GSS Professional Development Workshop: Careers in Forensic Social Work—The Legal Aid Society

Fordham GSS alumni Maria Ortiz and Martha Arellano from the Legal Aid Society’s Juvenile Rights Practice will discuss what careers in forensic social work look like and how their practice intersects with child welfare.

Join us for a presentation and Q&A to follow.

Presenters:

Martha V. Arellano is a recent alumna from Fordham GSS Class of 2019. Prior to her graduate degree, she worked as a bilingual service coordinator for an early intervention program. While pursuing her master’s, she interned at the Manhattan office for Legal Aid Society as well as a women’s workforce development program, Grace Institute. She currently holds the title of forensic social worker at the Brooklyn Legal Aid office for the Juvenile Rights Practice division. Combining her love for social work and the community, Martha has used her skills and education (Stony Brook ’15, M.S.W. ’19) to continue empowering NYC’s underserved pockets in all boroughs.

Maria Ortiz graduated with a B.A. and M.A. in forensic psychology in 2005. Nearly ten years later, in 2014, she graduated from GSS with her Master of Social Work degree. While taking classes for her M.S.W., Maria continued working in child welfare at the Administration for Children’s Services. In 2016, Maria got her License in Social Work and took a position in a family shelter as part of the NYC Thrive Initiative. Three years later, Maria returned to child welfare as a forensic social worker at the Legal Aid Society.

Prior to graduating from GSS, Maria joined her local community board and continues to serve in that capacity, currently as co-chair of housing, health, and human services. She has since served on other boards as well.