Social Work Person of the Year
Each year, the University of Houston-Downtown Center for Public Service & Community Research (within the UHD College of Public Service Social Work Program) selects one individual to be honored as its Social Work Person of the Year.
Presentation of the Social Work Person of the Year
Presented by CPS Social Work Faculty.
Tuesday, March, 31st 2026 from 5:30 – 8:00 p.m. in room C-100
The Social Work Person of the Year Award is an annual event honoring individuals whose work embodies the core values of social work—service, civic fairness, dignity and worth, relationships, integrity, and competence—recognizing those who advocate for underserved populations and drive positive, compassionate change. This year we honor Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett and UHD’s Dr. Shahnaz Savani both of whom exemplify these values through dedicated advocacy, compassionate service, and impactful collaboration within our community.
Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett
Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett has purposefully made every decision with one goal in mind: protecting the civil liberties of those in underrepresented communities. As a public defender, civil rights attorney, State Representative, and United States Congresswoman, Jasmine Crockett dedicates her life to public service, with the goal of serving justice and ensuring equality for all. The sole Black freshman and youngest Black lawmaker in Texas during the 87th Legislative Session, Congresswoman Crockett navigated what has been marked as the most conservative session in Texas history. Despite the uphill climb, Congresswoman Crockett filed more bills than any other freshman, assembled a wide coalition to pass landmark criminal justice reforms in the House, and brought more accessibility and accountability to her office than before. She was a founding member of both the Texas Progressive Caucus as well as the Texas Caucus on Climate, Energy, and the Environment. Following her service in the Texas Legislature, Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett has served as the U.S. Representative for Texas 30th Congressional District since January 2023, representing portions of Dallas and Tarrant counties, the seat previously held for 30 years by the late Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson. Congresswoman Crockett earned her B.A. in Business Administration from Rhodes College and her J.D. from the University of Houston. She is licensed to practice law in Texas, Arkansas, and Federal Courts.
Dr. Shahnaz Savani
Dr. Shahnaz Savani is a passionate and accomplished educator, researcher, and social worker with deep expertise in mental health, suicide prevention, and intervention. Her scholarship centers on understanding the lived experiences of suicide in low-income contexts and advancing innovative, scalable solutions to reduce the mental health treatment gap. She pioneered the use of social work field students to deliver evidence-based mental health interventions in underserved communities in Houston, expanding access to care while training the next generation of practitioners. At UHD, she teaches Research Methods, making research accessible, engaging, and meaningful for BSW students. She also leads a Study Abroad program to India, which she has directed for the past 10 years, mentoring more than 100 students through a transformative academic and cultural experience that extends well beyond the classroom.
Previous Social Work Persons of the Year honorees include:
- Judge Jan Krocker, 2011
- Dr. David Buck, 2012
- Sheriff Adrian Garcia, 2013
- Angela Blanchard, 2014
- Lisa Falkenberg, 2015
- Mayor Sylvester Turner, 2016
- Jim McIngvale (Mattress Mack), 2017
- DA Kim Ogg, 2018
- Russell Ybarra, 2019
- Chris Hollins, 2020
- Dr. Peter Hotez and Dr. Maria Elena Bottazzi, 2021
- Robin Cole, (S.O.J.E.S), 2022
- Rhonda Kuykendall, 2025
For further information contact Steven Villano, director of the Center for Public Service and Community Research at villanos@uhd.edu.