F20 Critical Convo: The Cost of Caring

Lee Westgate, LCSW-C Related Seminars and Products

Lee Westgate, MSW, MBA, LCSW-C, LCSW (he/ him/ his) is a transgender advocate with extensive professional experience in social work policy, practice, research, and education. He has held numerous organizational leadership roles, and has served as an educational consultant to a variety of associations and organizational clientele. He has served as a medical social worker in the fields of oncology, critical care, as well as in integrated behavioral health settings. Mr. Westgate has participated in a CSWE-sponsored National Trauma Task Force workgroup that focused on the intersection of ethics and trauma-informed practice, and he was awarded an immersion fellowship through Boston University to study addiction and behavioral health. He has participated in AIDS Education and Training Center on behalf of the University of Maryland, School of Social Work, Baltimore, MD since 2017 and participated in the MidAtlantic AIDS Education and Training Workgroup on COVID and HIV. Mr. Westgate continues to serve as a Clinical Instructor at the University of Maryland, School of Social Work and his scholarship includes integrated behavioral health, clinical work with LGBTQIA+ populations, working with individuals with chronic and life-threatening illness, healthcare policy, and health equity. As a faculty member, he has received numerous teaching awards including the Energizer Award, the Camara Jones Faculty Award of 2022, the Innovation in Social Work Award of 2022, the Exemplary Faculty Member of the Year Award along with the Dean’s Teaching Award for several consecutive semesters. He has been published in The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare, The Social Worker, The Journal of Employee Assistance, Infusion Magazine, Provider Magazine, and Social Work Today.

Lori James-Townes, MSW Related Seminars and Products

Lori James-Townes, LCSW-C, MSW ’91 
Executive Director at National Association for Public Defense/President, Expand-Now 

Lori James-Townes is President & CEO of Expand-Now. She also serves as an Assistant Training Director for National Association of Public Defense. Lori’s passion is adding value to others. Lori has over 25 years of teaching, clinical practice, leadership, and management experience in juvenile justice, mental health, and public defender settings. Her most recent public defender position was Director of Social Work, Leadership and Program Development, with Maryland Office of Public Defender. With over more than 800 employees, she served as one of the first Directors of Leadership in a public defender setting. While in this position, she demonstrated her ability to help others grow in the areas of teamwork, leadership, and management. She also led the agency’s social work staff, consultants, and interns. 

Lori is certified John Maxwell Trainer, Coach and Speaker. She has developed programs that are now national models for other agencies. In 2015, The Daily Record Newspaper named her as one of Maryland’s Top 100 Women. As a speaker, she is requested both nationally and internationally. 

Lori has held various leadership positions on national organizations and Boards of Directors. Her commitment to growth has been recognized as organizations have appointed her to serve as Conference Chair for several national conferences and training programs. Lori also serves as a faculty member for national and regional leadership development, trials skills, training, and programs, including but not limited to: National Alliance of Sentencing Advocates and Mitigation Specialist Gideon’s Promise, National Legal Aide and Defender Association, Administrative Offices of the Courts (Training Branch), MD Department of Human Services, and other private and non-profit entities.