Senior Instructor Emeritus
Gerald A. Strom was the director of the Intensive Weekend MSW program and maintains the faculty rank of senior instructor emeritus at the Mandel School.
He served as director of field education for 14 years and as interim director for recruitment and admissions in 2007. A faculty member since 1989, he taught courses in child abuse and family violence, the DSM, and child, adolescent and adult development.
Strom's professional experience includes 13 years as social work supervisor at MetroHealth Medical Center's nationally-recognized sexual abuse program, where he remained actively involved in the analysis, validation and treatment of child sexual abuse. He presented at numerous conferences and training seminars on the recognition, validation and treatment of sexual abuse, physical abuse and family violence both locally and nationally. He also served as sexual abuse and clinical consultant to numerous social service agencies and private practitioners.
Serving as chair of the Cuyahoga County IntraFamily Sexual Abuse Council for two years, Strom was appointed to the American Bar Association Task Force on Sexual Abuse and was a member of the executive committee of the Council on Children, Youth and Families for the Cleveland Federation for Community Planning. He served as president and vice president of the board of directors for Bellflower Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse, was a member of the clinical advisory board of the West-Side Ecumenical Ministry, and was chair of the professional advisory board to the social work department of Ursuline College. Strom also served as the first vice president of the Ohio Chapter of the National Association of Social Work, and maintained a private clinical practice for 28 years.
Strom passed away on Nov. 13, 2022.
Education
Master of Social Work, Howard University
Bachelor of Arts, Ohio University