Our annual awards program recognizes excellence and dedication in the field of social work, as well as the efforts of allied partners in the health and social sectors. As National Social Work Month comes to an end, this offers us an opportunity to reflect on the many ways our members have brought the values and unique perspective of our profession to life in their day-to-day practice, and the exciting possibilities for the future of social work in our province.
We’re delighted to announce our newest cohort of award recipients, and we hope you will join us in celebrating the remarkable contributions of our social work community.
Canadian Association of Social Workers
Distinguished Service Award 2026
Winnie Grant, BSW, MSW, M.Ed, RSW-Clinical Specialist
Winnie Grant is a proud mother (of two social workers), grandmother, partner, and long-standing community advocate whose work is grounded in an Africentric worldview and a deep commitment to social justice. A retired senior leader with the provincial government, Winnie guided transformative anti-Black racism initiatives that advanced policy reform, strengthened intergovernmental and community partnerships, and increased the representation and leadership of African Nova Scotian professionals across the organization. Her leadership also contributed to the creation of an Africentric Bachelor of Social Work program at Dalhousie University.
Winnie brings more than 32 years of experience as a licensed social worker and is an active member of both the Nova Scotia College of Social Workers and the Association of Black Social Workers. She continues to mentor social workers pursuing licensure and has proudly served as a Big Sister through Big Brothers Big Sisters for over five years.
As a Sessional Instructor at the Dalhousie School of Social Work, Winnie integrates her lived experiences, scholarship, and Africentric and Critical Race Analysis perspectives into the classroom, fostering critical consciousness and culturally grounded practice among emerging practitioners.
Winnie holds a Bachelor and Master of Social Work from Dalhousie University. Her Master’s thesis, The Evolution of Afrikan Consciousness: The Effects of R.A.C.I.S.M. on Afrikans in the Diaspora, reflects her lifelong commitment to examining and challenging systemic racism. She later completed a Master of Education in Lifelong Learning at Mount Saint Vincent University, specializing in Africentric approaches to policy development and research.
Winnie has been widely recognized for her leadership and community impact. She is the recipient of several honours, including the Freda Vickery Award, the Ronald Stratford Award, and the King Charles III Coronation Medal. Across her career—as a leader, educator, mentor, and community voice—Winnie has worked tirelessly to disrupt systemic barriers and create pathways for meaningful, sustainable change for African Nova Scotians and people of African descent.
David William Connors Memorial Award
Megan Power, RSW, BSW, MSW
Megan Power works as a child in care social worker within the Department of Opportunities and Social Development. She focuses on creating and maintaining a child-centred care plan addressing health, education, emotional needs, and permanency goals.
In practice, Megan’s work includes helping to facilitate smooth transitions when a child moves placements, including pre-placement meetings and ensuring belongings and essential items are provided; working collaboratively with foster care, youth care workers, educational programs, health care, and other community partners to connect children with the supports they need; and providing support to families in crisis to help improve stability and, where appropriate, to work toward reunification. Most importantly, she strives to ensure the child’s voice is heard and keeps their best interests at the centre of her work.
When Megan describes why she loves this work, what she enjoys most is the privilege of building trusting, consistent relationships with children in care. Being someone a child can rely on, someone who listens, advocates, and shows up. Seeing a child become more confident and secure, even small milestones such as improved school attendance, forming a positive attachment, opening up in conversation, or finally feeling settled. Celebrating these moments with a child or young person is incredibly rewarding.
Megan is passionate about contributing to initiatives that improve outcomes for children, whether through practice development, working groups, or projects that enhance stability, participation, and children’s wellbeing.
Ronald Stratford Memorial Award
Seana Jewer
Seana Jewer’s work with Roots of Hope is shifting the narrative on suicide education and prevention across Nova Scotia, particularly in rural and underserved communities. Her deeply relational approach has served to build trust, strengthen local capacity, and develop community-driven approaches rooted in the lived realities and strengths of the communities she serves.
Deeply committed to research-informed practice, Seana strives to ensure that the education and prevention initiatives at Roots of Hope are responsive, culturally relevant, and aligned with emerging best practices. She skillfully bridges research and practice, creating accessible tools and conversations that communities can meaningfully use.
With over 25 years of experience in grassroots community work to draw from, Seana has also fostered strong networks, learning circles, and community tables that bring together people with lived experience, service providers, and community members to reduce stigma, build collective resilience, and support one another.
A dedicated advocate, and keenly aware of the social and economic factors that that need to be addressed, she amplifies rural voices, highlights service gaps, and promotes compassionate, upstream suicide prevention approaches.
Seana Jewer exemplifies the spirit of the Ron Stratford Memorial Award. Her leadership has strengthened Nova Scotian communities, advanced a culture of prevention, and helped ensure that suicide education efforts are community-led, evidence-informed, and grounded in care.
Diane Kays Memorial Award
Charnell Brooks, BSW, MSW, RSW-Clinical Specialist
Charnell Brooks was born and raised in the community of East Preston. As the eldest of two children, she takes great pride in positively representing her community.
Charnell holds a Master of Social Work from Dalhousie University and has over ten years of experience as a practicing social worker. Prior to her current role as the African Nova Scotian Social Worker with Nova Scotia Legal Aid, she was employed with the Department of Opportunities and Social Development as a child protection social worker. In this role, she gained valuable firsthand insight into the importance of educating families about the long-term consequences that abuse, neglect and intimate partner violence can have on children.
In recognition of her efforts to promote culturally responsive supports and services for African Nova Scotian Child Protection Social Workers, Charnell was awarded the Department of Opportunities and Social Development People and Culture Award in 2019.
In her current position with Nova Scotia Legal Aid, Charnell is committed to advocating for individuals who may not be able to advocate for themselves—particularly those from historically disadvantaged African Nova Scotian communities, who experience systemic barriers within the justice system.
In 2026, Charnell established her own private practice, where she provides therapeutic support to individuals on their healing journey, she does this by helping clients navigate life’s challenges with care, compassion and understanding.
Freda Vickery Award
Kate Wright, BSW, RSW
Kate Wright has been working with children and families for over twenty years, both as a social worker and in the non-profit sector. She started her career in community literacy as a co-founder of the award-winning Storytent program. Since then, she has continued to work with young people around issues of social change, wellness, and mental health. Currently she works as a team lead for the Adolescent Outreach Service with Nova Scotia Health Authority and provides mental health support to middle and high school students.
Kate is a dedicated volunteer as well as being a visual artist working primarily in metal, puppetry, and textiles. She brings her creativity and an artistic lens to her social work practice, and uses the arts as a way to generate social change.
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