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Nilofer AhsanAssociateNilofer has been working on policy, research and program development in the field of children and family services for over ten years and has a Masters in Public Policy from the University of Chicago. Her career has focused on working closely with practitioners and those using services to develop materials and tools to help shape policy and program development. Nilofer 's current work is developing strategies to prevent child abuse and neglect through strengthening the relationships between early childcare and education providers with parents.Clare AndersonAssociateClare joined the Center in September 2000. Clare's work at the Center is divided between the Center's litigation work and work in child welfare and community partnerships to protect children. Clare is particularly interested in bringing a comprehensive, family-centered, and clinically mindful approach to protecting children and supporting families. She is the former Victim Services Specialist at the Child and Adolescent Protection Center at the Children's National Medical Center.> back to top Tifani BeynumReceptionistTifani joined the Center in June 2007. Besides her receptionst duties, Tifani is also responsible for other administrative tasks.Phyllis BrunsonSenior AssociatePhyllis is the project manager for the Center's work on new forms of local governance - the decision-making process by which a community takes responsibility for improving results for children and families. In addition, Phyllis also serves as the project manager for the international learning and exchanges program that involves sharing innovations to improve results for children, families and communities across national borders. Prior to joining the Center, Phyllis was the Deputy Director and Acting Director for the Maryland Governor's Office for Children, Youth and Families' System Reform Initiative.> back to top Gina ChaneyProgram AssistantGina joined the Center's staff is April 2000, as administrative assistant and meeting planner. Gina works with the entire Center technical assistance team. Gina has been instrumental in upgrading the Center's technical capability including co-leading the development of a new website and database development.> back to top Mischa DentAccounting AssistantMischa joined the Center's staff in August 2002. Mischa formerly worked for four years at two government agencies: the Department of the Navy and the Department of the Army as an Office Automation Clerk.Frank FarrowDirectorFrank has been at the Center since its founding in 1979 and has worked in all aspects of the Center's work. From 1983-1986 he left the Center to serve as Director of Social Services in the Maryland Department of Human Resources. Frank leads the Center's work in helping create the Technical Assistance Resource Center (TARC) for The Annie E. Casey Foundation and serves as Director of the Casey Foundation's Community Change Initiative. Frank also chairs the board of The International Initiative for Children, Youth, and Families. Frank is the architect of numerous strategies that use the resources and authority of public systems and public mandates to creatively respond to family and community needs.Mark FriedmanSenior FellowMark Friedman joined the Center as a Senior Fellow in 2009. Mr. Friedman founded and directs the Fiscal Policy Studies Institute (FPSI) and is the author of the book "Trying Hard is Not Good Enough: How to Produce Measurable Improvements for Customers and Communities." He has also written a wide range of papers on results-based decision making, budgeting, strategic planning and financing.Juanita GallionAssociateJuanita joined the Center in January 2004. Juanita's work is focused on the Center's efforts to provide technical assistance to community-based initiatives, such as Making Connections and the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative, as well its efforts to provide peer technical assistance. Prior to joining the Center, Juanita was Assistant Project Director at the National Civic League, coordinating technical assistance for a national demonstration initiative funded in eleven communities, through the promotion of stronger collaborative efforts, better service integration, and systems reform to improve outcomes for young children exposed to violence. Juanita's work has focused on supporting collaborative efforts to address child protection, AIDS advocacy and prevention, youth engagement, and racial justice.Jim GibsonSenior FellowJim has been a Senior Fellow at the Center since February 2000. Jim came to the Center from DC Agenda, having spent time in major leadership positions at both the Urban Institute and the Rockefeller Foundation. Jim participates in technical assistance activities and is involved in the Center's work in the District of Columbia. Half of Jim's time is spent as an advisor to PolicyLink in California.Aysha GregoryTom Joe FellowAysha joined the Center in 2009 as a Tom Joe Fellow. Aysha is a recent graduate of Wellesley College and has been working on Constituent Engagement and the work to build sustainable financing plans for Making Connections sites.Charlyn Harper BrownSenior AssociateCharlyn Harper Browne joined the Center in October 2008. She is a Senior Associate, Project Director for the Quality Improvement Center on Early Childhood—a research project focused on child abuse and neglect prevention—and a member of the “Strengthening Families Initiative” team. Prior to these roles, she served as a college and university professor. Her educational background is in clinical child and family psychology and early childhood education.> back to top Rachel JosephAssociateRachel joined CSSP as an intern in the summer of 2006 and became an Associate upon her graduation from University of North Carolina Schools of Law and Social Work in September 2007. Rachel is a member of the litigation team, which monitors child welfare agencies to improve practice for children and families. She focuses primarily on providing technical assistance to child welfare systems operating under Federal consent decrees. Prior to joining CSSP, Rachel worked on various child welfare initiatives at the Center for Children's Policy, Practice and Research at the University of Pennsylvania, the Department of Human Services in Durham, NC, and the American Bar Association’s Center on Children and the Law.Christie KatzChief Financial OfficerChristie is a CPA and has been working with the Center for almost one year as a consultant. Christie officially joined the Center staff on February 2003. Prior to joining the Center, Christie worked in public accounting with a focus on non-profits for the past 12 years.Molly KenneyTom Joe FellowMolly joined the Center in 2009 as a Tom Joe Fellow. Molly is a recent graduate from American University and has been working with our Policy for Results and Financing team.Judy LangfordSenior FellowJudy is the Project Manager for the child abuse and neglect prevention project. She also plays a lead role in the technical assistance activities for the Casey Foundation's Making Connections initiative (TARC). Formerly, Judy was the Executive Director of the Family Resource Coalition of America.Arlene LeeSenior AssociateArlene F. Lee Senior Associate Arlene Lee joined CSSP in 2008. After serving as the Executive Director of the Maryland Governor's Office for Children, where she chaired the Children's Cabinet and was responsible for 60+ million dollars that were distributed to local collaboratives through a results-based plan and accountability process. Arlene led the development of the first three-year children's plan in Maryland, establishing the state's goals and strategies for the delivery of integrated services to children and families. As a result of this work, she was named one of Maryland's Top 100 Women in 2007. Arlene was also the founding member and then the Executive Director of a local collaborative designed to re-structure services for children and families. Other positions held include Youth Strategies Manager at the Governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention; Deputy Director of Georgetown University's Center for Juvenile Justice Reform and the Director of the Federal Resource Center for Children of Prisoners at the Child Welfare League of America. Arlene graduated from American University's Washington College School of Law in 1987. As an attorney, she represented children in delinquency, child welfare and divorce/custody matters.> back to top Megan MartinAssociateMegan Martin joined the Center as an Associate. Megan graduated from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School and has a Masters degree in Social Work from the University of Michigan. Prior to joining our staff, Megan was a guest lecturer at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands where she worked on the impact of U.S. social welfare policies on low income minority families and at the Institute for Youth, Education and Families in Washington, DC. Megan is assigned to our Policy for Results team.Jean McIntoshSenior FellowJean rejoined the Center as a Senior Fellow in 2004. She has a wide range of experience in management, policy development, and systemic reform in human services. Jean continues her advocacy for improved systems of support for children and families as an independent consultant for non-profit and philanthropic organizations and through her work at the Center.Judith MeltzerDeputy DirectorJudy has worked at the Center since its inception and has been involved in creating or implementing all parts of the Center's work. She currently leads the Center's work to find better ways to use the power of class action litigation to achieve lasting reform in child welfare systems. She works directly with many states and localities on their efforts to improve results for vulnerable children and families. She has a long history of working to more effectively use the tools of federal and state finance and policy to improve opportunities for low-income children and families.Sarah MorrisonSenior AssociateSarah helps lead the Center's strategic and technical assistance work with the Community Partnerships for Protecting Children initiative. She is currently the St. Louis site coordinator and overall TA coordinator for the cities' self-evaluation efforts. Sarah is also project manager the Center's work in human resources. Sarah brought to the Center 20 years experience in management consulting and government service, including working for the General Accounting Office (GAO).Sarah NavarroAssociateSarah Navarro joined the Center as an Associate, upon graduation from the University of Michigan with a Masters Degree in Public Policy from the Gerald R. Ford School. Sarah has been instrumental as part of the team working with the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative on the work to develop lessons learned and the completion of a Toolkit for jurisdictions wishing to adopt the Initiative’s strategies. Sarah is also working on the team that is piloting our work in Institutional Analysis related to race equity in child welfare.Susan NotkinDirector, New York OfficeSusan joined the Center as the new Director for the Center for Community Partnerships in Child Welfare in January 2002 after working as the Director of the Program for Children at the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation in New York City since 1992. Susan served in various other capacities at the Clark Foundation since 1985, including Director of the Program for Homeless Families. Susan brings valuable experience in the design and management of innovative public and private programs in a wide range of areas of social policy development.> back to top Martha L. RaimonSenior AssociateMartha L. Raimon joined the Center in September 2005. Martha is an attorney with 18 years of experience working in the field of child welfare. She formerly directed the Family Law Unit at South Brooklyn Legal Services and for seven years directed the Incarcerated Mother’s Law Project at the Woman’s Prison Association. She has special expertise in the intersection of child welfare and criminal justice policies and has published in this area. Martha is part of the team responsible for monitoring the performance of child welfare systems operating under class action. She is also helping to coordinate a group of birth parents that seek to influence child welfare policy and practice on the federal level.Lisa RoySenior AssociateBefore coming to CSSP, Lisa was the Early Childhood Program Officer for the Piton Foundation and Director of Special Projects for the Gary Williams Energy Company in Denver, working with Mayor’s Office for Education and Children and the Mayor’s Leadership Team to educate business and civic leaders on the importance of early care and education then working with consultants on Denver’s Preschool Matters ballot initiative (which passed, creating $10 -12 million a year for preschool and quality enhancements). Before that Lisa was a Program Officer with the Daniels Fund in Denver, working on Early Childhood, K-12 Education, and Youth Development for Colorado and all of their funding areas with Native American tribes in the state of Utah. She has direct service experience as a Head Start Administrator and has run early childhood programs for the Clayton Foundation (Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters) and Catholic Charities (Operation Jumpstart) also in Denver. Lisa has an M.A. in Counseling Psychology and Counselor Education.Gayle SamuelsAssociateGayle joined the Center in June 2004 as part of the team responsible for monitoring the performance of child welfare systems operating under class action litigation and supporting other state child welfare system reforms. Previously, Gayle worked at the New York City Administration for Children's Services where she focused on assessing and improving case practice. She has worked directly with adjudicated youth and partnered with attorneys to represent children and adolescents in child welfare and juvenile justice cases in Family Court. Gayle also directed a Head Start based research and intervention project aimed at violence prevention.Lisbeth SchorrSenior FellowLisbeth Schorr joined the Center as a Senior Fellow in 2008. Ms. Schorr is a Lecturer in Social Medicine at Harvard University, and the author of "Within Our Reach: Breaking the Cycle of Disadvantage" and "Common Purpose: Strengthening Families and Neighborhoods to Rebuild America." She founded, and has directed for the past nine years, the Pathways Mapping Initiative (PMI) of the Project on Effective Interventions. In her work with CSSP, Ms. schorr will continue to weave together many strands of experience with social policy, community building, education, and social services and supports, to explore new approaches to building a stronger knowledge base about "what works," and to integrate lessons learned over the past several decades from effective efforts to improve the lives of children, youth and families.Vanessa ScottProgram AssistantVanessa joined the Center in November 1999 as an administrative assistant and meeting planner. Vanessa works on a variety of projects, meetings and conferences.Bill ShepardsonSenior AssociateBill is the project manager for the Center's work on technical assistance for the Casey Foundation's Making Connections initiative. In that work, he manages the Technical Assistance Resource Center (TARC) Help Desk and co-manages the peer technical assistance program. Prior to joining the Center, Bill worked at the Council of Chief State School Officers' Resource Center on Educational Equity, providing assistance to states and communities developing school-linked, community-based efforts to assure the educational success and well being of young people and their families.Dorothy SmithAssociateDorothy Smith joined the Center as an Associate following graduation from Harvard University and the completion of her J.D. degree at New York University. Dorothy also worked as a Legal Intern on their Policy and Opportunity Project at the Center for Law and Social Policy in Washington, DC. Dorothy is working on our Policy and Results-Based Financing work.Myra SotoProgram AssistantMyra joined the Center in February 2007. She is responsible for a variety of projects, meetings, conferences, and administrative tasks. Myra is a graduate from the College of the Holy Cross.Kate StepletonAssociateKate Stepleton joined the Center in 2007 after receiving a Master’s Degree in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago. Her work at the Center for the Study of Social Policy is focused on the design and implementation of programs and policies that increase family strengths, promote optimal child development, and prevent child maltreatment. Ms. Stepleton works with organizations and agencies at the local, state, and national levels that adopt Strengthening Families, an approach that originated at the Center for the Study of Social Policy and is grounded in building protective factors in families. Ms. Stepleton is also a member of team for the Quality Improvement Center on Early Childhood, established through a cooperative agreement between the Children’s Bureau (HHS, ACF) and the Center for the Study of Social Policy. Her prior experience includes direct practice in both family support and child abuse prevention, and work in adolescent health policy. She currently resides in Washington, DC.Mary SwilleyOffice & Accounting ManagerMary has worked with the Center since 1982. She is the Center's office and accounting manager.> back to top Denise ThompkinsProgram Assistant/Assistant Office ManagerDenise has been working at the Center for 11 years. She is the Assistant Office Manager and is responsible for the coordination of all Center contracts. Prior to joining the Center, Denise worked at Howard University, in Washington, DC.Dan TorresAssociateDan joined the Center in August 2007. Dan has a Masters in Public Administration from the Evans School of Public Affairs at the University of Washington. Following graduate school, Dan joined Casey Family Programs where he focused on identifying best practice approaches to addressing gaps in services for families at risk of entering the child welfare system and led the development of Casey’s Neighborhood-Based Prevention Initiative in Los Angeles. Dan’s work at the CSSP is currently divided between supporting prevention efforts in Los Angeles, and looking at effective policies and practices for transitioning youth.Bill TraynorSenior FellowBill Traynor joined the Center as a Senior Fellow in 2009. Mr. Traynor is a nationally acclaimed community organizer, the Executive Director of Lawrence Community Works Inc (LCW), and founder of the Network Organization Forum. As a CSSP Fellow, Mr. Traynor will work to incorporate community and network organizing into the Center’s longstanding organizational priority to engage residents, constituents and customers’ perspectives into the work to improve outcomes for children, families and communities.> back to top Valarie WilliamsProgram AssistantValarie joined the Center in March 2001. She is responsible for staff travel and a variety of other administrative supports.Khatib WaheedSenior FellowKhatib Waheed joined the Center in October 2003 to head up CSSP's new initiative to address the issue of racial disproportionality in child welfare. He most recently worked as an Associate Director for the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative, which is a grant making foundation focusing on ensuring that youth in foster care have successful transitions to adulthood. Khatib has spent numerous years doing community building work through public-private partnerships involving state agencies, school districts, parents, law enforcement officers and elected officials to design and deliver school-linked, school-based family support services. He is a former participant in the International Initiative for Children, Youth and Families.Kristen WeberSenior AssociateKristen joined the Center in March 2003. Prior to joining the Center, Kristen worked as an attorney for children and youth involved with the foster care, juvenile justice, and mental health systems in San Francisco, California. She also has experience working on child welfare impact ligitation cases in Utah and Arkansas.> back to top |