WASHINGTON, D.C. – Anthony Estreet, a professor and former chair of the Master of Social Work Program at Morgan State University and chief executive officer of a behavioral health company in Baltimore, will be the new chief executive officer of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) beginning February 6.
Estreet, PhD, MBA, LCSW-C, succeeds former CEO Angelo McClain, PhD, LICSW, who retired on December 31. Janlee Wong, MSW, who retired as executive director of the NASW California Chapter in 2020, will serve as interim CEO of NASW until Estreet takes the helm.
“We are delighted to have Anthony Estreet as our next CEO at NASW after doing an extensive search,” said NASW President Mildred “Mit” Joyner, DPS, MSW, LCSW. “He has a wealth of experience in managing successful mental health services companies and is a respected thought leader in the social work profession. We are confident he will build on the successes of Angelo McClain and lead NASW’s accomplished staff to take our association to greater heights.”
Estreet earned a bachelor’s in science in psychology from Bowie State University, an MSW in social work at Virginia Commonwealth University, a doctorate in social work at Morgan State University, and an MBA at the University Maryland-College Park. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, the oldest intercollegiate African American fraternity.
He has been a professor and chair of the Master of Social Work Program at Morgan State University since 2013. Estreet is also the founder and chief executive officer of Next Step Treatment Center in Baltimore, which provides substance use treatment and mental health services.
He was vice president of the NASW Board of Directors but stepped down from that role after being considered a candidate in the search process. Estreet also served as president of the NASW Maryland Chapter and is an active member of the Council on Social Work Education and the National Association of Black Social Workers.
While at Morgan, Estreet was awarded more than $6 million in extramural grant funding for social work workforce development, research, and training. He also led the development and expansion of the first MSW program in the United States, and at a historically Black college or university, to have an area of specialized practice focused on addressing substance use disorders.
During his career, Estreet has also been tapped to turn around and expand an underperforming clinical program and speed up public health action to address HIV health disparities among men in Baltimore and Jackson, MS. Estreet has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals, is a prolific national conference presenter and keynote speaker, and has two published books.
In his new role as CEO of NASW, Estreet says he plans among other things to increase membership, especially among student members; keep the association focused on addressing social justice issues, including racial equity and reproductive rights; and work to strengthen the social work workforce by expanding efforts to increase compensation for social workers.
“I am honored and humbled to be the next CEO of NASW,” Estreet said. “I have been a member of this great organization since 2007. As a former member of the NASW Board, I know NASW is committed to supporting social workers and the communities they serve. This organization has done phenomenal work, especially in the past three years, including supporting social workers in the delivery of mental health services during the pandemic and addressing systemic racism. However, we have much more work to do, and I stand ready to work collaboratively to support our great profession.”
