George transplanted from Akron, Ohio after falling in love with Minnesota while attending St. John's University. He did leave for a couple of years to earn his Master's in Social Work from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.  George is currently the Social Work Services Director at the Interprofessional Center for Counseling and Legal Services at the University of St. Thomas.  Previously, George worked at Park Nicollet Clinic – Creekside, a family medicine clinic for the University of Minnesota Medical School’s Department of Family Medicine, where his role was to drink coffee and schmooze with residents about the psychosocial aspects of the biopsychosocial model. George has a strong interest in cross-cultural health care, health care policy, and mental health care, especially from a family systems perspective. He also teaches in the MSW program at CSC/UST.

Christie is a LSW working with geriatrics as the Director of Social Services at Augustana Health Care Center of Minneapolis. Christie obtained her BSW from the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa in 1998. Currently, Christie is working on her Master’s degree in Social Work at the College of St. Catherine’s in St. Paul. Christie enjoys belonging to NASW-MN's Governing Board and giving a perspective from a geriatric social worker’s point of view, as well as keeping a breast with what other social workers are experiencing with other populations.

 Christie lives in Cottage Grove with her husband and three children.

Dr. Ginther earned his A.A. from Fresno City College; his B.A. in social work from California State University, Fresno; and his M.S.W. and Ph.D. degrees in social welfare from the University of California, Berkeley. Following graduation he was appointed Research Specialist, then Research Gerontologist at the University of California, San Francisco. There he worked on many local, state, and national policy research initiatives that focused on the care and treatment of Alzheimer's disease patients, and published in the areas of professional care recommendations, clients' and patients' service choices, and the nature of care for victims of Alzheimer's disease.

Dr. Ginther came to MSUM in 1996, and currently has 20 years of applied social research and teaching experience. Presently, his interests include human biopsychosocial development, social work research methods, health and social welfare policy, grant writing, practice outcome assessment, and program evaluation. He completed CSWE training in social work program reaccreditation, and remains very active helping area and regional agencies write grants, establish outcome assessment systems, and perform program evaluations. His current research and publications focus on program capacity for outcome assessment, assessment of teaching and learning, team teaching, social work program web-based reaccreditation, research self efficacy, and teaching human discrimination through modern film.

Alan has worked for 30 years in human services in Minnesota as a clinician, supervisor, and administrator.  He has been employed in a variety of settings:  county social services, community mental health, and corrections.  Alan has been an LICSW since 1989.  Most recently, Alan has worked with NASW colleagues in the Hiawatha region on developing and hosting training opportunities and serving as a liaison between our chapter, the local Social Services Department, and other community agencies.

Ilona is currently working in child protective services for St. Louis County Public Health and Human Services. In addition, she is the Coordinator for the Adults with Disabilites Program for ISD #701, Hibbing Community Education. As an independent contractor, Ilona provides in-home counselling for Head Start families in the Arrowhead Region. Ilona has fifteen years experience in hospital based social work and eleven years experience in school based social work.

Ilona received her undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Minnesota, Duluth.

Dawn has been a member of NASW since 1991, and has been involved in both the Hiawatha Valley and MN Valley units.  As a county social worker, she testified for the legislature for programs and the importance of continued funding for projects. Dawn has been the treasure of the Minnesota Nursing Home Social Worker Association for the past year, and was also on the Education Committee. She helped in the development of a check-off list for elders and family members to use when choosing a skilled nursing facility, assisted living, and home care services.  Dawn has been a strong advocate for the mentally ill, developmentally disabled, and children in need of protective services while working in Houston County.  As a nursing home social worker, she was a strong advocate for the importance of social work within the assisted living environment. Dawn was also asked to do Train the Trainer on Cancer by NASW in September 2006. 

Ms. Tindi is a social worker and trainer at the Center for Victims of Torture, serving in the client services program and New Neighbors Hidden Scars outreach project, a capacity building project targeting refugees and immigrant torture and war trauma survivors, and service providers. Ms. Tindi has served as a community mental health case manager intern and a Mental Health Practitioner at both Mental Health Resources Inc and People Incorporated working with people with severe and persistent mental illness, chemical dependency and homelessness. Ms. Tindi serves on the board of Hennepin County adult mental health as an advocate, and is a member of a planning committee to pilot Citizen's Health Care Approach in the community of war trauma survivors. Ms. Tindi has conducted several trainings to service providers on the delivery of culturally appropriate mental health services to African immigrants and refugees. She has also presented at conferences on community work with torture and war trauma survivors. Ms. Tindi is currently leading the development of the First African Food Shelf in Minnesota.

Ms. Tindi earned her MSW from University of Minnesota and a Bachelors of Education degree from the University of Nairobi, Kenya. She taught English and Literature to high school and college students for ten years prior to coming to the United States. Ms. Tindi looks forward to fostering cross-cultural learning/sharing amongst NASW members and other organizations.

Abby graduated with her BSW from the College of St. Catherine’s/University of St. Thomas.  She is currently an MSW student at Augsburg College and will graduate in June 2010.  Abby has completed internships in a long term care facility and an elementary school, and is currently interning at Grasstops Inc., working on policy issues related to school social workers.  Abby has been involved with NASW-MN for the past four years.  She served on the board as the BSW representative and currently serves as an at large representative.  She is the chair of the Day at the Capitol Planning Committee and Volunteer Coordinator for the Student Task Force.

Nate received his B.S. from the U of MN with a major in Family Social Science in 1999 and his MSW from St. Thomas/St. Kate's in 2005. Nate's MSW research project addressed the topic of social worker involvement in the electoral process. Nate recently passed his LICSW exam and is employed as a social worker at Catholic Charities where he provides counseling for groups, families, couples and individuals with a focus on working with Teen Fathers. Nate is also a member of AASWG (Social Work with Groups), Sowers of Justice (Catholic Church), is a Camp Wellstone graduate, serves on the SPAN Committee (Social Policy - NASW), and has participated in planning Social Work Day at the Capitol for the last few years.  
 

Nate is also married & the proud father of 2 energized boys!
 

Becky Fast, LMSW, MPA (Kansas Chapter), is a lifelong Midwesterner, having lived in Minnesota and now currently in Kansas. She is the director of Constituent Services for Congressman Dennis Moore, U.S. House of Representatives. In addition, she is a field practicum instructor and has taught case management and social policy and program analysis for many years.

Fast has been active in NASW since graduating in 1993. She has practiced in medical settings serving older adults and persons with HIV/AIDS. Fast taught political social work skills for Nancy Humphrey’s Institute for Political Social Work and was instrumental in bringing a campaign school to the Midwest. She served as the chairwoman for the Kansas Chapter PACE committee and as the treasurer of the Chapter Board of Directors. Other work includes researching, publishing, and evaluating state programs for the University of Kansas, School of Social Welfare.

Becky is pleased to serve NASW-MN Chapter members as the current National Board Representative for Region X.