Faculty and Staff
FOUNDER
Stephen Antler, DSW
Received his MSW from Columbia University and a Doctorate in Social Work from Hunter College School of Social Work He has previously been a member of the faculty at the State University of New York at Stony Brook and Boston University School of Social Work, where he taught social policy and administration and chaired the Social Policy program. His publications include numerous articles in Social Work Journals and a reader on Child Abuse published by NASW Press. He formerly served as a consulting editor of Social Work and has done research on child protection with the Rand Corporation. Dr. Antler has consulted to many government and private organizations in the United States, in Europe and Israel on child welfare planning, administration, and program development. He was associated with Social Work Examination Services from 1983 until 2020.
INSTRUCTOR
Michelle Kenefick, MSW, LICSW
With over 30 years of experience in the field of Social Work, Michelle’s background includes work in non-profit and corporate environments with adults and children in a variety of settings. An adjunct professor at Fordham University in the MSW program, Michelle has taught regionally and internationally with a predominant focus on trauma, trauma-informed care, systemic / organizational change and vicarious trauma. Michelle has worked with several universities around the country as a field supervisor for BSW, MSW and PhD programs. She has also practiced clinical social work in four states in the Northeast. She is licensed as a Clinical Social Worker in Connecticut and Vermont as well as a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner. Michelle is a past President of the CT Chapter of NASW CT.
INSTRUCTOR
Laura Mutrie, MSW, LCSW
Laura is the Director of Field Education of the MSW Program at Quinnipiac University, and Clinical Assistant Professor, where she has been since 2013. As a child and family clinician interested in complex trauma and its impact on children and adolescents she is committed to the development provision of quality services for underserved populations. At Quinnipiac, her national and statewide presentations on the topic of Inter-professional education and the use of simulation in social work education have been widely regarded. She teaches advanced organizational social work practice and advanced clinical practice courses in the MSW program. As an adjunct at Southern Connecticut State University she has taught social work policy, field seminar and advanced clinical practice. And for over 15 years she was Director of Clinical Services for a child guidance clinic, and is a long-time member of NASW/CT and a current member of the Council on Social Work Education. She has been an active member of the TEAM, Inc., community action agency, Board of Directors for the past 6 years.
INSTRUCTOR
Chris McLaughlin, MSW, LCSW
Chris McLaughlin, MSW, LCSW (he/him/his) is the owner and lead consultant of Inspired Consulting Group, LLC and the co-host of the Inspired Insights Podcast. A lifelong resident of Maine, he obtained both his BA in Psychology (1996) and his MSW (2001) from the University of Maine and is progressing towards his DSW from the University of New England. Chris has spent more than 25+ years as a provider and a leader in behavioral health services for youth and families across a variety of clinical settings, including treatment foster care, residential treatment facilities, public schools, private practice, community-based programs, and psychiatric hospital-based services. Chris has a passion for advocacy, macro social work practice, and teaching and is an adjunct faculty member at the schools of social work for the University of Maine, the University of Maine at Presque Isle, and the University of Southern Maine, and works adjunct for Husson University as well. Chris and his husband live in Hermon, Maine with their three dogs, Anna, Becky, and Sawyer, and are avid fans of many types of recreation and leisure during all of Maine’s seasons.
CONSULTANT
Sunny Maguire, LCSW
Sunny attended Hunter College School of Social Work, MSW, 2011 and the William Alanson White Institute’s Intensive Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Program, 2014. After several years as a psychotherapist in agency, outpatient, and private practice settings, Sunny now trains students and professionals on social work ethics, clinical practice, and general professional development.
DIRECTOR
Lauren Antler
CONSULTANT
Leslie Bass, MSW, MBA
Leslie is an adjunct faculty member at Simmons College School of Social Work in Boston, where she teaches Clinical Assessment and Human Behavior in the Social Environment. She received her MSW from Boston University School of Social Work in l977 and an MBA from Simmons College Graduate School of Management in 1990. She has maintained a private practice for 20 years. Additionally, she has extensive experience in both inpatient and outpatient psychiatric settings, as well as in medical social work, geriatric consultation and crisis management.
CONSULTANT
Deborah Cantor, MSW, Ph.D.
Deborah is a clinical social worker who has worked with adolescents, adults and couples since receiving her Masters of Social Work at Smith College School for Social Work in 1972. She earned her doctorate at Simmons College School of Social Work in 2001. Dr. Cantor taught clinical social work practice as an adjunct faculty member at both Simmons College and Boston University Schools of Social Work. She supervised MSW students and staff during her years of agency practice and served as Assistant Executive Director of Jewish Family Service of Metrowest from 1992-1997. Dr. Cantor is currently in private practice in Framingham, MA. She taught for SWES from 2002 – 2022 .