The 2020 Sol Gothard Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Dr. Viola Vaughan-Eden at the Virtual Forensic Social Work Certificate Program on June 17.

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Viola Vaughan-Eden PhD, MJ, LCSW is Associate Professor and PhD Program Director with The Ethelyn R. Strong School of Social Work at Norfolk State University in Southeastern Virginia.  She is also the Chief Experience Officer (CXO) at The UP Institute, a think tank for upstream child abuse solutions.  As a clinical and forensic social worker, Dr. Vaughan-Eden serves as a consultant and expert witness in child maltreatment cases – principally sexual abuse.  She also lectures nationally and internationally on child and family welfare to multidisciplinary groups of professionals. Dr. Vaughan-Eden is Immediate Past-President of the National 

Organization of Forensic Social Work (NOFSW), President Emerita of the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC), and President Emerita of the National Partnership to End Interpersonal Violence (NPEIV).  Additionally, she is the former Editor-in-Chief of the Journal for Forensic Social Work, former Editorial Advisor for the Journal of Social Work Education, as well as serves on the editorial board and/or as a reviewer for several other national research journals. 

Viola is the recipient of several honors including as a 2019 Council of Social Work Education Leadership Scholar, 2015 Family and Children’s Trust Fund of Virginia Child Welfare Award, 2014 Champions for Children Community Service Award, 2012 National Association of Social Workers Virginia Chapter Lifetime Achievement Award, and 2011 National Children's Advocacy Center's Outstanding Service Award in Mental Health. See www.violavaughaneden.com.