School Social Workers around Arizona were among many who closely monitored the most recent elections, including the race for the U.S. Senate seat vacated following the retirement of longtime public servant Jeff Flake. Kyrsten Sinema is an Arizona native and former Social Worker. Additionally, she taught classes at the Arizona State University School of Social Worker at both the undergraduate and graduate level over the course of 16 years. She earned her own Master of Social Work degree from the institution in 1999. It was her commitment to social justice and social policy that drew her into political action and advocacy. She was first elected to Arizona’s 15th congressional district in 2008 and then the 9th congressional district in 2012 before making her bid for the U.S. Senate in 2018, when she vied against Martha McSally. Sinema now brings her rich background in Social Work to the heart of Washington D.C. and fellow Social Workers are hopeful that this training and history will help positively influence change on behalf of Arizona and the nation as a whole.
She is joined in public service by fellow Social Worker Katie Hobbs, who was recently elected to the office of Secretary of State for Arizona. Hobbs earned her Bachelor of Social Work degree from Northern Arizona University and completed her Master of Social Work degree at Arizona State University. Prior to serving at Secretary of State, she held the office of both House Representative and State Senator for Arizona beginning in 2011. Ms. Hobbs was also gracious enough to speak at School Social Work Association of Arizona conference on the importance of Social Work and its connection to action for change and social justice across the state.
The School Social Work Association of Arizona is grateful to both of these women for their commitment to public service and for bringing the value of Social Work to the forefront both here in Arizona and at our nation’s capital. We are hopeful that the work these two women accomplish will set the precedent for other Social Workers to become actively involved in matters of public service locally and nationally.