Interview with Dr. Kathryn Conley Wehrmann

Dr. Wehrmann resides in Champaign, Illinois. She has deep roots in this community after living there for over forty years. She loves its diversity as a university community as well as the wide range of cultural opportunities it offers. She received both her MSW and Ph.D. from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. She is retired from Illinois State University, School of Social Work after 20 years. While at the ISU, Dr. Wehrrmann was successful in obtaining major federal child welfare training grants that supported students seeking careers in child welfare. In addition, she worked on evaluation projects focused on evidence based mental health service approaches to children and adolescents.

Dr. Wehrmann has served in many roles with the National Association of Social Workers, most recently as National Board President (2017-2020). In her role as NASW Board President she also served on the International Federation of Social Work Secretariat representing the North American Region. She is also an NASW Social Work Pioneer (https://www.naswfoundation.org/Our-Work/NASW-Social-Work-Pioneers) and a Fulbrighter to Romania where she taught child welfare policy and researched child welfare reform efforts. She currently serves as the chair of the Steering Committee for the Global Social Service Workforce Alliance (https://www.socialserviceworkforce.org/). She is also developing a coaching practice with a colleague focused on social work graduates preparing for licensure.