Michael Spencer was appointed dean of the UW School of Social Work in July 2023—the first Native Hawaiian dean at the UW. He recently served as director of Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, and Oceanic Affairs at the Indigenous Wellness Research Institute, a UW School of Social Work-based research center.

Shermoin Clardy is a leader in the nonprofit sector in King County, serving those communities that need treatment services for substance use and mental health disorders. She has worked in the field of social work for 25 years in areas of skilled nursing, community mental health and addiction. Her clinical area of expertise has been addiction and mental health with women, children and families.