CWLA ADVISORY COMMITTEES

CWLA leverages the expertise of individuals and organizations from a variety of fields to inform and support its work.

NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR POLICY AND PRACTICE

The CWLA National Commission for Policy and Practice is comprised of individuals responsible for working to support CWLA’s commitment to excellence in child welfare practice and informed public policy. The Commission facilitates member input and leadership to identify the critical issues facing the field and to articulate relevant policies and best practices that underpin quality child welfare practice that advances the safety, permanence and well-being of all children and families in, or at risk of, being involved in the child welfare system. For additional information on Policy, contact John Sciamanna on Practice, contact Julie Collins.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Co-Chair: Carnitra White
Anne Arundel County Department of Social Services

Co-Chair: Phil Acord
Chambliss Center for Children

Rick Azzaro
Voce

Lenette Azzi-Lessing
Boston University School of Social Work

Nina Aliprandi
Maryville Academy

Kathleen Belanger
Stephen F. Austin State University

David Caprio
Children’s Friend

Nancy Christian
The Florence Crittenton Agency, Inc.

Irene Clements
National Foster Parent Association

Kim Clifton
HALOS

Kathy Colbenson
CHRIS 180

Bahney Dedolph
Arizona Council of Human Service Providers

Mike Jackson
Drew Child Development Corporation

Jeremy Kohomban
The Children’s Village

Joel Levine
Harris County Protective Services for Children and Adults

Donna Lucero
All Faiths

Mark Mecum
Ohio Association of Child Caring Agencies

Alex Morales
Children’s Bureau (retired)

Donna Pressma
The Children’s Home Society of New Jersey

Cheryl Rathbun
Saint Francis Community Services

Ronald Richter
JCCA

Amy Kennedy-Rickman
Necco West Virginia

Michelle Sanborn
Children’s Alliance

Juanita Stedman
Together Georgia

David Simmons
National Indian Child Welfare Association

Todd Sosna
Children’s Institute, Inc.

Linda Spears
Massachusetts Department of Children and Families

Julie Springwater
New England Association of Child Welfare Commissioners and Directors

Julie Swindler
Families First of Palm Beach County

Stan Waddell
Centene Corporation

Gerald Wallace
New York State Kinship Navigator

MENTAL HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD

The purpose of CWLA’s Mental Health Advisory Board is to provide CWLA staff with guidance, assistance, and recommendations for addressing the mental health care and co-occurring substance abuse needs of children and their families, especially those known to the child welfare system. For additional information, contact Julie Collins.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Chair: Alan Vietze
New Jersey Children’s System of Care (retired)

Melinda Baldwin
SAMHSA

Harold Briggs
University of Georgia, School of Social Work

April Curtis
CWLA Senior Fellow

Eileen Elias
JBS International, Inc.

Cheryl Fischer
Centene Corporation

Pat Hunt
FREDLA

Martin Irwin
NYU, School of Medicine

Paulette Mader
Rutgers University

James Martin
Sweetser

Susan Montague
Saint Francis Ministries

Lisa Otto
Child and Family Agency of SE CT

Bill Reay
OMNI Inventive Care

Debbie Riley
Center for Adoption Support and Education

Richard Weisgal
Consultant

CONFERENCE PLANNING COMMITTEE

The Conference Planning Committee provides CWLA staff with guidance, assistance, and recommendations as we develop the conference theme, speakers, and programming. Committee members also assist with the review and rating of workshop proposal submissions, serve as ambassadors to help us promote the event to registrants, sponsors, and exhibitors, and assist with onsite support of session monitoring and other conference activities. For additional information, contact Julie Brite.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Chair: Yaridis Garcia
Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County

Nadyia Abbas
Devereux Massachusetts

Nina Aliprandi-Bolley
Maryville Academy

Alison Blodgett
Parenting with Love and Limits

Peter Breen
CWLA Fellow

Chanica Brown
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston

Irene Clements
National Foster Parent Association

April Curtis
CWLA Fellow

Margaret Doherty
Connecticut Alliance of Foster and Adoptive Families

Lucille Echohawk
CWLA Fellow

Deborah Gadsden
Voce

Beverly Hardin
Carolina Youth Development Center

Lisa Haya
Acenda Integrated Health

Bacall Hincks
Dahlia’s Hope

Vanessa Johnson
Richmond Department of Social Services

Rebecca Jones Gaston
Oregon Department of Human Services

Jana Jones
Lena Pope

Kelly Jones
Children and Family Futures

Ryan Jones
Virginia Beach Department of Human Services

Vicky Kelly
CWLA Board of Directors

Andrew Koster
Child Welfare League of Canada

Rodney Lee
Children’s Aid

Stacey Lewis
Lena Pope

Marilyn Liciaga
Fairfax County Department of Family Services

Karen Maziarz
Youth and Family Alternatives, Inc.

Sharon McCartney
AAICAMA

Kim McNear
Anchor House, Inc.

Sonya Mosley
Lena Pope

Madeline Roachell
Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services

Rayshawn Satchell
Virginia Beach Department of Human Services

Erin Saylor
Child and Family Agency of Southeastern Connecticut

Bernadette Tavares
Foster Forward

Gary Taylor
CWLA Fellow

Alan Vietze
CWLA Fellow

Douglas Waite
Bronxcare Health System

Stan Waddell
Centene Corporation

Elaine Weisman
International Social Service-USA

Tina Willauer
Children and Family Futures

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE

The Membership Committee works with CWLA’s management team on issues related to member recruitment and retention strategies. The Committee aims to make recommendations that will enhance CWLA’s membership and reflect the organization’s commitment to the values and principles of the National Blueprint for Excellence in Child Welfare. The committee is composed of representatives from CWLA’s Board of Directors and member organizations. For additional information, contact Riva Reed.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Co-Chair: Angela Connor
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma

Co-Chair: Deborah Wilson Gadsden
Voce

Marilyn DeMontrond
Harris County (TX) Resources for Children and Adults

Yaridis Garcia
Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County

Leslie Gross
Annie E. Casey Foundation

Mike Jackson
Drew Child Development Corporation

Alisa Lee
Utah Division of Child and Family Services

Alex Morales
Children’s Bureau (retired)

Sarah Saint Laurent
Healthy Transitions

Anayra Tua-Lopez
Proyecto Nacer

CHILD WELFARE JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL ADVISORY PANEL

The International Advisory Panel is a group of leaders in social work education with special interest in child welfare and child protection who have joined with CWLA to disseminate research findings and evidence-informed/based practices in child welfare and child protection globally. Representatives from all regions of the world participate on the panel to identify issues and trends, research, and policy and practice innovations in child welfare and child protection. For additional information, contact Chris James-Brown.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Prof. Dr. Tatsuru Akimoto
Director, Asian Center for Social Work Research Exchange
Hasegawa Research Institute for Budhist Culture
Shukutoju University
Chiba, Japan

Yasmin Dean, PhD, RSW
Department of Social Work and Disability Studies
Mount Royal University
Calgary, AB, Canada

Louise Harms, PhD
Department of Social Work, School of Health Sciences
The University of Melbourne
Victoria, Australia

Bong Joo Lee
College of Social Sciences
Seoul National University
Seoul, Korea

Prof. Antoinette Lombard
Department of Social Work and Crimonology
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, Republic of South Africa

Anna Metteri, PhD
University of Tampere
Finland

Vishanthie Sewpaul, PhD
University of KwaZulu Natal (UKZN) &
Association of Schools of Social Work in Africa (ASSWA)
Durban, South Africa

Abye Tasse, PhD
Social Work and Social Development
University of Nouakchott
Mauritania

Dr. Rory G. Truell
International Federation of Social Workers
Bern, Switzerland

Charlotte Williams OBE
CQSW, MA, PhD
School of Global, Urban and Social Studies
Rmit University
Melbourne, Australia

CHILD WELFARE JOURNAL EDITORIAL BOARD

Launched in 1921, the Child Welfare Journal, is a scholarly, bimonthly publication keeping individuals abreast of the special problems facing millions of children who are vulnerable. Child Welfare links the latest findings in child welfare and related research with the best practice, policy, and program development into one innovative resource equally indispensable to child welfare and associated professionals. The Child Welfare Journal Editorial Board includes individuals with a range of subject interests from throughout the country who have prestige in the field of child and family services. Editorial board members conduct peer reviews of articles, provide strategic editorial advice, act as ambassadors for the journal, sourcing potential authors and readers and also potential subscribers, and encourage their students and colleagues to read and cite the journal. For additional information, contact Rachel Adams.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Julie Cooper Altman
California State University, Monterey Bay

Gary R. Anderson
Michigan State University

Rosemary Avery
Cornell University

Sam Aymer
Hunter College

Amy Baker
Vincent J. Fontana Center for Child Protection

Mary Bissell
ChildFocus

Wendy Whiting Blome
Catholic University of America

Erma Borskey
Southern University

Crystal Collins-Camargo
University of Louisville

Amy D’Andrade
San Jose State University

Angelique Day
Wayne State University

Alan Detlaff
University of Illinois at Chicago

Martha Dore
The Guidance Center, Inc.

Ilze Earner
Hunter College

Kathleen Coulborn Faller
University of Michigan

Rowena Fong
University of Texas at Austin

Priscilla Gibson
University of Minnesota

James Gleeson
University of Illinois at Chicago

Manny Gonzalez
Hunter College

Sarah B. Greenblatt
Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative

Victor Groza
Case Western Reserve University

Jessica Hagaman
University of Nebraska at Omaha

Neal Halfon
University of California, Los Angeles

Michele Hanna
University of Denver

Mark Hardin
American Bar Association

Rebecca Hegar
University of Texas at Arlington

Corie Hebert
Southeastern Louisiana University

Peg Hess
University of South Carolina

David Hussey
Beech Brook

Ben Kerman
Annie E. Casey Foundation

Bethany Lee
University of Maryland

Mary McCarthy
University at Albany

Brad McKenzie
University of Manitoba

Larry Owens
Western Kentucky University

Eileen Mayers Pasztor
California State University, Long Beach

Joan Pennell
North Carolina State University

Peter Pecora
University of Washington

Diane Purvin
Annie E. Casey Foundation

Jini Roby
Brigham Young University

Mitchell Rosenwald
Barry University

Joseph Ryan
University of Michigan

Gina Miranda Samuels
University of Chicago

Karen Staller
University of Michigan

Richard Sullivan
University of British Columbia

Lorraine Tempel
Hunter College

Elizabeth Tracy
Case Western Reserve University

Ellen Whipple
Michigan State University

Mi Youn Yang
Louisiana State University

NATIONAL LEADERSHIP COUNCIL ON ENGAGING AND INVOLVING FATHERS IN ADVANCING CHILD WELL-BEING

The National Leadership Council on Engaging and Involving Fathers in Advancing Child Well-Being will provide advice and support to us as we advance the National Blueprint for Excellence in Child Welfare and its commitment to engaging fathers in advancing the well-being of their children. The Council will work with us to develop possible policy, practice, training materials, and publications on issues related to engaging and involving fathers. For additional information, contact Marcus Stallworth.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Dr. Rufus Sylvester Lynch, ACSW
The Strong Families Commission Incorporated

Alan-Michael Graves
Children’s Institute, Inc.

Karen Andrade-Mims, MPA
UIH Family Partners/Operation Fatherhood

Joseph D. Kenner
Greyston

James Murray
HHS/ACF – Office of Child Support Enforcement, Division of Program Innovation

Reginald Lockhart
Westchester County Department of Social Services

EMERGING LEADERS COMMITTEE

The Emerging Leaders Committee is part of CWLA’s initiative to support the development of young professionals that are part of our member agencies and their involvement with CWLA. As the current generation of leaders moves into the retirement phase of their life, it is critical that we help the development of the next generation of leaders for the field. The Emerging Leaders Committee has a key role in this initiative. The aim of the committee is to advise CWLA related to strengthening the engagement of young professionals that are part of member agencies between the ages of 20 and 45. Young professionals who are part of the committee are committed to making children and families a national priority and to help CWLA with its goal of building new bridges for connecting and supporting the growth of emerging leaders. The Committee will also provide opportunities for young professionals to build relationships, enhance their skills, and advance their career while advancing excellence in practice and policy. For additional information, contact Julie Collins.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Co-Chair: Alycia Blackwell
Fairfax County Department of Family Services

Co-Chair: Bacall Bailey Hincks
Dahlia’s Hope

Co-Chair: Terrell Thomas
Stanford Sierra Youth & Families

Frank Green
Richmond Department of Social Services

Grace Hilliard-Koshinsky
New England Association of Child Welfare Commissioner and Directors (NEACWCD)

RURAL CHILD WELFARE SERVICES COMMITTEE

The Rural Child Welfare Services Committee works to ensure that CWLA’s training, policy, practice, and networking opportunities meet the specific needs and interests of agencies, children, parents, families, and communities in rural areas. The Committee seeks to learn from the knowledge, experience, and innovation of rural agencies about working with children and families in rural communities, and to increase the knowledge base and facilitate information exchange between rural and urban agencies and with policy makers to insure better outcomes for children and families in rural communities. For additional information, contact Christine James-Brown.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Co-Chair: Carl Ayers
Casey Family Programs

Co-Chair: Kathleen Belanger
Stephen F. Austin State University

Charles Baker
Baker Company

Lindsay Barron
Vermont Department for Children and Families

Susan Brooks
University of California-Davis Continuing and Professional Education

Pamela Cornwell
Saint Francis Ministries

Bahney Dedolph
Arizona Council of Human Service Providers

Gade Duerksen
Partnership for Strong Families

John Egan
Illinois Department of Children and Family Services

Bobbie Johnson
Maine Office of Child and Family Services

Keith Liederman
Kingsley House

Natalie Wood
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston

MEMBER EQUITY COMMITTEE

The Member Equity Committee is comprised of member agency representatives who serve as an advisory group to the CWLA President & CEO in support of efforts to advance a more equitable, just child welfare system. The Committee will provide input and support for the work and activities of the CWLA National Committee on Equity. The Committee is a peer-to-peer learning opportunity for members to share efforts in their organizations and communities that more intentionally advance equity. For additional information, contact Christine James-Brown.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Co-Chair: Anayra Tua-Lopez
Proyecto Nacer

Co-Chair: Dr. Alger M. Studstill, Jr.
Nebraska Division of Children and Family Services

Lauren Arnold
Raise the Future (retired)

Peter Breen
CWLA

Brandynicole Brooks
District of Columbia Child and Family Services Agency

Christina Cagle
Stanford Sierra Youth and Families

Arnie Eby
National Foster Parent Association

Krisztina Ford
All Faiths

Maria Gagnon
New England Association of Child Welfare Commissioners and Directors

Bobbi Johnson
Maine Office of Child and Family Services

Traci B. Jones
Virginia Department of Social Services

Tanja Kubas-Meyer
Rhode Island Coalition for Children and Families

Kelli McKnight
Options Counseling and Family Services

Tammy Mello
Children’s League of Massachusetts

Becky Miller Updike
Colorado Association of Family and Children’s Agencies (CAFCA)

Monica Montalvo Rams
Connecticut Department of Children and Families

Dr. Lisa Pion-Berlin
Parents Anonymous®

Debra Porchia-Usher
Santa Clara County Social Services Agency

Antonia Rios
Parents Anonymous®

Greg Rose
California Department of Social Services

Terry Stigdon
Indiana Department of Child Services

Yubi Ventura
Raise the Future

Deborah Wilson Gadsden
Voce

NATIONAL COMMITTEE ON EQUITY

The National Committee on Equity will provide guidance and advice on efforts to advance a more equitable, just child welfare system. A guiding principle of the Committee’s work will be to leverage the ideas and aspirations of youth and families and the expertise in the child welfare field to support existing and new programs and projects. The Committee will review CWLA’s National Blueprint for Excellence in Child Welfare to ensure that it more intentionally advances equity. The committee also will participate in a variety of listening sessions with families, youth in care, and key individuals from member organizations to learn about and support the work happening in our communities. For additional information, contact Christine James-Brown.