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![Young woman with long brown hair smiling, wearing a black zip-up sweater, in front of a mirror.]()
Laura Swanson, Co-Founder & Co-Executive Director; Member, Social Media Subcommittee
Laura is a New York based Licensed Clinical Social Worker and currently practices independently as a therapist treating adults with relationship & attachment trauma, depression, and anxiety.
She is the host of The Social Work Bubble Podcast, where she interviews social workers and mental health professionals across the globe to help fill in the gaps of social work education & raise awareness about the field.
Laura takes immense pride in her work, but enjoys practicing mindfulness, journaling her daily life, playing with her daughter, and finding solace in nature & the great outdoors.
On a typical weeknight, you may find her baking bread, reading Lord of the Rings, walking in the park, or crafting.
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![A smiling woman with black hair and hoop earrings, wearing a black top, sitting outdoors with greenery in the background.]()
Emma Yeager, Co-Founder & Co-Executive Director; Member, Social Media Subcommittee
Emma is a Licensed Master Social Worker in Texas. She received her Bachelors of Social Work from Stephen F. Austin State University and her Masters of Social Work from the University of Texas at Arlington. She is currently under clinical supervision as she works towards her clinical license.
As a Special Education Counselor for elementary and middle schoolers in a rural community, she teaches social and emotional skills while empowering her students.
She is passionate about about a variety of topics, such as furthering the understanding of social work and creating safe spaces for social workers to connect with each other.
In her free time, Emma enjoys spending time in nature, writing poetry, and watching her favorite movies. Her favorite Disney classics are The Aristocats and Sleeping Beauty.
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![Black-and-white photo of a smiling man with short dark hair and glasses, wearing a dark collared shirt, standing in front of a patterned background.]()
Matt Bolton, Co-founding Board Member (Secretary; Web Manager; Member, Social Media Subcommittee)
Bio coming soon
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Ayanna Debnam, Co-Founding Board Member (President)
Ayanna Debnam holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management and several years of nonprofit and operations management experience. Now pursuing her Master of Social Work, Ayanna combines strategy, structure, and social work values to support organizations in their mission-driven work.
Additionally, Ayanna is a 500 hour Registered Yoga Teacher who teaches kids and adults how to use yoga as a coping tool.
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Luis Villafuerte Romero, Co-Founding Board Member (Vice President; Member, Social Media Subcommittee)
Luis Villafuerte Romero is a Social Work Associate based in Washington and Oregon. He is the founder of Villafuerte Counseling, where he provides culturally responsive therapy grounded in the experiences of Latiné and first-generation communities.
Luis earned his Master’s in Social Work from Portland State University and has over six years of experience supporting unaccompanied Latino/x/e minors and unhoused young adults through his nonprofit work. His clinical interests include generational trauma, identity, belonging, and healthy masculinity.
He is passionate about mentorship, sustainability in the helping professions, and creating culturally rooted approaches to mental health. Through Social Work Neighborhood, Luis aims to strengthen community connections and support early-career social workers in building confidence and direction.
In his free time, Luis enjoys running, creative writing, and exploring how culture and storytelling shape healing.
