November 27, 2006

by Larry Peña

Laurellé Warner joins the faculty of La Sierra University this year as the new Director of the Social Work program.  A Master of Social Work, Warner has been a professional in the field as both an instructor and a practitioner.

She has worked with Catholic Family Services, the Village for Families and Chlidren, Inc., Asian Family Services, Inc., and Community Health Resources Mobile Crisis Response.  She has also been a professor in the Social Work programs of Northwestern and Middlesex Community Colleges in Connecticut.

A native of the east coast, Warner moved out to California in August to pursue two opportunities offered by La Sierra University: a career at a Seventh-day Adventist institution, and a Christian high school for her 13-year-old daughter Nía, who will attend La Sierra Academy.

Warner intends to make La Sierra University her home for a number of years, performing research and developing both professionally and personally.  As director, she has some as yet unannounced plans in the works for some major changes to the Social Work program.

“An effective social worker needs to have certain values,” says Warner, who will be training the next generation of these professionals at La Sierra University.  “They must have an understanding that everyone has worth, a commitment to do no harm to others, and a desire to find and develop inherent qualities in others.”

When she has down time Warner enjoys volunteering at Faith Church Soup Kitchen and at Bloomfield Health Care Center. She is also a counselor for the Adventurer Club and likes reading, cooking, baking and gymnastics.