Welcome to the NASW-NYS  Hudson Valley Division

Laura Eastman Follis, LCSW, HudsonValley Division Director
hudsonvalley@naswnys.org

A Message From Your New Division Director

July 2011

Hi my name is Laura Eastman-Follis, and I am the new division director for the Hudson Valley Division.  I have been a professional social worker for seventeen years and primarily work with children and their families. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. I have been involved with NASW NYS and the Hudson Valley Division since I completed graduate school. I distinctly remember my first steering committee meeting.  It was a Friday evening and I arrived late because I needed to call Child Protective Services, for the first time—ever, to report a family I was working with.  I arrived at the meeting full of angst. I was warmly welcomed by Pat Glatt and the other members.  As I sat at the meeting, my angst was quickly replaced by awe! I observed this group of professional social workers calmly plan and discuss the upcoming events.  I knew they had worked all week, just like me, and probably experienced tougher situations than I did that day, but they were all there wearing their “HVD steering committee hats”.  After the meeting I realized, my day was not out of the ordinary, it is just what we do as social workers.   I also realized I wanted to be an active member of this group of professionals. 

Since that meeting I have worn several “hats” for the division including Division Director from 2003—2005. My predecessors Valerie and  Marybeth have done an amazing job of expanding the steering committee and branched out to the nine counties the Hudson Valley Division covers.  I hope to continue the work they began. 

I look forward to meeting and working with all of you. Please check out our division meetings and events pages for information about upcoming events. I hope to see you there!

~ Laura