Dr. Katherine "Katy" Kolodziejski, a founding member and past President of the California Society for Clinical Social Work, passed away on June 20, 2017 at her home in Westwood, California. Katy was born on October 18, 1922, at Hayden Hill, California, and grew up in various parts of Nevada. She attended college at the University of Nevada, Reno, earned a Master's degree in Social Work from The University of Southern California, and a Ph.D. from the California Institute for Clinical Social Work.

Katy's career spanned five decades and was dominated by her association with UCLA. She spent 35 years on the faculty of the School of Social Work and later was a volunteer in its Ombudsman office. She also ran a private practice, a drug rehabilitation facility, a sexual addiction facility, and worked in various capacities for organizations including Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services. She was instrumental in the founding of the Airport Marina Counseling Services and participated with this organization until her final days. She was a frequent contributor to professional journals, and was the recipient of numerous awards.

Speaking about the founding of CSCSW, Katy said, “Licensing of Clinical Social Workers had been established in 1965 . . . we felt strongly we needed a professional organization of our own that would further advocate for the role of the Licensed Clinical Social. Worker and continue to develop a relevant body of knowledge and standards in clinical social work emphasizing the whole person in their situation.”

When asked in an interview about the role the Society should play in the development of professional social work, Katy said, “I believe we should continue to provide relevant educational forums, deal with the ethical issues and dilemmas faced by practitioners, and advocate for more involvement with agency and hospital practice. We should train students with a much wider knowledge of the social environment and the multiple needs of clients . . .”

Katy is survived by Jack and Ken Little and Shirley Hagman, her sons, Dan and Kip, their wives Arlene and Jeanne, and her grandchildren. She was married for 35 years to Richard "Dick" Kolodziejski, who died in 1968.