public trust for people who are most vulnerable”. One of Feng’s notable contributions was leading the planning and passage of Taiwan’s 2014 Social Enterprise Action Plan, “which integrated resources from nine ministries to build a social enterprise ecosystem in the country.”
Her career, scholarship, and public contributions have consistently enhanced lives and her professional journey is a real-world example of global citizenship.
Celebrating Excellence: Suzanne Koenig Receives the Highest Honor Bestowed upon an Illinois Alum
Celebrating the remarkable achievements of our esteemed alumni is a cherished tradition at the University of Illinois. We are delighted to announce Suzanne Koenig, a distinguished graduate of the School of Social Work, as a recipient of the Alumni Achievement Award from the University of Illinois Alumni Association for the year 2023.
Suzanne Koenig, BSW ’82 is president and founder of SAK Healthcare, a nationally recognized healthcare management and consulting services firm, with specific expertise in senior living, skilled nursing and long-term care facilities. Koenig and SAK provide skills in operations improvement, staff development and quality assurance. Koenig brings expertise in expense management, financial oversight, marketing, census development, clinical review and regulatory improvement to healthcare facilities in order to develop operational enhancements.
As a nursing home administrator and social worker, Koenig has provided turnaround, consulting and restructuring services throughout the U.S. She regularly serves as a court-appointed receiver to oversee and manage healthcare facilities. Having participated in the writing of the Patient Care Ombudsman statute found within the United States Bankruptcy Code, Koenig frequently is appointed as a patient care ombudsman to oversee patient care in healthcare facilities across the country.
Koenig also holds a Master of Science degree from Spertus College. She is a frequent speaker for various healthcare industry associations and business affiliates where she conducts continuing education and training programs. In 2022, she received a New York Institute of Credit Women’s Division Renaissance Award and was inducted into the International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation Hall of Fame.
Suzanne also serves as a court-appointed receiver, examiner, monitor, Chapter 11 trustee, and patient care ombudsman. She advises property owners, banks and lenders, trustees, debtors-in-possession, workout groups, and asset buyers.
NASW Honors University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Alumni for Their Impactful Contributions
Esteemed University of Illinois School of Social Work alumni, Diana Stroud, MSW ’85, and Dr. William (Bill) Spitzer MSW ’73, PHD ’81, will be inducted into the NASW Foundation’s Social Work Pioneer Program. As social work pioneers, they have made outstanding contributions to the field of social work and have paved the way for future generations to follow.
Diana Stroud has dedicated her career to advocating for the most vulnerable populations, including children, families, and seniors. She has been instrumental in developing community-based services and programs aimed at improving the lives of those in need. Her tireless efforts have earned her numerous accolades, including the NASW Social Worker of the Year Award and the California State Assembly Certificate of Recognition.
Dr. William Spitzer has made broad-ranging leadership contributions throughout his distinguished career that have significantly advanced client services, professional practice, and social work education. As a prolific author, his administrative and educational achievements reflect his passion, drive, and life-long commitment to social work in public and private sector healthcare, child welfare, and gerontology. The extensive impact of his community services and social work advocacy has been recognized with 17 national, state, and organizational awards spanning his career, including the NASW Lifetime Achievement Award.
NASW’s recognition of Diana Stroud and Dr. William Spitzer for their remarkable achievements and contributions will continue to inspire future generations of social workers and serve as a reminder of the importance of the profession.
2020-2021 Alumni Award Recipients Announced
Distinguished Alumni Award
Dr. Sondra J. Fogel
Dr. Sondra J. Fogel is the Ph.D. Program Chair and an associate professor in the School of Social Work at the University of South Florida. Dr. Fogel is the Editor-in-Chief of Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services, the most enduring, continuously published social work research journal. Dr. Fogel is a 1994 graduate of the social work Ph.D. program at the University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign. She received her Master of Science in Social Work (MSSW) from Columbia University in 1983. Dr. Fogel completed her double major psychology and sociology undergraduate degree in 1980 at the State University of New York at Buffalo. Dr. Fogel has a LCSW and is a Florida qualified social work supervisor. Dr. Fogel’s prior work experience includes serving as the Director for Army Community Services (ACS) and as the Family Advocate for military members and their families deployed in Germany. Dr. Fogel’s research interests are primarily focused on homelessness and vulnerable populations, social work education and professional licensing, and criminal justice issues; including capital punishment decisions and re-entry issues for returning citizens.
Alumni Award for Achievement in International Social Work
Dr. Joyce Yen Feng
Joyce Yen Feng is Professor of the Department of Social Work at National Taiwan University. She earned a PhD degree of Social Work in the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1988. She had taught Social Work in the Department of Sociology at NTU in 1983-2002, then became the creating chairperson of Department of Social Work in 2002-2005. She was the NTU Dean of Student in 2005-2012.
Her research interests and professional specialty in social work are Child Welfare and NPO developments. In the area of child welfare, she has published three books, over hundred papers in academic journals and conference proceedings on related titles. She has been heavily involved in the child welfare advocate work in Taiwan, such as the modification of the Child Welfare Law in 1993, and the enacted of the Child and Youth Welfare Law in 2003, and the following modification efforts. She was one of the leaders establishing the Child Welfare League Foundation in Taiwan in 1991, which was the first local-born major child welfare NPO. She served as its CEO for 10 years, then been elected President in 2006-2015.
She also has conducted extensive research on Taiwan’s nonprofit sector, published book chapters, papers, and the initiation of the United Way Taiwan in 1992. Further, the NPO Self-regulation Alliance of Taiwan was established via her action research project in 2005, then had been on the board and was elected President in 2012-2018.
Apart from her academic research on the NPO and Third Sector, she has also directly participated in many nonprofit organizations. She has been on the board of the United Way Taiwan, the R.O.C. Red Cross, Tzu-Chi Foundation, Dwen-An Social Welfare Foundation, among other local NPO and Social Work Professional organizations, and joined the board of international NPO, such as International Council of Social Welfare, Asia Pacific Philanthropy Consortium, United Way World Wide, Consortium of Institute for Families in Asia, she was elected President of the ICSW- North Eastern Asia Region in 2020.
She has also served to the academic societies as board members, editors of Journals, and been invited as social welfare consultant or gender equality committee member to the Central and Municipal governments in Taiwan. She had been the National Policy Consultant to the President of the Republic of China since 2010 to 2012. She was transferred to the central government served as the Minister without Portfolio of Social Welfare at Executive Yuan in 2013-2016.
Community Achievement Award
Dr. Chathapuram Ramanathan
Dr. Chathapuram Ramanathan, PhD., ACSW, LMSW, LMFT, CAC has worked in the human services for four decades, is Associate Professor, and former Chair, Social Work department at University of West Florida. Prior to that he was Chief Executive of Human Service Enterprises, Michigan, USA. Dr. Ramanathan graduated with a MA in social from the Madras School of Social Work, affiliated to University of Madras; and then a Masters and a Doctoral degree from the University of Illinois. His doctoral degree is in Social work and Human Resources Management. His practice and scholarship focus is on cross-cultural issues, social work practice, social development, addiction recovery, corporate social responsibility. He has been providing Psychotherapy services for over 35 years, is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and a Licensed Clinical and Macro Social Worker. Dr. Ramanathan is a credentialed Military Family Liaison Consultant.
Dr. Ramanathan has published over 35 refereed articles, book chapters, and co-authored four books. His book published in 1999, is called All Our Futures. The book All our Futures was reprinted in 2004. Dr. Ramanathan co-authored another book in 2011, titled Human Behavior in a Just World: Reaching for Common Ground . Another co-authored and co-edited book titled: Governance, Development, and Social Work was published in August 2013 by Routledge . An Asian Edition of the book Governance, Development, and Social Work was published in January 2014 by Rawat Publishers. Yet another co-authored and co-edited book titled: Spirituality, Culture and Development was published in October 2016, by Lexington Books, and a paperback version was published in 2019.
In 2011-2012 Dr. Ramanathan was conferred with Fulbright-Nehru Visiting Scholar award, and NIMHANS (National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences) served as host institution. In 2004, he was conferred a Fulbright Senior Specialist award to lecture to students and professionals, at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, a Deemed University, (first social work program in Asia – established 1936). Dr. Ramanathan served a three-year term on NASW’s National Committee on Racial and Ethnic Diversity. He also served NASW’s National Ethics Committee from 2007-2009.
Dr. Ramanathan has received many awards and honors, including a tribute from a Michigan Legislator and Michigan Governor, in October 2008, which recognized him as an important Asian American leader. One of his co-authored articles was recognized as the best article, by the National Human Rights Workers Association. In 2002, Dr. Ramanathan was a speaker through the prestigious US-Speaker Series program, presented “Diversity and Inclusiveness: A Hindu American View,” at the conference “Religious Pluralism and Democratic Societies: United States and South East Asia,” Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He has presented several keynote and plenary speeches in conferences. Most recently in January 2014, he presented a plenary in a conference titled “Bounds of Ethics.” The inaugural address in that conference was given by his holiness the Dalai Lama. Dr. Ramanathan has presented over 50 papers and workshops in 18 countries.
He served the Council on Social Work Education’s (CSWE) International Commission from 1992-2004. He served CSWE as a trained site visitor for over 20 years, reviewing graduate and undergraduate programs for accreditation. He served on several boards of social service agencies, editorial boards of journals and currently serves on the advisory board of CSWE’s, Katherine Kendal Institute for International Social Work Education.
Molly McLay
Molly M. McLay is a licensed clinical social worker in both Illinois and Missouri, a therapist, and a full-time doctoral student in social work at the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis. She hails most recently from Champaign, Illinois, having received a BA in English Writing and Women’s and Gender Studies from Illinois Wesleyan University (2006) and an MSW from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2011). An affiliate of the Center for Violence and Injury Prevention at the Brown School, Molly’s research focuses on the development, implementation, and evaluation of interventions for gender-based violence, both prevention and treatment-focused. As a licensed clinical social worker, Molly has worked in both areas, empowering survivors in their healing processes and empowering communities to shift their thinking around these issues to promote consent and healthy relationships. From 2013-2019, she served as Assistant Director of the University of Illinois Women’s Resources Center, where she co-created three new peer-led gender-based violence prevention programs, revamped the first-year program reaching 9000+ students annually to become more inclusive to LGBTQIA+ students, taught courses, and served as a Title IX confidential advisor. Molly also works as a part-time telehealth therapist alongside her work as a PhD student. A longtime poet and musician, Molly also plans to develop evidence-supported creative writing interventions to aid in both prevention and therapeutic response efforts, centering on the change process that happens in writing and how that can translate to individual and systemic belief changes.
Outstanding New Social Worker Award
Carly (Delzell) Musselman
Carly N. (Delzell) Musselman, MSW, is a native of Danville, Illinois. She is currently working for Danville School District 118 as a School Social Worker at South View Upper Elementary School. She previously worked as a special education teacher at RCCSEC in Champaign County, Illinois, at Oak Ridge High School in The Woodlands, Texas, and at Danville High School in Danville, Illinois. Carly graduated with honors from Danville High School in Danville, Illinois in 2004. She attended the University of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio and transferred to the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Special Education in 2010. In 2020, Carly received her Master of Social Work degree from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. Her professional life includes a passion and commitment to serving the needs of children and families as a School Social Worker.