Deborah Ducett joined the Field Office in the School of Social Work in January as the new director of field education. She received her MSW and BSW from Syracuse University. Her clinical, administrative and academic career has included psychotherapy, case management administration, and teaching in the School of Social Work at the University of South Florida (USF), where she also oversaw student placements and served as advisor and liaison to students in their internship settings. She initiated the first part-time MSW program and a BSW program on the Sarasota-Manatee satellite campus of USF. An active member of NASW, she chaired the Manatee County Homeless Coalition and was the driving force behind the initiative to create a one-stop center for homeless adults and children in Manatee County. She has facilitated support groups for caregivers of persons with Alzheimer’s disease and led a task force that created a buddy system partnership for people living with HIV and AIDS. In addition to her community activism, Deborah is also interested in healthcare literacy, evidence-based practice and patient-centered medical homes.