Social Workers: Uplift, Defend, Transform (Social Work Month 2026)

Lunch N Learn Webinar

Wednesday, 3/11/26 - 12:00-1:00pm CST via Zoom

1 CEU - Free for All

Presenter: Dr. Karen Goodenough, PhD, MSW, LGSW - NASW-MN Executive Director

March is Social Work Month, and this year, we’re honoring the theme Uplift, Defend, Transform, a powerful tribute to the heart of our profession: enhancing human well-being, protecting dignity, and creating lasting change in individuals, families, and communities.  

To uplift is to recognize strengths, foster resilience, and walk alongside people with empathy and respect, even in the most challenging circumstances. To defend is to advocate for human rights, equity, and access- standing with those whose voices are too often unheard and confronting systems that create barriers to well-being. To transform is to move beyond immediate support and work toward meaningful, lasting change in policies, practices, and structures that shape people’s lives.  

In a world marked by rapid change, uncertainty, and growing need, social workers are called not only to care, but to lead- bringing compassion into action, ethics into advocacy, and vision into systemic change. This Lunch & Learn will explore how the theme of Uplift, Defend, Transform show up in our daily practice and how we can continue to grow our impact at the individual, community, and systems levels. 

Join us as we celebrate the contributions of social workers everywhere-  sharing stories, highlighting advocacy and impact, and offering inspiration for how each of us continues to uplift hope, defend rights, and transform lives every day.

About the Presenter:

Dr. Karen E. Goodenough, PhD, MSW, LGSW, has been Executive Director of the National Association of Social Workers - Minnesota Chapter since 2018. She received her BSW from St. Olaf College, MSW from Augsburg University, and PhD in social work from the University of Minnesota. Dr. KG is a skilled supervisor, trainer, and macro practitioner. She has worked in direct practice, non-profit program management, and consulted in evaluation, data utilization, and strategic planning. She has supervised, coached, and trained interns, volunteers, contractors, board members, and staff from various professional backgrounds, and has provided hundreds of hours of training in such areas as supervision, ethics, policy advocacy, leadership, budgeting, evaluation, and research. She has also served as adjunct faculty in numerous BSW and MSW programs throughout Minnesota. Dr. KG has focused much of her research and advocacy efforts on social work licensure and regulation, and Chairs the NASW Licensure Taskforce and represents NASW on the Social Work Interstate Compact Commission. 

Pricing and Registration

FREE FOR ALL - Register here