Elisa Martin

My initial professional interest had everything to do with horses and nothing to do with social work. When I realized my calling was to help others, it was a conversation with a social work professor that guided me to my major. I was hooked after my first class and have been committed to the profession ever since. I earned my BSW from Bridgewater State University and my MSW from New Mexico Highlands University. I have worked with children with special health care needs and individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities providing direct services and program oversight. I have also worked in a clinical capacity with children, families and adults as well as performed guardianship determinations to assess if adults were capable of making major life decisions. I returned to school for my Ph.D. at University at Albany to pursue my current passion, being a social work educator.

My Siena Experience

My Teaching Philosophy

I want to make learning fun and interactive. To that end I try to make learning active through discussions, activities and role plays. Learning is more than memorizing content, it is about doing something with the knowledge. I also want coursework to be timely and relevant and strive to continually revise content and assignments while making links to real world application.

What I Love About Siena

My dream job was to work at a liberal arts college where teaching and building relationships with students was valued. I am happy to report I found that college. I love that I can teach future social works, include students on research projects, provide academic and professional advising, and stay connected to alum as they journey through life after Siena.

My Favorite Courses to Teach

I often tell students that social work is a chameleon profession, once you learn the foundation skills you can apply them to any problem or population. I take this to heart with my teaching and enjoy the challenge of applying my social work knowledge and teaching skills to what ever courses I find myself. Regardless of the class I make sure to infuse content on self-care to help students think about ways they can stay happy and healthy now and throughout their personal and professional lives.

My Professional Experience

Articles & Book Reviews

• Don't tread on me - When social work academics get defensive
  Reflections: Narratives of Professional Helping
  2023
• Teaching embodied self-care as self-preservation in social work education
  Journal of Teaching in Social Work, vol. 43
  2023
• Teaching self-care in the organic chemistry classroom
  The Chemical Educator, vol. 28
  2023
• Telehealth on the fly: Why we need a more thoughtful approach in social work education
  Journal of Social Work Education, vol. 4
  2023
• College students self-care: A journey, not a destination
  College Student Journal, vol. 55
  2021
• Self-preservation in the workplace: The importance of social worker well-being as practitioners and field supervisors
  Social Work, vol. 65
  January, 2020
• Protecting others from ourselves: Self-care in social work education
  Social Work Education
  2020
• Mrs. Doubtfire mentoring program - Helping children in residential care transition to bedtime
  Residential Treatment for Children and Youth, vol. 34
  2017
• Field manuals: A road map to student learning?
  Field Educator, vol. 6
  2016
• Applied Integral Methodological Pluralism: Designing Comprehensive Social Services Program Evaluation
  Journal of Integral Theory & Practice
  2015
• The devil is in the details: A content analysis of field manuals
  Field Educator, vol. 5
  2015
• Status Offenders and Delinquent Youth: Actual or Artificial Taxonomy
  Child Welfare, vol. 93
  2014
• Social Work in the Engaged University
  Journal of Social Work Education, vol. 49
  2013
• A baseline examination of record keeping policies and procedures in preparation for evidence based practice
  Administration in Social Work, vol. 36
  2012

Awards & Distinctions

• Feasibility Study and Budget Proposal for an on-site child study center/lab school for Siena College
  Category: Research
  CURCA - Siena Summer Scholars Program, 2022
• Summer research project in partnership with Northern Rivers to document the evolution of their Camp to Belong NY summer camp for siblings in foster care. Funds paid to hire student to collaborate on the research project by conducting interviews, having an ethnographic experience at camp, transcribing interviews and analyzing data.
  
  Category: Research
  CURCA - Siena Summer Scholars Program, 2017
• Funds to hire undergraduate student to assist with data entry, analysis and write up for the Mrs. Doubtfire program evaluation.
  
  Category: Research
  CURCA - Siena Summer Scholars Program, 2015

Presentations

• Feeling Stressed? Try Nature
  2023
  Association of Franciscan Colleges & Universities Symposium, Loudonville, New York
• The small e of environmental justice
  2023
  Ecological Justice and Social Work Conference, Loudonville, Virtual
• Community Building as an Integral Part of Social Work Education - from Orientation to Graduation
  March, 2022
  Baccalaureate Program Directors (BPD), Alabama, Virtual
• Teaching Embodied Self-Care as Self-Preservation in Social Work Education
  March, 2022
  Baccalaureate Program Directors (BPD), Alabama, Virtual
• Community Building as an Integral Part of Social Work Education- from Orientation to Graduation
  2022
  New York State Social Work Education Association Annual Conference, Saratoga Springs, New York
• Nature at the cross-section of human rights and environmental justice.
  2022
  Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meetings, Anaheim, California
• Nature at the cross-section of human rights and environmental justice.
  2022
  New York State Social Work Education Association Annual Conference, Saratoga Springs, New York
• Yarning for Change
  June, 2020
  International Association for Social Work with Groups, New York, New York
• 9th Annual Emerging Leaders Forum: Journey Towards Tenure and Promotion Beyond 2020
  March, 2020
  Baccalaureate Program Directors (BPD), Birmingham, Alabama
• Protecting others from ourselves: The importance of self-care in social work education
  March, 2020
  Baccalaureate Program Directors (BPD), Birmingham, Alabama
• Protecting others from ourselves: The importance of self-care in social work education
  November, 2019
  New York State Social Work Education Annual Conference, Saratoga Springs, New York
• 8th Annual Emerging Leaders Forum: Journey Towards Tenure and Promotion
  March, 2019
  Baccalaureate Program Directors (BPD), Jacksonville, Florida
• A content analysis of activism in BSW syllabi
  October, 2018
  New York State Social Work Education Association Annual Conference, Saratoga Springs, New York
• 7th Annual Emerging Leaders Forum: Journey Towards Tenure and Promotion
  March, 2018
  Baccalaureate Program Directors (BPD), Atlanta, Georgia
• Fighting social injustice through a summer camp experience
  October, 2017
  New York State Social Work Education Association Annual Conference, Saratoga Springs, New York
• Speed networking for emerging, veteran, and future social work educators: Finding your professional match
  October, 2017
  New York State Social Work Education Association Annual Conference, Saratoga Springs, New York
• Safety - Making safety an ongoing conversation in field education
  March, 2017
  Baccalaureate Program Directors (BPD), New Orleans, Louisiana
• Discussion on needs and pathways to success for early career social work educators
  October, 2016
  New York State Social Work Education Association Annual Conference, Saratoga Springs, New York
• Mrs. Doubtfire mentoring project: Serving the client by engaging the community
  April, 2016
  Baccalaureate Program Directors (BPD), Dallas, Texas
• Mrs. Doubtfire Mentoring Project - Serving the Client by Engaging the Community
  December, 2015
  CMHNY/OMH Annual Staff Development Training Forum, Saratoga Springs, New York
• Mrs. Doubtfire Mentoring Project - Serving the Client by Engaging the Community
  October, 2015
  New York State Social Work Education Association Annual Conference, Saratoga Springs, New York
• Mrs. Doubtfire Community Research Project - a case example of community engaged scholarship and research
  May, 2015
  Conference for Community Engagement and Scholarship Siena College, Loudonville, New York
• Transparency of field education manuals: A content analysis.
  2015
  Baccalaureate Program Directors (BPD), Kansas City, Missouri
• Transparency of field education manuals: A content analysis.
  2014
  New York State Social Work Education Association Annual Conference, Saratoga Springs, New York