Alumni - Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis

Alumna helps North St. Louis recover six months after tornado

admin — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 13:57:00 +0000

On a bright October afternoon, sunlight filters through the blinds of a small office in North St. Louis. Inside the North Newstead Association, the phones are unusually quiet. A rare moment of calm, said Executive Director Constance Siu, MSW ’17. Nearly six months after a devastating tornado tore through St. Louis, hitting North City especially hard, Siu and her small staff are still helping neighbors rebuild their lives. “Remember that May 16 still happened this year, and it’s still affecting a lot of people,” she said. “Once you drive into the south of the city, it’s easy to forget the tornado ever happened. But we still have so many residents who don’t have a place to live, who are not in a dry structure...

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Nabunya named ICHAD director

Roger — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 20:36:07 +0000

Proscovia Nabunya, an associate professor at the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis, has been named director of the school’s International Center for Child Health and Development (ICHAD). Proscovia has been instrumental in ICHAD’s growth, serving in various leadership roles, including as the center’s co-director since 2019, a principal investigator and co-investigator on several research studies, as well as a mentor on training programs. Her research focuses on HIV-stigma reduction interventions, mental health, and family and community-based support systems as protective factors for the development and well-being of vulnerable children and families in global settings.

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Brown School alumnae recognized in St. Louis Magazine’s A-List Awards

admin — Tue, 26 Aug 2025 16:28:15 +0000

Two Brown School alumnae are featured in St. Louis Magazine’s 2025 A-List Editors’ Choice Awards: People Shaping the Region. Linda Nguyen, MSW ’15, and Samantha Stangl, MSW ’13, are among 10 local leaders honored for their work in driving the region forward. Nguyen is the executive director of the Community Builders Network of Metro St. Louis, where she works to boost the capabilities of neighborhood organizations that are leading change at the local level. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, she moved to St. Louis in 2013 to pursue her master’s degree in social work. Stangl serves as executive director of House Everyone STL, a nonprofit working to end homelessness in the St. Louis area by using data-driven solutions that support community service providers and...

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Two Brown School alumni appointed to influential public service roles

admin — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 11:28:00 +0000

Two alumni from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis have recently been named to high-impact public service positions in Texas and North Carolina, underscoring the school’s national influence in shaping public policy and advancing social equity. Carl E. Josehart, AB ’84, MSW ’87, has been appointed to the Mayor’s LGBTQ Advisory Board in Houston by Mayor John Whitmire. His two-year term began Aug. 1, 2025, and runs through Aug.1, 2027. Josehart serves as chief executive officer of the Joan and Stanford Alexander Jewish Family Service in Houston and is a member of the Brown School National Council. A healthcare executive with more than 30 years of experience, he said he looks forward to using this opportunity to promote equity, inclusion and representation...

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Brown School volunteers support tornado recovery efforts in North St. Louis

admin — Fri, 23 May 2025 17:51:42 +0000

In the wake of a devastating tornado that struck the St. Louis area on Friday, May 16, students, alumni, and faculty from 17�Թ�’s Brown School have mobilized to assist recovery efforts in one of the city’s hardest-hit neighborhoods. The tornado cut a 23-mile-long path, damaging or destroying an estimated 5,000 structures, according to St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer. The storm claimed five lives and injured dozens more, with the greatest impact felt in North St. Louis—a historically disinvested and predominantly Black community. On May 20, a team of volunteers from the Brown School, including 12 students, two alumni, and four faculty members, joined local relief efforts at the People’s Response Hub, a recovery initiative launched by Action St. Louis and...

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Student speaker celebrates resilience and hope at Brown School Recognition Ceremony

admin — Mon, 12 May 2025 19:57:00 +0000

At the Brown School’s Recognition Ceremony on Saturday, May 10, student speaker Nwaliweaku Anidi celebrated personal growth, perseverance, and a shared commitment to making a difference during her address to the Class of 2025. Anidi, who earned a Master of Public Health with a specialization in Health Policy, opened her remarks by honoring the unique legacy of her graduating class. She highlighted key milestones, including the Brown School’s centennial, the launch of the university’s new School of Public Health, and a record enrollment of international students. “Our classrooms were filled with diverse stories and lived experiences, making it feel as though we were traveling across communities simply by listening to one another,” said Anidi, a native of Nigeria. “I am...

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Lewis urges Brown School graduates to ask for help, embrace the journey

admin — Mon, 12 May 2025 17:57:18 +0000

Actress, activist and author Jenifer Lewis gave a heartfelt, humorous and candid speech to the Brown School Class of 2025, urging graduates to take care of their mental health, lead with love, and, above all, “avoid getting stuck in traffic.” Lewis, a native of Kinloch, Missouri, with nearly five decades in show business, spoke before graduates and their families and friends at the Brown School’s Recognition Ceremony May 10 at the Athletic Complex Field House on the Danforth Campus. She credited three simple words for helping her navigate the highs and lows of her show business career: “I need help.” “In 1991 at the height of the AIDS epidemic, I had what we used to call a nervous breakdown,” Lewis...

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Brown School honors changemakers at annual Awards of Distinction

admin — Thu, 01 May 2025 18:29:15 +0000

The Brown School marked its 100th anniversary with a special celebration during the annual Brown School Awards of Distinction & Centennial Gala, held on April 24. The event honored seven individuals for their outstanding contributions to social work, public health, and social policy. “I am awestruck by the positive impact you have all had,” said Dorian Traube, Neidorff Family and Centene Corporation Dean of the Brown School. “Every day through your work and connections with others you are embodying the Brown School values and we are so proud of all of you.” In her remarks, Traube acknowledged the many challenges facing society — from global health crises to systemic injustices — and emphasized the school’s role in creating solutions. “With...

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Alumna’s new book offers nature-inspired life lessons

admin — Tue, 22 Oct 2024 20:56:59 +0000

Brown School alumna Christine Cronin, MSW/MPH ’15, has written a new book as a resource for those interested in learning empowering life lessons. Titled Nature Is Our Nurture: A Picture Book of Empowering Life Lessons for the Child in All of Us, the book is published by Archway Publishing. It blends spirituality, philosophy, and psychology, presenting over 50 life lessons through analogies drawn from the natural world. “I want people to know they are never alone, and there is always a solution,” Cronin said. The book, illustrated by Cronin’s mother, Rose Cronin, takes readers on a journey through nature, emphasizing themes of love, growth, and resilience. Each lesson is paired with affirmations and insights from spiritual leaders, philosophers, and psychologists. Unlike traditional...

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Celebrating a Century of Impact: The Brown School Turns 100

admin — Mon, 19 Aug 2024 11:00:00 +0000

The Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis will mark its 100th anniversary this academic year with a series of events and activities, celebrating its century-long contributions to social work, public health, and social policy. “The centennial celebration is not just a look back at our history, but a powerful reminder of our ongoing mission and focus. It’s a renewing of our commitment to meet the needs of a changing world through the strength and unity of our community,” said Dorian Traube, the Neidorff Family and Centene Corporation Dean of the Brown School and a professor. Founded in 1925, the Brown School owes its inception to Betty Bofinger Brown, wife of Brown Shoe Company founder George Warren Brown. Her...

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Alumnus Ben Molina Recognized for Diversity Efforts

admin — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 15:06:07 +0000

Alumnus Ben Molina, MSW ’18, has been named a recipient of the St. Louis Business Journal’s 2024 Champions for Diversity & Inclusion Awards. Molina, an entrepreneurship program manager at Cortex Innovation Community, was honored for his dedication to advancing diversity and inclusion. He called the recognition an honor and a testament to the transformational programming provided to budding businesses through the Cortex’s Square One programs. “Small businesses are the foundation of our economy in St. Louis, and starting one is not an easy journey. I am proud to lead initiatives that break through the barriers entrepreneurs face when launching a business, with a particular focus on empowering Black and Brown, women, LGBTQIA+, and new American entrepreneurs. I feel incredibly blessed to be given the trust and opportunity to serve,” he said. The...

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Alumna Creates Mental Health Toolkit for Maui Wildfire Survivors with Disabilities

admin — Mon, 15 Jul 2024 11:00:00 +0000

When the devastating wildfires ravaged Maui last August, Maya Matheis, a Brown School alumna and clinical psychologist, was at home in Honolulu, eager to help. Now, a year later, her contributions have made a significant impact on a frequently overlooked group. Matheis, MSW ’14, is a junior specialist faculty member at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa College of Education’s Center on Disability Studies. She specializes in child and adolescent mental health and quickly saw the need to support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their families in coping with the trauma of the fires. “I was in Zoom meetings and emailing people saying, ‘I have this skill set. I know that these people are often left out....

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MPH Alumna Honored as Community Changemaker by FOCUS St. Louis

admin — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 14:14:36 +0000

In 1976, a Schoolhouse Rock! famously condensed the process of how a bill becomes a law into a three-minute segment. Nearly five decades later, the need to grasp the complexities of government and policy remains just as important. Brown School alumna Kelly McGowan, MPH ’15, has embraced this challenge. She founded Transform 314, an organization committed to fostering civic engagement by educating, engaging, and empowering Black residents of St. Louis to drive local policy changes essential for creating thriving communities. Her efforts aim to ensure that residents have a voice in shaping their city’s future. Recognizing her impactful work, McGowan was recently honored with a Community Changemaker award by FOCUS St. Louis, the region’s premier nonprofit leadership organization. The award celebrates individuals who inspire...

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From Ghana to St. Louis: One MPH Grad Reflects on His Inspiration and Accomplishments

Wed, 29 May 2024 14:27:28 +0000

Cletus Bijalam Mbalida’s academic journey began at the age of 12, when he attended his first day of school in a makeshift classroom under a tree in northern Ghana. He reached his latest destination May 13 at Francis Olympic Field, where he celebrated receiving his MPH degree from the Brown School and looked forward to publishing his analysis of poverty in Ghana as he works toward a PhD degree. His only regret at that rainy 17�Թ� Commencement ceremony was that his late mother couldn’t be there. “It has been seven months since my mother’s passing, and as I recall our countless moments of burning charcoal in the forest to sell as fuel to raise money for my school fees in...

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Class Acts: Jewel Evans

Roger — Thu, 02 May 2024 20:05:34 +0000

Jewel Evans has a passion for equity-based urban planning. Her goal is to create equitable land use policies that can positively impact disenfranchised populations. “What I’ve learned in my time at 17�Թ� is that all people — regardless of race, socioeconomic class or any other factor — have the right to a safe and clean environment,” Evans said. “We all have the right to systems, policies and governmental structures that work to create that environment for us. Systems should be working on behalf of all people, and specifically marginalized people, to create a clean, safe, enjoyable environment that prioritizes their health and their needs.” Evans, from West Bloomfield, Mich., is part of the Brown School’s 3-2 program, through which she...

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