Congratulations to RLML’s Content Management & History of Medicine Assistant, Todd Grooten (MLS) for his election to the NASW-Indiana Chapter’s Board of Directors. Todd is entering his final year of his MSW program as he looks towards an August 2025 graduation date. He is interested in affecting change at the macro level, specifically focusing on public policy and advocacy efforts in the homelessness response system in Indianapolis.

As a board member Todd hopes to bring attention to the issues and challenges faced by social work students in Indiana. He will be working with other IN-NASW board members to raise awareness of issues facing social workers and their clients in Indiana as well as developing continuing educational opportunities for those in the field. Social workers in Indiana must 40 hours of continuing education every two years to maintain their licensure.

Todd obtained his MLS in 2003 from Indiana University Bloomington and has been working in the library field since then. He has always been an advocate for library users and has volunteered his time for national and state level library organizations. He is interested in the intersection between library use and homelessness and this was one of the reasons he decided to pursue another master's degree. 

As a Native Michigander Todd hopes to work in the social work field somewhere in the Midwest: "I miss the proximity of the Great Lakes; water is calming to me, and I would welcome the opportunity to be closer to them.”

In his free time Todd spends time with his partner Aaron watching horror movies and going to concerts and secondhand stores.