Lifetime Achievement Award

Camille Miller, ACSW

Capital Area

Camille’s 29 years of social work practice have led to better services for many Texans - young and old, rich and poor. These services range from access to Medicaid, life-sustaining medication, physician care, emergency treatment and long term medical care. Camille has sparked policy changes leading to greater enrollment in medical and nurses training schools and universities. Camille’s additional accomplishments include the development and implementation of the Shared Vision for Health Care, a forum for dialogue among the leaders of Texas’ health care providers, payers, and consumers. This project focuses on three major areas: Access/Uninsured, Public Health/Prevention(obesity, mental health), and Long Term Care. Through Camille’s guiding efforts, uninsured/healthcare solutions were adopted by the 80th Texas Legislature in 2007, providing health care coverage for an additional 622,065 Texans in 2008. Camille’s leadership has resulted in over 20 large and small communities developing learning collaboratives to best determine health solutions which work specifically for each community including sustainable mental and behavioral health networks and systems which more efficiently and effectively connect those with mental illness to local resources and care opportunities. Camille was elected Chair of the National Network of Public Health Institutes for her leadership in developing sustainable models of public health change.

Camille’s most recent efforts have focused on wellness and prevention, a philosophy which has lasting impact on the health and health care needs of our state. By reducing obesity, our medical systems have fewer diabetes and heart disease treatment needs, saving millions of dollars in healthcare costs each year. That wellness philosophy also applies to the early identification of mental and behavioral health care needs. By early intervention, greater strides are being made across our state in the care of teens at risk of suicide, returning war veterans with undiagnosed/misdiagnosed brain injuries, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. These wellness strategies are saving lives and improving the quality of those lives.

Camille served on numerous boards, committees, and task forces, national, state, and local. She currently is a consultant to the Board of Christian Life Commission, is an Associate in the American College of Healthcare Executives, and is a 38-year member of NASW.

Camille currently holds the position of President/CEO of the Texas Health Institute in Austin, Texas. She leads the Institute which acts as a think tank, including role of neutral convener, facilitating balanced health care dialogue, creating a vision of improved health care, providing innovative, collaboratively developed options to improve the health of Texans and their communities.

Nominated by Dixie G. Camp.

Social Worker of the Year

Candace Guillen Kettelkamp, LBSW

Lower Rio Grande Valley

Candace is a social worker with the Region One Education Service Center/Early Childhood  Intervention Program (ECI) in Brownsville, Texas. She has been employed with two ECI programs in  the Rio Grande Valley, serving infants and toddlers with developmental delays and birth defects for  nearly 12 years. She has also served as a disability coordinator for Texas State Technical College in  Harlingen, Texas, serving college students with special needs. Since 2001, Candace has been  closely involved with NASW/Rio Grande Valley Branch as a steering committee member, newsletter  editor, and Branch Chair. At the NASW state level, she held a board position for 4 years. At the local  level, Candace established a distribution list for NASW members and non-members and  associations. Her goals were to develop a communication avenue for social workers in the Rio  Grande Valley by keeping them informed of legislative issues, job opportunities, licensing updates,  etc. Her distribution lists included nearly 400 local social workers, eager to be involved in the  progress and promotion of the profession. She also organized membership meetings, CEU  opportunities, presentations at high schools, colleges, and universities; as well as collaborated with  other professional associations, coalitions, and social service agencies.

Due to her commitment to professional standards and organization, Candace has served as the  NASW/Texas Chapter Chair of the Membership & Organization Committee, Chair of the Practice  Advancement Committee, and was a member of the Reorganization Committee. She currently is  Chair of the Public Relations Committee for the Texas Chapter and is a member of the Conference  Planning Committee. In addition to her involvement in NASW, she was a Board member for the  American Association of Home Based Interventionists, chaired the Membership Committee and was  a member of the Fundraising Committee. She holds positions as an advisory member for the  Hidalgo/Starr Coalition of Case Managers and last year was appointed by Governor Rick Perry to the  Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners. She currently is a member of the Licensing and  Qualifications Committee and has been appointed to chair the Rules Committee for the Texas State  Board of Social Worker Examiners.

Aside from her professional commitment to social work she volunteers within her agency and  community. She coordinates the Toys for Tots campaign for children served in her agency’s  catchment area and 6 years ago established a celebration during the Month of the Young Child  called  the Fiesta de los Niños which encourages a day of fun and fellowship for the families in the  ECI progra m. She currently is planning the 7th Annual Celebration. Within her community, Candace  is devoted to the Girl Scouts of Greater South Texas as a Troop leader and Secretary of the Mercedes  Service Unit. Due to her enthusiasm and commitment to quality services she is approached regularly  to facilitate team building activities and organize ethics and leadership presentations, within her  agency and community. 

Nominated by Irma Flores.  

Social Work Student of the Year

Aileen Palacios

Lower Rio Grande Valley

In May of this year, Aileen graduated with her Master’s of Science in Social Work from University of Texas of Pan American at Edinburg. During her student career, she completed a dual internship with the Social Work Department & Center for Entrepreneurship and Economic Development. Her responsibilities were to create a professional development program for the Social Work Department; as well as, conduct program planning, material development, development and management of systems for obtaining and evaluating program data. She also assisted in the development and implementation of a Micro-Enterprise program for a targeted area. Throughout the summer of 2008, she was a research/graduate assistant with the UTPA-Social Work Department where she generated a Code of Ethics standards survey of Social Workers. She facilitated the approval of IRB proposals on different topics such as exploring CQI data in the Academic use process, exploring community resiliency and Code of Ethics of social workers. She completed her role by conducting group meetings and identifying key people from the community. As a single mother, she managed to also complete a field practicum with Valley Interfaith. As a student intern, she was responsible for conducting group meetings with leaders from the different communities being served, organized and conducted accountability sessions with local politicians running for public office at the time. She identified, recruited and maintained new leaders to become involved with the organization.

Even though Aileen met unlimited challenges throughout her student career, she led the organization and planning of a UTPA social work student trip to Thailand that included a fund raiser gala to ensure that all students who wanted to attend could afford to. To wrap up her outstanding year, she championed the trip to the NASW Legislative Day in Austin, while eagerly promoting NASW membership among UTPA graduate students. This year she was inducted into three honor societies: Phi Alpha Mu ( a national social work honors society), Phi Kappa Phi (an interdisciplinary national honor society), and the Gold Key honor society. Aileen models the best of social work leadership for the 21st Century. She is a leader who is ready to promote social justice and serve as a macro practice social work agent of change.

Nominated by Anna Maria Barrera & Sharon Pittman.

Public Elected Official of the Year 

Senator Eliot Shapleigh 

Rio Grande

Senator Eliot Shapleigh has represented El Paso for more than ten years with passion and purpose. His district, District 29, which encompasses most of El Paso, is a culturally diverse mix of hard working families, small businesses and young people. As a fifth-generation El Pasoan whose roots in his community trace back to 1847, Senator Shapleigh’s strong connection to his district has inspired creative community-based leadership since 1996.

During his tenure as a state Senator since 1996, Senator Shapleigh has authored or sponsored more than 400 bills, with particular focus on education, economic development, infrastructure, technology, veteran and social and health care issues. He is dedicated to increasing equity in state funding, ensuring fairness in state taxation, expanding educational opportunities for minority and low-income students and developing community solutions for health, safety and environmental issues. As an advocate for El Paso and other border communities, Senator Shapleigh is also interested in raising per capita income and boosting economic prosperity along Texas border.

To provide fair and equitable educational funding for all Texas children, he has advocated for a state income tax over increased sales and property taxes, business income tax or other more regressive forms of taxation. This of course, has been in the face of great opposition in the State of Texas and represents his determination to speak out on behalf of those who have little voice.

Throughout his service in the Senate, he has received numerous honors for his work on educational, health, and border issues, on developing innovative technology programs and for his integrity and passion. National honors include being named a Visionary Technology Innovator by the Center for Digital Government. The Center of Digital Government cited Senator Shapleigh’s work in developing and expanding the Texas Online state portal and for developing a laptop immersion program. Also, at the national level, he was named Legislator of the Year by the American School Health Association for his commitment to the health of school children.

At the state level, he has been named the Texas Legislator of the Year by the Mexican American Bar Association, the Hispanic Journal, Texas Pharmacy Association, Texas Sierra Club, and the Texas American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). Upon completion of the 78th Legislative Session, he was named the Texas Classroom Advocate of the Year by the Classroom Teachers Association. Additionally, the Child Crisis Centers of Texas presented him with the Texas Advocate for Children Award, and the Texas Equity Center named him a “Champion for School Children”. Other awards include the Texas Advocacy Award from the American Association Cancer Society, Visionary Award from the Texas Guardianship Association, and was named the “Conscience of the Senate” by Texas Monthly magazine.

Additional awards are: the Education Leadership Award from the Texas Association of Mexican American Chamber of Commerce, the Legislator of Excellence Award from the Texas Independent Living Council, the MALDEF Matt Garcia Public Service Award, the Friend of Education Award from the Texas Council for Social Studies.

Locally, he has been honored by numerous organizations for his commitment to his community. He was awarded the Conquistador Award by the El Paso City Council, named the El Pasoan of the Year by El Paso Inc. for his work in bringing a four year medical school to the community. The Black El Paso Democrats named him Humanitarian of the Year and he was inducted into the El Paso Democratic Party’s Hall of Fame. He has also received the Hannah Solom Award, and named Public Servant of the Year of El Paso and the Board.

Nominated by Norma W. Reed.

Media Award

Tim Smith

Lower Rio Grande Valley

Chief Meteorologist, Tim Smith has been part of the NEWSCHANNEL 5 team for more than 23 years. Tim has led NEWSCHANNEL 5’s weather coverage through hurricanes, tornadoes, freezes, and even that rare Christmas 2004 snowstorm. He was quoted as saying, “It was just an incredible blessing to see so many people getting to see snow for the very first time in their lives…and to have it happen on Christmas…what a miracle….” Tim has always been very active in the community. He visits with thousands of school children each year making presentations about weather. His “Kids You Should Know” feature airs the first Sunday of each month, highlighting one of the special young students of the Rio Grande Valley. Tim is a regular on the civic organization speaking circuit. His most successful community service is “Tim’s Coats” project that has helped bring in more than 100,000 coats for the less fortunate of the Rio Grande Valley over the last 20 years.

Tim has served on the Board of Directors of the American Red Cross, the Hidalgo County Fatherhood Initiative, and the Rio Grande Valley Emergency Management Coordinating Council. Tim currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Urban Science Initiative, the International Museum of Art & Science, and the Rio Grande Valley Partnership.

Among his many awards and honors, Tim has been named the Easter Seal Society’s Volunteer of the Year. He also received the Hispanic Excellence Award from Kenneth White Junior High School in Mission, and the Distinguished Service Award from the University of Texas-Pan American. The Associated Press Broadcasters have called Tim’s weathercasts “The Best in Texas”.

Finally, Tim has volunteered as Master of Ceremonies for the last three years for “Fishing for HOPE”, a fundraiser sponsored by Renaissance Hospital to benefit Hope Family Health Center (HFHC). Monies raised go directly to HFHC to meet the needs of the community in the area of mental/medical healthcare.

Nominated by Irma Flores.

Public Citizen of the Year 

Ora Houston

Capital Area

Ora is known as the “Community Agitator Extraordinaire”. She has had a thirty-one year career in public service working with disenfranchised populations. As an employee of the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, she acted as a client and parent advocate in several key positions. She demonstrated a special talent for working effectively within a large state agency while incorporating changes for the benefit of the clients. She successfully worked in the Division of Consumer Rights, investigating complaints from clients and families in the State Schools, as well as coordinating a highly innovative In-Home Family Support Unit that empowered individuals to stay in their home communities. Her “temporary” five Legislative Session, post-retirement employment with State Senator Barrientos allowed her to continue her close work with vulnerable populations.

While Ora has been actively involved in change and advocacy in her career choice, she has also been a volunteer through activities in her neighborhood, her border community, her alumni group at Huston-Tillotson University, the Episcopal church at the State and local levels, and at the Texas State Legislature. The recent work that has been most important to Ora has been her appointment to the Advisory Committee for Disproportionality in Region 7. In 2006, the Texas Legislature acknowledged the Black youth are over-represented in the Child Welfare System, Special Education and Juvenile Justice Systems. She brings her knowledge of large agencies and awareness of individual needs to the Advisory Committee’s task of identifying and undoing practices based on a history of institutionalized racism.

Ora’s involvement and commitment has consistently been focused on improving conditions and representing the disenfranchised and under-represented. Many of her endeavors served populations that will never know about her and that she will never see personally. Although Ms. Houston does not identify herself as a social worker, her activities have reflected social work values and ethics of serving the most vulnerable or promoting change in community institutions that benefit many.

Ora describes herself as the “voice of the voiceless”. Her daughter fondly calls her a “community agitator”. Her efforts, spanning several decades, reflect the many changes that one person can effect and support by working competently and efficiently within a system. Her work is a reminder to us all that change may take decades, but that change does occur when individuals and groups continue to act out of an ethical commitment for improvement.

Nominated by Charlotte Cooper.