About Us
How We Serve to Lead
The Social Work and Law Symposium was birthed out of a long-standing goal held by its founder, Dr. Sherece Shavel, who came to recognize the need to strengthen social work competence in the use of legal tools, effective participation in legal processes, and in interdisciplinary collaboration through her own practice experiences. After years of contemplation, the symposium initiative was formally organized February 2022 and in June 2022 became an activity of BRAVE360, PLLC, an established entity in the state of Texas. The organizing body consists of interested justice-oriented professionals and students who collaboratively devote their time, talent, energy, and resources to realize the passionate and hopeful mission and vision of the symposium.
The Social Work and Law Symposium is an initiative to promote knowledge, skills, and abilities around forensic social work practice including the intersection of social work and the law. The symposium serves as a platform to harness energy, passion, and wisdom toward advancing the field of forensic social work and the capacity of forensic social work practitioners in collaboration with legal practitioners in the context of legal environments. As an education-oriented future-focused platform, the symposium program facilitates collective action and impact by nurturing an expansion of interprofessional, cross-disciplinary, multi-system, multi-dimensional knowledge and skills that lead to high practitioner versatility and impact.
OUR PURPOSE
Leading in Service
Our Mission
We cultivate collaboration across professions serving justice-involved communities by creating opportunities for interdisciplinary education, dialogue, and partnership. Together, we advance the field of forensic social work, strengthen cross-sector collaboration, and promote transformative justice through shared knowledge, collective leadership, and a commitment to equity, accountability, and meaningful systems change.
Our Vision
We envision a future where professionals from every discipline serving justice-involved communities learn with, from, and alongside one another to create more equitable, compassionate, and effective systems of justice.
Guided by the principle that iron sharpens iron, we cultivate a community where practitioners inspire practitioners, practitioners mentor students, students contribute fresh perspectives, and communities enrich our collective understanding. Through lifelong learning, interdisciplinary collaboration, and shared leadership, each voice strengthens the whole.
Together, we advance transformative justice by building partnerships that improve systems, expand opportunity, and create lasting positive change for individuals, families, and communities whose lives intersect with the legal system.
“BE BOLD ENOUGH TO DREAM AND BRAVE ENOUGH TO TRY.”
UNKNOWN
OUR TEAM
Committed, Passionate, Engaged
Sherece Shavel, PhD
Founder / Chair
Dawn H. Apgar, PhD
Educator Taskforce
T. Deneece Ferrales, PhD
Community Engagement
Will Francis, LMSW
Outreach Consultant
Chelsea L. Hawkins, LMSW
Mentorship
Thea J. Posel, JD
Professional Development
Jessica K. Olson, MSW
Special Projects
Dawn Westfall, LMSW
Partner & Sponsor Engagement
OUR PARTNERS
Leadership in Action
200+
Members of our community inspired by out partners.
“CHANGE WILL NOT COME IF WE WAIT FOR SOME OTHER PERSON, OR IF WE WAIT FOR SOME OTHER TIME. WE ARE THE ONE WE’VE BEEN WAITING FOR.
WE ARE THE CHANGE THAT WE SEEK.”
BARAK OBAMA