The award recognizes Withers\u2019 three-decade-plus career as a licensed clinical social worker and volunteer in Central Florida. \u201cJacquie models the ethics and values of the social work profession in her work setting, community involvement and personal life,\u201d said Cindy Carlson, director of case management at Winter Park Memorial Hospital and a former colleague of Withers. \u201cShe is a shining star.\u201d<\/p>\n
Withers joined the university\u2019s School of Social Work in 2008 and currently oversees the education of social work students during their internships at community agencies. She previously worked for two years at the UCF Counseling Center, where she was a counselor, referral specialist and internship supervisor.<\/p>\n
Before coming to UCF, Withers spent years working as a professional social worker, initially for Orange County Social Services and later at Waterman Memorial Hospital, Shands Teaching Hospital, Winter Park Memorial Hospital, Hospice of Central Florida, Florida Hospital and CHARLEE Family Care Services. She frequently rose to leadership positions at her work place and strove to educate health care professionals about the positive impact social work can have on patient care.<\/p>\n
Withers also has spent countless hours volunteering for organizations such as the Friends of Children and Families, American Cancer Society, Social Work Leaders in Health Care, Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts. Last year she formed a nonprofit organization named \u201cFour Families,\u201d which serves foster children in Central Florida.<\/p>\n
Earlier this year, Withers was named Social Worker of the Year for the Central Florida Unit of the FL-NASW. She was selected from among 18 regional winners for the statewide award. She will be formally recognized at the state chapter\u2019s annual meeting, held June 10-12 in Deerfield Beach, Fla.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing named state social worker of the year is a superlative compliment to Jacquie and, by association, to the School of Social Work,\u201d said John Ronnau, the school\u2019s director. \u201cJacquie is the consummate social worker and very deserving of this recognition.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The award recognizes Withers\u2019 three-decade-plus career as a licensed clinical social worker and volunteer in Central Florida. \u201cJacquie models the ethics and values of the social work profession in her work setting, community involvement and personal life,\u201d said Cindy Carlson, director of case management at Winter Park Memorial Hospital and a former colleague of Withers. \u201cShe is a shining star.\u201d…","protected":false},"author":150,"featured_media":10847,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-twocol.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"lazy_load_responsive_images_disabled":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":"","_wp_rev_ctl_limit":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[4329,5103],"tu_author":[],"class_list":["post-10846","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","tag-social-work","tag-volunteer"],"yoast_head":"\n