SWPAG Awards

Social Worker of the Year Award

The Social Work Professional Advisory Group's Social Worker of the Year Award is presented to a Social Work Health Services Officer in the Commissioned Corps of the USPHS who has demonstrated outstanding accomplishments, exhibits exceptional leadership ability and exemplary service, while substantially advancing the health of the Nation through innovative and strategic solutions as well as significantly impacting the mission of the Corps.

The social work officer must:

• Present a positive professional image in the USPHS;
• Demonstrate outstanding leadership; and
• Must meet one of the following criteria:
  • A specific notable accomplishment that impacts the public or the field of public health and/or social work;
  • High quality and initiative in leadership;
  • Sustained high quality work performance demonstrated by significant accomplishments throughout one's career;
  • The application of unique skill or creative imagination to the approach or solution of a problem(s);
  • Technical and/or professional contributions that are significant to an Office, Center, Bureau, Agency or PHS Mission; and/or
  • Exhibition of great courage in hazardous work or in an emergency.

Type of Award: Plaque

Nomination criteria

Curriculum vitae and a narrative explaining the nominee's contributions, demonstrated leadership, and national impact (not to exceed two pages).

Nomination submission

The nomination period to be determined. 

Contacts

Kymberly Spady-Grove, DHSc, LCSW, BCD                   Preston Shumaker, Psy.D, LCSW, BCD
CDR, U.S. Public Health Service                                                CDR, U.S. Public Health Service
ICE Health Service Corps (IHSC)                                             ICE Health Service Corps (IHSC)
Phone: (504) 253-4697                                                               Phone: (202) 321-3669
Email: kymberly.m.spady-grove@uscg.mil                     Email: preston.l.shumaker@ice.dhs.gov

Social Workers of the Year

We would like to take this opportunity to honor and congratulate our own USPHS HSO Social Work Officers.  Our 2021 Senior and Junior Social Workers of the Year are CDR Christine Nemeti and LCDR Jennifer Weekes

2023 Senior Social Worker of the Year - CDR Micah Woodard

CDR Micah Woodard has served as the Behavioral Health Director at Indian Health Service Western Oregon Service Unit since 2010, commissioned with the USPHS in 2012, and has served in numerous quality and leadership roles at the local, regional, and national agency level. CDR Woodard is a six-year U.S. Air Force Veteran and has over 20 years of leadership experience in community and school-based mental health programs. CDR Woodard is passionate about applying the principles of improvement science, innovation, and prevention science to move inclusion upstream to dramatically improve the lives of youth through comprehensive school- based services. CDR Woodard has presented internationally and nationally on School-Based Mental Health Care and in 2021 was awarded the prestigious School Mental Health Champion Award by the National Center for School Mental Health. CDR Woodard is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, a Certified Clinical Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs Social Worker, and a Board-Certified Diplomate in Clinical Social Work. CDR Woodard has received numerous awards and recognition for his service both in the USAF, USPHS, and with the Indian Health Service. CDR Woodard holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Langston University and a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Oklahoma.

 2023 Junior Social Worker of the Year - LCDR Luis Figueroa

LCDR Luis Figueroa is a native of Puerto Rico who enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1999. He attended Basic Training at Fort Sill, OK and Advanced Individual Training in Air Defense Artillery at Fort Bliss, TX. During his 8 years in the Army, LCDR Figueroa deployed for Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. In 2011, LCDR Figueroa graduated from Fayetteville State University as part of the Army’s MSW program. In January 2020 LCDR Figueroa was called to active duty as a commissioned officer with the U.S. Public Health Service and was assigned to the behavioral health department (DOD) at Fort Hood, TX. As the Chief of the second largest behavioral health clinic, he supervised a team that provided behavioral health care to four Army brigades. LCDR Figueroa was later selected to lead Fort Hood’s Installation Psychological Health and Addiction Medicine Intensive Outpatient Programs (PHIOP and AMIOP) which serviced over 45,000 active-duty Soldiers. During his time at Fort Hood, LCDR Figueroa deployed twice to Crownpoint Indian Health Service Clinic (2020, 2022) providing Force Health Protection during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Currently, LCDR Figueroa serves as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker within the Office of the Secretary (OS), Office of the Assistant Secretary (OASH), Office of Surgeon General, Commissioned Corps Headquarters’ Public Health Emergency Response Strike Team (PHERST), a new multi-disciplinary team and flagship initiative. LCDR Figueroa and his team use their high-level clinical skills to respond within 8 hours during national emergencies and public health crises to fulfill critical public health needs. He is a member of the Commissioned Officer Association (Central Texas Branch) and is active with the Social Work Professional Advisory Group (SWPAG) as the Readiness subgroup co-secretary.