Brian Giddens, LICSW, ACSW, retired from his position as assistant administrator, Patient Care Services, for the University of Washington Medical Center in 2021. His role at UW Medicine included oversight of Social Work & Care Coordination for both UW Medicine Montlake and Northwest campuses, as well as responsibility for Interpreter Services, Utilization Management, Employee Support Services, Patient and Family Housing, Patient Support Assistance and Bereavement Services. Brian is also a clinical professor with the University of Washington School of Social Work, where he has taught courses integrating organizational practice, leadership, ethics and health care policy and practice. Brian's professional background has focused on health and mental health in community- based organizations, long-term care, acute care, and outpatient programs. Brian has presented extensively on subjects relating to ethics, health care, and management in not-for-profit settings. In addition to roles as an administrator, author and educator, Brian is committed to issues of health policy and was named a DHHS Primary Health Care Policy Fellow in 2004. 

From 1995 to 2004 Brian served on the Advisory Committee of the National Association of Social Work HIV/AIDS Spectrum: Mental Health Training and Education of Social Workers Project, collaborating on creating curriculum and conducting training for social workers nationwide, and in 2012 served as a panel member on the NASW Case Management Standards Revision Committee. Brian is past president for NASW Washington State Chapter, has completed two terms as president of the Washington State Chapter of the Society for Social Work Leadership in Health Care, and has served on the boards of the Seattle Parks Foundation, Cancer Lifeline, and Volunteer Park Trust.  Since his retirement, Brian continues professional social work through serving as a consultant to social workers in health care at Valley Medical Center and is a professional stakeholder with the PCORI-funded BRITE research study on case management for persons with traumatic brain injury. Brian’s non-Social Work interests include creative writing, gardening and traveling.