Board of Visitors
School of Social Work Board of Visitors
The School of Social Work welcomed its inaugural Board of Visitors in the Summer/Fall of 2023, marking a significant milestone in our commitment to academic excellence and community connection. Comprised of twelve distinguished leaders, from diverse backgrounds, the Board of Visitors collectively brings the expertise, vision, and passion to advance the mission of the School of Social Work at Howard University.
As the landscape of social work continues to evolve, our school recognizes the importance of strategic guidance and collaboration with external stakeholders to stay at the forefront of addressing academic and societal challenges. The members of the inaugural Board of Visitors represent a breadth of perspectives and experiences, spanning backgrounds in academia, philanthropy, medicine, advocacy, business, and social services. Serving in an advisement capacity to the dean, the board contributes their personal and professional talents and resources to the advancement of social work programming and brand awareness.
Among the individuals appointed to the Board of Visitors are:
*Howard University Alumni
A Wall Street professional with a background in investment banking and hedge fund management. Godfrey Gill currently serves as the Managing Director at Vista Equity Partners and has previously worked at First Boston, Goldman, Sachs & Co., and Kingdon Capital Management. In 2003, Mr. Gill founded his hedge fund, Keel Capital, which invested in disruptive change companies. He later joined Karsch Capital as a managing director, where he held various roles in business development, operational, managerial, investment, and strategic planning.
Serves as the Principal Medical Science Liaison in the Department of Medical Affairs at Johnson and Johnson, Janssen Biotech Inc. based in the New York/Long Island region. Dr. Febres brings over 25 years of pharmaceutical industry experience to her role, where she provides fair balanced, objective scientific information and education to healthcare customers and internal business partners. She also provides scientific support for appropriate educational initiatives, serving as a liaison for company-sponsored and investigator-initiated research initiatives. Dr. Febres is the Director/Lead of Diversity Equity and Inclusion in Clinical Trials for Johnson and Johnson’s Immunology Medical Science Liaisons and Research and Development teams.
Appointed the 17th Police Chief of the Montgomery County Maryland Department of Police in November 2019, Chief Jones is a 38-year veteran of the department. He previously served as the Assistant Chief of the Investigative Services Bureau and currently serves on the Maryland Violence Intervention and Prevention Advisory Council. Chief Jones helped to create an award-winning Diversity Training program for the Police Department and is a former National Chairman of the National Black Police Association. Chief Jones is also a member of the Major Cities Chief’s Association, the Maryland Chief’s Association, the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), and the International Association Chiefs of Police (IACP). Chief Jones is also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, Inc., (Theta Rho ’84) and was inducted into the Montgomery County Human Rights Hall of Fame in 2020.
Serves as the co-founder, managing director and principal consultant of Josal Consulting, Ltd. Mr. Daryl Joseph is the President-Elect of the International Employee Assistance Professionals Association (EAPA) and the immediate past president of the Trinidad & Tobago branch. As a Certified Employee Assistance Professional (CEAP), Mr. Joseph has spoken and written on Employee Assistance and Mental Health at local, regional, and international levels. Mr. Joseph is enthusiastic about the evolution and growth of the Employee Assistance profession.
A social worker and administrator/consultant with over 45 years of experience in Washington, D.C., Ms. Lowe served as an Adjunct Professor at the Howard University School of Social Work and as a lecturer in Social Work in Health Care Settings I and II. She also served as director of two cabinet-level departments and chair of an advisory board. Ms. Lowe has managed large, small, and unionized employee workforces, written and advocated for various issues, designed social service programs, and developed training modules for nonprofits and community entities. Ms. Lowe has served on the boards of Women in Municipal Government, National League of Cities; National Associations for the Commissions for Women; John F. Kennedy Performing Arts Center; Roundtable of Associates for Minority Recreation Leaders; DC Rape Crisis Center; and DC United Way. She also chaired for the Washington Urban League Board; Wider Opportunities for Women; Representative Trustee to the Regional United Way and was a former member of the Albright College Commission on the Future.
Serves as the Executive Director of The Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness and has managed the District of Columbia homeless Continuum of Care for over 30 years. With a background in public service, including 8 years as Vice Chair of the District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency, she is a member of the District's Interagency Council on Homelessness and the Board of the Equal Rights Center.
A social work professional with experience in School-based Social Work and Mental Health Services, Ms. McNeill has provided evidence-based behavior and mental health services to students from elementary to high school and has worked with students, school staff, and parents to foster supportive learning environments. Ms. McNeill has also contributed to the mission of schools by coordinating age-appropriate programming on critical issues and developing intervention strategies for academic success. She is an advocate for improved community/school services and has held pivotal roles in high school, middle school, and elementary schools in the District of Columbia.
A clinical social worker with over 35 years of experience, Ms. Petty is currently employed with the Department of Veterans Affairs at the Baltimore VA Medical Center. She is part of the Clinical Deployment team, providing discharge planning, case management, and assessing urgent crisis psychosocial needs. Ms. Petty also maintains a private practice specializing in mental health, women's issues, veterans, and addiction. Ms. Petty is recognized for her work with social work interns while at the DC VA Medical Center and is a charter member and founding president of Jack and Jill of America, Inc., at the National Harbor Chapter. She is also a charter member of the Links, Inc. (Mount Rose MD) and a Life member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Sorority, Inc. (Prince George Maryland Chapter). Ms. Petty believes everyone should have access to adequate food, water, basic housing needs, and mental health support.
Serves as the Deputy Director of The Kresge Foundation’s Education Program. The team’s grantmaking funds higher education institutions and national nonprofit organizations that work to help underserved students enter and succeed in postsecondary education. Before joining Kresge in 2008, Ms. Smith served for five years as a program officer at the Lumina Foundation where she worked to create opportunities for low-income and students of color to enter college and complete their undergraduate degrees. Ms. Smith is a 2017 Crain’s Detroit Business “40 Under 40” honoree, an instructor for The Grantmaking School at Grand Valley State University, previously chaired the Grantmakers for Education and Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy boards, and currently serves on the boards of the National College Attainment Network and the National Council of Nonprofits.
Has served over 28 years as an investment manager at Capital Group. Earlier in his career, he was a research director as well as an equity investment analyst covering telecom services in Asia (ex-Japan) and a generalist for Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and New Zealand. Before his work in investment management at Capital Group, he worked as a consultant with SRI International and Strategic Planning Associates, advising ASEAN, U.S., and UK companies on business strategy. Mr. Chapman engages in non-profit boards and philanthropy including For Love of Children, L’Arche Greater Washington DC, One Sky, MicroDreams, Karya Salemba Empat, US-Indonesia Society, and the Dulin United Methodist Church.