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HISTORY
ASWIS History
Established in 2015, the Alliance of Social Workers in Sports raises awareness of the ways in which social work practice can partner with and contribute to all levels and all segments of sports. ASWIS promotes a social worker in sports perspective that is grounded in social and economic justice, strength-based approaches, and person-in-environment frameworks. ASWIS encourages the full range of social work practice in sports, from case management and clinical services through advocacy and policy practice for every level and segment of sports.
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ASWIS finalized its incorporation in June 2016 and become an official 501(c)(3) in March of 2017.
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EIN Number: 81-3890412
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE









Dr. Matt Moore (President) (Term Ends 2026)
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Dr. Matt Moore is an Associate Professor and Associate Dean of Academic and Student Affairs for the College of Social Work at the University of Kentucky. Dr. Moore is a Co-Founder of the Alliance of Social Workers in Sports, Founder and Editor of the Sport Social Work Journal, and Co-Director of the International Institute for Sport and Behavioral Health. Dr. Moore is a highly published researcher, a frequent presenter at national conferences, and has secured over 5 million in external grant funding. He also has nearly two decades of coaching experience at the high school and NCAA levels.
Ms. Kim Gibson​ (Vice President) (Term Ends 2026)
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Kimberly Gibson currently serves as the Assistant Director of Behavioral Medicine for The University of Alabama Athletic Department. Prior to this position, she served as the MSW Field Coordinator for the School of Social Work at The University of Alabama where she was responsible for developing new field partnerships, liaisoning students within agencies, facilitating seminar classess, and addressing challenges in the field. She is a proud alumna of The University of Alabama School of Social Work, receiving both her BSW and MSW degrees at the Capstone.
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Natalie Graves, AM, LCSW, CADC (Secretary) (Term Ends 2025)
Natalie Graves is based in Chicago, IL. where she has a private practice specializing in athletes’ mental health and performance. She is the author of an athlete workbook entitled The Athlete’s Prepbook. In her practice, Natalie works with athletes from the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, NCAA, Olympic hopefuls, and youth sports.​ Natalie received her master’s degree from the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration and her bachelor’s degree from Chicago State University. Natalie completed an Addictions Studies Program at City Colleges of Chicago Kennedy-King College. She also completed 30 classroom hours in compulsive gambling disorders.
Dr. Kimberly Outlaw (Treasurer) (Term Ends 2025)
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Dr. Outlaw-Starkey is a founding member of (ASWIS) and currently serves as the Treasurer for the organization. In addition to her role at ASWIS, Dr. Outlaw-Starkey provides clinical services to athletes in a private practice setting and is a professor of social work, history, and criminal justice. As a researcher, she has published textbooks and research articles. Dr. Outlaw-Starkey also holds the position of certificate chair for ASWIS in collaboration with Tulane University and is the first Black female elected to her county school board, where she currently serves as Vice Chair.
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Dr. Tarkington Newman (Member At-Large) (Term Ends 2025)
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Tarkington J Newman is an Associate ​Professor at the University of Kentucky College of Social Work and the Director of the Sport Social Work Research Lab. Through their scholarship, they are committed to serving youth populations who are socially vulnerable and/or at-risk for behavioral and mental health problems. Specifically, Dr. Newman’s research focuses on promoting critical positive youth development (CPYD) through sport and other forms of physical activity. Outside of academia, they are certified as a school social worker and coached track and field at the high school and collegiate club levels, winning three state championships.
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Dr. Ginger Gummelt (Member At-Large) (Term Ends 2026)​
Dr. Ginger Gummelt is the Chair of the Department of Sociology, Social Work, Criminal Justice, & Anthropology at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. She is an Associate Professor and has more than twenty years of clinical experience working at-risk populations. Dr. Gummelt currently serves as the Faculty Athletics Representative for Lamar University, Program Director of the Alliance of Social Workers in Sports (ASWIS), and editorial board member for the Sports Social Work Journal. She has authored numerous publications on the intersection of social work and sports including serving as co-author of the Sport Social Work book. She is a current member of the Executive Team for the Center for Resiliency at Lamar University, board member of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Southeast Texas, a board member for Recovery Council of Southeast Texas, member of the ExxonMobil Community Advisory Panel, and member of the Domestic Violence and Recovery Task Forces in Jefferson County. Dr. Gummelt also serves as lead researcher for the National Campaign to Stop Violence’s local initiative of Do the Write Thing.
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Ms. Christine Mosher (Member At-Large) (Term Ends 2026)
Christine A. Mosher has her own private practice in Buzzards Bay, MA where she specializes in treating current and former athletes. She graduated from Boston College where she played on the nationally ranked women’s varsity soccer team, and received her Masters in Social Work at Rhode Island College. She has coached several youth, high school and women’s teams and was the founder of the Cape Cod Women’s Soccer League. Christine serves as the Co-Chair of ASWIS’s Clinicians Committee and recently co-founded Athlete Wellness Consultants, providing education, training and consultation to coaches, athletes, and teams on athlete mental health. She was recently inducted into the 2024 New Agenda Northeast Women’s Sports Organization’s Hall of Fame.
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Mr. Sierra Hendrix-Williams (Student Member) (Term Ends 2026)
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Sierra Hendrix-Williams is a dedicated sport social worker and PhD candidate specializing in mental health research for Black student-athletes. As a former Division I athlete, he brings firsthand experience of balancing high-performance athletics with academic demands. Sierra's work focuses on developing innovative mental health strategies to empower athletes, foster resilience, and create inclusive support systems within sports environments. In his role as Student Member at Large on the ASWIS executive board, Sierra aims to advocate for student-athlete well-being and contribute to the advancement of sport social work practices.​​
Dr. Jerry Reynolds (Immediate Past President) (Term Ends 2026)
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Dr. Reynolds is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Work at Ball State University. A Michigan native and long-time Gulf Coast resident, he finished his doctorate at LSU in June 2020. His dissertation explored the dynamics of youth sport parent behavior in light of new spectator laws in Louisiana. The goals of his research are to better understand family dynamics and how youth sports participation supports family functioning. He also has served as a volunteer coach of various sports at the youth, middle, high school, and collegiate levels. A former college athlete himself, Jerry is a founding member of the Alliance of Social Workers in Sports. He also has research interests in medical social work practice.
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