Maria Teahan, LCSW, ACSW, CTS, MSW, program director of the School of Social Work, has been named the 2013 Social Work Educator of the Year by the Palm Beach region of the Florida Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW).
Teahan was selected because of her commitment to educating social work students. Her teaching philosophy recognizes the connection between clients, practice, and public and organizational policy. Professor Teahan does not simply come to class prepared to teach all of the material from the text; she brings social work alive for students with her life experience and examples of theory in action. She forces students to critically think about the lives of the vulnerable populations that they will be touching and the importance of both head and heart.
Teahan has been practicing social work for more than 30 years and is an expert on trauma/grief/loss. She received a bachelor’s degree in social work from Barry in 1978 and master’s degree in social work in 1979. Teahan currently teaches policy, practice and human social behavior at Barry.
Teahan is now eligible for the Social Work Educator of the Year award for the Florida Chapter of the NASW.