School of Social Work

Daniela is the Child Welfare Stipend Program coordinator, a program dedicated to supporting, training and preparing social work students for a career in public child welfare. Daniela is an alumni of VCU's Child Welfare Stipend Program. Since graduating in 2019, Daniela has held both micro and macro roles within child welfare and has served as a field instructor for M.S.W. students. She has experience as an investigations analyst through the Office of the Children's Ombudsman and has served as a bilingual (English/Spanish) family services specialist working in foster care and adoption in two local departments of social services, Alexandria DCHS and Henrico DSS. Most recently, Daniela worked as a resource parent coordinator with Henrico DSS.

Daniela recognizes the complexities of the child welfare system at both the policy and practice level and is dedicated to helping build a more gentle, proactive and sustainable system for children, families and the child welfare workforce. Her passion for child welfare drives her to keep learning while empowering students to enter the field with confidence, compassion and curiosity. Through her work with the CWSP, she aims to build community, strengthen workforce retention and contribute to lasting, positive outcomes for Virginia's children and families.

In her free time, Daniela enjoys reading, playing volleyball, exploring new coffee shops and spending quality time with her family, friends and dogs.

Education and credentials

M.S.W., Virginia Commonwealth University
B.A., psychology, George Mason University