University of Washington social work professor recognized for grief and palliative care leadership

Alice Cagampang, an assistant teaching professor at the University of Washington School of Social Work, has spent nearly three decades training future social workers while supporting families through grief, bereavement, and end-of-life care. Her work spans teaching, clinical practice, and advocacy, with a focus on culturally responsive support and equitable access to services.

Why it matters: - Alice Cagampang is helping shape how future social workers support people facing grief, serious illness, and end-of-life decisions. - Her work matters in a field where demand for mental health, bereavement, housing, and food support continues to outpace available resources. - Her focus on culturally responsive care expands access for families who are often underserved, including Spanish-speaking communities.

What happened: - Alice Cagampang serves as an assistant teaching professor at the University of Washington School of Social Work. - She also directs the Carol LaMare Scholars Traineeship Program for Master of Social Work students interested in end-of-life care, life-limiting illness, palliative care, and hospice social work. - Since joining the University of Washington, Cagampang has taught graduate courses and created learning experiences on attachment theory and integrative social work practice in end-of-life settings. - Her teaching has earned multiple MSW Students’ Choice Teaching Awards.

The details: - Cagampang has nearly 30 years of experience as a clinical social worker, educator, and advocate. - She previously managed the Journey Program at Seattle Children’s Hospital, a bereavement program for children and families after the loss of a child or a significant relationship. - Under her leadership, the program expanded equitable access to grief services by increasing clinician representation and improving support for Spanish-speaking families. - Her work in pediatric bereavement earned the Odessa Brown Ken Feldman Award from Seattle Children’s Hospital and the Bridge to Healing Award from the Safe Crossings Foundation. - She maintains a private practice focused on therapy and clinical supervision for therapists working toward independent licensure. - Her private practice centers on culturally responsive care and support for under-represented identities in social work. - Cagampang is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker. - She earned a bachelor’s degree in Biology and Religious Studies from the University of Michigan and a Master of Social Work from Western Michigan University. - She speaks English and Tagalog. - She also serves on the board of Wild Grief and is a member of the Social Work Hospice and Palliative Care Network. - A profile on Influential Women highlights her background and perspective.

Between the lines: - Cagampang ties her professional approach to family legacy, mentors, and the values passed down through her lineage. - She says the most important career lesson she has received is to know who you are, and that clarity has guided her decisions and kept her work aligned with her values. - Her advice to young women entering social work is to live fully and practice with an open, compassionate heart. - Her comments about resource shortages point to a broader strain on social work systems, especially for communities with the greatest needs.

What's next: - Cagampang is continuing to train social work students while providing clinical care and supervision. - Her ongoing work suggests a continued emphasis on inclusive, community-centered grief and palliative care practice. - Her teaching and mentorship are likely to keep influencing the next generation of social workers entering hospice, bereavement, and end-of-life fields.

The bottom line: - Alice Cagampang is pairing classroom leadership with hands-on grief care, using both to broaden access, strengthen training, and support families at some of life’s hardest moments.