Social Work, Policy and Politics: Practicing in polarized times
The VCU School of Social Work’s annual macro-focused event, Social Work, Policy and Politics returns March 19, 2026, with an alumni panel focused on the “Big P” of policy – federal, state, and local – and how it intersects with clinical practice, advocacy and the values that unite us.
Watch an archived video of our panel discussion
Our panel includes moderator Allison Gilbreath (B.S.’11, M.S.W.’16) and panelists Maryn Campbell (B.S.W.’18, M.S.W.’20), Stephanie Lynch (B.S.’10, M.S.W.’13) and Erin Trimmer (B.I.S.’22, M.S.W.’25).
In a moment marked by political polarization and shifting policy landscapes, social workers are navigating increasingly complex terrain. This dynamic event invites clinicians, policymakers, alumni, retired and emeriti faculty, and current practitioners to come together for a rich, intergenerational conversation about what it means to practice social work policy today.
From the nuts and bolts of current legislative practice to the emotional and ethical challenges of taking action, this gathering leans into the struggle and seeks pathways forward.
Whether you’re 10 years into practice or newly retired, this is a space to connect, reflect and walk away with a renewed spirit of action. Let’s explore how we practice policy together – and how we build a future rooted in shared values, collaboration and care.
About our panelists
Allison Gilbreath
Allison is the senior director of policy and programs at Voices for Virginia’s Children. She leads the organization’s child welfare policy work as well as the implementation of advocacy programs, elevating policy conversations across all policy areas.
Allison created Voices’ foster care policy network, a group comprised of partners, direct service providers, families and youth who create a foster care unified agenda each year. She also helped to create the first-ever bipartisan foster care caucus with the Virginia General Assembly. Together, with the network and foster care caucus, she successfully led the charge in creating the kinship financial assistance program during the 2020 General Assembly session.
Allison came to Voices after several years of working on behalf of children and families, most recently at Prevent Child Abuse Virginia. She was included on Style Weekly’s 40 under 40 in 2019 and has presented at several national and state conferences.
She earned her Bachelor of Science and Master of Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University, and completed the Sorenson Institute for Political Leadership in 2016.
Maryn Campbell
Maryn graduated from VCU in 2020 with a dual degree: Master of Social Work in administration, planning and policy practice, and a Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management. Maryn is currently a policy analyst for Legal Aid Justice Center, but has previously served as outreach director, chief of staff and legislative assistant for Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan, in the House and the Virginia General Assembly.
Maryn is passionate about making government accessible, perfecting grilled cheese sandwiches and learning how to do nothing. She lives in Richmond with her husband, their sneaky 10-month-old, two chaotic dogs and a troublesome cat.
Stephanie Lynch
Stephanie serves as the executive director of Virginia’s Kids Belong, a nonprofit organization dedicated to dramatically improving outcomes for kids in Virginia’s foster care system. She also serves as the director of government relations for one of the nation’s largest Medicaid providers, Sevita, overseeing 44 states and working on efforts to expand access to neuro and developmental disability services.
She previously served as the director of government affairs, strategy & development for Good Neighbor, where she oversaw strategic operations, growth and legislative initiatives for one of the largest private mental health and developmental disability services providers in the commonwealth. Her focal areas included, behavioral health transformation, innovations for intellectual and developmentally disabled populations, value-based purchasing, and behavioral health home efforts for complex care patients.
Before her role at Good Neighbor, Stephanie represented the Medicaid Managed Care Organizations at the Virginia Association of Health Plans (VAHP), which represents all nine of Virginia’s health insurance operators.
Erin Trimmer
Erin is a community organizer and housing justice advocate currently working as a legislative session aide in the office of Delegate Rae Cousins. She is passionate about connecting people to information that empowers them to create change in their communities.
Categories Alumni, Community