June 9, 2009

Dr. Betty Garcia, a professor of social work education at California State University, Fresno, is the new vice president/secretary of the Council on Social Work Education, headquartered in Alexandria, Va.

Garcia was chosen in balloting among the 3,000 members of the council, a nonprofit national association and accrediting organization in social work education. Her three-year term begins July 1.

A Fresno State faculty member since 1993, Garcia teaches advanced-practice courses in the Master of Social Work program and coordinates a California Social Work Education Center program in public mental health.

She has published extensively and made conference presentations worldwide on diversity teaching, social justice, immigration, incarcerated mothers and social service needs of elders, atomic veterans and Latino drop-outs in higher education.

Garcia is completing a three-year term chairing the National Association of Social Workers’ national committee on racial and ethnic diversity and serves on the corporate board of Affilia, the journal of women in social work.