NASW-Michigan Announces 2026 Award Recipients Honoring Excellence in Social Work

Lansing, MI — The National Association of Social Workers – Michigan Chapter (NASW-Michigan) is proud to announce the recipients of its 2026 Agency of the Year, Social Worker of the Year, and Lifetime Achievement Awards, recognizing outstanding contributions to the profession and the communities served across the state.

Each year, NASW-Michigan honors individuals and organizations who exemplify the core values of social work through leadership, innovation, advocacy, and a deep commitment to social justice.

🏢 Agency of the Year Award: Samaritas

The Agency of the Year Award recognizes an organization that employs social workers and demonstrates outstanding contributions to the profession and the communities it serves. NASW-Michigan is proud to recognize Samaritas as the 2026 Agency of the Year.

With more than 90 years of service, Samaritas has built a legacy of walking alongside individuals and families to nurture lasting growth, connection, and empowerment. The organization provides a broad continuum of care across Michigan, including child and family services, behavioral health, refugee resettlement, and housing stability.

Samaritas’ impact is rooted in its ability to blend long-standing experience with forward-thinking innovation. From strengthening families through preservation programs to expanding access to behavioral health and housing services, the organization consistently develops solutions that are both person-centered and system-informed. Their work reflects a deep commitment to meeting communities where they are while adapting to evolving and increasingly complex needs.

In 2025, Samaritas demonstrated extraordinary leadership and ethical commitment during a sudden federal disruption to refugee services. Following a Stop Work Order that halted all refugee reception and placement funding, 431 newly arrived refugees in Michigan were left without critical support. Rather than scale back, Samaritas mobilized immediately—continuing services without federal funding by activating community partners, raising emergency resources, and coordinating statewide efforts to ensure families had access to housing, employment support, school enrollment, and culturally responsive care. Their refugee resettlement team led with professionalism, compassion, and unwavering dedication, embodying the core mission of social work by protecting human dignity and meeting urgent needs in a moment of profound vulnerability.

At the same time, Samaritas strengthened its collaborative impact by engaging in coalitions such as the West Michigan Welcome Plan, Freedom Flight, and the Southeast Michigan Refugee Collaboration, helping to drive innovative, community-based responses to complex challenges. The organization’s recent launch of the House of Innovation in Detroit further reflects its commitment to reimagining systems of care and improving outcomes for children and families across Michigan.

At its core, Samaritas operates from a belief in the dignity and resilience of every individual, emphasizing collaboration, community partnership, and strengths-based care. Their approach reflects a broader commitment to equity, advocacy, and systems transformation—recognizing that lasting change happens through connection, creativity, and shared purpose.

Samaritas exemplifies the 2026 Social Work Month theme, “Social Workers: Uplift. Defend. Transform.” by uplifting communities through compassionate services, defending the dignity of those they serve, and transforming systems through innovation and partnership. As the organization shares, hope is not only a guiding value, but a way of doing the work—demonstrating that meaningful change is always possible.

🌟 Social Worker of the Year: Dr. Tara Consolino, DSW, LMSW

The Social Worker of the Year Award honors a member of NASW-Michigan who exemplifies the profession’s values through outstanding accomplishments in recent years. NASW-Michigan is proud to recognize Dr. Tara Consolino as the 2026 Social Worker of the Year.

Dr. Consolino, a doctoral-prepared clinical social worker and founder of Darkling Psychotherapeutic Services, brings nearly two decades of experience across behavioral health settings, including community mental health, inpatient psychiatry, addiction medicine, and federal service within the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Her work has centered on supporting individuals navigating complex trauma with a clinical approach grounded in authenticity, dignity, and respect for human resilience.

In leadership roles such as Director of Addiction Medicine and Suicide Prevention at the Detroit VA Medical Center, she has contributed to program development, interdisciplinary collaboration, and regional suicide prevention efforts across multiple states. Her work bridges direct care and systems-level impact, reflecting the full scope of social work practice.

Dr. Consolino’s philosophy centers on presence over perfection, emphasizing that the most meaningful moments in social work come from the ability to sit with complexity and remain fully engaged with those being served. Her work aligns closely with the theme “Uplift. Defend. Transform.” - uplifting individuals through authentic therapeutic relationships, defending clients through advocacy and ethical practice, and supporting transformation through trauma-informed care that fosters growth beyond survival.

Dr. Consolino encourages emerging social workers to remain grounded in their values, advocate within imperfect systems, and prioritize sustainability in their work. Her career reflects a deep commitment to advancing a more compassionate, responsive, and human-centered system of care.

🏆 Lifetime Achievement Award: Carol Ann Oleksiak, LMSW, ACSW, IMH-E® Clinical Mentor

The Lifetime Achievement Award celebrates a Michigan social worker whose career reflects a lifetime of outstanding accomplishments and enduring contributions to the profession. NASW-Michigan is proud to recognize Carol Ann Oleksiak as the 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient.

With more than 40 years of experience, Ms. Oleksiak has dedicated her career to supporting children, families, and communities through the Detroit–Wayne County Community Mental Health system. Her work has included early childhood initiatives, consultation with educators and families, and leadership in workforce development.

She played a key role in developing the Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health’s Endorsement System - now recognized internationally - and created the Virtual Center of Excellence, a training system that has supported social workers and partner agencies for nearly two decades. Her contributions to mentorship, education, and leadership have shaped generations of social workers across Michigan.

Ms. Oleksiak’s work reflects a deep commitment to relationships, emphasizing that meaningful change happens through trust, connection, and presence. She continues to provide training, reflective supervision, and consultation, reinforcing ethical, sustainable practice across the field.

Her career embodies the values of “Uplift. Defend. Transform.” - uplifting individuals and communities, defending their dignity through advocacy and ethical care, and transforming systems through collaboration and leadership. Her legacy is one of compassion, mentorship, and lasting impact.

🌱 Emerging Social Work Leader Award: Laurel Hammis, LLMSW

The Emerging Social Work Leader Award recognizes a social worker in the early stages of their career who demonstrates outstanding contributions to the profession and exceptional promise for continued leadership and service. NASW-Michigan is proud to recognize Laurel Hammis, LLMSW as the 2026 Emerging Social Work Leader.

Hammis has quickly distinguished herself as a rising leader through her work at the intersection of higher education and behavioral health. A graduate of Adrian College and the University of Michigan School of Social Work, she has built a career focused on expanding access to education, mental health resources, and inclusive learning environments—guided by a clear sense of purpose that evolved during her academic journey. As she reflects, “All I knew was that I wanted to help people. It was in graduate school that I discovered macro social work and how systems-level change can transform communities.”

Currently serving at Saginaw Valley State University, Hammis has held multiple roles supporting students and professionals across the region. Her work has included direct support for first-generation, low-income, and disabled students through TRIO Student Support Services, as well as leading initiatives to improve access to healthcare and behavioral health resources. Through these roles, she has demonstrated a strong commitment to equity, access, and student success.

Hammis’ leadership is particularly evident in her role as Program Coordinator for the YouthWISE grant, a $1.2 million federally funded initiative aimed at expanding behavioral health education and services in rural and medically underserved communities. Her efforts have contributed to increased access to continuing education and professional development opportunities for social workers across Michigan. In her current roles as MSW Practicum Education Coordinator and Director of Social Work Continuing Education, she has significantly expanded program reach - growing participation from approximately 100 certificates annually to more than 1,600.

Grounded in mentorship and community connection, Hammis credits the guidance of experienced professionals as instrumental in her development, sharing that mentorship helped shape her path early in her career. Her trajectory reflects both intention and impact, as she continues to build pathways for others while advancing her own leadership. As she shares, “Five years ago, I never imagined I would become a social worker. Now, it’s truly what I was meant to do.” Through her work and service, including her role on the Board of Directors for Bay City Players, Hammis embodies the spirit of “Social Workers: Uplift. Defend. Transform.”, representing the next generation of leaders committed to strengthening communities and advancing the profession.

💬 From the NASW-Michigan Awards Committee

Samaritas – Agency of the Year When a federal Stop Work Order abruptly cut off support to 431 recently resettled refugees in Michigan, Samaritas mobilized partners, foundations, and community volunteers to raise over $130,000 and ensure 100% of their clients received essential resettlement services. Their response exemplified the social work profession's commitment to human dignity in the face of systemic crisis.

Carol Oleksiak – Lifetime Achievement Carol Oleksiak's decades-long career in Infant Mental Health transformed care for children and families across Michigan, from founding home visiting programs to building a nationally adopted clinician endorsement system. Her work embodies the profession's highest ideals, moving fluidly from direct clinical practice to macro-level systems change.

Dr. Tara Consolino – Social Worker of the Year Dr. Consolino has advanced trauma-informed care through her clinical practice, leadership at Darkling Psychotherapeutic Services, and her work as a consultant for the feature film Sheepdog. This film portrays the therapeutic relationship in veteran trauma recovery. Her advocacy brings the social work profession into public view and helps reduce stigma around mental health treatment.

Laurel Hammis – Emerging Social Work Leader As this year's Emerging Social Work Leader, Laurel transformed SVSU's continuing education program from fewer than 100 annual certificates to over 1,600 trained behavioral health professionals across rural Michigan in less than a year. Her responsive, community-driven approach to workforce development has made SVSU a recognized training hub for underserved regions statewide.

🎉 Celebrating the Profession

“These awardees represent the very best of social work in Michigan,” said Duane Breijak, NASW-Michigan Executive Director. “Their leadership, innovation, and commitment to social justice continue to strengthen our profession and the communities we serve.”