2026 Award Winners

Nichelle Taylor is a 2026 Master of Social Work (MSW) student at the University of Maryland School of Social Work and an emerging social work professional dedicated to supporting individuals, families, and transitioning youth. Based in Baltimore, she brings a strong blend of academic training and hands-on experience in social services, housing support, and case management.

Nichelle is developing advanced competencies in client-centered practice, systems navigation, and work with vulnerable populations. Her graduate studies build on a solid academic foundation, having earned her Bachelor of Science in Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences from Morgan State University.

As a social work intern with the Baltimore City Department of Social Services, Nichelle supported the Supportive Services and Ready by 21 units, providing direct assistance to youth seeking housing stability. She engaged clients, facilitated housing application processes, and offered case management to help young people pursue educational, employment, and independent living goals.

Before entering the field of social work, Nichelle spent nearly a decade as a Tier 1 Associate at Amazon, strengthening core professional skills such as time management, documentation, and teamwork. She also gained service-oriented experience with the American Red Cross and held a clinical support role at the Kennedy Krieger Institute.

Through her academic preparation and professional journey, Nichelle demonstrates a strong commitment to equity-focused practice, youth development, and community-based support.

Karen Marc, LMSW, is a seasoned nonprofit and social services leader with more than 20 years of experience in community-based human services, information and referral systems, and operational leadership. Since 2011, she has served as Senior Director of 211 Maryland at United Way of

Central Maryland (UWCM), where she provides strategic and operational oversight for the state’s 24/7, confidential information and referral helpline. -based human services, information and referral systems, and operational leadership. Since 2011, she has served as Senior Director of

Under her leadership, the Central Maryland 211 center supports Baltimore City and surrounding counties, responding to more than 100,000 calls each year from residents seeking housing assistance, food resources, health care, transportation, legal support, and other essential services based human services, information and referral systems, and operational leadership.

Karen is widely recognized for strengthening Maryland’s social services infrastructure and advancing cross-sector partnerships. She has represented UWCM in public outreach, media, and collaborative initiatives with major health systems—including Johns Hopkins Medicine—focused on improving access to health-related transportation, benefits navigation, and social supports.-related transportation, benefits navigation, and social supports.

Earlier in her career, Karen served as a Unit Supervisor at the Board of Child Care, overseeing programs supporting children and families involved in child welfare and behavioral health. She also held supervisory roles at Visiting Homemaker Service of Hudson County, managing in-home and emergency services for older adults, individuals with disabilities, and low-income households.-home and emergency services for older adults, individuals with disabilities, and low-income households.

Karen holds an MSW from the University of Maryland School of Social Work and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Rutgers University. She is an active leader in the information and referral field, including service within Inform USA, the national membership organization for I&R professionals.

Christopher S. Beegle, MSW, LCSWC, is a licensed clinical social worker and senior human services leader with more than 15 years of experience in child welfare, family-centered clinical practice, workforce development, and systems transformation in Maryland. He serves as Director of Clinical Services at the Center for Restorative Change at the University of Maryland School of Social Work, where he oversees community-based, antiracist, and anti-oppressive service models.

 

In this role, Chris provides clinical leadership for Family Connections Baltimore, a voluntary, in-home program supporting children, caregivers, and kinship families experiencing crisis or system involvement. He leads the implementation of evidence-based models—including Family Connections, Grandparent Family Connections, and Trauma Adapted Family Connections—while mentoring clinicians and integrating trauma-responsive and power-building practices.-home program supporting children, caregivers, and kinship families experiencing crisis or system involvement. He leads the implementation of evidence-based models—including Family Connections, Grandparent Family Connections, and Trauma-Adapted Family Connections—while mentoring clinicians and integrating trauma-responsive and power-building practices.

Chris’s experience includes delivering intensive, in-home therapeutic services as a Clinical Social Worker with Family Connections, focusing on caregiver–child relationships, trauma recovery, and reducing unnecessary system involvement. Earlier, with the Prince George’s County Department of Social Services, he provided clinical and permanency-focused services across foster care, reunification, adoption, and independent living. He also played a key role in advancing Family Finding efforts to help reconnect youth with natural supports.

He is extensively trained in trauma-informed and evidence-based interventions and also serves as a Faculty Field Instructor, preparing emerging social workers for equitable, accountable practice. Chris holds an MSW from the University of Maryland School of Social Work and is licensed as an LCSWC in Maryland.-C in Maryland.

Megan Tracy Benson, LMSW, is a nonprofit leader and licensed social worker with extensive experience in intergenerational engagement, community-based programming, and nonprofit capacity building. She is best known as the Cofounder and Deputy Director of Empowering the Ages (ETA), a Maryland nonprofit dedicated to connecting younger and older generations to strengthen communities and enhance wellbeing across the lifespan.-based programming, and nonprofit capacity building. She is best known as the Co-Founder and Deputy Director of -being across the lifespan.

As Deputy Director, Megan played a key role in establishing, expanding, and sustaining ETA. She helped design and oversee intergenerational initiatives focused on school readiness, workforce development, civic engagement, and reducing social isolation among both youth and older adults. Her leadership has contributed to ETA receiving recognition from organizations such as Montgomery County agencies, AARP Livable Communities, and regional media outlets.

Megan is also an active public voice in the field of intergenerational practice. She has been featured in community forums and interviews—including Montgomery County Media’s Solutions and 50+ in Montgomery County—where she highlights the importance of multigenerational connections in building resilient, inclusive communities.

In addition to her organizational leadership, Megan engages in regional nonprofit and aging sector networks and maintains longstanding membership in the National Association of Social Workers. She holds a Master of Social Work from the University of Maryland and a Bachelor of Arts from Brown University, grounding her work in both liberal arts and clinical community social work training.-sector networks and maintains long-standing membership in the National Association of Social Workers. She holds a Master of Social Work from the University of Maryland and a Bachelor of Arts from Brown University, grounding her work in both liberal arts and clinical-community social work training.

Denise G. Nooe, LCSW, is a Maryland-based public servant and veteran affairs advocate with more than three decades of experience in federal and state government. She is widely recognized for her leadership in expanding services, outreach, and policy coordination for veterans and military families across the state.-affairs advocate with more than three decades of experience in federal and state government. She is widely recognized for her leadership in expanding services, outreach, and policy coordination for veterans and military families across the state.

Denise most recently served as Deputy Director of Communications, Outreach, and Advocacy for the Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families (DVMF), a role she assumed in 2014 following an extensive federal career. In this capacity, she led statewide outreach initiatives, conducted veteran benefits briefings, coordinated interagency partnerships, and developed veteran focused communications, including the department’s electronic newsletter. Her work centered on increasing access to benefits and strengthening collaboration among state, federal, and nonprofit veteran service providers.-focused communications, including the department’s electronic newsletter.

Her work centered on increasing access to benefits and strengthening collaboration among state, federal, and nonprofit veteran service providers.

Before joining Maryland state government, Denise spent 30 years in federal service, primarily with U.S. Senator Barbara A. Mikulski. Beginning as a caseworker in 1983, she later became Director of the Senator’s Annapolis Office, where she managed a broad portfolio including veterans and military affairs, BRAC, transportation, and education. She also served as a liaison to the Maryland General Assembly and Governor’s Office.

Denise has contributed to numerous boards and commissions focused on veteran education, employment, and community reintegration. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from UMBC and a Master of Social Work from the University of Maryland School of Social Work and is a Licensed Certified Social Worker (LCSW).

Sonali Nijhawan, MSW, is a nationally recognized leader in public service, civic engagement, and national service innovation, with a career dedicated to developing service leaders and expanding the impact of AmeriCorps and community rooted service initiatives across the United States.-rooted service initiatives across the United States.

In 2021, Sonali was appointed by the Biden–Harris Administration as Director of AmeriCorps State and National, becoming both the first South Asian woman and the first AmeriCorps alum to lead the agency’s largest program portfolio. She oversaw major federal grantmaking efforts—including the administration of hundreds of millions of dollars in American Rescue Plan Act funding—and advanced a national service agenda focused on equity, workforce pathways, evidence based programming, and local leadership based programming, and local leadership.-based programming, and local leadership.

Prior to federal service, Sonali served as Executive Director of the Stockton Service Corps, a pioneering six-year, $12 million place-based AmeriCorps initiative launched under former Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs. She previously helped launch City Year Sacramento, following her own

service as an AmeriCorps member with City Year Chicago, and later served as California Director of Education Pioneers, supporting emerging leaders in public education systems.-year, $12 million place-based AmeriCorps initiative launched under former Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs. She previously helped launch

Following her tenure at AmeriCorps, Sonali joined The Volcker Alliance as a Paul A. Volcker Public Service Fellow and also serves as a Policy Fellow with the Allen Lab for Democracy Renovation at Harvard Kennedy School. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Marquette University and a Master of Social Work from the University of Maryland, Baltimore.

Priscilla Villavicencio is an accomplished mental health professional and educator with more than 17 years of clinical experience. She currently serves as a Psychotherapist at Healing Waters Psychotherapy, LLC, providing trauma-informed care to children, adolescents, and adults. Throughout her community-based work, she has focused extensively on serving Latino populations—a commitment that is deeply meaningful to her as a first-generation Latina and that informs her culturally responsive approach to care.

In addition to her clinical practice, Priscilla has been an Adjunct Professor at the University of Maryland Baltimore County since 2015, where she is consistently praised for her clear instruction, authenticity, and compassionate teaching style. She also served as a Field Instructor from 2017 to 2021 while working as a Mental Health Therapist with Creative Ways Therapy. Her professional experience includes prior roles at the DC Rape Crisis Center and the Linkages to Learning program, where she contributed to accessible, community-based behavioral health services.

Priscilla earned her Master of Social Work from the University of Maryland, Baltimore, in 2009 and her Bachelor of Social Work from UMBC in 2006. She is licensed in Maryland as a mental health counselor.

Students consistently describe her as supportive and inspiring. One shared that her encouragement to apply to graduate school was “a huge motivator,” while another noted that she “creates a welcoming environment where students feel encouraged to learn and participate.”