Gisele Ferretto, MSW, LCSW-C, clinical faculty and manager of training at the University of Maryland School of Social Work (UMSSW), has been appointed as the director of public policy within the newly established UMSSW Office of External Affairs.
With over 25 years of service on the UMSSW faculty, Ferretto brings extensive expertise in policy and leadership, field education, accreditation, child welfare practice, ethics, supervision, and confidentiality. She has been a dedicated policy advisor to UMSSW deans, administrators, faculty, and students, offering guidance on proposed legislation, regulations, and current statutes affecting social work practice, confidentiality, and reporting child maltreatment and harm.
In addition to her role as director of public policy, Ferretto will continue serving as the manager of training for the Office of Field Education, overseeing the development of educational materials and events, including orientation and training for students, field instructors, and faculty field liaisons. Her accreditation policy expertise has been instrumental in implementing national standards, completing reaccreditation reports, and enhancing assessment data and outcomes.
Expressing her commitment, Ferretto said, “I am honored to be joining the newly created Office of External Affairs as director of public policy to continue to serve and advance our mission.” She acknowledged Dean Judy L. Postmus, PhD, ACSW, for her visionary leadership in policy advocacy, emphasizing the new office's capacity to address critical areas such as diversity, equity, and inclusion, social justice, and behavioral health practices.
Ferretto's dedication to advocacy and social justice is evident in her extensive career, which includes various positions within UMSSW, such as the Office of Field Education, Child Welfare Fellowship Program, Child Welfare Academy, Family Connections, and Social Work Community Outreach Service. Notably, she is the founder of the statewide Annual Social Work Student Advocacy Day, now in its 27th year, drawing 400 social work students from across the state.
Before joining UMSSW, Ferretto held leadership roles at the Maryland Department of Human Services, contributing to significant statewide policy and training initiatives in areas such as sexual harassment prevention, leadership development, cultural diversity appreciation, mental injury, fair hearing processes, risk and safety assessment of child maltreatment, and sexual harassment prevention. Many of her key policy initiatives remain in effect today.
Ferretto earned her MSW from the University of Maryland School of Social Work and her bachelor’s in sociology from Loyola University Maryland. Actively engaged at the local, state, and national levels, she has served on various committees and boards, contributing to the development of policy and program initiatives. Currently, she serves as the chair of the NASW MD Faculty Student Committee and remains active with the NASW Maryland Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers.