Dana L. Benton, Ed.M, MSW, LICSW, PhD Student

Dana is the inaugural Director of Career Services, Alumni and External Relations at Boston University’s School of Social Work (BUSSW). In her role as Director, Dana provides strategic leadership for career development by delivering career advising, professional development programming, licensing and job market preparation, and partnerships that support more than 900 students, alumni, and doctoral candidates in achieving successful careers in social work. In addition, Dana leads alumni engagement efforts by strengthening relationships with graduates, supporting the Alumni Board, coordinating networking and mentoring opportunities, overseeing alumni events, and partnering with advancement to enhance alumni and donor involvement.  Dana also collaborates with the dean, faculty, and staff, as well as local and national social work organizations, to promote the school's reputation, locate practicum opportunities, expand professional partnerships, and strengthen communications, branding, and thought leadership at the local and national levels. Dana has over 20 years of experience as a clinician and administrator in school districts, state government agencies, and nonprofit human services and mental health agencies serving children, adolescents, and adults. She is the Owner and Operator of Brave Emotional Transformation, which offers counseling and coaching services to adults across the lifespan, as well as consultation services to local schools and community agencies. Dana holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a concentration in Elementary Education from Northeastern University; a Master of Education in Risk and Prevention Programming for Adolescents from Harvard University Graduate School of Education; and a Master of Social Work from Smith College School of Social Work. Dana is also a Clinical Social Work Ph.D student at Simmons School of Social Work.

 Dionne Brown-Bushrod, LCSW-C

Dionne is a licensed certified clinical social worker with more than 30 years of experience in social work practice, public health, administration, and continuing education. As Director of Professional Practice at the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), she provides leadership for the Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program and supports initiatives that strengthen professional regulation, workforce development, and continuing competence for social workers. Dionne holds a Bachelor of Arts in social work and psychology from University of Maryland Baltimore County and a Master of Social Work from the University of Maryland School of Social Work.

 Katie Justice

Katie serves as The Ohio State University College of Social Work (CSW), Associate Director of Community Outreach and Engagement, Career Services, and Continuing Education and has dedicated 24 years to the college. Throughout her tenure, she has played a pivotal role in shaping the career success of countless students. One of her most significant accomplishments was leading the development and launch of the Career Center within CSW, creating a foundation for comprehensive career support and workforce readiness initiatives. Katie also leads strategic outreach efforts state and nationwide, building partnerships with nonprofits, businesses, and community organizations to expand engagement opportunities, strengthen educational programming, and advance workforce development initiatives.

 Jennifer Luna, MSSW

Jennifer serves as the Program Coordinator for the Network for Social Work Managers. She brings over 20 years of experience in presenting and training on career development topics specific to the profession of social work at the local, state, and national level. Her expertise lies in macro social work, professional branding, academic branding and the professional development cycle of social workers. She is also a certified Gallup Strengths Coach and a certified John C. Maxwell Coach, Teacher, Trainer, and Speaker, helping social workers identify and leverage their strengths, skills, and leadership potential.

As the former director of the DiNitto Center for Career Services at University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work, she established and administered the daily operations of the nationally ranked and model program that serves over 800 students and alumni. She continues to collaborates with other schools of social work, NASW, and CSWE on career development issues, including licensure, labor market, and professional identity. She also writes a column for The New Social Worker Magazine, and has published and spoken on topics such as personal branding, academic job search, and resiliency. Jennifer's mission is to uplift the profession of social work one social worker at a time, one organization at a time and one system at a time.

 Cara Sanner

Cara is Director of Regulatory Services at the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), where she has worked since 2011. She co-leads the association's government affairs efforts and oversees regulatory services programs, including the management of social work regulatory data systems, policy and regulatory resources, and technical assistance for member jurisdictions. Her work focuses on engaging regulators, policymakers, and other stakeholders across diverse policy environments to support effective social work regulation and licensure. Cara holds a Bachelor of Arts in Social Science from Michigan State University and is completing a Master of Public Administration degree at Virginia Tech.

 Susanna Sung, LCSW-C

Susanna is the Regulatory Services and Government Affairs Senior Coordinator at the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB). After serving for 25 years as a volunteer and consultant on social work examination development, she joined ASWB full-time following her retirement from the National Institute of Mental Health, where she served as Director of Marketing and Community Relations and as an Associate Investigator. She holds bachelor's degrees in journalism and psychology from Syracuse University and a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

Registration

Deadline to register is Aug. 19th 9:59am 

Rates

Register here!

Event Contacts

Hosted by the 2026 Conference Committee

Event Contacts

• Dana Benton, Boston University School of Social Work, dana@bu.edu
• Devina Jani, Indiana University School of Social Work, djani@iu.edu