Board of Directors

The Board of Directors of NASW Oregon are elected officers who provide key leadership and assist in the growth, strategic planning and overall success of the chapter. If you are interested in learning more about open positions and the benefits of being a board member, please contact .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Board members may only be contacted regarding NASW business and activities. All other inquiries must be sent to the chapter office email address: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Lisa Bates, President

For the past 10 years, I have been a mental health specialist at Pacific Academy School. We treat, educate, and serve teens (13-19) with a range of emotional disorders. In addition to my school mental health work, I work with the Providence Cancer Program as a group facilitator and I continue to be an on-call oncology social worker. I have passion for working with teens and helping individuals cope with the trauma of a cancer diagnosis. I am proud to be a social worker, and professionalism, hard work, and volunteer work are all part of why I do what I do daily. I want to give back to the profession of social work, and the best way is to be involved with your local NASW chapter and attempt to make a difference at the state and possibly the national level.

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Barbara Kollmar, Vice President

Since earning my MSW from Portland State University in 1988, I have worked primarily in the mental health field.  I currently have a private practice in Newberg and also do part-time agency work.  I believe strongly in the mission of NASW and hope to make a contribution in strengthening our voice both for social workers and for the people we serve.

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A. Bethprana Novi, Secretary

Bethprana Novi holds a Masters Degree in Social Work from Portland State University and has been a clinical social worker at SMYRC, the Sexual and Gender Minority Youth Resource Center since 2004. Her graduate studies focused on sexual and gender minority youth in the foster care system. Beth is a specialist in child and adolescent gender identity disorders as defined by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health’s Standards of Care. She has over 15 years of experience in the Social Work field.

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Don Schweitzer, Treasurer

I have worked in the field of social work for over 12 years. During that time I have been fortunate to have experienced many of the areas social workers are employed. I have worked as a mental health therapist for the severely and persistently mentally ill, a drug & alcohol counselor for adults transitioning out of incarceration, a community organizer, and the director of housing and shelter programs for both adults and runaway & homeless youth. Currently, I am an Assistant Professor of Social Work at Pacific University in Forest Grove, OR where, as well as teaching micro coursework, my research focus is on runaway and homeless youth. My work with individuals and communities has led me to firmly believe in the power of people to overcome great challenges when they work together strategically and engage every sector of the community. This collaboration is even more critical today as communities are facing daunting challenges with shrinking resources and families and their children being pressed to the limit. I believe the work that NASW does is vital to supporting a healthy, thriving social work profession. A profession that is as vital today as at any time throughout history to helping build communities that work together and foster the health of all of its members.

Dawn Williamson, Region I Representative

Dawn is a licensed clinical social worker with a strong generalist base.  She has a private practice in Dundee, specializing in the area of trauma and loss with both children and adults.  She is an adjunct for PSU and also works at Linfield College. Her interests include international social work both on a micro level and a macro level.  She has a passion for learning and is currently studying both American Sign Language and Spanish.  She enjoys volunteering in her free time, both locally and internationally.

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Daren Ford, Region II

Daren has lived in the Pacific Northwest since 2003 and came to Oregon to pursue his masters in social work at Portland State University. After graduating from PSU with his MSW in 2008, Daren found a passion for working with people in the grasp addiction and mental health disorders. He is currently the intensive outpatient counselor for the Native American Rehabilitation Alliance of the Northwest Inc, working providing drug/alcohol and mental health counseling for Native Americans. Daren is honored to be part of the board for the NASW and hopes to bring more awareness to the great state of Oregon around the important role that social workers play in healing and empowering others within his community. He is looking forward to having an opportunity continue to learn and grow as a social worker. 

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Carolyn Mounts, Region I Representative

Carolyn Mounts is the Director of Mental Health Services for CODA, Inc. Carolyn has experience in community mental health as well as in social service research and adult education. She has facilitated over 200 clinical trainings for local agencies around the City of Portland. She has also worked as an inpatient social worker, college instructor, outpatient therapist, and community mental health case manager. She received her Masters in Social Work from the University of Southern California.

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Amy Reynolds, Region II

Amy Reynolds graduated from the University of Oregon in 2000 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history. She began her work in the social work field with a volunteer position at a domestic violence shelter in 1998; she was hired at that organization in the Spring of 1999. In the summer of 1999, she took an additional position doing outreach with runaway and home¬less youth. Amy joined Share in the fall of 2001 as a case manager. In 2003, she started her first day at the Portland State University’s Graduate School of Social work on the same day that she received a promotion to be the Director at Share Orchards Inn. Upon graduation in 2005 with her Masters in Social Work, she was promoted to Director of Programs.

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Susanna Rempel, Region II

I am currently a dual MSW and MPH student at Portland State University. This last year my field placement was at NASW Oregon Chapter which was incredibly rewarding and interesting and prompted me to apply to be on the Board of Directors. As part of my field work I was deeply involved with the Social Work Reinvestment Initiative, particularly recruiting and retaining social workers in the field.

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Nancy Wilms, Region III

Nancy Wilms is currently employed by Willamette Valley Hospice as a medical social worker.  Her work emphasis is in grief counseling with adults, children and the terminally ill. Nancy is a graduate of the University of Mary Hardin Baylor ( BSW) and Portland State University (MSW) and has been an LCSW since 2007.

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Victoria Bones, Region IV Representative

Victoria Bones is a Patient Advocate for a Regional Trauma Center and has a private practice. She has been a longtime advocate for children and families, as well as adults. Victoria is serving her second term as a Regional Representative on the board and is active with the Rogue Valley District.

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Eliz Roser, MSW Student Rep

I am a MSW student at Portland State University in the Social Service Leadership and Administration concentration. She works as a Graduate Research Assistant at the Pathways Research and Training Center at Portland State University with the Pathways Transition Training Collaborative project developing competencies and course curricula for service providers working with young people with serious mental health conditions. Before entering the MSW program, Eliz taught 2nd grade in East Oakland, worked as an Area Executive Director for an educational company developing and implementing after school programs for students at low income and low performing schools in the Bay Area. She has also worked as a Program Manager for Girls Inc. of Alameda County, managing after school programs for girls in Oakland that promote self-esteem, STEM, healthy living, and academic achievement. Eliz’s areas of interest include non-profit development and management, advocacy and policy, fundraising, and community outreach through schools.

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Rosanne Cullen, BSW Student

Rosie is a Social Work and French student in her final year at University of Portland. She was born and raised in the Seattle area and came to Portland for university. While at University of Portland she has been able to study abroad twice. Once for a year in Salzburg, Austria and also for a summer in Southern France. Recently she traveled to Nicaragua with Witness for Peace, to learn about the struggles of the Nicaraguan people and how the United States is and has been involved. This coming year she will be working with Catholic Charities Housing Transitions Project for her practicum.
After graduating from University of Portland she plans to go to Graduate School for an MSW. Rosie looks forward to working with NASW and other professionals in the field of Social Work.


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