Previous HONOREES
2024 HONOREE Stories
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
ABOUT THE AWARDS
casey excellence for children awards
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KINSHIP CAREgiver
Sharon Olson
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Foster/AdoptIVE Parent
Mark Hinson
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Alumni
Amanda Metivier
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Birth Father
Ramiro Sanchez
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Birth Mother
Antinette Blocker
2013 Award Recipients
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LEadership
Judge Nash
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LEadership
Marc Cherna
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LEadership
Dr. Allison Blake
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LEadership
Reggie Bicha
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Kinship Caregiver
Linette Kinchen
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Foster/AdoptIVE Parent
Michelle Burnette
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Alumni
Darrell Armstrong
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Birth Mother
Nancy Vivoda
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Birth Father
Eric Luciano
2014 Award Recipients
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LEadership
Port Gamble
S’Klallam Tribe
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LEadership
Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes
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LEadership
Joette Katz
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LEadership
Judge Essrig
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LEadership
Judge Dugger
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LEadership
Brenda Donald
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LEadership
Theodore Dallas
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Birth Father
Timothy Phipps
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Birth Mother
Sandra Killett
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Alumni
Lamar Graham
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Foster/Adoptive Parents
Jerry and Sally
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Kinship Caregivers
Bobby and Teresa
2015 Award Recipients
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LEadership
Judge Hammond
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LEadership
James M. Henry
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LEadership
Ann Silverberg Williamson
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Birth Father
Corey Best
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Birth Mother
Toni Miner
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Foster/Adoptive Parents
Tracy and Douglas
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Alumni
Maritza Lorenzana
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Kinship Caregivers
Makani and Brianna
2016 Award Recipients
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LEadership
Judge McNally
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LEadership
Oglala Sioux Tribe
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LEadership
Navajo Nation
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LEadership
Bob Hutchison
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LEadership
Wendy Rickman
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Birth Mother
Kimberly Mays
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Birth Father
Michael Huesca
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Kinship Caregivers
Lou Ann and Jonathan
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Foster/AdoptIVE Parent
Teri Hrabovsky
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Alumni
Rep. Les Gara
2017 Award Recipients
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LEadership
Rep. Ruth Kagi
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LEadership
Gregory McKay
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LEadership
Jami Ledoux
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LEadership
Judge Hosmer
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Foster/Adoptive Parent
Robin Whiting
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Kinship Caregiver
Lynn Urvina
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Alumni
Lupe O. Tovar
Birth Mother
Alise Hegle
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Birth Father
Rosalio Chavoya
2018 Award Recipients
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LEadership
Lisa Opoku and David Hansell
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LEadership
Judge Gray
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LEadership
Mischa Martin
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Birth Mother
Raven Sigure
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Birth Father
Jeremiah Donier
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Kinship Caregiver
Jan Wagner
FOSTER/ADOPTive Advocate
Stephanie Benally
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ALUMNI
Brittney Barros
2019 Award Recipients
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LEadership
Janis Avery
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Birth Father
Edwin Daye
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Birth Mother
Brejea "Bre" Colthirst
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Kinship Caregiver
Victoria Gray
FOSTER/ADOPTIVE PARENT
Mel Lambert
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ALUMNI
Victor Sims
2020 Award Recipients
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Since 1994, when the state of New Mexico asked her to care for her three young grandchildren, Ms. Olson has dedicated herself to ensuring relative care providers have the information, support and assistance they need to provide consistent, safe and nurturing homes for the children in their care. Ms. Olson was instrumental in the passage of Minnesota’s De Facto Custodian legislation, which was adopted in 2002 after years of research, advocacy and coalition building. For over 10 years, Sharon has served on the Board of Directors of the Minnesota Kinship Caregivers Association, and as the Board Chair for the past two years.
Working at the national level, Ms. Olson co-founded Grand Families of America (GFA) and currently serves as vice president. GFA’s purpose and mission is to ensure that the voice of the caregiver is heard by legislators and policymakers in Washington, D.C. GFA partners with other national organizations to respond to requests from Congress for the caregivers’ perspective on relevant legislation and real world impact of legislation on caregivers. Ms. Olson’s work for GFA includes: helping to organize the national grand rally that brings relatives to Washington to learn about current issues and to speak with their representatives; advocating for the passage of federal legislation, the most recent being the Fostering Connections Act; serving on committees looking at child welfare and mental health issues; responding to caregivers across the country who need assistance; and helping to create a manual that provides a plain language explanation of legislation that affects the rights of relative caregivers.
Sharon Olson | Kinship Caregiver Award
Mr. Hinson has been a foster parent since 1998. His journey began caring for youth after searching for a foster parent willing and able to support a young man living with HIV. Mr. Hinson has embraced the goal of reducing the number of children in foster care. He has taken the “do whatever is necessary” approach in supporting Hampton, Virginia’s philosophy that no children should be raised in group homes or treatment centers.
This approach has resulted in reducing the number of foster youth living in group homes from 250 to less than 50. Mr. Hinson also serves on the Virginia State Leadership Advisory Team and has become a resource to parents as their children return home. He also is a trainer and mentor to new foster parents, offering support and advice to all who ask.
Although Mr. Hinson acts as a father to many, he supports them connecting and living with their families even as they move toward adulthood. Mr. Hinson is an active member of his community having served as a leader in Kiwanis, the Arc and the Hampton Special Education Advisory Board.
Mark Hinson | Foster/Adoptive Parent Award
Ms. Metivier is not only an advocate for foster care reform, but also a foster parent to teenage girls. She is also the coordinator of Facing Foster Care in Alaska (FFCA), working to amplify the voices of foster youth and alumni to raise awareness in the community, build political will and promote positive changes in the child welfare system. Under Ms. Metivier’s leadership, FFCA has now become a 501(3)c non-profit organization. Ms. Metivier led past efforts to deliver legislative testimony that resulted in passage of a bill extending foster care to age 21 and allowing youth to re-enter care. In 2012, she did the same with a bill that restricts the use of Another Planned Permanent Living Arrangement (APPLA) as a permanency goal, proposes a presumption that siblings are placed together, allows for variances of building codes in rural communities so more foster homes can get licensed, and amends the previous re-entry law to allow more youth to return to care if needed. Ms. Metivier also organized foster youth and alumni to present to legislators about foster care issues facing Alaska Native Youth. Ms. Metivier recently received a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Alaska Anchorage.
Amanda Metivier | Alumni Award
Mr. Sanchez’s motivation stems from his desire to have his three children live with him on a permanent basis and for them to stay together. While his children were in the foster care system, he participated in all services, exceeded expectations when completing tasks, maintained communication and partnered with service providers. Mr. Sanchez went above and beyond in terms of providing a loving, caring and structured home for his children who are now thriving in his care.
Through his devotion to his children, partnering abilities, commitment to his own recovery, support of cultural diversity, and contributions to promoting communities of hope and prevention, he sets a positive example for others. Mr. Sanchez is currently a volunteer sponsor for other fathers going through the same process he did through drug court. Mr. Sanchez believes that helping others is a part of his responsibility to his community.
Ramiro Sanchez | Birth Father Award
Ms. Blocker is a Family Partner who encourages parents with children involved in the child welfare system to recognize the positive attributes of their family members. She encourages them to draw strength from the positive attributes as they work with the child welfare system. Through her own experience with the child welfare system, Ms. Blocker knows what it feels like to be a parent going through an investigation without any support. Being a Family Partner has become a personal mission for Ms. Blocker. She strives to provide parents with the type of support that she wanted and needed. Ms. Blocker’s greatest strength as a Family Partner is the passion that she brings when advocating for a family. Ms. Blocker’s work for children and their families does not stop at being a Family Partner. For the past two years, she has also worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant for families who have children with disabilities. Those who know her say that Ms. Blocker is a role model for them all. Despite the trials she has experienced, she continues to move forward with a smile on her face and a heart full of love for others. Her resiliency is a beacon of hope for anyone who is experiencing difficult times in their life.
Antinette Blocker | Birth Mother Award
Michael Nash, the current Presiding Judge of the Los Angeles Juvenile Court, was appointed to the Los Angeles Municipal Court in 1985. Elevated to the Superior Court in December 1989, Judge Nash was assigned to the Juvenile Dependency Court the following year. Since 1995, he has served as either Supervising Judge of the Juvenile Dependency Court or Presiding Judge of the entire Juvenile Court. Nationally, Judge Nash is a former president of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges and is a member of the Board of Fellows of the National Center for Juvenile Justice. Judge Nash has improved the well-being of and permanency for children in the Los Angeles County child welfare system through his efforts to reduce the number of children in congregate care and their length of stay; increase and improve oversight of children receiving psychotropic medication; and the creation of Adoption Saturday.
Judge Michael Nash | Leadership Award
Marc Cherna has served as Director of the Allegheny County Department of Human Services (DHS) for over 17 years. He has implemented system-wide changes that have resulted in significant improvement in outcomes for vulnerable children and families. Director Cherna has lead Allegheny County DHS to achieve improved outcomes over the past three years. Under his leadership, DHS safely reduced the number of children in out of home care by 48 percent between 2005 and 2013. Exits to permanency and reunification have increased. Of all children who exited care in Allegheny County in 2012, over 80 percent of children exited to permanency, including 72 percent of those exiting to reunification. Director Cherna began his career in human services as a youth worker over 40 years ago. He has extensive experience in the field, including 13 years as an Assistant Director with the New Jersey Department of Human Services.
Marc Cherna | Leadership Award
For nearly 30 years, Dr. Allison Blake has been working on behalf of children and families. She served for 18 years at the formerly named New Jersey Division of Youth and Family Services, where she worked in direct service and administrative positions. Dr. Allison Blake was appointed Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Children and Families (DCF) in 2010. As commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Children and Families, she has led the development of the blueprint for the state’s child welfare system with an emphasis of working in partnership with NJ’s communities to help ensure the safety, wellbeing, and success of NJ’s children and families. Between 2005 and 2012 New Jersey DCF has safely reduced the number of children in care by 41.1 percent. During the same seven year span, exits to permanency increased. Dr. Blake and her staff continually review both the data and their practice to safely keep children at home and find timely permanency.
Dr. Allison Blake | Leadership Award
Reggie Bicha was appointed the Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Human Services in 2011. He has extensive experience working on child welfare, education, employment and health issues at the county, state and national levels. Director Bicha has helped to lead a 33 percent safe reduction of the number of children in foster care in Colorado between 2005 and 2013. During that time, Colorado also maintained an approximate rate of 85 percent of children in care exiting to permanency. The number of children achieving permanency in Colorado is 50 percent, 10 percent above the national average, and the percentage of children who do not experience maltreatment within six months is 93 percent. When Director Bicha assumed leadership, the state child welfare system was in considerable flux. Director Bicha’s steady leadership has enabled a practice model to take shape, the implementation of a Title IV-E waiver and a strong partnership with counties to emerge.
Reggie Bicha | Leadership Award
A decade ago, Linette Kinchen founded the GRANDFamilies Program of Chicago, an organization whose mission is to improve the quality of life for grandparents raising their grandchildren. Since then, the organization has served over 2,000 kinship families. In addition to her involvement with state policy makers, Ms. Kinchen advises the Illinois State Department of Aging on kinship related issues. Ms. Kinchen has served as one of the state’s coordinators for three national “Grand Rallies” in Washington, D.C. Her involvement with LEGACY intergenerational housing led to a national educational convening for all Housing and Urban Development employees about kinship care providers and their housing needs.
Linette Kinchen | Kinship Caregiver Award
In 2000, Michelle Burnette started a Resource Parent Association in California, Md. In 2005, she helped form the statewide Resource Parent Association and has served on its board since its inception. She has also served on the National Foster Parent Association’s board of directors since 2008 and she currently is the chairperson for the annual educational conference for Resource Parents. Three years ago, Ms. Burnette developed the nation’s first non-traditional Parent Teacher Association for Resource Parents. Ms. Burnette has represented the National Foster Parent Association in congressional hearings, authored several publications and has spoken on National Public Radio (NPR) regarding foster care.
Michelle Burnette | Foster/Adoptive Parent Award
An alumnus of foster care, Reverend Darrell Armstrong has worked tirelessly to strengthen families by addressing issues that impact their physical, mental and spiritual health and well-being. In 2009, Rev. Armstrong founded the Institute for Clergy Training which is dedicated to helping clergy of all faiths understand family engagement programs that strengthen overall family functioning. He has been a keynote speaker at numerous national conferences including CWLA, Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems and the Center for the Study of Social Policy’s Strengthening Families Summit. The author of three books, Rev. Armstrong has earned a post-master’s Educational Specialist (ED.S.) degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from the College of New Jersey and has pastored the historic Shiloh Baptist Church of Trenton, N.J. for the last 14 years. The impact of Rev. Armstrong’s work is significant. Today, he is considered a national and international leader and has made many lasting contributions on issues pertaining to child welfare, child displacement and family strengthening, particularly on foster and kinship care.
Darrell Armstrong | Alumni Award
Nancy Vivoda is a mother of five children between the ages of 10 – 19. Ms. Vivoda overcame the obstacle of having all five of her children removed and placed into foster care and is now a respected and accomplished parent advocate in Detroit. She was the first birth parent in her county to work as a Parent Partner for the Association for Children’s Mental Health. She was recruited to work as a family advocate at the Detroit Center for Family Advocacy where she continues to work today. She is a national consultant and trainer for the National Resource Center for Permanency and Family Connections. Since 2007, Ms. Vivoda has been engaged with Casey Family Programs’ birth parent work. Currently, she is a member of the Casey Family Programs Birth Parent Advisory Committee and is a founding member of the Birth Parent National Network.
Nancy Vivoda | Birth Mother Award
Mr. Luciano is involved with Paternal Opportunities Programs and Services, known as POPS, an advocacy group that encourages fathers to become engaged in their children’s lives while the children are involved with San Diego’s child welfare system. Additionally, POPS advocates for fathers with child support, custody and visitation and co-parenting issues. Mr. Luciano has been an advisory committee member with the Casey Family Programs Birth Parent Transition and Implementation Committee and currently serves on the Birth Parent Advisory Committee. He recently earned his master’s in social work and has been hired as a social worker with the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency.
Eric Luciano | Birth Father Award
The Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe has been a prominent leader in the move toward tribal access of direct federal funding of child welfare in the U.S. Port Gamble achieved this milestone in far less time than the usual two-year planning process. The Tribe successfully operates tribal child support, tribal assistance for needy families, tribal Head Start and a nurse home visiting program. Port Gamble also recently became the first tribe to obtain approval of their application for a federal IV-E funds waiver, which will give them more financial flexibility to provide culturally appropriate services that preserve and strengthen youth and families.
Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe | Leadership Award
The three-person leadership team for child welfare of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes brings a deep understanding and collaboration to their advocacy for tribal sovereignty and self-determination, enhancing opportunities for Indian children in Montana to know who they are and have a lifelong connection to their tribes, family, history and language. The team has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to complying with the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978, and to strengthening practice, and improving outcomes for vulnerable tribal children and families. The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes — the first tribes to implement their own foster care program under a federal waiver program — have been at the forefront of the nation building movement among federally recognized tribes in the United States. They oversee 19 separately funded programs on the reservation and administer and manage their own child welfare programs.
Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes | Leadership Award
Joette Katz, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Children and Families, is a strong leader who has consistently delivered results by improving the safety, permanency and well-being of vulnerable children. She has supported efforts to connect at-risk families with services to prevent maltreatment and safely reduce the need for foster care. During her four-year tenure, Commissioner Katz has implemented a deeper focus on finding permanent homes for children in care and broadened the focus on wellbeing to include educational achievement, increased visitation with siblings and life skills for adolescents. Under her leadership, the department has shown a strong increase in the number of children placed with relative caregivers, a substantial decrease in the number of children placed in out-of-state care and in congregate, or group, care. She has worked to implement a family-focused practice model in which families are listened to, treated with respect and seen as the solution rather than the problem.
Joette Katz | Leadership Award
Judge Essrig serves as Administrative Judge of the Unified Family Court/Juvenile Dependency in Hillsborough County, Florida and demonstrates her commitment to children and families through her caring and engaging courtroom manner. She chairs a local cross-system project, the Safe Reduction Workgroup, a data-driven effort to transform the Hillsborough County child protection system from reactive and siloed to proactive and united. At the statewide level, Judge Essrig chairs the Dependency Court Improvement Panel and is a member of the Florida Supreme Court Steering Committee on Children and Families in the Courts. Judge Essrig speaks to national groups regularly and is a proponent of federal child welfare finance reform.
Judge Katherine G. Essrig | Leadership Award
Judge Jay Dugger, chief judge of Hampton (Virginia) Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court, has been a leader in juvenile justice and foster care issues for over a decade. As the lead judge for Hampton’s Best Practice Initiative, he has worked to improve the legal system’s approach to dealing with abused and neglected children. Judge Dugger was a collaborative leader in the creation of Hampton’s Family Stabilization Program, which offers services to help support families whose children are at risk of removal for behavioral or delinquency issues. He was also instrumental in developing Hampton’s Child Dependency Mediation Program, the Safe Harbor for Kids Visitation Center and mental health screening and truancy initiatives. Judge Dugger has led and supported numerous other collaborative programs related to abused and neglected children, juvenile justice and child support.
Judge Jay Dugger | Leadership Award
Recently appointed as deputy mayor for District of Columbia Health and Human Serivces, Brenda Donald previously directed the Child and Family Services Agency with strong leadership and vision, and a track record of accelerated reform, performance improvement and achievement. During her tenure as director, the agency consistently delivered positive outcomes for the District’s children, youth and families, including safely reducing the number of children in foster care, providing alternative services for families who need support, and placing a higher number of children who need homes with relatives. Ms. Donald conceived and implemented the “Four Pillars” model for D.C.’s child welfare system, to engage private partners and advocates to help protect and support children and families. She has worked to rapidly transform child welfare practice in the District, infusing it with the best practices and innovations that support positive outcomes. Held in high esteem by her colleagues, Ms. Donald is a role model for her national peers.
Brenda Donald | Leadership Award
Theodore Dallas, secretary of the Maryland Department of Human Services, has consistently championed new ideas and innovations in Maryland that have contributed to dramatically and safely reducing the number of children in out-of-home care. Over six years ago, Maryland created its Place Matters Initiative with the goal of safely reducing the need for foster care and to provide more services to children in their own homes. This ambitious effort included a reorientation of the state’s child welfare practice and policies, and a strong focus on family engagement and reaching families when their challenges are not significant enough to require out-of-home placement of their children. Secretary Dallas collaborated with lawmakers to pass what would become the state’s first legislation to provide supports and services to low-risk families in their own homes and communities. Across Maryland, almost every county’s numbers of children in out-of-home care are far below where they were five years ago.
Theodore Dallas | Leadership Award
Timothy Phipps is a single father and advocate from Portland, Oregon, who successfully turned around his alcohol and drug addiction and domestic violence issues to provide a safe and healthy environment for his 12 year-old daughter. After his experience in a parent support group and numerous classes in parenting, anger management and healthy relationships, Mr. Phipps became a parent mentor with Morrison Child and Family Services. He facilitates a support group to help fathers regain custody of their children, if possible, or rebuild healthy, consistent relationships with them. A founding member of the Fathers Advisory Board in Multnomah County, he is also on a subcommittee working to develop a statewide parent leadership team for Oregon’s child welfare system.
Timothy Phipps | Birth Father Award
Sandra Killett, executive director of the Child Welfare Organizing Project, is a tireless champion for New York City families in the child welfare system. A single mother of two boys, her older son was placed in foster care nearly a decade ago due to aggressive behavior problems. Through her strong advocacy, her son was able to successfully reunite with the family and the two have a close relationship. Ms. Killett has educated parents about their rights and reunification processes, and worked to reform child welfare policies through years of advocacy. In addition to her service on numerous boards and committees, Ms. Killett is an engaging public speaker who promotes the value of parent voices in shaping programs and policies that improve outcomes for families.
Sandra Killett | Birth Mother Award
An alumnus of foster care, Lamar Graham is director of the Heart to Heart Food Pantry for First Community Church. There, he has greatly increased volunteers at the food pantry as well as local business donations. In addition, he has created a welcoming atmosphere – with music, recipes and cooking demonstrations. Mr. Graham has also worked on initiatives to support foster youth in higher education and is a highly regarded and inspiring foster alumni trainer for the Ohio Child Welfare Training Program. In his spare time, Mr. Graham works at a recreation center, organizing basketball and volleyball and movie nights for local youth. He also teaches Sunday school and mentors other youth, including his foster brothers.
Lamar Graham | Alumni Award
Jerry and Sally Ellis have been foster parents for 21 years, helping to raise 20 children in addition to their own children. The Ellis’ heartfelt and enduring commitment has led to many successful outcomes for youth in their home and they work hard to facilitate contact between youth, birth family and siblings. For the past two years, the Ellis family has made their home available for weekly sibling visits between five siblings who were not able to be placed together. They have also provided short-term and respite care to countless youth over the past two decades. Additionally, Mr. and Mrs. Ellis offer guidance to a wide range of foster parents, contribute to a statewide Foster Parent Conference and participate in training and educational opportunities.
Jerry and Sally Ellis | Foster/Adoptive Parent Award
Bobby and Teresa opened their home to Bobby’s 15-year-old, second cousin in 2013, adding to their three own children, including one with special needs. The Colemans welcomed and encouraged a relationship and communication with their foster son’s family. After his biological parents decided the Colemans would better meet his needs, Mr. and Mrs. Coleman became the boy’s guardians. They further welcomed his younger brother into their home as a family member. Viewed as role models by other foster parents, the Colemans are excellent advocates and always seek additional opportunities for growth and life lessons for the youth in their care.
Bobby and Teresa Coleman | Kinship Caregivers Award
Judge Britt Hammond serves as juvenile court judge of the Toombs Judicial Circuit in Georgia. Judge Hammond negotiated and developed the statewide cross-border Interstate Pact for the Placement of Children (ICPC) agreement between Alabama and Georgia. He led unprecedented engagement and collaboration between top-level child welfare and judicial leaders, policymakers and child welfare staff. In the two Alabama and Georgia counties that piloted the joint agreement, more than 70 children were housed safely with relatives across state borders, preventing entries into foster care. As a result of the agreement’s success, Judge Hammond is currently leading development of a similar agreement between Alabama and Tennessee. In addition to being a national expert in ICPC reform, Judge Hammond is a member of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges.
Judge Thomas Brittan Hammond | Leadership Award
Jim Henry is the deputy to the Tennessee governor and chief of staff. He was previously the commissioner for the Department of Children’s Services, and was the first leader of the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Mr. Henry collaborates closely with stakeholders, including judges, local elected officials, foundations, business leaders and the faith community. His vision has resulted in a statewide effort to better address the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences, a reduction in using congregate care, more timely permanency for children who need homes, and a contract to make Tennessee the first state to offer comprehensive services to help foster children who transition out of state custody. Mr. Henry chairs the Appalachian Child Welfare Leaders Workgroup, bringing together child welfare leaders in one of the country’s poorest regions to identify strategies to support families and children. He also served 12 years as a state representative, six of them as minority leader.
James M. Henry | Leadership Award
As executive director of the Utah Department of Human Services, Ann Silverberg Williamson is leading the effort to implement a comprehensive model of care to strengthen the experiences and outcomes for children, families and adults. The evidence-based model encourages individual voices in planning, assesses early risks and strengths, and leverages community partnerships for sustainable results. Under her administration, Utah operates a federal child welfare demonstration project that is reducing foster care placement, child abuse and neglect incidents and long-term social services intervention. Ms. Silverberg Williamson was selected as a 2015 Aspen Institute Ascend Fellow to focus on economic security, educational success and health and well-being for low-income families. She previously served as president and CEO of the Louisiana Association of Nonprofit Organizations and formerly led the Louisiana Department of Social Services.
Ann Silverberg Williamson | Leadership Award
Corey Best is a single father and a local and national advocate for birth parent and family engagement. After successfully overcoming addiction, he developed his parenting skills and now has a strong relationship with his 6-year-old son. As the family engagement manager with the Healthy Start Coalition of Flagler and Volusia Counties in Florida, he trains child welfare staff and helps families develop their parenting and advocacy skills. He also spearheaded a pilot Parent Partner program to help families meet goals and achieve reunification. He serves on the Substance Exposed Newborn Task Force, and the Birth Parent National Network’s Parent Council, ensuring that the voices of parents are heard.
Corey Best | Birth Father Award
Toni Miner is a family advocate in Colorado and the mother of two daughters and a son. She also is the kinship caregiver and legal guardian for two grandchildren. After Toni was involved with the child welfare system, she overcame drug addiction and was reunited with her children. Toni serves as a family support partner for Jefferson County, where she helps other parents involved in the child welfare system advocate for themselves. She is member of the Birth Parent National Network and is developing a Parent Support Partner mentoring program.
Toni Miner | Birth Mother Award
Tracy and Douglas Christensen brought an older foster youth, Joy, into their home in 2014 after Tracy met her while serving as a mentor at a camp for foster youth. The couple advocated for improvements in her medical treatment and helped her establish family connections that she didn’t know existed. The Christensens took Joy to Texas to visit her birth mother, who is disabled and lives in a care facility. And they visited Colorado to meet extended family. They have adopted Joy, and they have spoken at foster parent gatherings and provider meetings about the importance of maintaining biological family connections.
Tracy and Douglas Christensen | Foster/Adoptive Parent Award
An alumna of foster care, Maritza is a social worker, kinship caregiver and dedicated advocate for youth in foster care. Soon after she entered graduate school in 2013, Maritza learned of her nephew’s and nieces’ unstable home situation in Mexico and quickly worked to bring them to Idaho. She became their legal guardian and helped them navigate a new country — all while excelling in Master of Social Work courses, completing an internship and helping the children maintain a relationship with their birth mother. Maritza brings hope to others by mentoring youth in foster care, offering support to refugees resettling in Boise, and sharing her story as a speaker with the American Promise Alliance and the Idaho Drop-Out Summit.
Maritza Lorenzana | Alumni Award
Makani grew up in Hawaii in an adoptive family of six children, including his brother, a female cousin and three other boys. All the children suffered abuse in the home, which continued after the family moved to Arizona. At age 18, Makani courageously took action to protect his siblings and stop the abuse, then made sacrifices to become their caregiver so they would not be separated in the child welfare system. He created a home for the children while he was a full-time student playing on his college football team. His high school sweetheart, Brianna Summers, moved to Arizona, and together they cared for the younger siblings. With assistance from Casey Family Programs, the couple found extended family members who wanted to help. A couple adopted one child, their great-niece. And another couple became parents to two others. Makani and Brianna married in 2014 and adopted the other two children. The Kema-Kaleiwaheas’ efforts, and those of relatives, have had invaluable impact for five vulnerable children.
Makani & Brianna Kema-Kaleiwahea | Kinship Caregivers Award
The Hon. Colleen McNally has served as a Maricopa County Superior Court judge since 2001, presiding over family, dependency, guardianship, adoption and juvenile drug court cases. As Judge McNally began her tenure as presiding judge of Maricopa County Juvenile Court in 2013, the county and the state were experiencing an explosion of their dependency caseloads. Under Judge McNally, Maricopa County initiated a Safe Reduction Workgroup in partnership with the Department of Child Safety to engage multiple systems from three branches of government, private and public entities and community organizations. The county juvenile court designed 10 initiatives aimed at safely expediting permanency. And under her leadership, the Cradles to Crayons court-based initiative aimed at expediting permanency for infants, young children and families has thrived and expanded. As a result of her vision for collaborative systems innovation and the relationships she forged with key stakeholders, Maricopa County’s child welfare system created a unique, wide-reaching, multidisciplinary working partnership that set the table for real improvement and much-needed safe reduction.
Judge Colleen McNally | Leadership Award
The Oglala Sioux Tribe has taken on the important work of preventing youth suicides, declaring a state of emergency to focus on this vital issue. Nationally, suicide is the second leading cause of death for Native American youth ages 15 to 24 years old. After the Pine Ridge, South Dakota, tribe experienced a cluster of youth suicides in 2014 and 2015, more Indian Health Service mental health counselors were made available to young members of the tribe. Tribal leadership testified in 2016 before a House subcommittee about the ongoing need for more funding for mental health services that are culturally appropriate, as well as investment to spark job creation and economic development to provide young people with hope and opportunities. Suicide prevention has been an ongoing effort of the tribe, with programs for youth and college students provided through grants from the federally funded Suicide Prevention Resource Center.
Oglala Sioux Tribe | Leadership Award
The Navajo Nation, led by President Russell Begaye and Vice President Jonathan Nez, responded to a cluster of youth suicides in 2015 by instituting a tribal listening tour and offering resources to those affected by suicide. The tour was part of the Navajo Nation’s Building Communities of Hope Initiative, aimed at raising awareness and preventing suicide. The tour visited every high school across the three-state nation, despite a cultural taboo about discussing suicide. Tribal leaders also declared a week in December and a week in June as Navajo Nation Suicide Prevention Week. Their efforts have included training for all Navajo Nation employees, trauma-informed care and an outreach campaign. In May, the Indian Health Service launched a suicide prevention campaign, “Love Your Life,” in partnership with the Window Rock, Arizona-headquartered Navajo Nation to connect young people to behavioral health care.
Navajo Nation | Leadership Award
Bob Hutchison is a business leader and entrepreneur who has invested his money, time and advocacy into improving community resources and opportunities for youth and families in Eastern Kentucky. He has developed meaningful community relationships and partnerships across a wide spectrum, and connected business leaders to philanthropy and investment in their communities. He has volunteered at and helped lead community organizations that serve vulnerable children and families, including the Christian Appalachian Project. Hutchison and his brother own 14 McDonald’s franchise restaurants in Eastern Kentucky, serving as an important employment base in the community. He has also served as a school board member for more than 20 years and was named Kentucky’s School Board Member of the Year in 2016.
Bob Hutchison | Leadership Award
Building around a strength-based, family-centered philosophy in child welfare leadership, Wendy Rickman is committed to improving outcomes for families in Iowa. She has worked to develop several initiatives aimed at strengthening families and improving outcomes for children, including a system that creates two pathways for handling child abuse and neglect allegations. She has also led the creation of Iowa’s nationally recognized children’s mental health and well-being community learning labs. Over the past five years, Iowa has experienced an overall reduction of 6 percent in the number of children in foster care. Rickman has worked for the Department of Human Services since 1987 and is a licensed social worker.
Wendy Rickman | Leadership Award
Kimberly Mays, who helped launch the Parents for Parents program for King County Juvenile Court in Seattle, is a strong and determined parent advocate, speaker and mother of 10 with a powerful story of recovery and reunification. Mays was involved with child protective services and the dependency court system several times over 17 years. She lost parental rights to nine of her children but was able to overcome substance abuse issues and be reunified with her youngest daughter. Through good fortune and hard work, Mays also re-established relationships with eight of the nine children who were adopted and has earned the trust of their adoptive families. Currently working as a social service worker with the State Office of Public Defense, Mays is a parent advocate who serves on numerous committees, including the Washington State Parent Advocacy Committee. She works closely with parents involved in the child welfare system and has frequently testified at the state legislature.
Kimberly Mays | Birth Mother Award
Michael Huesca, a father advocate and domestic violence counselor, has helped more than 1,000 victims of domestic violence over 12 years. He helped start Paternal Opportunities Programs and Services (POPS) in San Diego, helping fathers interested in reunifying with their children. As executive director, he has expanded the work to support mothers hoping to reunify and ensure that the best interests of the children are met. Mr. Huesca became a single father after his mentally ill partner was unable to care for the children, leaving him to care for their son and her two children from a previous relationship. Huesca conducts training for child welfare workers on how best to engage fathers in child welfare case plans. A member of the Birth Parent National Network, he was the recipient of the 2016 Reunification Hero Award from the American Bar Association.
Michael Huesca | Birth Father Award
Lou Ann and Jonathan Hawes have been dedicated volunteers and advocates with Grandparents Raising Grandchildren of Brevard County, Florida, Inc., for more than six years. The couple adopted their 5-year-old granddaughter after she entered foster care following her father’s death. They help advocate for relative caregivers and their families to receive needed support, and build bridges with community providers and support programs. Lou Ann wrote grants to secure legal assistance for guardianships and creates a monthly newsletter and brochures for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. She also served on a panel at a Grandparents Day celebration at the White House, sharing ways to strengthen intergenerational relationships. Jonathan developed a webpage and provides technical support for the organization.
Lou Ann and Jonathan Hawes | Kinship Caregivers Award
Teri Hrabovsky is a tireless advocate, foster and adoptive parent, and community leader. Since she and her husband, Brian, were certified as foster/adoptive parents by the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) in the greater New Orleans region in 2007, they have fostered more than 50 children and have adopted a son and a daughter, in addition to raising three biological daughters. Hrabovsky is president of the foster parent association NOLA Hope, which provides support and training to foster parents, items to children in foster care and assistance to families reuniting. A knowledgeable trainer for Model Approach to Positive Parenting (MAPP) classes, she and her husband also started OneHeart NOLA, a nonprofit that provides toys and snacks at the DCFS office for children. Hrabovsky serves on several state committees, including the Quality Parenting Initiative, and as an advisory board member to the Governor’s transition team on foster care and adoption issues.
Teri Hrabovsky | Foster/Adoptive Parent Award
Alaska Representative Les Gara has built on his own experience in foster care to advocate successfully for young people in state care. He entered foster care at age 6 in New York when his father died, and he remained in care until he turned 18. Gara graduated magna cum laude from Boston University and graduated with honors from Harvard Law School. His law career included serving as Alaska assistant attorney general on the Exxon Valdez oil spill litigation. Serving in the Alaska House since 2003, Gara has been instrumental in achieving increased funding for child welfare and foster care services. In 2016, he wrote and co-sponsored legislation that passed unanimously to prioritize kinship placements before foster care, emphasize permanency and ensure school stability for youth in care. He started Laptops for Foster Youth and Alaska’s mentorship program for foster youth, which is now a state-supported program. He has also improved funding for shelters, meets frequently with youth in care and has employed foster care alumni in his office.
Rep. Les Gara | Alumni Award
Ruth Kagi, a member of the Washington state House of Representatives since 1999, is hailed as one of the most effective and influential advocates for children, youth and families in the state. Her legislative agenda focuses on improving the quality of early learning and child care, and improving foster care. She currently chairs the House Early Learning and Human Services Committee and was a prime sponsor of far-reaching legislation passed in 2017 to restructure the state child welfare system, creating a new Department of Children, Youth and Families. That change was among other new laws and funding approved last year to reform child welfare programs and better support foster parents. She is a member of the House Appropriations Committee, where she has championed a broad array of budget items, including supports for child welfare caseworkers and foster families. Representative Kagi is a past chair of the National Conference of State Legislatures’ Human Services Committee.
Rep. Ruth Kagi | Leadership Award
Greg McKay, director of Arizona’s Department of Child Safety since 2015, has presided over a system transformation. Facing an investigations backlog of more than 16,000 cases, the department introduced a “lean-inspired” management system that has empowered teams to track weekly progress, quickly shift resources, measure results and ultimately eliminate the backlog. Under his leadership, the number of children in foster care in Arizona has been safely reduced by nearly 20 percent. The reduction of children in care is the result of reduced investigative and ongoing caseloads, allowing for more time to engage families and successfully manage safety risks. A former detective specializing in crimes against children and homicide, Mr. McKay has brought his experience to bear in child welfare by helping his team understand the importance of teamwork and camaraderie while serving the mission of helping all of Arizona’s children achieve safety so they can grow and thrive.
Gregory McKay | Leadership Award
Jami Ledoux became director of the Oklahoma Department of Human Services’ Child Welfare Services division in 2014 at a tumultuous time for the agency. Under her leadership, the state was able to safely and substantially reduce entries into foster care, which had risen nearly 50 percent over four years. Partnering with Casey Family Programs, Ms. Ledoux developed the multi-faceted “Sooner Sentinel Sites Initiative,” which is addressing a number of system issues including: enhanced training for staff and resource parents; improved outreach to lawmakers, American Indian tribes, the judiciary and the public; and the use of data to demonstrate how policy and practice changes can move children more quickly to permanency.
Jamie Ledoux | Leadership Award
Judge Andy Hosmer is juvenile judge in the 31st Judicial Circuit Court of Missouri (Greene County). In his time on the bench, he has instituted a series of major reforms including: prioritizing slow-moving and high-needs cases; launching a court specifically for older youth in foster care; and establishing a residential placement review hearing process. His case management and assignment systems ensure that children in foster care are on quicker paths to permanency and experience shorter lengths of stay. Judge Hosmer’s “T-N-T” (Teens in Transition) court is a voluntary docket that engages the community to help older youth in foster care pursue their educational goals and secure career-track jobs. His purpose in establishing residential placement review hearings was to create a process for safely moving children out of residential care.
Judge Andy Hosmer | Leadership Award
Robin Whiting has adopted five children and fostered more than 30, most of them needing extensive medical care. A trained emergency medical technician, neonatal nurse and the first female firefighter in Brevard County, Fla., she helped launch the county’s Medical Foster Care Program, which helps foster parents care for medically fragile children. While serving as a medical foster care coordinator in 2004, Ms. Whiting met Robie, an 11-month-old boy whom doctors said would never walk, talk or thrive. Ms. Whiting adopted Robie, and today he walks, talks, rides horses, swims, kayaks and is the very picture of happiness. Since welcoming Robie into her family, Ms. Whiting has adopted three of Robie’s biological sisters and a 2-year-old girl with a history of three open-heart surgeries.
Robin Whiting | Foster/Adoptive Parent Award
Lynn Urvina is a kinship navigator for the nonprofit Family Education and Support Services. She provides practical and emotional support to caregivers who, like her, are raising grandchildren. She helps kinship caregivers traverse court systems, work with Child Protective Services and advocate on behalf of the children. She also links them to benefits and services they need to raise children successfully. In addition, Ms. Urvina facilitates the Washington state Kinship Caregiver Support Program in her local area. She and her husband began raising her granddaughter, Tara, when the child was 11 months old. It was not always easy and Ms. Urvina sought help by attending a kinship support group. One evening, a local kinship navigator made a presentation to the group and mentioned that she soon would be leaving the job. Ms. Urvina knew right then that kinship navigation was her calling.
Lynn Urvina | Kinship Caregiver Award
Lupe O. Tovar possesses one of the strongest voices of alumni of foster care in the country. She has been active in Foster Care Alumni of America, founding local chapters in Arizona and Oklahoma, and serving on the national board of directors for 10 years. Working through local and national alumni chapters, she helps to plan and host annual holiday dinners that serve as reunions at a time when many young alumni struggle with finding a place to connect. Ms. Tovar has helped push for critical child welfare reforms on the federal level. She has participated in Capitol Hill briefings, testified before congressional committees and attended the 2011 Oval Office signing of the Child and Family Services Improvement and Innovation Act. In 2015, the White House recognized her as a Foster Care Youth Champion of Change.
Lupe O. Tovar | Alumni Award
Alise Hegle is a compassionate ally and forceful advocate for birth parents. As a peer mentor for Washington state’s Parents to Parents Program, she uses her own life lessons to engender hope in families involved in the dependency system. She works for Children’s Home Society of Washington, where she makes sure the birth parent perspective is reflected in state and local policy, practice and system reforms in child welfare. Ms. Hegle’s daughter was removed at birth due to her struggles with substance abuse and a pending prison sentence. As part of her sentencing, however, Ms. Hegle participated in a treatment program and reunified the following year with her daughter, now nearly 9. Ms. Hegle shares her story of reunification not only to inspire birth parents, but also to educate state and federal policymakers about systemic barriers that impede families from thriving.
Alise Hegle | Birth Mother Award
Rosalio Chavoya works as a mentor parent with Dependency Advocacy Center, a nonprofit that provides free legal services to parents involved in Santa Clara County’s child welfare system, including many who seek reunifications with their children. The center had represented Mr. Chavoya through his own successful family reunification. He had entered the juvenile dependency system with a history of substance abuse, crime and gang activity — including time spent incarcerated. As a provider of peer-to-peer support, Mr. Chavoya relates especially well to fathers re-entering society after incarceration. His guidance has led to many successful reunifications between fathers and children in Santa Clara County. Mr. Chavoya also provides leadership through committees, trainings and presentations within the child welfare arena, working alongside judges, attorneys, social workers and a variety of community stakeholders.
Rosalio Chavoya | Birth Father Award
Lisa Opoku, chief operating officer for the engineering organization at Goldman Sachs, and David Hansell, commissioner of the New York City Administration for Children’s Services, have played integral roles in the Fostering College Success Mentoring Program. The program is a public-private partnership among the New York City Administration for Children’s Services, Goldman Sachs and Casey Family Programs, and aims to build a better tomorrow for young adults in foster care. The program pairs students from foster care with Goldman Sachs employees in a meaningful mentoring relationship with the goal of helping them graduate from college and secure employment, and providing guidance in their transition to adulthood. Goldman Sachs mentors receive training on the unique experiences and challenges facing foster youth. Students in the program have provided firsthand feedback about the incredible support they have received.
Lisa Opoku and David Hansell | Leadership Award
The Hon. Ernestine Steward Gray has been serving as judge of Orleans Parish Juvenile Court since 1984. She is a member of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges and a past president of the Louisiana Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges. Judge Gray has also been on the National CASA Association Board of Trustees since 2001 (CASA stands for court-appointed special advocate) and she has authored several publications on child welfare, adoption and parental substance abuse. In January 2018, Judge Gray was named the recipient of the American Bar Foundation Outstanding Service Award. She currently serves as president of the Pelican Center for Children and Families, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of legal representation for children and providing interdisciplinary training and education to child welfare practitioners. Gray regularly appears before the state legislature to speak and provide information on issues relating to youth in both the child welfare and juvenile justice systems.
Judge Ernestine Steward Gray | Leadership Award
Mischa Martin became director of the Arkansas Department of Human Services’ Division of Children and Family Services in 2016. Her leadership has caused a paradigm shift in the Arkansas child welfare system. In the last two years, Arkansas has significantly reduced the number of children who remain in shelters longer than 10 days. The number of children 12 and under in group homes has also been dramatically reduced. Ms. Martin has inspired, coached and increased accountability not only for reaching outcomes but also for sharing ideas and strategies. As a result, in the last 18 months, the number of overdue investigations decreased from 1,627 to 59. In addition, Arkansas has seen a reduction of more than 700 children in foster care in the last year. Ms. Martin is not only changing the culture of the child welfare agency, but also educating the judiciary and legislature on best practices that reduce trauma and keep children safely with parents whenever possible.
Mischa Martin | Leadership Award
Raven Sigure is a passionate parent advocate and new member of Casey’s Birth Parent Advisory Committee. A mother of five, her children were removed and placed in kinship care due to substance abuse issues and difficulty parenting. Ms. Sigure made the difficult decision to enter an inpatient treatment program, and eventually she was able to reunify with her children. She now works as a parent partner with Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services, providing support to parents in the system. In May 2018, she was a powerful messenger at Casey Family Programs’ Family First Prevention Services Act press briefing in Washington, D.C., sharing her compelling story and her hopes for positive reform due to Family First. Today, she frequently speaks with policymakers on Capitol Hill and is a nationally recognized parent advocate who is dedicated to strengthening families to prevent child maltreatment.
Raven Sigure | Birth Mother Award
Jeremiah Donier is a nationally recognized expert in father engagement and a dedicated advocate for strengthening families to prevent child maltreatment. He has provided leadership on numerous child welfare education and advocacy efforts, including the Developing Advocacy for Dads Coalition, the Birth Parent National Network Parent Council, and Casey Family Programs’ Birth Parent Advisory Committee and Birth and Foster Parent Partnership. In 2012, he and his wife were named the first reunification heroes by the American Bar Association Center on Children and the Law. Shortly after becoming a dad, Mr. Donier struggled with mental health challenges and abuse allegations. He became involved with child welfare and his child was placed in foster care. For the next 18 months, he and his family participated in wraparound and therapy services, and through hard work and effort, his family was able to successfully reunite.
Jeremiah Donier | Birth Father Award
When Jan Wagner unexpectedly became the primary caregiver for her grandson, she worked with his school to secure training for school professionals on the impact of trauma on children and how to provide trauma-informed care. She has facilitated a kinship caregiver support group for more than five years and is the chair of the Michigan Kinship Coalition. In 2014, she was awarded the National Foster Parent Association‘s Advocate of the Year Award, and she is a member of Generations United’s Grandfamilies Advocacy Network Demonstration, which informs policies and practices affecting grandfamilies. She has also participated in numerous Casey Family Programs events, including the Family First Prevention Services Act press briefing in May 2018. Ms. Wagner’s goal in her advocacy is to reduce the confusion and stress placed on kinship families, and she believes that if kinship caregivers are given the help and resources they need, they can provide their children with the future they deserve.
Jan Wagner | Kinship Caregiver Award
Many Native American children who live on reservations in rural areas of Utah are unable to stay in their communities due to lack of foster homes, but Stephanie Benally is committed to changing that. Ms. Benally serves as the Native American Specialist for Utah Foster Care and works to educate state child welfare workers, judges, attorneys and guardians ad litem on the importance of placing Native American children in kinship placements to ensure they have a connection to their families and culture. This is in keeping with the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA). She was also a stakeholder on the Utah recruitment team’s Casey National ICWA Placement Recruitment & Retention Project, where she led the development of Utah’s first statewide Native American foster care recruitment plan. With the assistance of her extended family, Ms. Benally and her husband have taught their children the Navajo language, their cultural value systems and traditional Navajo ways.
Stephanie Benally | Foster/Adoptive Advocate Award
Drawing on her own experience as a child in foster care, Brittney Barros’ advocacy and work have had a lasting impact on homeless youth, children in foster care and the systems that support them. As a peer outreach worker for Ozone House, Ms. Barros recruited more than 2,000 youth to emergency shelters, therapy and life skills groups. She also interned for Sen. Gary Peters, where she worked on child welfare issues and briefed Congress and the White House on sibling separation. In May 2018, Ms. Barros provided personal testimony at the Casey Family Programs Family First Prevention Services Act press briefing in Washington, D.C. In addition, as a peer leader with the Michigan Youth Opportunity Initiative, Ms. Barros trains other youth in life skills to better prepare them for adulthood. Her long-term goals include becoming a foster care worker and parent as well as running for Congress.
Brittney Barros | Alumni Award
Janis Avery has led Treehouse since 1995. The organization provides education and enrichment services to more than 8,000 Washington state youth in foster care. Under her leadership as CEO, Treehouse launched its Graduation Success program in 2012 to improve high school graduation rates in King County, expanding to more than 200 schools throughout nine counties statewide. Ms. Avery served on the Washington State Board of Education, promoting racial equity and advocating for youth in care and other marginalized populations. She has been awarded the Executive Director of the Year from the Executive Alliance, The Evergreen Award from the Alliance for Nonprofits Washington, and the Brava! Award from the Women’s University Club. Her commitment is not only professional, it is also personal: more than 20 years ago she and her wife adopted two children from foster care.
Janis Avery | Leadership Award
Edwin Daye is a father who is raising his teenage son, Patron, and nine other children with his girlfriend. The couple adopted his niece and nephew and plan to adopt more family members. Mr. Daye is employed as a parent partner with Children and Families of Iowa. In his younger years, he served prison time due to gang involvement and substance abuse. Upon release, he learned that he had a newborn son addicted to drugs who was to be placed in foster care. He gained custody of his son in less than a year by working two jobs and completing a case plan, which included substance abuse treatment, Narcotics Anonymous meetings, counseling, court hearings, parenting classes and regular visitations. He established “Patron’s House” in 2012 to provide single fathers with support while working to regain custody of their children. The program offers housing, visitation assistance and employment counseling, as well as support during court hearings. He shares his story with other fathers to encourage and provide them with hope.
Edwin Daye | Birth Father Award
Brejea “Bre” Colthirst is a mother of three sons and a grandmother of one grandson. She successfully navigated the child welfare system and was reunited with her son Love in 2008, which led her to become a parent advocate for A Better Way Inc., helping families in the child welfare system. She was recruited by the East Bay Family Defenders for a newly created position as the founding senior defense parent advocate. Ms. Colthirst has been an active parent leader with Casey Family Programs’ Multidisciplinary Teams Program and on Casey’s Birth Parent Advisory Committee. She plays a major role in helping to expand parent voices in child welfare systems reform by raising awareness about the importance of strengthening and supporting families nationwide through parent advocacy programs and linking them to community resources.
Brejea "Bre" Colthirst | Birth Mother Award
Victoria Gray has many years of experience as a grandparent raising her grandchildren and as a licensed foster parent. She and her husband have cared for 41 children as foster parents and have been raising their seven grandchildren since 2007. Most recently, Mrs. Gray founded the nonprofit GreyNickel, Inc., which aids kinship families during the critical first days of a new placement. Through the nonprofit, she conducts home visits with new kinship families immediately after children come into their care. She serves as a steering committee member with the Arizona Grandparent Ambassadors (AZGA). As a member of AZGA, Mrs. Gray was instrumental in the passage of a 2016 Arizona bill that overturned the “grandmother penalty,” which prohibited kinship families from qualifying for Arizona’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. In 2017 she received the Brookdale Foundation Grandfamilies Award from Generations United to honor her work on behalf of these families. In 2019 she received a special commendation from the first lady of Arizona for her work helping kinship families.
Victoria Gray | Kinship Caregiver Award
Mel Lambert has been a resource to children in foster care for more than a decade, beginning as a visiting resource and mentor through the Big Brother/Big Sister program, then launching a therapeutic program that brought ponies to foster group homes throughout Massachusetts and ultimately becoming a foster parent herself. In 2015, she opened Sunshine Farm Sanctuary, whose mission is to help heal children who have experienced trauma and are in the state’s foster care system. Each week, 80 to 100 children visit the farm. She continues a close relationship with each child even after they are no longer in the foster care system and says they are always welcome back at the farm no matter where their journey may take them. Ms. Lambert also has served as a resource for people throughout the United States asking for help to start their own therapeutic program for children in care.
Mel Lambert | Foster/Adoptive Parent Award
Victor Sims grew up in Florida’s foster care system without the stability of a permanent home and supportive family. Mr. Sims works as a program supervisor at SailFuture in St. Petersburg, Florida, and is active as an advocate for children in foster care. From his work helping to improve children’s experiences when they are removed from their parents to his TEDx Talk on the importance of social capital for youth in care, Mr. Sims is focused on bringing about positive changes to the foster care system. In addition to serving on the National Foster Youth and Alumni Policy Council and the Center for Social Policy, he has met with legislators in support of the Family First Prevention Services Act. In June 2019, he was recognized by the American Bar Association as a Reunification Hero. Mr. Sims shares his experiences to ensure that children have a chance for reunification and beyond.
Victor Sims | Alumni Award
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Lillian Koller
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Isabel Blanco
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Maura Corrigan
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Leadership
Debra Zanders-Willis
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Nancy Buckner
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Leadership
Duke Endowment
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Leadership
Open Society Foundations
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Sleep Country USA
and Sleep Train
The Duke Endowment has a long history of improving safety and the well-being of children and families. Duke Endowment programs such as Family Finding improve permanency and well-being outcomes for youth by connecting them to extended family. Another program, the Child-Centered Recruitment program, empowers hard-to-place youth and siblings in their own adoption process and has shown promising results to improve permanency. The Duke Endowment has made a robust effort to expand the use of the most efficient programs that work to strengthen families and keep children safely in their homes, thereby preventing the need for out-of-home foster care.
The Duke Endowment
Open Society Foundations has raised public awareness of issues facing children and youth in foster care. Open Society Foundations’ work has moved politicians to take action – such as passage of the 2008 Fostering Connections Act, which gives children more rights to stay in their same school and provides services and medical care to foster youth beyond the age of 18. Open Society Foundations has also made grants to build a facility for homeless foster youth in the Baltimore, Maryland, area, and to the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation, which has a long history of supporting youth in foster care.
Open Society Foundations
Sleep Country USA and Sleep Train
For over 20 years, Sleep Country USA and Sleep Train have helped children and youth in foster care. Through its Foster Kids programs, drives to collect clothing, coats and shoes, school supplies, and toys have directly impacted the wellbeing of foster children. Donations raised through its websites and philanthropic annual events including Pajama Bowl and the Charity Golf Classic have benefited more than 40 organizations that serve children and families in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and California. Robust communications campaigns, including advertisements, public relations, and easily accessible data about foster children and the foster care system on its websites raise awareness of the need to support these children and their families.
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Alumni
Jerod Pierce
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Birth Mother
Shana King
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LEadership
Erma Vizenor
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LEadership
Dana Emery
An alumnus of foster care, Jerod Pierce overcame difficult family circumstances, including his mother’s addiction and incarceration and multiple moves, to become a successful student. After being served by Casey Family Programs in Montana and Washington, he graduated cum laude from Seattle University with degrees in business administration and finance, and he completed an internship with investment firm D.A. Davidson, where he was subsequently hired. After working in a number of investment and private equity firms, Mr. Pierce attended Harvard Business School. He recently became founder and managing partner of Olympic Holdings, a Seattle-based holding company that invests in manufacturing businesses. Additionally, Mr. Pierce has encouraged other disadvantaged youth as a speaker with the Year Up program, which provides intensive career training and development to low-income youth.
Jerod Pierce | Alumni Award
As the only parent mentor at the Indian Child Welfare Act Law Center in Minneapolis, Shana King helps more than 200 Native American families, supporting them in court, meeting with social workers and assisting them with case plans. She works toward the center’s mission to strengthen, preserve and reunite Indian families under the framework of the Indian Child Welfare Act. King is also a parent consultant who works under contract with the Minnesota Department of Human Services to teach classes on resiliency and strategic storytelling that help families in the child protection system communicate their situation and wishes. King meets monthly with other parent consultants to discuss needed improvements in the child welfare system.
A member of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, King lived in foster care as a teen. A mother of five, King overcame substance abuse and was successfully reunified with her children. She plans to meet a daughter who was adopted later this summer.
Shana King | Birth Mother Award
As tribal chair of the White Earth Nation for 11 years and secretary-treasurer for six years, Dr. Erma Vizenor was instrumental in developing the tribe’s child welfare and foster care programs and aligning their practices around the Indian Child Welfare Act. She also headed an effort to develop a one-stop shop for children and families needing services and to develop culturally relevant services for families. Additionally, Dr. Vizenor has increased mental health services and the number of nurses on the reservation, which was selected in 2015 as a demonstration site for the Obama Administration’s Rural Impact project to decrease rural poverty and increase opportunities.
Dr. Vizenor also helped create a residential treatment program, a sobriety center for women, a community college and a new school, in addition to developing the first Early Childhood and Family Education program on the reservation. Dr. Vizenor is also the founder of Native Youth Alliance Minnesota, which works to prepare Native youth for a lifetime of choices, through education, research and organizational efforts. She has a master’s degree from the University of Minnesota Moorhead and a doctorate from Harvard University.
Erma Vizenor | Leadership
Dana M. Emery heads Dodge & Cox, a San Francisco-based investment firm with more than $270 billion in assets under management. In addition to sitting on the firm’s investment and business strategy committees, she serves on Dodge & Cox’s Charitable Giving Committee, which is focused on improving educational opportunities for low-income youth. Ms. Emery serves on the national board of directors of Summer Search, a mentoring program that provides long-term coaching and relationships for low-income youth in five cities: San Francisco and the Bay Area, Seattle, New York, Boston and Philadelphia. The program helps connect high school sophomores and juniors with two summer experiences that expand their horizons and build their confidence. In addition to her volunteer board duties, Ms. Emery and her family mentor three teens through another Bay Area organization, Today’s Youth Matter, sponsoring them in private schools, supplementing their education through tutoring and providing family support such as internet access.
Dana Emery | Leadership
Victor Sims | Alumni Award
Mel Lambert | Foster/Adoptive Parent Award
Victoria Gray | Kinship Caregiver Award
Brejea "Bre" Colthirst | Birth Mother Award
Edwin Daye | Birth Father Award
Janis Avery | Leadership Award
2020 Award Recipients
VIDEOS AND BIOS
2020 Award Recipients
VIDEOS AND BIOS
Brittney Barros | Alumni Award
Stephanie Benally | Foster/Adoptive Advocate Award
Jan Wagner | Kinship Caregiver Award
Jeremiah Donier | Birth Father Award
Raven Sigure | Birth Mother Award
Mischa Martin | Leadership Award
Judge Gray | Leadership Award
Lisa Opoku and David Hansell | Leadership Award
2019 Award Recipients
VIDEOS AND BIOS
Rosalio Chavoya | Birth Father Award
Alise Hegle | Birth Mother Award
Lupe O. Tovar | Alumni Award
Lynn Urvina | Kinship Caregiver Award
Robin Whiting | Foster/Adoptive Parent Award
Judge Hosmer | Leadership Award
Jamie Ledoux | Leadership Award
Gregory McKay | Leadership Award
Rep. Ruth Kagi | Leadership Award
2018 Award Recipients
VIDEOS AND BIOS
Rep. Les Gara | Alumni Award
Teri Hrabovsky | Foster/Adoptive Parent Award
Lou Ann and Jonathan | Kinship Caregiver Award
Michael Huesca | Birth Father Award
Kimberly Mays | Birth Mother Award
Wendy Rickman | Leadership Award
Bob Hutchison | Leadership Award
Navajo Nation | Leadership Award
Oglala Sioux Tribe | Leadership Award
Judge McNally | Leadership Award
2017 Award Recipients
VIDEOS AND BIOS
Makani and Brianna | Kinship Caregiver Award
Maritza Lorenzana | Alumni Award
Jerod Pierce | Alumni Award
Tracy and Douglas | Foster/Adoptive Parent Award
Toni Minor | Birth Mother Award
Shana King | Birth Mother Award
Corey Best | Birth Father Award
Erma Vizenor | Leadership Award
Ann Silverberg Williamson | Leadership Award
James M. Henry | Leadership Award
Judge Hammond | Leadership Award
Dana Emery | Leadership Award
2016 Award Recipients
VIDEOS AND BIOS
Bobby and Teresa | Kinship Caregiver Award
Jerry and Sally | Foster/Adoptive Parent Award
Lamar Graham | Alumni Award
Sandra Killet | Birth Mother Award
Timothy Phipps | Birth Father Award
Theodore Dallas | Leadership Award
Brenda Donald | Leadership Award
Judge Dugger | Leadership Award
Judge Essrig | Leadership Award
Joette Katz | Leadership Award
Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes | Leadership Award
Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe | Leadership Award
Center for Native American Youth
Appalachian Regional Commission
2015 Award Recipients
VIDEOS AND BIOS
Eric Luciano | Birth Father Award
Nancy Vivoda | Birth Parent Award
Darrell Armstrong | Alumni Award
Michelle Burnette | Foster/Adoptive Parent Award
Linette Kinchen | Kinship Caregiver Award
Reggie Bicha | Leadership Award
Dr. Allison Blake | Leadership Award
Marc Cherna | Leadership Award
Judge Nash | Leadership Award
National Governors Association (NGA) Center
FosterMore
FosterClub
2014 Award Recipients
VIDEOS AND BIOS
Antinette Blocker | Birth Mother Award
Ramiro Sanchez | Birth Father Award
Amanda Metivier | Alumni Award
Mark Hinson | Foster/Adoptive Parent Award
Sharon Olson | Kinship Caregiver Award
Sleep Country USA and Sleep Train
Open Society Foundations
Duke Endowment
2013 Award Recipients
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2019 Award Recipients
2018 Award Recipients
2017 Award Recipients
2016 Award Recipients
2015 Award Recipients
2014 Award Recipients
2013 Award Recipients
Nominations for 2025
are closed
Nominations for 2025 are closed
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Leadership
National Governors Association (NGA) Center
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Leadership
FosterMore
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Leadership
FosterClub
The National Governors Association was an integral part of convening the Three Branch Institute. This institute is a model for states seeking to work collaboratively across government’s three branches to improve outcomes for children and families. Previous institutes focused on safe foster care reduction strategies and on increasing permanency for older youth. The most recent institute focused on improving child social and emotional well-being.
National Governors Association (NGA) Center
FosterMore is a coalition of not for profit organizations and foundations working to raise awareness of the youth in America’s foster care system. Last year, FosterMore’s message of hope reached millions of people across the United States through television ads, websites, social media and other avenues. This campaign spurred mothers, fathers, grandparents and others to learn more about foster care – and what they could do in their communities to improve the lives of children who experience it.
FosterMore
FosterClub is a national network of young people in foster care who are determined to build a better future for themselves and for other children involved in the child welfare system. They serve as a lead partner working with the Congressional Caucus on Foster Care to organize Shadow Day, a day in which foster youth and alumni “shadow”
their congressional representative for one day. FosterClub has also presented a
series of “lunch-box” sessions for senators, representatives and staff highlighting key foster care issues.
FosterClub
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LEadership
Center for Native American Youth
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LEadership
Appalachian Regional Commission
Founded in 2011, the Center for Native American Youth has developed into a leading voice and advocate for one of the most underserved and under-invested populations in this country – young people of Native American ancestry and culture. The Center, a program of the Aspen Institute, is connecting philanthropies with Native communities to support their efforts to grow opportunities for children and families in Indian Country, including through a well-attended convening with the White House. Through meaningful partnerships with government, communities and academia, the Center has been successful in inspiring youth, elected leaders and all who seek to support the social and physical well-being of Native youth. The Center is creating growing momentum across the United States to improve the lives and futures of Native American children and families.
Center for Native American Youth
The Appalachian Regional Commission is pioneering important work on sustainable community and economic development in Appalachia, spanning the work of federal, state and local governments. The Commission is helping children across the 13 states of Appalachia thrive by providing better educational programs, improved economic and job opportunities, and a stronger regional infrastructure. The Commission funds hundreds of projects that create thousands of new jobs and help lift Appalachian residents out of poverty and into competitive job skills and training. The Commission is also working to address the epidemic of substance abuse by sharing best practices and effective interventions. It has built trusted partnerships among governors in the Appalachian region and with local counties, elected officials and their communities.
Appalachian Regional Commission
The National Governors Association was an integral part of convening the Three Branch Institute. This institute is a model for states seeking to work collaboratively across government’s three branches to improve outcomes for children and families. Previous institutes focused on safe foster care reduction strategies and on increasing permanency for older youth. The most recent institute focused on improving child social and emotional well-being.
National Governors Association (NGA) Center
FosterMore is a coalition of not for profit organizations and foundations working to raise awareness of the youth in America’s foster care system. Last year, FosterMore’s message of hope reached millions of people across the United States through television ads, websites, social media and other avenues. This campaign spurred mothers, fathers, grandparents and others to learn more about foster care – and what they could do in their communities to improve the lives of children who experience it.
FosterMore
FosterClub is a national network of young people in foster care who are determined to build a better future for themselves and for other children involved in the child welfare system. They serve as a lead partner working with the Congressional Caucus on Foster Care to organize Shadow Day, a day in which foster youth and alumni “shadow” their congressional representative for one day. FosterClub has also presented a series of “lunch-box” sessions for senators, representatives and staff highlighting key foster care issues.
FosterClub
Founded in 2011, the Center for Native American Youth has developed into a leading voice and advocate for one of the most underserved and under-invested populations in this country – young people of Native American ancestry and culture. The Center, a program of the Aspen Institute, is connecting philanthropies with Native communities to support their efforts to grow opportunities for children and families in Indian Country, including through a well-attended convening with the White House. Through meaningful partnerships with government, communities and academia, the Center has been successful in inspiring youth, elected leaders and all who seek to support the social and physical well-being of Native youth. The Center is creating growing momentum across the United States to improve the lives and futures of Native American children and families. The award was accepted by Erin Bailey, executive director.
Center for Native American Youth
The Appalachian Regional Commission is pioneering important work on sustainable community and economic development in Appalachia, spanning the work of federal, state and local governments. The Commission is helping children across the 13 states of Appalachia thrive by providing better educational programs, improved economic and job opportunities, and a stronger regional infrastructure. The Commission funds hundreds of projects that create thousands of new jobs and help lift Appalachian residents out of poverty and into competitive job skills and training. The Commission is also working to address the epidemic of substance abuse by sharing best practices and effective interventions. It has built trusted partnerships among governors in the Appalachian region and with local counties, elected officials and their communities. The award was accepted by Earl Gohl, federally appointed co-chair of the Commission since 2010.
Appalachian Regional Commission
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POSTHUMOUS RECOGNITION AWARD
Debbie Stolz
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LEadership
The Hon. Peter Sakai
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LEadership
Caleb Reed
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LEadership
The Hon. Bruce Manning
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LEadership
Joseph Ribsam, Jr.
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leadership
Tracey Quillen Carney
READ BIO
leadership
Laurie Tochiki
WATCH VIDEO
foster or adoptive parent
Debbie and Elliot Dorsey
WATCH VIDEO
birth mother
Shrounda Selivanoff
WATCH VIDEO
birth father
Edward Casillas
WATCH VIDEO
kinship caregiver
Autumn Adams
WATCH VIDEO
alumni
Dr. Sharrica Miller
2021 Award Recipients
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POSTHUMOUS RECOGNITION AWARD
Lisa Parrish
Lisa Parrish was a champion for children from coast to coast, having served in New York City and Los Angeles during her distinguished career. As deputy commissioner for Foster Care and Preventive Services at New York City’s Administration for Children’s Services (ACS), she organized the first task force exploring the needs of LGBTQ children in foster care. Ms. Parrish carried her passion for including youth and family voices to the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, where she led programs that dramatically reduced the number of children in group home care. Returning to NYC ACS as senior advisor for LGBTQ Policy and Practice, she understood the need for data and was a catalyst for an LGBTQIA+ youth survey. The survey provides New York with the needed data to allocate resources for LGBTQIA+ youth in care, showing that these youth are a significant part of the foster care population. Ms. Parrish also served as ACS Deputy Commissioner for Financial Services, and with the NYC Office of Management and Budget, where she understood the importance of economic equity, staunchly advocating for leveling the playing field for families facing adverse circumstances. Throughout her career, Ms. Parrish had an enormous impact on her colleagues, both in New York and Los Angeles. She always provided an open door, offered honest feedback and encouraged innovation. Many describe her as “the best boss I ever had.” Ms. Parrish died following a battle with colon cancer.
Lisa Parrish | LEADERSHIP (POSTHUMOUS)
Debbie and Elliott Dorsey became licensed Casey foster parents in rural Idaho when a sibling group needed a safe home. The Dorseys took the children in and successfully completed the extensive licensing process. The Dorseys stepped up once again when they met a transgender foster youth named Jayde. They chose to throw themselves into loving, understanding and supporting Jayde in his transition and they have put an extraordinary amount of work into developing a strong and lasting relationship. The Dorseys, who have been foster parents to 10 children, are active in Jayde’s therapeutic process and are highly involved in his school and extra-curricular activities. They advocate on his behalf in court, at school and at home. They also support Jayde having a close relationship with his birth family. Jayde has lived with the Dorseys for nearly two years and they recently became his legal guardians.
Debbie and Elliott Dorsey | Foster or Adoptive Parent Award
A dedicated advocate for parents involved with the child welfare system, Shrounda Selivanoff is the director of Public Policy for the Children’s Home Society of Washington, a key community partner in elevating public policy issues at the state and national levels impacting the lives of children and families. She had previously been involved with the child welfare system due to a severe drug and alcohol addiction, and her third child was removed from her at birth. Shrounda successfully addressed her addiction and was reunited with her daughter more than a decade ago. Shrounda’s hard work continues today as she advocates on behalf of other parents like her — calling out the needs of birth parents, as well as racial and other inequities they experience, while working to ensure they maintain access to their children during the COVID-19 pandemic. She is a member of the National Advisory Council of the Alliance Resiliency Project to help keep families strong during the pandemic. She has worked extensively with numerous programs, including the King County Parents for Parents program, the Perinatal Treatment Services and the University of Washington Fetal Alcohol and Drug Unit, Parent-Child Assistance Program. Shrounda is a founding member of the Birth Parent National Network.
Shrounda Selivanoff | Birth Mother Award
Edward Casillas is a leader and trailblazer in Tucson, Arizona, developing support programs for fathers and serving as a positive role model to his community. Edward’s own experience with the child welfare system inspired him to not only reunify with his children in five months but also to take on the roles he is in today. He works as the program and services development manager at the Family Involvement Center, focused on increasing service delivery and building family support programs in Southern Arizona. His leadership enabled him to fulfill his vision of expanding support programs for fathers and families in his community. He most recently became a member of the National Advisory Council of the Alliance Resiliency Project to help keep families strong, providing support and resources to aid them in getting through the pandemic. He is a certified facilitator with the Nurturing Fathers evidence-based parenting program and is a member of the Parent Advisory Collaborative within the Arizona Department of Child Safety. Edward received the
Resilient Family Award from Arizona’s Child Abuse Prevention Committee in 2015, and in 2016 he received the Champion for Children and Families Award from Child and Family Resources in Arizona.
Edward Casillas | Birth Father Award
Autumn Adams is a member of the Yakama Nation and an alumni of foster care. Autumn was awarded guardianship of her two younger siblings to keep her family together and maintain their cultural heritage and teachings. She was one of 12 foster alumni to participate in the Foster Youth Internship program through the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute in 2020. She is a national leader and was selected by the Center for Native American Youth as a “Champion for Change,” advocating for the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA). Adams was featured in the Yakima Herald-Republic’s “39 Under 39” special section in 2019 for her advocacy for children affected by implementation inconsistencies within ICWA. She is also very active in issues affecting Native youth, including education, missing and murdered indigenous women and girls, and maintaining Native children’s connection to their culture. Autumn graduated from Central Washington University in 2020, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in anthropology and minoring in museum studies and American Indian studies.
Autumn Adams | Kinship Caregiver Award
Dr. Sharrica Miller’s experience in foster care drives her to be a passionate educator and advocate and to serve as a strong voice for youth in care and those transitioning out of foster care. She spent most of her childhood in and out of California’s foster care system, enduring constant uncertainty and upheaval. Driven by her love for reading and passion for writing, she earned her bachelor’s degree, then went on to achieve master’s and doctorate degrees in nursing. Now an assistant professor at California State University, Fullerton’s School of Nursing, Dr. Miller is also a mentor on campus with the Guardian Scholars Program. In 2019, Dr. Miller was awarded the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award at Cal State Fullerton for her efforts on campus. She is a longtime member of the California Youth Connection, and a founding co-chair of the Director’s Child Welfare Advisory Council for the L.A. County Department of Children and Family Services, focused on improving child welfare policy.
Dr. Sharrica Miller | Alumni Award
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First Lady Tracey Quillen Carney has an unwavering commitment to empowering and giving voice to Delaware’s children. Through the First Chance Delaware initiative, she has prioritized ending childhood hunger, promoting early language skills, and recognizing and responding to childhood trauma. She is a leader in partnerships that include Trauma Matters Delaware; serves as honorary chair of the state’s Dolly Parton Imagination Library Program, Library Card and Kindergarten Registration campaigns; and leads the Task Force to End Childhood Hunger (ECHO). As COVID-19 closed schools, ECHO transitioned to support innovative approaches to make sure children were fed throughout the state. As part of the renewed focus on systemic racism, First Lady Quillen Carney has pushed to infuse principles of anti-racism into the First Chance work in Delaware. She understands the value of lived experience in identifying policy priorities. She partners with children in foster care through agencies and nonprofits, and directly through Delaware’s Youth Advisory Council. An early council initiative was reducing the financial burden of attending college, and in 2020, Gov. John Carney announced a tuition and fees waiver to ensure children in and aging out of foster care can attend college for free. She has made long-term, positive impacts on the lives of Delaware’s children.
Tracey Quillen Carney | Leadership
With a goal of true system transformation to support families and their children, Joe Ribsam joined New Hampshire’s Division for Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) as director in 2017. At that time, the system struggled with heavy caseloads, having seen the number of children in foster care nearly double following two high-profile child deaths. Borrowing from the blueprint he helped develop as a deputy commissioner in New Jersey, he created a vision for a child and family care system in New Hampshire. In less than three years, he and his team have drastically lowered caseloads and the backlog of child protective services assessments, implementing effective strategies for ongoing improvement. After peaking in 2018, the number of children in care has stabilized and begun to safely decline through both a decrease in entries and an increase in exits. He is leading efforts to ensure that every child in the state is able to grow up in a safe, supportive family environment and to reduce the need for — and use of — group homes and other institutional placements. Other accomplishments under Mr. Ribsam’s leadership include a statewide parent partner program, expanded foster care and adoption subsidies to age 21, and a foster care nursing program to support the medical needs of children in care. During COVID-19, Mr. Ribsam brought together a coalition of partners, including parents with lived experience, to develop the New Hampshire Child and Family Well-Being Guide and to create a helpline to support families within their communities. The guide and the Waypoint Family Support Warm Line are seen as the first building blocks for transforming the front end of the system.
Joseph Ribsam, Jr. | Leadership
Judge Bruce Manning presides over cases subject to the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) in Hennepin County, Minnesota, the state’s most populous district. He is mindful of the fact that Minnesota has a high rate of disparities for Native children in foster care and has worked with the Native community and other court professionals to develop a practice that embodies a collaborative approach to ICWA cases and supports the possibilities of a culturally competent, relationship-based model of child protection. He has redesigned his courtroom to be a welcoming, respectful space for Native families: tribal flags from in-state Dakota and Ojibwe tribes fly alongside the Minnesota and U.S. flags, artwork from Native artists adorn the walls, and medicines of sweetgrass, sage and cedar are centrally placed in the courtroom, where parties are welcome to smudge before hearings. He is a vocal advocate for the judiciary about bias from the bench, and, with the involvement of other professionals, he has helped to achieve positive outcomes for children and parents through intentional, ongoing outreach and collaboration with the tribes whose homelands are in and around Minnesota. He credits the years of work done before his time, whose commitments he tries to continue. Judge Manning also serves as the board president of Shir Tikvah, a Minneapolis synagogue, and of Trademark Theater.
The Hon. Bruce Manning | Leadership
Widely recognized in the Bexar County community as a leader who works hard to bring new ideas and solutions to help resolve issues of child abuse and neglect and family violence, Judge Peter Sakai focuses on helping professionals in the child welfare system to best serve the families that come into his courtroom. Judge Sakai has participated in several major initiatives, including creation of the Bexar County Children’s Court – the first in Texas and only the second in the U.S. He was involved in starting and presiding in the Early Childhood Court, the Family Drug Treatment Court for parents with children in foster care and a redesign of Children’s Court processes, resulting in safely reducing the need for foster care, increased exits and shorter stays in care. Judge Sakai also created a family preservation docket to assist relatives who wish to take custody of children and prevent entry into foster care and a guardianship docket to help find guardians for long-term care youth who need legal guardians beyond foster care. Judge Sakai’s many honors include the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute’s Angel in Adoption Award, and the 2020 Innovator of the Year Award from the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges.
The Hon. Peter Sakai | Leadership
Laurie Tochiki is president and CEO of EPIC ‘Ohana, a nonprofit organization she co-founded with Arlynna Livingston in 1997. EPIC ‘Ohana serves families in the child welfare system and vulnerable transitioning youth. EPIC, which stands for Effective Planning and Innovative Communication, reflects the organization’s goal of breaking down barriers between social workers, families, government systems and others to make better connections. EPIC’s programs are national models for giving voice to birth parents, families and young people. A former associate dean at the William S. Richardson School of Law, she also taught Children and the Law and Family Law. She is a co-founder of the Kids First program at the First Circuit’s Family Court. She is a co-recipient of the Hawaii State Bar Association’s “Golden Gavel” award, recipient of the Volunteer Legal Services of Hawaii Niu Award, the HWL Distinguished Service Award, the HWLF Rhoda Lewis Community Service Award and the William S. Richardson School of Law Alumni Association Service Award.
Laurie Tochiki | Leadership
Caleb Reed, executive director of Aim Right Ministries in Phoenix, works to provide a safe place in the neighborhood for young people to come and find meaning and purpose. This is done through community building, anchored in significant relationships, and providing positive alternatives for at-risk youth through after school and community-focused programs. He is deeply invested in the organization as well as the neighborhood, and the community. The Garfield Historic District is home to many multigenerational families, many of them LatinX, and many of them living at or below the poverty line. Throughout the pandemic, Aim Right has worked to ensure children and youth could still receive support such as care packages, food and masks. Aim Right partners with others in the community, such as Garfield Elementary School and ThriveAZ, to ensure families are connected to needed resources. The organization is part of a coalition of churches and religious leaders that marched to draw attention to the Black Lives Matter movement and the need to end racial inequity and injustice. Mr. Reed leads by example and inspires others in the neighborhood to give back.
Caleb Reed | Leadership
Lovingly called “the Mother Teresa of Foster Care” by her peers, Debbie Stolz was known as a kind and compassionate caregiver, with an enormous capacity for love and dedication to abused and neglected children. A foster parent for 36 years, her voice as a leader of the resource parent community was much sought after and highly respected. She served on numerous task forces and committees over the years. Debbie spent many hours mentoring foster parents on the special care of infants and toddlers with histories of abuse, neglect and trauma. She used her expertise as a foster parent to help other parents cope and not give up on the children in their home. She worked as a parent partner for Fred Finch Youth and Family Services in its Comprehensive Assessment and Stabilization Services division, working with children of all ages with a variety of emotional and behavioral concerns. Debbie also played a key role as an advocate in the passing of statewide legislation, testifying with other foster parents before the State Assembly on behalf of the parents, relatives or guardians of children in care. Debbie died in July 2020.
Debbie Stolz | Foster or Adoptive Parent (Posthumous)
VIDEOS AND BIOS
Mercedes Bristol | Kinship Caregiver Award
Rob Scheer | Resource Parent Award
Anthony Stover | Alumni Award
Jason Bragg | Birth Father Award
Jody Rodgers | Birth Mother Award
Jonathan Nez | Leadership Award
Raquel Hatter | Leadership Award
Aysha E. Schomburg | Leadership Award
Vannessa Dorantes | Leadership Award
Lewis “Harry” Spence | Leadership Award
2022 Award Recipients
2021 Award Recipients
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Debbie and Elliott Dorsey became licensed Casey foster parents in rural Idaho when a sibling group needed a safe home. The Dorseys took the children in and successfully completed the extensive licensing process. The Dorseys stepped up once again when they met a transgender foster youth named Jayde. They chose to throw themselves into loving, understanding and supporting Jayde in his transition and they have put an extraordinary amount of work into developing a strong and lasting relationship. The Dorseys, who have been foster parents to 10 children, are active in Jayde’s therapeutic process and are highly involved in his school and extra-curricular activities. They advocate on his behalf in court, at school and at home. They also support Jayde having a close relationship with his birth family. Jayde has lived with the Dorseys for nearly two years and they recently became his legal guardians.
Debbie and Elliott Dorsey | Foster or Adoptive Parent Award
A dedicated advocate for parents involved with the child welfare system, Shrounda Selivanoff is the director of Public Policy for the Children’s Home Society of Washington, a key community partner in elevating public policy issues at the state and national levels impacting the lives of children and families. She had previously been involved with the child welfare system due to a severe drug and alcohol addiction, and her third child was removed from her at birth. Shrounda successfully addressed her addiction and was reunited with her daughter more than a decade ago. Shrounda’s hard work continues today as she advocates on behalf of other parents like her — calling out the needs of birth parents, as well as racial and other inequities they experience, while working to ensure they maintain access to their children during the COVID-19 pandemic. She is a member of the National Advisory Council of the Alliance Resiliency Project to help keep families strong during the pandemic. She has worked extensively with numerous programs, including the King County Parents for Parents program, the Perinatal Treatment Services and the University of Washington Fetal Alcohol and Drug Unit, Parent-Child Assistance Program. Shrounda is a founding member of the Birth Parent National Network.
Shrounda Selivanoff | Birth Mother Award
Edward Casillas is a leader and trailblazer in Tucson, Arizona, developing support programs for fathers and serving as a positive role model to his community. Edward’s own experience with the child welfare system inspired him to not only reunify with his children in five months but also to take on the roles he is in today. He works as the program and services development manager at the Family Involvement Center, focused on increasing service delivery and building family support programs in Southern Arizona. His leadership enabled him to fulfill his vision of expanding support programs for fathers and families in his community. He most recently became a member of the National Advisory Council of the Alliance Resiliency Project to help keep families strong, providing support and resources to aid them in getting through the pandemic. He is a certified facilitator with the Nurturing Fathers evidence-based parenting program and is a member of the Parent Advisory Collaborative within the Arizona Department of Child Safety. Edward received the Resilient Family Award from Arizona’s Child Abuse Prevention Committee in 2015, and in 2016 he received the Champion for Children and Families Award from Child and Family Resources in Arizona.
Edward Casillas | Birth Father Award
Autumn Adams is a member of the Yakama Nation and an alumni of foster care. Autumn was awarded guardianship of her two younger siblings to keep her family together and maintain their cultural heritage and teachings. She was one of 12 foster alumni to participate in the Foster Youth Internship program through the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute in 2020. She is a national leader and was selected by the Center for Native American Youth as a “Champion for Change,” advocating for the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA). Adams was featured in the Yakima Herald-Republic’s “39 Under 39” special section in 2019 for her advocacy for children affected by implementation inconsistencies within ICWA. She is also very active in issues affecting Native youth, including education, missing and murdered indigenous women and girls, and maintaining Native children’s connection to their culture. Autumn graduated from Central Washington University in 2020, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in anthropology and minoring in museum studies and American Indian studies.
Autumn Adams | Kinship Caregiver Award
Dr. Sharrica Miller’s experience in foster care drives her to be a passionate educator and advocate and to serve as a strong voice for youth in care and those transitioning out of foster care. She spent most of her childhood in and out of California’s foster care system, enduring constant uncertainty and upheaval. Driven by her love for reading and passion for writing, she earned her bachelor’s degree, then went on to achieve master’s and doctorate degrees in nursing. Now an assistant professor at California State University, Fullerton’s School of Nursing, Dr. Miller is also a mentor on campus with the Guardian Scholars Program. In 2019, Dr. Miller was awarded the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award at Cal State Fullerton for her efforts on campus. She is a longtime member of the California Youth Connection, and a founding co-chair of the Director’s Child Welfare Advisory Council for the L.A. County Department of Children and Family Services, focused on improving child welfare policy.
Dr. Sharrica Miller | Alumni Award
First Lady Tracey Quillen Carney has an unwavering commitment to empowering and giving voice to Delaware’s children. Through the First Chance Delaware initiative, she has prioritized ending childhood hunger, promoting early language skills, and recognizing and responding to childhood trauma. She is a leader in partnerships that include Trauma Matters Delaware; serves as honorary chair of the state’s Dolly Parton Imagination Library Program, Library Card and Kindergarten Registration campaigns; and leads the Task Force to End Childhood Hunger (ECHO). As COVID-19 closed schools, ECHO transitioned to support innovative approaches to make sure children were fed throughout the state. As part of the renewed focus on systemic racism, First Lady Quillen Carney has pushed to infuse principles of anti-racism into the First Chance work in Delaware. She understands the value of lived experience in identifying policy priorities. She partners with children in foster care through agencies and nonprofits, and directly through Delaware’s Youth Advisory Council. An early council initiative was reducing the financial burden of attending college, and in 2020, Gov. John Carney announced a tuition and fees waiver to ensure children in and aging out of foster care can attend college for free. She has made long-term, positive impacts on the lives of Delaware’s children.
Tracey Quillen Carney | Leadership Award
With a goal of true system transformation to support families and their children, Joe Ribsam joined New Hampshire’s Division for Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) as director in 2017. At that time, the system struggled with heavy caseloads, having seen the number of children in foster care nearly double following two high-profile child deaths. Borrowing from the blueprint he helped develop as a deputy commissioner in New Jersey, he created a vision for a child and family care system in New Hampshire. In less than three years, he and his team have drastically lowered caseloads and the backlog of child protective services assessments, implementing effective strategies for ongoing improvement. After peaking in 2018, the number of children in care has stabilized and begun to safely decline through both a decrease in entries and an increase in exits. He is leading efforts to ensure that every child in the state is able to grow up in a safe, supportive family environment and to reduce the need for — and use of — group homes and other institutional placements. Other accomplishments under Mr. Ribsam’s leadership include a statewide parent partner program, expanded foster care and adoption subsidies to age 21, and a foster care nursing program to support the medical needs of children in care. During COVID-19, Mr. Ribsam brought together a coalition of partners, including parents with lived experience, to develop the New Hampshire Child and Family Well-Being Guide and to create a helpline to support families within their communities. The guide and the Waypoint Family Support Warm Line are seen as the first building blocks for transforming the front end of the system.
Joseph Ribsam, Jr. | Leadership Award
Judge Bruce Manning presides over cases subject to the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) in Hennepin County, Minnesota, the state’s most populous district. He is mindful of the fact that Minnesota has a high rate of disparities for Native children in foster care and has worked with the Native community and other court professionals to develop a practice that embodies a collaborative approach to ICWA cases and supports the possibilities of a culturally competent, relationship-based model of child protection. He has redesigned his courtroom to be a welcoming, respectful space for Native families: tribal flags from in-state Dakota and Ojibwe tribes fly alongside the Minnesota and U.S. flags, artwork from Native artists adorn the walls, and medicines of sweetgrass, sage and cedar are centrally placed in the courtroom, where parties are welcome to smudge before hearings. He is a vocal advocate for the judiciary about bias from the bench, and, with the involvement of other professionals, he has helped to achieve positive outcomes for children and parents through intentional, ongoing outreach and collaboration with the tribes whose homelands are in and around Minnesota. He credits the years of work done before his time, whose commitments he tries to continue. Judge Manning also serves as the board president of Shir Tikvah, a Minneapolis synagogue, and of Trademark Theater.
The Hon. Bruce Manning | Leadership Award
Caleb Reed, executive director of Aim Right Ministries in Phoenix, works to provide a safe place in the neighborhood for young people to come and find meaning and purpose. This is done through community building, anchored in significant relationships, and providing positive alternatives for at-risk youth through after school and community-focused programs. He is deeply invested in the organization as well as the neighborhood, and the community. The Garfield Historic District is home to many multigenerational families, many of them LatinX, and many of them living at or below the poverty line. Throughout the pandemic, Aim Right has worked to ensure children and youth could still receive support such as care packages, food and masks. Aim Right partners with others in the community, such as Garfield Elementary School and ThriveAZ, to ensure families are connected to needed resources. The organization is part of a coalition of churches and religious leaders that marched to draw attention to the Black Lives Matter movement and the need to end racial inequity and injustice. Mr. Reed leads by example and inspires others in the neighborhood to give back.
Caleb Reed | Leadership Award
Widely recognized in the Bexar County community as a leader who works hard to bring new ideas and solutions to help resolve issues of child abuse and neglect and family violence, Judge Peter Sakai focuses on helping professionals in the child welfare system to best serve the families that come into his courtroom. Judge Sakai has participated in several major initiatives, including creation of the Bexar County Children’s Court – the first in Texas and only the second in the U.S. He was involved in starting and presiding in the Early Childhood Court, the Family Drug Treatment Court for parents with children in foster care and a redesign of Children’s Court processes, resulting in safely reducing the need for foster care, increased exits and shorter stays in care. Judge Sakai also created a family preservation docket to assist relatives who wish to take custody of children and prevent entry into foster care and a guardianship docket to help find guardians for long-term care youth who need legal guardians beyond foster care. Judge Sakai’s many honors include the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute’s Angel in Adoption Award, and the 2020 Innovator of the Year Award from the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges.
The Hon. Peter Sakai | Leadership Award
VIDEOS AND BIOS
Dr. Sharrica Miller | Alumni Award
Autumn Adams | Kinship Caregiver Award
Edward Casillas | Birth Father Award
Shrounda Selivanoff | Birth Mother Award
Debbie and Elliot Dorsey | Foster/Adoptive Parent Award
Tracey Quillen Carney | Leadership Award
Joseph Ribsam, Jr. | Leadership Award
The Hon. Bruce Manning | Leadership Award
Caleb Reed | Leadership Award
The Hon. Peter Sakai | Leadership Award
Laurie Tochiki | Leadership Award
Debbie Stolz | Posthumous Recognition Award
Lisa Parrish | Posthumous Recognition Award
2021 Award Recipients
Lewis “Harry” Spence served as commissioner for the Massachusetts Department of Social Services (now the Department of Children and Families) from 2001 to 2007, one of the many change agent roles he undertook in his career of public service. In addition to his work as commissioner, Spence served as a receiver for the Boston Housing Authority and the city of Chelsea; deputy chancellor of New York City’s education department; and as the first administrator of the Massachusetts Trial Court. As commissioner, his understanding of the complexity of collaborative partnerships between public schools and the state’s child-serving agencies enabled Spence to create connections that did not exist before. In his efforts to better serve children and families, he established a team-based model for service provision, support and accountability, and he created an Office of Continuous Quality Improvement. He established the agency’s first Child Welfare Institute to place professional development as a cornerstone of bringing best practices to everyday work. Spence understood the importance of listening to those with lived experience, and he created paths for birth parents and youth aging out of foster care to have a voice in policy and practice development. Spence died in 2021.
Lewis “Harry” Spence | Leadership Award
Vannessa Dorantes was appointed commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Children and Families (DCF) in 2019, the first African American to serve in that role for the state of Connecticut. As DCF commissioner, Dorantes cochairs Connecticut’s Alcohol & Drug Policy Council and the Governor’s Council on Women & Girls. She has worked to build communication and collaboration across stakeholder groups, and her approach with members of Connecticut’s legislature has helped ensure transparency on policy and budget initiatives. In 30 years with DCF, Dorantes has held nearly every social work position in the department. In 2014, she was appointed as a regional administrator overseeing 43 municipalities. From 2004 until her appointment as commissioner, she was adjunct faculty teaching several elective and core competency social work courses. On the Social Work Advisory Boards of two state universities during their re-accreditation, she has supervised countless undergraduate and graduate level interns. Dorantes is on the UCONN School of Social Work Board of Advocates, the APHSA Board of Directors, and was appointed to the state’s Commission on Racial Equity in Public Health. DCF’s racial justice work, performance management and continuous quality improvement continue to evolve under her administration, evidenced by Connecticut’s successful exit from a three-decades-long consent decree in 2022.
Vannessa Dorantes | Leadership Award
Aysha E. Schomburg joined the Biden Administration in March 2021 as the Associate Commissioner of the U.S. Children’s Bureau. In this role, she advises the Administration on matters related to child welfare, including child abuse and neglect, child protective services, family preservation and support, adoption, foster care and independent living. The Children's Bureau recommends legislative and budgetary proposals, operational planning system objectives and initiatives, and projects and issue areas for evaluation, research and demonstration activities. Previously, Schomburg served as the Senior Administrator for Program Oversight for New York City’s Administration for Children’s Services (ACS). There she worked with agency leaders to develop and implement ACS’ operational infrastructure. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she collaborated with New York City’s Department of Education and Department of Homeless Services to create guidance for frontline staff. She also provided recommendations to ACS’s Office of Equity Strategies regarding addressing inequities and racism in child welfare. In October, the Aspen Institute named her a 2021 Ascend Fellow, joining a network of visionary leaders who are transforming the trajectory of children and families across the country. Schomburg received her B.A. from the University of Virginia, her M.A. from New York University and her J.D. from New York Law School.
Aysha E. Schomburg | Leadership Award
Dr. Raquel Hatter is managing director of the Human Services Program at The Kresge Foundation, which seeks to advance social and economic mobility with a racial equity lens. Prior to joining Kresge, she served as commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Human Services, where she worked to improve outcomes for families through programs such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and vocational rehabilitation. Early in her career, she worked as an in-home outreach worker and frontline practitioner, providing support to families in crisis. Dr. Hatter was the first Black CEO for both Whaley Children’s Center in Flint, Michigan, and Family and Children’s Service in Nashville, Tennessee. She has served as an adjunct instructor at the community college and graduate level and has worked with indigenous communities in the Northern Territory in Australia. To inform her work, Dr. Hatter draws on her lived experiences. She graduated from the Head Start Preschool Program as a young child, and was a student-parent during her undergraduate and graduate studies, receiving both SNAP and childcare assistance to help her get by. In her words, “I know what it is to struggle, and I know what it is to struggle less.”
Dr. Raquel Hatter | Leadership Award
Jonathan Nez has been President of the Navajo Nation since 2019. Born in Tuba City, Arizona, and raised in Shonto, Arizona, President Nez is now married to Phefelia Nez and together they have two sons, Alexander and Christopher. President Nez holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science, a Master’s in Public Administration, and, with First Lady Nez, also received an honorary doctorate degree from Northern Arizona University. President Nez began his public service as Vice President of Shonto Chapter. He was elected to three terms as a member of the Navajo Nation Council and two terms on the Navajo County Board of Supervisors. In 2015 he was elected Vice President of the Navajo Nation. President Nez led an aggressive response to the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in the Navajo people having one of the highest vaccination rates in the world. He also acquired funding for critical infrastructure developments that will improve the well-being of the Navajo people for generations. President Nez is a longtime advocate of healthy living, strongly encouraging the Navajo people to practice the teaching known as T’áá hwó’ajít’éego, or self-reliance and self-determination. His priorities include mental and behavioral health treatment, and assistance for communities as they recover from the pandemic’s far-reaching impacts.
Jonathan Nez | Leadership Award
Jody Rodgers is a birth parent mentor assisting parents in navigating the child welfare system. Due to Jody’s work with the Child Parent Institute, many parents have made significant improvements in their lives. Jody brought a unique and innovative Birth Parent/Foster Parent Partnership model to her county that supports birth and foster parents in building relationships with the goal of helping parents reunify with their children. That work was showcased by Casey Family Programs and Child Welfare Information Gateway, including being featured in
the podcast, “Birth-Foster Parent Mentoring Teams.” Jody is sought nationally for speaking engagements, training and consulting. Jody is also an active member of the Birth Parent National Network and the Birth and Foster Parent National Partnership. Jody, a single
mother, experienced the “worst and best day of her life” in 2013 when her three children were removed from her care. Jody grew from the services she received, broke the cycles of homelessness, drug addiction and domestic violence, and was reunified with her children.
Jody Rodgers | Birth Mother Award
For nearly a decade, Jason Bragg has been an advocate for birth parents, especially fathers. Bringing his advocacy to all stakeholders — birth and foster parents, children and youth, social services and the judicial branch — he reminds them of the importance of including birth parents in conversations and decision-making. He is involved with various advisory groups, including the Department of Children, Youth and Families Citizens Review Panel, where he participates in the child and family services reviews process and court improvement committees. A single father, Jason experienced the child welfare system when he found himself battling a relapse with addiction, facing criminal charges and a CPS investigation. With the help of a parent
ally, he navigated the dependency system and reunified with his son. In 2014, he began work for the Washington State Office of Public Defense, where he helps attorneys, parents and stakeholders break down barriers to reunifying families involved in child welfare. Jason gives parents the assurance they need to remain involved so that they get their children back.
Jason Bragg | Birth Father Award
Anthony Stover is the Youth Engagement Coordinator with Georgia EmpowerMEnt, an organization of people currently and formerly in foster care who advocate for change in the foster care system. He’s also an author (Adulting 101: My First Apartment), consultant, facilitator, trainer and advocate who speaks on behalf of youth in foster care. After entering care at age 11, Anthony was moved several times before finding stability through a social worker, Grady Jenkins; his mother figure and mentor, Angela Stover (now his adoptive mother); and the nonprofit Families First. Today Anthony is recognized for his work influencing key statewide policies and has been honored as a FosterClub All-Star. He has also served on the board for Foster Care Alumni of America and on the National Alumni and Foster Youth Policy Council, serves as a core member of the Foster Youth in Action Network, was named to a few governor’s committees, and has been recognized by the Georgia Congress for his work with House Resolution 789.
Anthony Stover | Alumni Award
Motivated by his experiences growing up in foster care, Rob Scheer eventually became a resource parent and adopted five children from foster care himself. In 2013 he founded Comfort Cases, active in all 50 states and the U.K., to help children entering care by providing a bag or backpack, pajamas, personal care items and a stuffed animal. Rob’s story has been featured in the national media, giving him the opportunity to advocate on behalf of adoptive parents, the LGBTQ+ community and children and youth in foster care. Organizations such as Hearts and Homes for Youth and Leadership Montgomery
have asked him to serve as master of ceremonies at their events. He empowers children and youth to educate and advocate for each other, starting a program called #KidsHelpingKids for elementary school children and High School Clubs for teens. Rob has tangibly changed the lives of more than 150,000 children and youth who have received Comfort Cases, and he has positively impacted the agencies who rely on his partnership.
Rob Scheer | Resource Parent Award
Mercedes Bristol is executive director of Texas Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, a nonprofit providing services to grandparents throughout Texas. She brings her experience as a single grandparent raising five grandchildren to this role. When the children first were placed in foster care with non-relatives, Mercedes successfully advocated to have the children placed with her. Since her grandchildren needed supports to help them heal, she took an early retirement to care for them. She learned firsthand the difficulty grandparents face to receive the benefits and support that
they need to raise their grandchildren. Now Mercedes meets regularly with state and federal legislators to share her story and advocate for more recognition and resources for kinship caregivers. Her work contributed to the successful passage of Texas House Bill 4, which
expands financial support for kinship caregivers. She is also active with Generations United as an advocate for kinship families. Thanks to Mercedes’ love and care, her grandchildren are doing well and thriving personally and academically.
Mercedes Bristol | Kinship Caregiver Award
Laurie Tochiki is president and CEO of EPIC ‘Ohana, a nonprofit organization she co-founded with Arlynna Livingston in 1997. EPIC ‘Ohana serves families in the child welfare system and vulnerable transitioning youth. EPIC, which stands for Effective Planning and Innovative Communication, reflects the organization’s goal of breaking down barriers between social workers, families, government systems and others to make better connections. EPIC’s programs are national models for giving voice to birth parents, families and young people. A former associate dean at the William S. Richardson School of Law, she also taught Children and the Law and Family Law. She is a co-founder of the Kids First program at the First Circuit’s Family Court. She is a co-recipient of the Hawaii State Bar Association’s “Golden Gavel” award, recipient of the Volunteer Legal Services of Hawaii Niu Award, the HWL Distinguished Service Award, the HWLF Rhoda Lewis Community Service Award and the William S. Richardson School of Law Alumni Association Service Award.
Laurie Tochiki | Leadership Award
Lovingly called “the Mother Teresa of Foster Care” by her peers, Debbie Stolz was known as a kind and compassionate caregiver, with an enormous capacity for love and dedication to abused and neglected children. A foster parent for 36 years, her voice as a leader of the resource parent community was much sought after and highly respected. She served on numerous task forces and committees over the years. Debbie spent many hours mentoring foster parents on the special care of infants and toddlers with histories of abuse, neglect and trauma. She used her expertise as a foster parent to help other parents cope and not give up on the children in their home. She worked as a parent partner for Fred Finch Youth and Family Services in its Comprehensive Assessment and Stabilization Services division, working with children of all ages with a variety of emotional and behavioral concerns. Debbie also played a key role as an advocate in the passing of statewide legislation, testifying with other foster parents before the State Assembly on behalf of the parents, relatives or guardians of children in care. Debbie died in July 2020.
Debbie Stolz | Foster or Adoptive Award (Posthumous)
Lisa Parrish was a champion for children from coast to coast, having served in New York City and Los Angeles during her distinguished career. As deputy commissioner for Foster Care and Preventive Services at New York City’s Administration for Children’s Services (ACS), she organized the first task force exploring the needs of LGBTQ children in foster care. Ms. Parrish carried her passion for including youth and family voices to the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, where she led programs that dramatically reduced the number of children in group home care. Returning to NYC ACS as senior advisor for LGBTQ Policy and Practice, she understood the need for data and was a catalyst for an LGBTQIA+ youth survey. The survey provides New York with the needed data to allocate resources for LGBTQIA+ youth in care, showing that these youth are a significant part of the foster care population. Ms. Parrish also served as ACS Deputy Commissioner for Financial Services, and with the NYC Office of Management and Budget, where she understood the importance of economic equity, staunchly advocating for leveling the playing field for families facing adverse circumstances. Throughout her career, Ms. Parrish had an enormous impact on her colleagues, both in New York and Los Angeles. She always provided an open door, offered honest feedback and encouraged innovation. Many describe her as “the best boss I ever had.” Ms. Parrish died following a battle with colon cancer.
Lisa Parrish | Leadership Award (Posthumous)
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POSTHUMOUS RECOGNITION AWARD
Lewis “Harry” Spence
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LEadership
Vannessa Dorantes, LMSW
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LEadership
Aysha E. Schomburg
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LEadership
Dr. Raquel Hatter
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LEadership
Jonathan Nez
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birth mother
Jody Rodgers
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birth father
Jason Bragg
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ALUMNI
Anthony Stover
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RESOURCE PARENT
Rob Scheer
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KINSHIP CAREGIVER
Mercedes Bristol
2022 Award Recipients
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Lewis “Harry” Spence served as commissioner for the Massachusetts Department of Social Services (now the Department of Children and Families) from 2001 to 2007, one of the many change agent roles he undertook in his career of public service. In addition to his work as commissioner, Spence served as a receiver for the Boston Housing Authority and the city of Chelsea; deputy chancellor of New York City’s education department; and as the first administrator of the Massachusetts Trial Court. As commissioner, his understanding of the complexity of collaborative partnerships between public schools and the state’s child-serving agencies enabled Spence to create connections that did not exist before. In his efforts to better serve children and families, he established a team-based model for service provision, support and accountability, and he created an Office of Continuous Quality Improvement. He established the agency’s first Child Welfare Institute to place professional development as a cornerstone of bringing best practices to everyday work. Spence understood the importance of listening to those with lived experience, and he created paths for birth parents and youth aging out of foster care to have a voice in policy and practice development. Spence died in 2021.
Lewis “Harry” Spence | Posthumous Award
Vannessa Dorantes was appointed commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Children and Families (DCF) in 2019, the first African American to serve in that role for the state of Connecticut. As DCF commissioner, Dorantes cochairs Connecticut’s Alcohol & Drug Policy Council and the Governor’s Council on Women & Girls. She has worked to build communication and collaboration across stakeholder groups, and her approach with members of Connecticut’s legislature has helped ensure transparency on policy and budget initiatives. In 30 years with DCF, Dorantes has held nearly every social work position in the department. In 2014, she was appointed as a regional administrator overseeing 43 municipalities. From 2004 until her appointment as commissioner, she was adjunct faculty teaching several elective and core competency social work courses. On the Social Work Advisory Boards of two state universities during their re-accreditation, she has supervised countless undergraduate and graduate level interns. Dorantes is on the UCONN School of Social Work Board of Advocates, the APHSA Board of Directors, and was appointed to the state’s Commission on Racial Equity in Public Health. DCF’s racial justice work, performance management and continuous quality improvement continue to evolve under her administration, evidenced by Connecticut’s successful exit from a three-decades-long consent decree in 2022.
Vannessa Dorantes, LMSW | Leadership
Aysha E. Schomburg joined the Biden Administration in March 2021 as the Associate Commissioner of the U.S. Children’s Bureau. In this role, she advises the Administration on matters related to child welfare, including child abuse and neglect, child protective services, family preservation and support, adoption, foster care and independent living. The Children's Bureau recommends legislative and budgetary proposals, operational planning system objectives and initiatives, and projects and issue areas for evaluation, research and demonstration activities. Previously, Schomburg served as the Senior Administrator for Program Oversight for New York City’s Administration for Children’s Services (ACS). There she worked with agency leaders to develop and implement ACS’ operational infrastructure. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she collaborated with New York City’s Department of Education and Department of Homeless Services to create guidance for frontline staff. She also provided recommendations to ACS’s Office of Equity Strategies regarding addressing inequities and racism in child welfare. In October, the Aspen Institute named her a 2021 Ascend Fellow, joining a network of visionary leaders who are transforming the trajectory of children and families across the country. Schomburg received her B.A. from the University of Virginia, her M.A. from New York University and her J.D. from New York Law School.
Aysha E. Schomburg | Leadership
Dr. Raquel Hatter is managing director of the Human Services Program at The Kresge Foundation, which seeks to advance social and economic mobility with a racial equity lens. Prior to joining Kresge, she served as commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Human Services, where she worked to improve outcomes for families through programs such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and vocational rehabilitation. Early in her career, she worked as an in-home outreach worker and frontline practitioner, providing support to families in crisis. Dr. Hatter was the first Black CEO for both Whaley Children’s Center in Flint, Michigan, and Family and Children’s Service in Nashville, Tennessee. She has served as an adjunct instructor at the community college and graduate level and has worked with indigenous communities in the Northern Territory in Australia. To inform her work, Dr. Hatter draws on her lived experiences. She graduated from the Head Start Preschool Program as a young child, and was a student-parent during her undergraduate and graduate studies, receiving both SNAP and childcare assistance to help her get by. In her words, “I know what it is to struggle, and I know what it is to struggle less.”
Dr. Raquel Hatter | Leadership
Jonathan Nez has been President of the Navajo Nation since 2019. Born in Tuba City, Arizona, and raised in Shonto, Arizona, President Nez is now married to Phefelia Nez and together they have two sons, Alexander and Christopher. President Nez holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science, a Master’s in Public Administration, and, with First Lady Nez, also received an honorary doctorate degree from Northern Arizona University. President Nez began his public service as Vice President of Shonto Chapter. He was elected to three terms as a member of the Navajo Nation Council and two terms on the Navajo County Board of Supervisors. In 2015 he was elected Vice President of the Navajo Nation. President Nez led an aggressive response to the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in the Navajo people having one of the highest vaccination rates in the world. He also acquired funding for critical infrastructure developments that will improve the well-being of the Navajo people for generations. President Nez is a longtime advocate of healthy living, strongly encouraging the Navajo people to practice the teaching known as T’áá hwó’ajít’éego, or self-reliance and self-determination. His priorities include mental and behavioral health treatment, and assistance for communities as they recover from the pandemic’s far-reaching impacts.
Jonathan Nez | Leadership
Jody Rodgers is a birth parent mentor assisting parents in navigating the child welfare system. Due to Jody’s work with the Child Parent Institute, many parents have made significant improvements in their lives. Jody brought a unique and innovative Birth Parent/Foster Parent Partnership model to her county that supports birth and foster parents in building relationships with the goal of helping parents reunify with their children. That work was showcased by Casey Family Programs and Child Welfare Information Gateway, including being featured in the podcast, “Birth-Foster Parent Mentoring Teams.” Jody is sought nationally for speaking engagements, training and consulting. Jody is also an active member of the Birth Parent National Networkand the Birth and Foster Parent National Partnership. Jody, a single mother, experienced the “worst and best day of her life” in 2013 when her three children were removed from her care. Jody grew from the services she received, broke the cycles of homelessness, drug addiction and domestic violence, and was reunified with her children.
Jody Rodgers | Birth Mother Award
For nearly a decade, Jason Bragg has been an advocate for birth parents, especially fathers. Bringing his advocacy to all stakeholders — birth and foster parents, children and youth, social services and the judicial branch — he reminds them of the importance of including birth parents in conversations and decision-making. He is involved with various advisory groups, including the Department of Children, Youth and Families Citizens Review Panel, where he participates in the child and family services reviews process and court improvement committees. A single father, Jason experienced the child welfare system when he found himself battling a relapse with addiction, facing criminal charges and a CPS investigation. With the help of a parent ally, he navigated the dependency system and reunified with his son. In 2014, he
began work for the Washington State Office of Public Defense, where he helps attorneys, parents and stakeholders break down barriers to reunifying families involved in child welfare. Jason gives parents the assurance they need to remain involved so that they get their children back.
Jason Bragg | Birth Father Award
Anthony Stover is the Youth Engagement Coordinator with Georgia EmpowerMEnt, an organization of people currently and formerly in foster care who advocate for change in the foster care system. He’s also an author (Adulting 101: My First Apartment), consultant, facilitator, trainer and advocate who speaks on behalf of youth in foster care. After entering care at age 11, Anthony was moved several times before finding stability through a social worker, Grady Jenkins; his mother figure and mentor, Angela Stover (now his
adoptive mother); and the nonprofit Families First. Today Anthony is recognized for his work influencing key statewide policies and has been honored as a FosterClub All-Star. He has also served on the board for Foster Care Alumni of America and on the National Alumni and Foster Youth Policy Council, serves as a coremember of the Foster Youth in Action Network, was named to a few governor’s committees, and has been recognized by the Georgia Congress for his work with House Resolution 789.
Anthony Stover | Alumni Award
Motivated by his experiences growing up in foster care, Rob Scheer eventually became a resource parent and adopted five children from foster care himself. In 2013 he founded Comfort Cases, active in all 50 states and the U.K., to help children entering care by providing a bag or backpack, pajamas, personal care items and a stuffed animal. Rob’s story has been featured in the national media, giving him the opportunity to advocate on behalf of adoptive parents, the LGBTQ+ community and children and youth in foster care.
Organizations such as Hearts and Homes for Youth and Leadership Montgomery have asked him to serve as master of ceremonies at their events. He empowers children and youth to educate and advocate for each other, starting a program called #KidsHelpingKids for elementary school children and High School Clubs
for teens. Rob has tangibly changed the lives of more than 150,000 children and youth who have received Comfort Cases, and he has positively impacted the agencies who rely on his partnership.
Rob Scheer | Resource Parent Award
Mercedes Bristol is executive director of Texas Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, a nonprofit providing services to grandparents throughout Texas. She brings her experience as a single grandparent raising five grandchildren to this role. When the children first were placed in foster care with non-relatives, Mercedes successfully advocated to have the children placed with her. Since her grandchildren needed supports to help them heal, she took an early retirement to care for them. She learned firsthand the difficulty grandparents face to receive the benefits and support that they need to raise their grandchildren. Now Mercedes meets regularly with state and federal legislators to share her story and advocate for more recognition and resources for kinship caregivers. Her work contributed to the successful passage of Texas House Bill 4, which expands financial support for kinship caregivers. She is also active with Generations
United as an advocate for kinship families. Thanks to Mercedes’ love and care, her grandchildren are doing well and thriving personally and academically.
Mercedes Bristol | Kinship Caregiver Award
2022 Award Recipients
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leadership
Sauer Family Foundation
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LEadership
Sonia Rodriguez True
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LEadership
Kathleen A. Quigley
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LEadership
Mark Harris & Michelle Gros
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LEadership
Gail C. Christopher
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resource parent
Shawna D. Begay
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alumni
Sixto Martin Cancel
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kinship caregiver
Gail Engel
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birth father
Roger De Leon, Jr.
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birth mother
Tecoria A. Jones
2023 Award Recipients
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The Sauer Family Foundation (SFF) is a private foundation that serves children in Minnesota who are at risk of experiencing abuse or neglect, exposed to trauma, or have challenges developing reading, writing or math skills. The foundation also makes grants for workforce diversification. In 2021, SFF founders and leadership committed significant resources to focus on child welfare transformation, turning their focus to addressing systemic racism and developing community-based prevention services so vulnerable families get their needs met without being reported to child protection. This commitment follows earlier work with child welfare leaders with a goal of creating a child well-being framework focused on the domains of physical, social, emotional, cultural and spiritual well-being. The SFF has funded a number of initiatives, including a family-finding tool being used across the country that helps social workers find family for foster youth more quickly and effectively. Other projects include the Quality Parenting Initiative, which enables connections between birth and foster parents, and a collection of Family Resource Centers. They are also funding the evaluation of youth-centered supports for young adults in supportive housing for those aging out of foster care, believed to be the first of its kind in the U.S., a project that heavily involves the voices of affected youth.
Sauer Family Foundation | Leadership
The Hon. Sonia Rodriguez True began serving as a judge in Yakima County Superior Court in September 2022, appointed by Washington Gov. Jay Inslee to fill a vacancy on the court. Prior to her appointment, she became the first Latino court commissioner in Yakima County in late 2020. As an attorney, Judge Rodriguez True provided pro-bono legal consultation via Legal Options Clinic in partnership with Catholic Charities, where she assisted relative and fictive kinship families to prevent those children from entering the child welfare system. She volunteered her legal services to Casey’s Yakima Field Office and trained other attorneys on family law related to guardianship. Judge Rodriguez True has served on many boards related to children and families, including Memorial Hospital and as board chair of United Way of Central Washington. In 2009 she was appointed to the Yakima City Council, where she served for one year. Judge Rodriguez True was raised by a single mother who became an attorney and inspired her to pursue a law career. She and her husband have welcomed over 20 children into their home at various times in the last six years for temporary and long-term care and are raising three children in a guardianship.
Sonia Rodriguez True | Leadership
The Hon. Kathleen A. Quigley’s distinguished career has had a profoundly positive impact on youth and families. She has served as a judicial officer in juvenile court since 2003, was appointed to the Pima County Superior Court bench by the governor in 2012, and from 2014-2020 she served as the Presiding Judge of the Juvenile Court. In 2019, Judge Quigley learned of Casey Family Programs’ work to establish Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) courts and worked in partnership on the creation of an ICWA Court in Pima County. The team focuses on placing out-of-home children with family or tribal families, building cultural awareness, ensuring ICWA is followed and establishing relationships with tribes. Much of Judge Quigley’s work nationally and in Arizona has been centered on keeping families together and improving the system. Two examples of her collaborative work included co-creating the Southern Arizona Transnational Task Force in 2014 and leading the development of the Dependency Alternative Program, which launched in 2015. Judge Quigley serves on the Board of Directors of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, and on the National Judicial Task Force to Examine State Courts’ Response to Mental Illness.
Kathleen A. Quigley | Leadership
Mark Harris is the executive director of the Pelican Center for Children and Families. He has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for outstanding efforts in promoting the safety, permanency and well-being of Louisiana’s at-risk children. Michelle Gros is the chief operating officer for the Pelican Center and Strategic Plan coordinator for the Louisiana Court Improvement Program. She is passionate about improving the foster care system and adoption process and has personal experience as a foster and adoptive parent. In their work, Harris and Gros focus on centering the needs of families and communities. One of the biggest examples is the development of My Community Cares (MCC), which was inspired by the Children’s Bureau’s vision to shift from a reactive system to one centered on family strengthening. Stakeholders in child welfare, law and the communities themselves were impassioned to develop strategies to serve families before they became entangled with child protective systems. Over the past two years, MCC has partnered with thousands of families to co-design solutions to their challenges and keep children from entering or remaining in foster care. MCC has expanded to nine regions in Louisiana.
Mark Harris and Michelle Gros | Leadership
Dr. Gail C. Christopher is the executive director of the National Collaborative for Health Equity (NCHE) and is widely known for her work to infuse holistic health and diversity concepts into public sector programs and policy discourse. She has authored or co-authored three books and has written a monthly column in the Federal Times and hundreds of articles, presentations and publications. In her time at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, she served as senior advisor and vice president for program strategy. Dr. Christopher was the driving force behind the America Healing initiative and the Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation effort. In 2017, Dr. Christopher launched the Ntianu Center for Healing and Nature. In 2019, she joined NCHE and became a Senior Scholar with George Mason University’s Center for the Advancement of Well-Being. Dr. Christopher was elected by the APHA Governing Council to serve as the American Public Health Association’s Honorary Vice President for the United States in 2021. She currently chairs the Board of the Trust for America’s Health and has served as vice president of the Office of Health, Women and Families in Washington, D.C., and as executive director of the Institute for Government Innovation at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.
Gail C. Christopher | Leadership
Shawna D. Begay serves families as a protective services placement worker with the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department. A member of the Navajo Nation, Begay strives to ingrain the principles of the Indian Child Welfare Act into her work. She provides community resources to strengthen families and their self-efficacy. If a family’s stability cannot be immediately achieved, Begay identifies kin who can care for children and partner in family strengthening. Begay was led into the work after her own experience with her father’s alcoholism and domestic abuse. The youngest of six children, she was raised by her mother. Despite being moved in and out of her birth home due to safety concerns, she excelled at school. She received her Associate of Arts with Academic Honors and graduated with High Honors with a Bachelor of Science in social work. Begay and her husband care for her teenage nieces, who are excelling in life and school.
Shawna D. Begay | Resource Parent Award
Sixto Cancel is a nationally recognized leader driving systems change in child welfare. He draws on his personal story of his time in foster care in his advocacy and in leading the technology nonprofit he founded in 2017: Think of Us. At its inception, Think of Us used virtual storytelling to shed light on experiences of foster youth. It has evolved and today boasts of building the Lived Experience Networks, the nation’s largest virtual community of lived-experts in child welfare. Cancel often participates in conversations about improving outcomes for youth aging out of foster care. He has helped design conversations at the White House, various Federal Agencies and with Congress; presented about foster care issues all around the nation; and serves on the board of directors for the National Foster Care Coalition. His honors include the White House Champion of Change award, 2021 Children’s Bureau Champion, Schmidt Innovation Fellow, Aspen Institute Ascend Fellow, Ashoka Fellow, and Forbes Top 30 Under 30 Social Entrepreneur.
Sixto Martin Cancel | Alumni Award
Gail Engel is an advocate for kinship families in Colorado, inspired by the journey of caring for a granddaughter and adopting a grandson with special needs. In 2015, Engel founded Grand Family Coalition Inc., a nonprofit designed to create a community of peer support and connection to resources for grandparents and kinship care providers. Engel joined Generations United GRAND Voice Network in 2017 and is a voice of lived experience, advocate and educator. She has supported legislation such as the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) and the Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act of 2018. Engel serves on federal, state and local councils. She has represented families on the FFPSA Implementation Team, is working with Colorado Department of Human Services to create a Child Welfare Family Advisory Council and participates in policy and rule changes. Engel co-chairs the Larimer County Alliance for Grandfamilies. She also testified to a Senate committee on the impact of COVID-19 on grandfamilies.
Gail Engel | Kinship Caregiver Award
A dedicated father, grandfather, minister and passionate advocate for children and families, Roger De Leon, Jr. works as a parent partner with Riverside County’s Children Services Division in California. As one of the first parent partners, he helped develop their program, supporting and encouraging families in navigating these systems, often leading to reunification. He is a birth father representative on the California Child Welfare Council and a member of the Parent Partner Advisory Committee. De Leon uses his personal experience navigating the child welfare and court systems to inform his work. De Leon is a member of the
Children’s Trust Fund Alliance’s Birth Parent National Network. He has collaborated with Casey Family Programs on strengthening families through the American Rescue Plan Act and the Parent Partner
Learning Collaborative and provides consultation to the U.S.Department of Health and
Human Services. De Leon helps develop and deliver state-mandated trainings
throughout California.
Roger De Leon, Jr. | Birth Father Award
Tecoria A. Jones is a devoted mother to six children and has been an active advocate, speaker and leader. Her work includes being a member and chair of the PRISMA Children's Hospital Parent Advisory Council and a parent peer partner with the Federation of Families South Carolina. Jones was chosen to be the first parent leader on the South Carolina Child Well Being Coalition, working in her state with FRIENDS National Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention and SC Children Trust. Her restorative work focuses on health, specifically mental well-being, racial justice, food policy and therapeutic massage. Jones works with Thriving Families, Safer Children as a lived experience national partner and advisory board member for the state lead team. She is also a member of the Birth Parent National Network, a parent leader and trainer with the National Family Support Network, and a board member of Be Strong Families.
Tecoria A. Jones | Birth Mother Award
VIDEOS AND BIOS
Gail Engel | Kinship Caregiver Award
Shawna D. Begay | Resource Parent Award
Sixto Martin Cancel | Alumni Award
Roger De Leon, Jr. | Birth Father Award
Tecoria A. Jones | Birth Mother Award
Gail C. Christopher | Leadership Award
Mark Harris and Michelle Gros | Leadership Award
Kathleen A. Quigley | Leadership Award
Sonia Rodriguez True | Leadership Award
Sauer Family Foundation | Leadership Award
2023 Award Recipients
2023 Award Recipients
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The Sauer Family Foundation (SFF) is a private foundation that serves children in Minnesota who are at risk of experiencing abuse or neglect, exposed to trauma, or have challenges developing reading, writing or math skills. The foundation also makes grants for workforce diversification. In 2021, SFF founders and leadership committed significant resources to focus on child welfare transformation, turning their focus to addressing systemic racism and developing community-based prevention services so vulnerable families get their needs met without being reported to child protection. This commitment follows earlier work with child welfare leaders with a goal of creating a child well-being framework focused on the domains of physical, social, emotional, cultural and spiritual well-being. The SFF has funded a number of initiatives, including a family-finding tool being used across the country that helps social workers find family for foster youth more quickly and effectively. Other projects include the Quality Parenting Initiative, which enables connections between birth and foster parents, and a collection of Family Resource Centers. They are also funding the evaluation of youth-centered supports for young adults in supportive housing for those aging out of foster care, believed to be the first of its kind in the U.S., a project that heavily involves the voices of affected youth.
Sauer Family Foundation | Leadership Award
The Hon. Sonia Rodriguez True began serving as a judge in Yakima County Superior Court in September 2022, appointed by Washington Gov. Jay Inslee to fill a vacancy on the court. Prior to her appointment, she became the first Latino court commissioner in Yakima County in late 2020. As an attorney, Judge Rodriguez True provided pro-bono legal consultation via Legal Options Clinic in partnership with Catholic Charities, where she assisted relative and fictive kinship families to prevent those children from entering the child welfare system. She volunteered her legal services to Casey’s Yakima Field Office and trained other attorneys on family law related to guardianship. Judge Rodriguez True has served on many boards related to children and families, including Memorial Hospital and as board chair of United Way of Central Washington. In 2009 she was appointed to the Yakima City Council, where she served for one year. Judge Rodriguez True was raised by a single mother who became an attorney and inspired her to pursue a law career. She and her husband have welcomed over 20 children into their home at various times in the last six years for temporary and long-term care and are raising three children in a guardianship.
Judge Sonia Rodriguez True | Leadership Award
The Hon. Kathleen A. Quigley’s distinguished career has had a profoundly positive impact on youth and families. She has served as a judicial officer in juvenile court since 2003, was appointed to the Pima County Superior Court bench by the governor in 2012, and from 2014-2020 she served as the Presiding Judge of the Juvenile Court. In 2019, Judge Quigley learned of Casey Family Programs’ work to establish Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) courts and worked in partnership on the creation of an ICWA Court in Pima County. The team focuses on placing out-of-home children with family or tribal families, building cultural awareness, ensuring ICWA is followed and establishing relationships with tribes. Much of Judge Quigley’s work nationally and in Arizona has been centered on keeping families together and improving the system. Two examples of her collaborative work included co-creating the Southern Arizona Transnational Task Force in 2014 and leading the development of the Dependency Alternative Program, which launched in 2015. Judge Quigley serves on the Board of Directors of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, and on the National Judicial Task Force to Examine State Courts’ Response to Mental Illness.
Judge Kathleen A. Quigley | Leadership Award
Mark Harris is the executive director of the Pelican Center for Children and Families. He has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for outstanding efforts in promoting the safety, permanency and well-being of Louisiana’s at-risk children. Michelle Gros is the chief operating officer for the Pelican Center and Strategic Plan coordinator for the Louisiana Court Improvement Program. She is passionate about improving the foster care system and adoption process and has personal experience as a foster and adoptive parent. In their work, Harris and Gros focus on centering the needs of families and communities. One of the biggest examples is the development of My Community Cares (MCC), which was inspired by the Children’s Bureau’s vision to shift from a reactive system to one centered on family strengthening. Stakeholders in child welfare, law and the communities themselves were impassioned to develop strategies to serve families before they became entangled with child protective systems. Over the past two years, MCC has partnered with thousands of families to co-design solutions to their challenges and keep children from entering or remaining in foster care. MCC has expanded to nine regions in Louisiana.
Mark Harris and Michelle Gros | Leadership Award
Dr. Gail C. Christopher is the executive director of the National Collaborative for Health Equity (NCHE) and is widely known for her work to infuse holistic health and diversity concepts into public sector programs and policy discourse. She has authored or co-authored three books and has written a monthly column in the Federal Times and hundreds of articles, presentations and publications. In her time at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, she served as senior advisor and vice president for program strategy. Dr. Christopher was the driving force behind the America Healing initiative and the Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation effort. In 2017, Dr. Christopher launched the Ntianu Center for Healing and Nature. In 2019, she joined NCHE and became a Senior Scholar with George Mason University’s Center for the Advancement of Well-Being. Dr. Christopher was elected by the APHA Governing Council to serve as the American Public Health Association’s Honorary Vice President for the United States in 2021. She currently chairs the Board of the Trust for America’s Health and has served as vice president of the Office of Health, Women and Families in Washington, D.C., and as executive director of the Institute for Government Innovation at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.
Gail C. Christopher | Leadership Award
Tecoria A. Jones is a devoted mother to six children and has been an active advocate, speaker and leader. Her work includes being a member and chair of the PRISMA Children's Hospital Parent Advisory Council and a parent peer partner with the Federation of Families South Carolina. Jones was chosen to be the first parent leader on the South Carolina Child Well Being Coalition, working in her state with FRIENDS National Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention and SC Children Trust. Her restorative work focuses on health, specifically mental well-being, racial justice, food policy and therapeutic massage. Jones works with Thriving Families, Safer Children as a lived experience national partner and advisory board member for the state lead team. She is also a member of the Birth Parent National Network, a parent leader and trainer with the National Family Support Network, and a board member of Be Strong Families.
Tecoria A. Jones | Birth Mother Award
A dedicated father, grandfather, minister and passionate advocate for children and families, Roger De Leon, Jr. works as a parent partner with Riverside County’s Children Services Division in California. As one of the first parent partners, he helped develop their program, supporting and encouraging families in navigating these systems, often leading to reunification. He is a birth father representative on the California Child Welfare Council and a member of the Parent Partner Advisory Committee. De Leon uses his personal experience navigating the child welfare and court systems to inform his work. De Leon is a member of the Children’s Trust Fund Alliance’s Birth Parent National Network. He has collaborated with Casey Family Programs on strengthening families through the American Rescue Plan Act and the Parent Partner Learning Collaborative and provides consultation to the U.S.Department of Health and Human Services. De Leon helps develop and deliver state-mandated trainings throughout California.
Roger De Leon, Jr. | Birth Father Award
Sixto Cancel is a nationally recognized leader driving systems change in child welfare. He draws on his personal story of his time in foster care in his advocacy and in leading the technology nonprofit he founded in 2017: Think of Us. At its inception, Think of Us used virtual storytelling to shed light on experiences of foster youth. It has evolved and today boasts of building the Lived Experience Networks, the nation’s largest virtual community of lived-experts in child welfare. Cancel often participates in conversations about improving outcomes for youth aging out of foster care. He has helped design conversations at the White House, various Federal Agencies and with Congress; presented about foster care issues all around the nation; and serves on the board of directors for the National Foster Care Coalition. His honors include the White House Champion of Change award, 2021 Children’s Bureau Champion, Schmidt Innovation Fellow, Aspen Institute Ascend Fellow, Ashoka Fellow, and Forbes Top 30 Under 30 Social Entrepreneur.
Sixto Martin Cancel | Alumni Award
Shawna D. Begay serves families as a protective services placement worker with the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department. A member of the Navajo Nation, Begay strives to ingrain the principles of the Indian Child Welfare Act into her work. She provides community resources to strengthen families and their self-efficacy. If a family’s stability cannot be immediately achieved, Begay identifies kin who can care for children and partner in family strengthening. Begay was led into the work after her own experience with her father’s alcoholism and domestic abuse. The youngest of six children, she was raised by her mother. Despite being moved in and out of her birth home due to safety concerns, she excelled at school. She received her Associate of Arts with Academic Honors and graduated with High Honors with a Bachelor of Science in social work. Begay and her husband care for her teenage nieces, who are excelling in life and school.
Shawna D. Begay | Resource Parent Award
Gail Engel is an advocate for kinship families in Colorado, inspired by the journey of caring for a granddaughter and adopting a grandson with special needs. In 2015, Engel founded Grand Family Coalition Inc., a nonprofit designed to create a community of peer support and connection to resources for grandparents and kinship care providers. Engel joined Generations United GRAND Voice Network in 2017 and is a voice of lived experience, advocate and educator. She has supported legislation such as the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) and the Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act of 2018. Engel serves on federal, state and local councils. She has represented families on the FFPSA Implementation Team, is working with Colorado Department of Human Services to create a Child Welfare Family Advisory Council and participates in policy and rule changes. Engel co-chairs the Larimer County Alliance for Grandfamilies. She also
testified to a Senate committee on the impact of COVID-19 on grandfamilies.
Gail Engel | Kinship Caregiver Award
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