The Center for the Study of Social Policy Announces a New Board Chair and Senior Fellow

Washington, DC (PRWEB) November 16, 2009

The Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP), a nonprofit, nonpartisan, policy, research and technical assistance organization headquartered in Washington, D. C., is pleased to announce Dr. Carol Spigner as the new Board Chair and Bill Traynor as a new Senior Fellow.

CSSP’s board of directors recently elected Carol W. Spigner, D. S.W. to serve as the new leader of the organization, guiding CSSP through the next stages of growth and development. In making this announcement, Frank Farrow, board member and Executive Director of CSSP, said “The board is delighted to welcome Dr. Spigner as the new chair. She was chosen based on her unquestionable knowledge and commitment to this nation’s most vulnerable children and families.” Dr. Spigner stated “I am honored to have been invited by my colleagues to help build on the foundation of expertise and dedication to developing public policies and practices that strengthen families and communities. I look forward to our work together, as we take CSSP forward in the future.”

Dr. Spigner is the Kenneth L. M. Pray Distinguished Professor at the University of Pennsylvania. At Penn, Dr. Spigner directs the social policy program and teaches policy and macro practice. Prior to her arrival at Penn, Dr. Spigner had been the Associate Commissioner of the Children’s Bureau at the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and was responsible for the administration of federal child welfare programs. Spigner has also served on: the Pew Commission for Children in Foster Care; the Mayor’s Child Welfare Review Panel for the City of Philadelphia; The Community Oversight Board for the City of Philadelphia’s Department of Human Services and the Workgroup for the Michigan Racial Equity Review.

Dr. Spigner has received numerous awards including: the University of Pennsylvania’s 2008 Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching; The Black Administrators in Child Welfare’s 2008 George Silcott Award for Lifetime Achievement; University of Southern California’s award for “Lifetime Contributor to the Development of Policies and Programs for Underserved Populations;” the National Association of Black Social Workers’ “Outstanding Contributors Award,” and the National Association of Public Child Welfare Administrators’ “Award for Leadership in Public Child Welfare.” Dr. Spigner has published a variety of articles in the areas of cultural competency, permanency planning and relative care. A native of Los Angeles Dr. Spigner began her career working for the Los Angeles County Departments of Adoption and Probation.

Dr. Spigner is succeeding Mr. Harold Richman, who served as Chair of CSSP’s Board for more than 10 years. He had a distinguished academic career as the Herman Dunlop Smith Professor at the University of Chicago, where he also served as the Dean of the Graduate School of Social Service Administration and as the founding director of the University's public policy program and as founding director of the Chapin Hall Center for Children and Families. Mr. Richman was instrumental in founding CSSP in the late 1970's.

CSSP is also pleased to announce that Bill Traynor, a nationally acclaimed community organizer and founder of the Network Organizing Forum, has joined the Center as a Senior Fellow. Bill Traynor is the Executive Director of Lawrence Community Works Inc (LCW), an initiative he’s led since 1999 to revitalize his hometown, the historic city of Lawrence, Massachusetts. His work has brought over $50 Million in new investments to the city and created significant new grass roots initiatives in family asset building, youth development, community organizing, housing, community center and open space development, all under the authentic leadership of a growing umbrella of 5,000 plus member network of residents and stakeholders.

Bill has 30 years of experience in community development and community organizing, working in urban areas throughout the United States. He began his work-life as a community organizer for Mass Fair Share in the late 70’s. He is the former Executive Director of the Coalition for A Better Acre CBA Inc. in Lowell, Massachusetts where he led a $20 million redevelopment effort, and he was the Director of Community Development for CTAC Inc. of Boston, a national consulting firm. In 1992, Bill created Neighborhood Partners and the Neighborhood Partners Fund, a consulting and community organizing training firm and an operating foundation respectively, which combined, has assisted more than 200 community development organizations nationwide and partnered with several national and local foundations.

As a CSSP Fellow, Mr. Traynor will work to incorporate community and network organizing into the Center’s longstanding organizational priority to engage residents, constituents and customers’ perspectives into the work to improve outcomes for children, families and communities.

Bill Traynor is a graduate University of Massachusetts, Lowell with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) and a graduate of the Heller School at Brandeis University where he received a Master of Arts in Management (MMHS). In 1998, Bill was awarded a Loeb Fellowship from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, and in 2009 he was named an EOS Fellow of the EOS Foundation in Boston Massachusetts. Mr. Traynor is the author of numerous published articles and handbooks on community development and community organizing.

Http://www. cssp. org (http://www. cssp. org)

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