The Practice of Generalist Social Work

Julie Birkenmaier is a Professor in the School of Social Work at Saint Louis University, Missouri. Dr. Birkenmaier's practice experience includes community organizing, community development, and nonprofit administration. Her research and writing focuses on financial capability, financial credit, community development, and asset development. With colleagues, she co-wrote Financial capability and asset-building in vulnerable households. She also co-edited Financial Capability and Asset Development: Research, Education, Policy and Practice. With Marla Berg-Weger, she co-authored the textbook, The Practicum Companion for Social Work: Integrating Class and Field Work (4th edition).


Marla Berg-Weger is a Professor in the School of Social Work at Saint Louis University, Missouri, and Executive Director of the Geriatric Education Center. Dr. Berg-Weger holds social work degrees at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels. Her social work practice experience includes public social welfare services, intimate partner violence services, mental health, medical social work, and gerontological social work. Her research and writing focuses on gerontological social work and social work practice. She is the author of Social Work and Social Welfare: An Invitation (4th edition). With Julie Birkenmaier, she co-authored the textbook, The Practicum Companion for Social Work: Integrating Class and Field Work (4th edition). She is the Past President of the Association of Gerontology in Social Work and currently serves as the Managing Editor of the Journal of Gerontological Social Work and is a fellow in the Gerontological Society of America.