Her Story
About LaSharia
I serve as an assistant professor and off-site field coordinator at Alabama A&M University, where I work out of the Birmingham location. I also work as a digital learning and technology coordinator for our Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program, which was awarded a $3.6 million grant through HRSA. In this role, we work with medical, nursing, social work, and psychiatry students, providing them with training and skills to work with the geriatric population, and we incentivize students with up to $5,000 for participating. I primarily teach and help students identify and get placed into practicums in clinical therapeutic roles, working with children, geriatrics, clinical, or in medical settings. I also serve as a liaison for our Title IV-E department, where I host free webinars and conferences to support practitioners and students. I co-founded several conferences, including the Child Welfare and Technology Symposium in April and a Child Welfare Summer Summit in June, both offered free to bring practitioners and students together to learn, network, and identify best practices. I also hosted a national geriatric conference that we held in February 2024, which had representation from 4 countries and 21 states. Before joining Alabama A&M in January 2023, I worked at the University of Alabama for 10 years in various roles, including teaching since 2018, working as a civil rights practitioner in the Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX Programs from 2020 to 2022, serving as a performance improvement manager, working as a medical records auditor, and working in research on a $30 million CMS grant to develop a statewide Medicaid program. I have a clinical background as a counselor specializing in behavioral management, primarily working with children and adolescents. I worked at Brewer Porch Children's Center for about 3 years, overseeing programs for children from kindergarten through high school who needed diagnosis or couldn't thrive in general environments. We operated outpatient and inpatient programs, including 90-day assessments and an equestrian therapy program using rescued horses to work with abused children until the pandemic forced budget cuts in 2020.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with LaSharia
01What do you attribute your success to?
I would say it is definitely my passion for others. I genuinely believe that everybody has a purpose, but in order for some people to identify and to be able to live in that purpose, they need support. That gives me motivation, that encourages me to continue to do what I do. Being that support, being that voice for students, survivors, new practitioners is what drives me. I don't do this for self-gratification or acknowledgement - I could care less if people know what I do. My goal is just to do it without acknowledgement. I like to be in the background, not in the forefront.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Lean into your passion and let it move you forward. It has the power to elevate your journey to its greatest height.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Let your passion carry you forward, especially when the path grows uncertain. You will meet obstacles, experience change, and be reshaped along the way. Still, stay rooted. Keep becoming. Stay steadfast in the work that lights you from within.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
As a civil rights practitioner, I am navigating a social work landscape as it is today. The challenge before us is how to continue delivering the same high-quality education and services while learning to navigate this new and unfamiliar terrain.
At the same time, we are facing a deeper concern around identity. Social work has recently been labeled by some as “not a profession,” and that narrative creates doubt, especially when people do not fully understand who we are or the scope of our impact. We are, in fact, the largest helping profession in the United States, with more than 800,000 social workers nationwide. To dismiss our profession in that way is to diminish the essential work we do and the communities we serve.
Now more than ever, social workers must remain visible, engaged, and vocal. We must be present in important conversations, leadership spaces, and decision‑making rooms so that we do not lose our identity, our recognition, or our future workforce. When I retire, someone must be ready to step in. Social workers are also the largest providers of mental health services in this country, so the question becomes: if social workers are not there, who will provide that care?
This moment calls on us to claim our place at the table, on committees, in leadership roles, and even in government positions. Our responsibility is not only to serve, but to educate others about who we are as a profession and why our presence matters. By staying engaged and leading with purpose, we protect the integrity of social work and ensure its future.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that guide both my work and my personal life are integrity, equity, compassion, and perseverance.
In my professional life, integrity means staying true to the purpose of social work advocating for justice, ethical practice, and accountability, even when the work becomes difficult or constrained. Equity is central to everything I do. As a social worker and educator, I am committed to creating access, amplifying voices that are often marginalized, and ensuring that systems serve people with dignity and fairness.
Compassion grounds my work. It reminds me to lead with empathy, for my students, the communities we serve, and for myself. I believe meaningful change happens when people feel seen, supported, and valued. Perseverance is what sustains me through moments of transition and challenge. Our field requires resilience, adaptability, and the courage to keep showing up, especially when the path forward is unclear.
In my personal life, these same values guide how I show up for others: with honesty, purpose, and care. I believe in staying rooted in service while continuing to grow, learn, and evolve. Whether mentoring students, engaging in leadership, or navigating change, I strive to remain steadfast in my values while being open to what the journey requires.
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