This is the story of Mary Alexander, LBSW and Meredith Alexander Lewis, PhD, LICSW- a mother daughter social work legacy. Mary began her social work career after her father requested his only daughter to become a missionary, social work a close parallel. Meredith decided to be a social worker at the age of 17, after growing up and seeing all of the joys and challenges of social work as a child, through her mother’s lens. Before going to college, Mary’s only request to Meredith was to complete her Masters in Social Work, to take Meredith’s career to higher heights.
Mary’s generation influenced social work by seeing the profession moved to licensed social workers by establishing licensure levels. With over 35 years in social work, Mary worked in group home setting, maternity, public health, and with the elderly. In a short 15 year career, Meredith seen the social work field expand from traditional settings such as hospital and child welfare to the school systems, police stations, legal teams and just about any place that human services are provided.