SWAG Awards Announces 2026 Nominees Honoring Social Workers & Organizations Across Western Pennsylvania
Founder, SWAG Awards
info@theswagawards.com
www.theswagawards.com
This year marks a milestone with the addition of a new category recognizing organizations that employ social workers while prioritizing their wellbeing, growth, and sustainability.
Nominees for the 2026 6th Annual SWAG Awards include:
- ?James Andrews, PhD, LCSW, LICSW
- Tracy Baton, LCSW
- De’Netta Benjamin-Miller, LCSW
- Jessica Burdick, MSW
- Dr. Camille Clarke Smith, EdD, MS, LSW, CPT
- Maizee Devlin, MSW, LCSW
- Dr. Kathi Elliott, DNP, MSW, PMHNI
- Grace Geisler, LSW
- Sabrina Heller, LCSW
- Bethany Hemingway, MSW
- Dr. Toya Jones, Ed.D., LCSW
- Bethany Douglass, LSW
- ?Mark Lepore, LCSW, LPC, PhD
- Yvonne Littlejohn, MSW, LCSW
- Brittany Maxshure, MSW, LCSW, MPH
- Khai Nelson, MSW, LSW
- John O’Connell, MSW, LSW
- Theresa Thao Pham, LCSW
- Renee Rose, MSW
- Patricia Schake, LSW
- Malaysia Smith, MSW
- Seren Spence, BSW
- Alize Strickland, BSW
- Kristy Weidner, LCSW
- Jewish Family and Community Services
- Healthy Start, Inc.
- Steel Smiling, Inc.
- Vision Towards Peace Counseling Services, LLC
The awardees—including six SWAG Award recipients, the Entrepreneur of the Year, the Lifetime Achievement Awardee, and the Organization of the Year—will be announced later this month.
The celebration will culminate at the 6th Annual SWAG Awards Ceremony on Saturday, March 7, 2026, at the Sheraton Station Square in Pittsburgh.
Event Details:
Date: Saturday, March 7, 2026
Location: Sheraton Station Square, Pittsburgh, PA
Tickets + Sponsorship Info: www.theswagawards.com
Sponsors
The 6th Annual SWAG Awards are made possible with the generous support of:
Allegheny County Department of Human Services
University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work
The Heinz Endowments
UPMC
Staunton Farm Foundation
Their partnership ensures that social workers across the region are celebrated, uplifted, and sustained in their vital work.
About the SWAG Awards
Founded in 2019, the SWAG (Social Worker Appreciation of Greatness) Awards celebrate the dedication, resilience, and impact of social workers in Western Pennsylvania. Each year, the ceremony honors professionals and organizations that embody the core values of social work: service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence.
