In this episode of the Goddesses of Social Work Podcast, host Renita Ray Davis sits down with Whitney Anderson, coordinator at the Central Alabama Aging Consortium (CAAC), to explore her journey into service and her commitment to helping older adults navigate complex systems of care.

With nearly 20 years of experience in Medicare, Medicaid, and medical billing, Whitney now leads three key programs — SHIP (State Health Insurance Program), MIPPA (Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act), and SMP (Senior Medicare Patrol). Each program plays a vital role in ensuring seniors have access to clarity, protection, and the resources they need to thrive.

In this conversation, we talk about: 🌿 Whitney’s path into the helping professions and eventually into Medicare-related programming 🌿 The unique impact of SHIP, MIPPA, and SMP in the lives of older adults 🌿 The importance of advocating for seniors navigating complex and sometimes overwhelming systems 🌿 Stories that remind Whitney why this work matters so deeply 🌿 Her hopes for participants attending the upcoming Remember Me documentary screening and community gathering on November 1st

Whitney’s story is a reminder that advocacy can take many forms — and that guiding people toward clarity and access is a sacred form of service …along your social work journey.

Register for the Remember Me screening and community gathering here:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/remember-me-documentary-community-gathering-tickets-1588469818989?aff=oddtdtcreator

Learn more about CAAC here:

Home - CAAC

Find more of Renita's offerings here:

https://linktr.ee/illuminatedexpressions

Interested in Mastering Your Therapeutic Techniques for Dementia Caregivers?

https://gamma.app/docs/Interested-in-Mastering-Your-Therapeutic-Techniques-for-Dementia--7fnyf5ydeq70qd5

Goddess of Social Work Earrings - Etsy

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1183285270/goddess-of-social-work-earrings

In this episode of the Goddesses of Social Work Podcast, we continue our Remember Me Series with Melissa Stellhorn, Nutrition Coordinator at the Central Alabama Aging Consortium (CAAC).

Melissa shares her journey into the helping professions, from her early volunteer work at the YMCA to her passion for supporting older adults through CAAC’s Elderly Nutrition Program. We discuss the impact of senior centers on community, dignity, and connection, and how something as simple as a shared meal can transform lives.

Join us as we explore how CAAC is nourishing both body and spirit, and hear what Melissa hopes people will take away from the upcoming Remember Me documentary screening on November 1st.

Register for the Remember Me screening and community gathering here:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/remember-me-documentary-community-gathering-tickets-1588469818989?aff=oddtdtcreator

Learn more about CAAC here:

Home - CAAC

Find more of Renita's offerings here:

https://linktr.ee/illuminatedexpressions

Interested in Mastering Your Therapeutic Techniques for Dementia Caregivers?

https://gamma.app/docs/Interested-in-Mastering-Your-Therapeutic-Techniques-for-Dementia--7fnyf5ydeq70qd5

Goddess of Social Work Earrings - Etsy

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1183285270/goddess-of-social-work-earrings

In this episode of the Goddesses of Social Work Podcast, host Renita Ray Davis sits down with Tenessa Shepherd, LICSW, a newly licensed independent clinical social worker with 10 years of experience across child welfare, adult and child mental health, inpatient psychiatric care, and her current work in substance use disorder treatment.

A proud mom of two girls and an Alabama native with family roots in North Carolina, Tenessa shares openly about the twists, turns, and triumphs that shaped her path to licensure, including what it really took to pass the clinical exam and the communities that supported her along the way.

We talk about: 🌿 Moving from foster care and adoption work to inpatient psych and substance use treatment 🌿 The journey toward passing the clinical exam, and what shifted this time 🌿 The power of community and connection for social workers 🌿 The belief about social work that has changed most over her first decade 🌿 The advice she’d give her younger self just starting out

Tenessa’s story is a reminder that growth is rarely linear; it’s intentional, courageous, and unfolds step by step …along your social work journey.

Find more of Renita's offerings here:

https://linktr.ee/illuminatedexpressions

Interested in Mastering Your Therapeutic Techniques for Dementia Caregivers?

https://gamma.app/docs/Interested-in-Mastering-Your-Therapeutic-Techniques-for-Dementia--7fnyf5ydeq70qd5

Goddess of Social Work Earrings - Etsy

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1183285270/goddess-of-social-work-earrings

In this episode of the Goddesses of Social Work Podcast, host Renita Ray Davis sits down with Dr. Staci Ford, recipient of the 2024 SWAG Social Worker Entrepreneur of the Year Award, to explore her incredible journey of turning personal loss into community healing.

Dr. Ford shares the powerful story behind Kyle’s Hope LLC, founded in honor of her late son, and how her organization now serves as a beacon of trauma-informed care, resources, and intervention for individuals and families seeking a better quality of life.

Together, we talk about: 🌿 Building Kyle’s Hope and carrying forward her son’s legacy 🌿 Overcoming challenges on the journey to becoming a psychologist 🌿 Breaking myths about mental health, addiction, and community healing 🌿 What it means to be honored as a SWAG Award-winning social work entrepreneur 🌿 Practical advice for social workers looking to create programs rooted in advocacy, justice, and hope

Dr. Ford’s story is a reminder that our deepest heartbreaks can become our greatest callings — and that community care, when paired with personal purpose, can transform lives.

Contact Dr. Staci Ford Here;

Drstaci4life@gmail.com

Find more of Renita's offerings here:

https://linktr.ee/illuminatedexpressions

Interested in Mastering Your Therapeutic Techniques for Dementia Caregivers?

https://gamma.app/docs/Interested-in-Mastering-Your-Therapeutic-Techniques-for-Dementia--7fnyf5ydeq70qd5

Goddess of Social Work Earrings - Etsy

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1183285270/goddess-of-social-work-earrings

In this episode of the Goddesses of Social Work Podcast, host Renita Ray Davis sits down with Dr. Jenny Reed, social worker, author, and public health advocate, to discuss her powerful book, The African American Parent: Rethinking Sexual Health Communication.

Together, we explore the cultural, faith, and family influences that shape conversations about sexual health in African American households. Dr. Reed shares key insights from her research, the barriers that often prevent open communication, and practical ways social workers and public health professionals can help bridge these gaps.

Whether you’re working with families, supporting teens, or navigating these conversations in your own life, this episode offers tools, understanding, and inspiration, all along your social work journey.

The African American Parent: Rethinking Sexual Health Communication

Buy It Here:

https://a.co/d/4nHwaWz

Find more of Renita's offerings here:

https://linktr.ee/illuminatedexpressions

Interested in Mastering Your Therapeutic Techniques for Dementia Caregivers?

https://gamma.app/docs/Interested-in-Mastering-Your-Therapeutic-Techniques-for-Dementia--7fnyf5ydeq70qd5

Goddess of Social Work Earrings - Etsy

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1183285270/goddess-of-social-work-earrings

In this episode of the Remember Me Series, Claire Culp, SenioRx Coordinator at the Central Alabama Aging Consortium, joins the Goddesses of Social Work Podcast to share her journey into aging services and her passion for improving access to life-saving medications for older adults. From ensuring safe and affordable prescriptions to advocating for clients and their families, Claire’s leadership in the SenioRx program highlights the vital role of coordinated care in honoring our elders. This conversation also explores the excitement of hosting the upcoming Remember Me documentary screening and community gathering at CAAC on November 1st, 2025.

Contact The ADRC Line Here:

334-240-4670

Learn More About ADRC Here:

Home - CAAC

Register for The Remember Me Film Screening and Community Gathering Here:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1588469818989?aff=oddtdtcreator

Find more of Renita's offerings here:

https://linktr.ee/illuminatedexpressions

Interested in Mastering Your Therapeutic Techniques for Dementia Caregivers?

https://gamma.app/docs/Interested-in-Mastering-Your-Therapeutic-Techniques-for-Dementia--7fnyf5ydeq70qd5

Goddess of Social Work Earrings - Etsy

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1183285270/goddess-of-social-work-earrings

In this special Remember Me Series episode, Executive Director Yolanda Evans of the Central Alabama Aging Consortium joins the Goddesses of Social Work Podcast to share her journey of service, leadership, and advocacy for Alabama’s aging community. From building programs that empower older adults to coordinating care that supports families and caregivers, Yolanda’s work reflects the heart of “honoring our elders.” Join us as we explore how coordinated care creates lasting impact along the social work journey.

Register for the Remember Me screening and community gathering here:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/remember-me-documentary-community-gathering-tickets-1588469818989?aff=oddtdtcreator

Learn more about CAAC here:

Home - CAAC

Find more of Renita's offerings here:

https://linktr.ee/illuminatedexpressions

Interested in Mastering Your Therapeutic Techniques for Dementia Caregivers?

https://gamma.app/docs/Interested-in-Mastering-Your-Therapeutic-Techniques-for-Dementia--7fnyf5ydeq70qd5

Goddess of Social Work Earrings - Etsy

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1183285270/goddess-of-social-work-earrings

Sharise Nance, affectionately known as the Compassion Fatigue Lady, joins the Goddesses of Social Work Podcast to share how she found her way into the field. She explains why continuing education outside the profession is essential for staying inspired, and she breaks down the difference between compassion fatigue and empathic distress. Sharise also reveals why Entrepreneurial Roller Coaster by Darren Hardy is one of her favorite books.

Find More of Sharise's Offerings Here:

Www.sharisenance.com

Books - www.sharisenance.com/shop

Www.theswagawards.com

Www.swagfoundation.org

Find more of Renita's offerings here:

https://linktr.ee/illuminatedexpressions

Interested in Mastering Your Therapeutic Techniques for Dementia Caregivers?

https://gamma.app/docs/Interested-in-Mastering-Your-Therapeutic-Techniques-for-Dementia--7fnyf5ydeq70qd5

Goddess of Social Work Earrings - Etsy

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1183285270/goddess-of-social-work-earrings