The University of Digital and AI Management (UniDAIM) has conferred the Doctor of Social Work (DSW) in Child Welfare and Family Services (Honoris Causa) upon Dr. h.c. Lee Ellen Heckerman in recognition of her exceptional lifetime contributions to child welfare, family services, clinical social work, counseling, education, and humanitarian service.
A Board Certified Diplomate in Clinical Social Work (BCD), an Academy of Certified Social Workers (ACSW) credential holder, and a Licensed Specialist Clinical Social Worker (LSCSW), Dr. Heckerman has devoted more than four decades to advancing the well-being of children, families, and vulnerable communities. Her distinguished career has encompassed leadership in child welfare, foster care, adoption, family therapy, social work education, clinical supervision, disaster response, and nonprofit administration.
Dr. Heckerman currently serves as a Christian Counselor at Calvary Wesleyan Church in Fredonia, Kansas, where she provides counseling and spiritual guidance to individuals and families. Her commitment to child welfare has been demonstrated through her authorship of a workbook used by the Oklahoma Department of Human Services to prepare waiting children for adoption, her service on the Governor’s Task Force on Foster Care, and her leadership in developing and strengthening child welfare programs across Oklahoma and Kansas.
Beyond her professional practice, Dr. Heckerman has shared her expertise as an adjunct faculty member at Wichita State University, a clinical supervisor, and an international, national, and local speaker on child and family issues. Her humanitarian work has taken her to Russia on two occasions and to Mexico, where she collaborated with orphanage leaders and community partners to improve services for vulnerable children. She also directed disaster response efforts following the Oklahoma City bombing, reflecting her unwavering commitment to serving communities during times of crisis.
In conferring this honorary doctorate, UniDAIM recognizes Dr. Heckerman’s enduring legacy of compassionate leadership, professional excellence, and unwavering advocacy for children and families. Her life’s work embodies the values of service, integrity, lifelong learning, and community impact, reflecting UniDAIM’s mission of expanding accessible education, advancing innovation, and preparing ethical leaders who create positive change worldwide.