Kathryn Shea, ARCWP, Awarded Social Worker of the Year by Sarasota/Manatee Unit of the National Association of Social Workers

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Michelle Moreno, VP of Marketing & Communications                                                                                                      michelle.moreno@thefloridacenter.org
(941)371-8820, Ext.1025

Shea awarded Social Worker of the Year

March 12, 2015 (Sarasota, FL) Kathryn Shea,  President & CEO of The Florida Center for Early Childhood was awarded Social Worker of the Year by the Sarasota/Manatee Unit of the National Association of Social Workers  for her demonstrated leadership, commitment and dedication to social justice for children and all vulnerable people.

As stated by Ruth Brandewine,  Kathryn Shea exemplifies the best in social work.  She has consistently maintained the values and ethics of the profession and is a worthy role model for all social workers.  Her clinical, administrative and advocacy skills make her most worthy of the Social Worker of the Year Award.

As President and CEO of the Florida Center for Early childhood, Kathryn has provided leadership in mental health, child welfare and legislative advocacy.  She started the state’s first Fetal Alcohol Diagnostic and Intervention Clinic providing statewide diagnostic assessments and training.  While Chair of the Legislative Committee of the Sarasota Community Alliance, Shea founded the annual Sarasota Legislative Summit for community collaboration to identify local legislative priorities which are then presented to the local delegation at the annual Legislative Breakfast.  Kathryn was recently elevated to Chair of the Community Alliance Steering Committee. 

Shea is widely respected by her social work colleagues, doctors, psychologists, nurses and public officials.  She is unfailingly positive and personifies the caring professional who believes in the dignity of all and demonstrates it in her daily work with children, families, colleagues and political leaders.

For over 35 years, The Florida Center for Early Childhood has been serving our community’s children and families. The Florida Center provides a seamless delivery of services for the whole child and his or her family. Today, The Florida Center for Early Childhood is a nationally accredited, community-based agency that provides early childhood education, developmental therapies, mental health therapy, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders diagnostic and intervention services, training, and home-based child abuse prevention services.

For more information about The Florida Center visit www.thefloridacenter.org or contact Michelle Moreno at 371-8820, ext. 1025.

Kathryn will be ordained a priest on May 23rd by the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests in Sarasota, Florida. www.arcwp.org

We are delighted that Kathryn has been honored by her peers with this prestigious award in social work.  Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP, www.arcwp.org