Gabi and Paula converse about her career trajectory, starting out as a foster care social worker, transitioning to Founding Social Worker & Director of Social Services at Mott Haven Academy Charter School and involvement with launching a program at NYU Silver School of Social Work designed specifically to train school social workers. She highlights need for specialized training for school social workers, noting the complexity of their roles and the lack of consistent support. They emphasized the importance of community, data utilization, and professional development as well as discussed the challenges of advocating for oneself in the school system and the need for increased quality professional development opportunities.

Guest Bio:
Gabriella McBride, LCSW, DSW, earned her MSW degree from CSSW in 2006 and DSW from NYU in 2023. Following a supervisory role at New York Foundling, she joined Mott Haven Academy Charter School in 2009, where she served as a Founding Social Worker and the Director of Social Services until 2021. Gabriella has supervised MSW students since 2007 and has taught as an adjunct faculty member at NYU Silver since 2016. Gabriella's teaching is influenced by critical pedagogy, aiming to transform social work practice both within the classroom and in practicum placements. Gabriella's doctoral capstone was on using simulation in social work education and dialogic pedagogy in classrooms as an anti-racist teaching practice. Currently, Gabriella is involved with launching the School Social Work Training Academy at NYU Silver School of Social Work, a program dedicated to training school social workers serving youth and families in New York City. Gabriella is also a proud mama of two beautiful children.

Contact/Socials
Email: gc85@nyu.edu
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabriella-mcbride-6a73b069/

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