Haana Mae Smothergill-Christara 

President

Hi! My name is Haana Mae Roze Smothergill-Christara (any pronouns), and I am President of the Undergraduate Social Welfare Alliance (USWA).  I was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and lived in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Upstate NY, and Brooklyn before settling on Long Island.  I had the privilege of being raised in many communities which emphasized farming and sustainable living practices. I earned my associate's Degree in Liberal Arts at Suffolk Community College and am working towards my Bachelor of Social Work at Stony Brook University.  I am passionate about various topics related to social work, including climate justice, LGBTQIA+ rights, urban planning, wealth equity, and more.  I am attracted to practices that work towards healing individuals and communities through gardening, meditation, yoga, and other principles that I was exposed to as a child.  My main goals within this profession are working in Macro and Mezzo spaces in order to advance equity within communities and society at large.  My goals within USWA include helping students feel more engaged on campus and throughout Long Island.  I intend to spend the year focusing on advocacy events and working to empower myself and fellow students to get involved within our communities.  USWA is meant to be a space where students can connect with one another and talk about their transition into the program and anything else that is on their minds. Please feel free to reach out to me or my Board members!  We are open to receiving feedback about USWA and any requests for events that you want to see happen or topics you want to learn more about!
My email address is haanamae.smothergill-christar@stonybrook.edu

Tiffany Francis

Vice-President

John Wayne said it best "Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway." 

“My name is Tiffany Francis (she/her). I am a transfer student from Nassau Community College, as a Junior. I couldn't be more excited to be Vice-President of USWA. I appreciate a club like USWA values that align with my own, such as listening to those around me, contributing to the community, and collaborating with many. Social work is a profession I want to be a part of for several reasons, but one that stands out for me is understanding that this profession highlights the root of an issue rather than overlooking it. Social workers manifest a solution towards clients while working with many factors. The problem-solving along with the commitment to wanting change is what motivates me in this cohort. I am passionate about health care, housing inequality, the protection of underrepresented populations, and more. I understand change doesn't happen overnight, but like many generations before, it continues with US. So, regardless of how scared we may be, it is worth going through the journey. 

I am excited about USWA future endeavors and proud to be a part of it.”

Carlos Carranza Calagua

Secretary

Hi my name is Carlos Carranza Calagua (He/Him/His). I am a latino immigrant who first entered the college scene as a political science major in hopes of advocating for a single payer healthcare system in the United States. My path has been fluid and ever changing which has now lead me to Stony Brook's School of Social Welfare and joining USWA with members of my cohort.  My hope as a social worker is to bring social work and equity into the political arena that has been long overdue. 

Emily Johansen

Treasurer