2026 Social Work Month Voices: Jennifer Gazda, LCSW, NCG, CMC, CDP

As the NASW celebrates 70 years of advocacy and advancement, this upcoming Social Work Month we want to continue to collect stories from across the profession. Read Jennifer’s story and see how this year’s Social Work Month Theme, “Uplift. Defend. Transform.” resonates with them.

Jennifer Gazda, LCSW, NCG, CMC, CDP

(she/her)

Where did you get your degree(s)?

BSW from Valparaiso University MSW from University of St. Francis DSW from Aurora University

Current occupation/practice area

Director of Care Management and Integrated Services at Arosa - older adults/gerontology

In what ways are you involved with NASW-IL?

Current Vice President of Budget and Finance 2025-2027 Member at Large - 2022 - 2024 Delegate Assembly 2021 - 2024 Member of Older Adults Special Interests Group

How did you choose the social work path? What inspired you?

During college, I was faced with the desire to select between social work, education, and nursing. I was drawn to serving others and advocating for vulnerable populations, as well as viewing people and their circumstances holistically. Growing up, I saw some terrible things happen to innocent people and wondered if there was something I could have done more to help. My choice of social work as a career path became clear, and what is the most amazing is that I now also teach (to fulfill my desire for being in education) and have worked in medical settings as a medical social worker (to fulfill my desire for being a nurse.) The career path is so incredibly versatile and is the best decision I have ever made.

What are some of the essential skills needed to be an effective social worker?

There are so many skills social workers need to be effective, but I will select my top three: empathy, cultural competence, and communication. Empathy is required in order to be able to build a connection with your client and truly be able to assist them on their journey; it helps to build a trusting relationship and allows your client to be vulnerable with you. Cultural competence is also vital as every one of us has our own life experiences and associated biases which may be implicit in nature, and as we work with people who are culturally different we have a responsibility to understand their perspective and how their beliefs impact their decisions. Finally, solid communication skills are a must. We need to be able to clearly state our messages to our clients as well as ensure that we use active and reflective listening when working to understand our clients.

What changes or innovations do you see coming to the social work profession?

The utilization and ethical use of artificial intelligence is going to be ever present in social work. While it can be used as a great tool for efficiency, it needs to be used in an ethical manner to alleviate risks. It is our role as social workers to help set expectations for safe implementation of AI in the settings in which we work.

Does the 2026 SW month theme "Social Workers: Uplift. Defend. Transform." resonate to you? Is it already integrated in your work?

This is an incredible theme and one that I feel captures the mission of my work. My work with older adults is designed to enhance their quality of life and ensure they are protected, especially during end of life for our clients. Our work transforms the lives of the clients and their families which we serve.

Words of wisdom for someone considering the SW profession?

Do it! Every time I speak to someone I share my journey and passion for social work. There are so many things you can do when you become a social worker and it is a rewarding career path and not "just a job". It will be important to set boundaries, personally and professionally, as well as ensure to find ways to promote your own self-care. While this is talked about in school and is socially acceptable to discuss, it does not always happen. It is of great importance that you take care of yourself, as you will be giving to others and it can be quite exhausting and challenging some days. But I promise, the rewards of those good days out weigh the bad days.

Anything else we should know about you or NASW-IL or social work?

NASW-IL and other professional organizations should be a priority for you to help build your network and enhance your connections. These lead to professional growth and development opportunities and the more you put into it, the more you will get out of it!