OUR MISSION


To develop and promote the social work profession in countries with transitional economies.

 

The Need


A sudden collapse of the Soviet Union has created a category of countries with "transition" economies: those moving from socialist to mixed socialist / capitalist. This transition has increased social stratification and exacerbated many social problems. The social work workforce has not been given the tools or the training to

meet these new challenges.



To meet this need, our project is championing a globalized standard for social work education and the enhancement of the stature of the profession.



BOARD OF DIRECTORS

​The BoD for the Center for Social Work for Transition Economies is the engine that drives the implementation of Project Casa Mare in Moldova.

Vadim Moldovan, Ph.D., LCSW (CUNY-York)

Dr. Moldovan is an Associate Professor of Social Work at CUNY-York College in Jamaica, Queens. Dr. Moldovan’s social work practice background is in psychiatric social work, working with the chronically mentally ill in a variety of agency settings as a line worker, supervisor, and clinic administrator. Since he joined the faculty at York Dr. Moldovan began working in the mental health field as a scholar conducting numerous studies in psychiatric institutions in Moldova. His research findings are regularly presented to the larger scientific community through the scholarly journals and conference papers.

Victoria Gonta, Ph.D. (ULIM)
Dr. Gonta is an Associate Professor and the Head of the Department of Sociology and Social Work at ULIM. After receiving her Doctorate in Psychology, Mrs. Gonta was a senior lecturer on the faculty of Psychology and Special Education at Ion Creangă Pedagogical State University before joining the faculty at ULIM. Mrs. Gonta has published more than 40 scientific works, conducted numerous trainings, and spoken at international conferences on subjects such as adoption, children with special needs, child abuse, parent-child interaction, domestic violence, and community social work.



Selena Rogers, Ph.D., LCSW (CUNY-York)
Dr. Rodgers is an Assistant Professor of Social Work at York College of The City University of New York. Her research on post-traumatic growth in diverse populations has taken her to Brazil, Cuba, and South Korea.  Her recent peer-reviewed publications on posttraumatic growth have appeared in The Global Studies Journal and The National Journal of Urban Education & Practice.  She has over 17 years post-master’s social work experience in a variety of direct practice, administrative, and academic settings. Dr. Rodgers earned her Ph.D. from Adelphi University and an MSW from Syracuse University.

Nicolae Sali, Ph.D. (ULIM)
Dr. Sali is an Associate Professor and the Dean of Economics at ULIM. After receiving his Ph.D. from Moscow Pedagogical University in 1992, Mr. Sali was a senior lecturer at Moldova State University and Vice-Rector for Science and International Cooperation at the University of Criminology. He was the Dean of Psychology and Social Work at ULIM from 2001 to 2012. He has served as Secretary General of the Association of Social Workers in Moldova. He has published approximately 20 scientific publications and research studies and consulted with numerous projects with international organizations such as UNICEF, TACIS, and the World Bank.



STAFF


Justin Grotelueschen, LMSW (CUNY-Hunter, ULIM)

Justin is a recent graduate of the MSW program from CUNY-Hunter College in New York City and is a licensed social worker in New York state. He has focused on mental health, addiction, and global practice. Justin advocated for constituents of New York City Councilmember Rosie Mendez and was a mental health counselor at a community health center in a Hispanic and Eastern European neighborhood of Brooklyn. Justin relocated to Moldova in June 2012 and now helps coordinate the Center at ULIM.

 

Irina Gutu, psychology student (ULIM)
 

Stefan Socolovschii, psychology student (ULIM)