The
Academy for Professional Excellence, a project of San Diego State University's
School of Social Work recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. Guests gathered at the
Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center where
Jaiya John of Soul Water Rising delivered a powerful keynote speech that emphasized the importance of promoting, cultivating and supporting wellness in staff working in the health and human services field. John is an internationally recognized speaker, trainer, consultant, author, poet, spoken word artist and youth mentor.
The event included a journey through the organization’s history, detailing its evolution from the Public Child Welfare Training Academy, a program that exclusively provided child welfare training, to what is now the Academy for Professional Excellence. The organization provides workforce development and organizational support to the health and human services community in a variety of areas, including child welfare, behavioral health, executive development and cultural responsiveness. Services include coaching, eLearning, simulation training, mobile applications, research and evaluation.
Anita Harbert, former director of SDSU's School of Social Work and founder of The Academy for Professional Excellence, was honored along with program partners for their contributions to the academy’s success. Additional honorees included San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency, Casey Family Programs, California Department of Social Services, SDSU Research Foundation, San Bernardino County Children and Family Services, Southern Area Consortium of Human Services and Tribal STAR.
More information about the Academy's 20th Anniversary Celebration, including a video that documents the organization's history, can be found on the
event website.