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The world we imagine
OUR VISION
All people living with serious illnesses have access to compassionate, comprehensive, whole-person care that honors lived experiences and is accountable to historical harms.
What we stand for
OUR MISSION
SWHPN enhances hospice and palliative care social work through mentorship, education, community building and advocacy as change agents committed to equity and anti-racism. We start with ourselves to dismantle harms perpetuated within the systems in which we exist.
2025 Executive Officers
Board of Directors
SWHPN Board Chair
Jennifer Christophel Lichti, LICSW, APHSW-C
Clinical Oncology Social Worker
Palliative Care, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
SWHPN Board Past Chair
Chris Onderdonk, MSW, LCSW, APHSW-C
Inpatient Palliative Care Social Worker
UC San Diego Doris A. Howell Palliative Care Teams
SWHPN Board Chair Elect
Maxwell Cleary, MSW, LISW, ACHP-SW, APHSW-C
Clinical Supervisor
Ohio Living Home Health & Hospice
SWHPN Board Secretary
Russell Kieffer, LCSW, APHSW-C
Sr. Executive Director, Palliative Care
Providence St. Joseph Health
SWHPN Board Treasurer
Esther Ammon, LCSW, APHSW-C
Director, Palliative Care & Family Guidance
Stanford Children’s Health
Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital
Board of Directors
Board of Directors
Lori Eckel, LCSW, APHSW-C
Lead Palliative Care Social Worker, Senior Ethics Consultant
Legacy Health
Delia Cortez, MSW, LCSW, APHSW-C
Lauren King, LMSW, APHSW-C, BCH
Senior Social Worker & Clinical Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine
Prisma Health & The University of SC School of Medicine
Meghan Murphy, LCSW
Psychotherapist - Private Practice | DSW Candidate
University of Southern California
Alisha McGuire, MSW, LCSW, APHSW-C
Pediatric Palliative Care Social Worker
Riley Children's Health
Governance Committee
Education Committee
Annual Assembly & Conference Committee
Finance Committee
Nominating Committee
Membership Committee
Committees
2025 SWHPN Committees
Applications for Board of Directors and SWHPN Committees open on an annual basis. You must be a current SWHPN member to be nominated to the Board of Directors or serve on a SWHPN Committee. For questions on how to participate, please contact Info@swhpn.org.
Organization Structure
New Jersey Health Decisions D/B/A Social Work Hospice + Palliative Care Network is recognized as tax exempt, organized exclusively for charitable, religious, educational, or scientific purposes under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.