BOARD OF DIRECTORS - Officers Biographies
CHAIR
At our recent annual meeting Alison Snow, PhD was elected chair of the Helen Rehr Center for Social Work Practice. Alison is the Director of Cancer Supportive Services at Mount Sinai Downtown Cancer Centers. She completed her MSW at Columbia School of Social Work and obtained her PhD in social welfare from the Hunter College School of Social Work, CUNY. Alison has 13 years of postgraduate experience as an oncology social worker and co-authored a textbook chapter for Oncologic Emergency Medicine. She has given numerous educational presentations to social work students, fellow professionals, volunteers, and community audiences concerning the role of social work in oncology care and has presented nationally and internationally to professional audiences. Alison was recognized by the National Association of Social Workers NYC Chapter with a Mid-Career Exemplary Social Work Leader Award in 2015. She has received grants from the American Cancer Society both for her doctoral research and for her teaching of Master’s students.
Barbara Silverstone’s social work career – largely in the fields of aging and dis-ability – has spanned direct practice, teaching, and administration. From 1984 to 2005 she served as President and CEO of Lighthouse International. Dr. Silverstone is a former president of the Gerontological Society of America and was awarded the 1988 Outstanding Leadership Award by the American Society on Aging. Among her numerous publications is You and Your Aging Parent co-authored with the late Helen Kandel Hyman and now in its 4th edition. A doctoral alumna of the Columbia School of Social Work, she was awarded the 2012 Columbia University Alumni Medal.
TREASURER
Christopher Oates is currently the Social Work Manager in Palliative Care at New York University Langone Medical Center. He has also held the role of Hospice Liaison as well as Manager of Charity Care for Visiting Nurse Service of New York. He has extensive experience in the field of health and aging. He is the former Program Administrator for HealthOutreach at New York Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell and Senior Social Worker at St. Vincent's Hospital Center for HIV Medicine. Chris is a former president of the New York City Chapter of the Society for Social Work Leadership in Healthcare as well as Vice President and Program Chair for the East Side Council on the Aging.