After receiving his PhD/MSSW from Social Work and MA from the La Follette School of Public Affairs, Steve Webster taught at the School of Social Work in the 1970s and 1980s. He was recently awarded the 2025 Alumni of Distinction Award from the La Follette School.
Steve has made important contributions to advancing social justice and disaster resilience, leaving an enduring impact on both local and global scales. His work in disaster management began in Wisconsin where he coordinated the recovery of Barneveld Wisconsin following an F5 tornado and then expanded to include significant international efforts. Over the course of his career, Webster has worked on every continent but Antarctica, with a focus on the emerging republics of the former Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East. His clients have included several organs of the U.N. including its Development Programme and its Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, International Red Cross/Red Crescent, the Swedish and U.S. governments, and intergovernmental organizations like the International Organization for Migration.
Steve also led organizations in Wisconsin dealing with philanthropy, health and social services, community-based economic development, employment for individuals with disabilities, and more. He was Executive Director of the United Way of Wisconsin for 25 years, and established a nonprofit organization, Employment Resources Inc., which reduces barriers to employment.
Today, Steve’s activism continues through service on two boards, chairing Long Range Planning for City Parks, publishing a disability rights children’s book about a blind cat, and producing a documentary on the Rural Caucus and influencing higher education.
Note: For the full story see: https://lafollette.wisc.edu/news/stephen-webster-named-2025-alum-of-distinctio