CFPIC | Child & Family Policy Institute of California

Stephanie Alamin
Research Assistant
Center for Social Service Research/UC Berkeley

Stephanie Cuccaro-Alamin, MSW, Ph.D. received her BS from Union College, MSW from Columbia University, and Ph.D. in Social Welfare from University of California, Berkeley. She is currently a research assistant at the Center for Social Services Research at the University of California Berkeley. Presently she is involved with the Extended Employment Outcomes for Youth Aging Out of Foster Care Study with the Urban Institute as well a data analysis project for the California CalWORKs/Child Welfare Partnership Program. Her research interests include poverty, child welfare services, and the use of linked administrative data for program evaluation and policy research.

Mary Ault
Deputy Director for the Division of Children and Family Services
California Department of Social Services

Mary Ault joined CDSS in August of 2005, as the Deputy Director for the Division of Children and Family Services. In her outstanding career, Mary has also served three other states in child welfare and income assistance.

In Texas, Mary was the Deputy Commissioner for the Office of Program Integrity in the Texas Department of Human Services. In Arizona Mary’s career was spent solely in the child welfare arena. She was the statewide administrator for Children, Youth and Family Services in the late 1990’s. Before working in Arizona, Mary worked for the Department of Social and Health Services in Washington State for 15 years. She started as a child welfare caseworker and was also the state office CPS policy manager for the Children’s Administration.

She has been a trainer and an adjunct professor at the University of Washington and Tacoma Community College in Washington State. She authored a chapter in the nationally distributed book, Making Reasonable Efforts: Steps for Keeping Families Together. Mary was a founding member and first president of Washington State County Child Abuse Councils. She holds a BA and MS in clinical psychology from Eastern Washington University.

Marissa Berger
Marissa Berger Interactive

Marissa Berger is the founder of Marissa Berger Interactive, Inc., a full-service web development company catering to small to medium-sized businesses and nonprofit organizations. MBI’s goal is to use leading-edge technology to solve clients’ needs by offering creative and practical solutions. She brings over 10 years of experience in the online industry specializing in web design, production, and Flash and has worked on all kinds on online projects, such as web sites, banners, demos, applications, interfaces, and more. Her business and marketing education and background combined with her creativity and understanding of the web’s possibilities allow for great results.

Brenda Castillo
Compliance Manager
Merced County
Brenda Castillo, MBA/PA is the Compliance Manager for Merced County HSA. She has been with the agency since 2005. Brenda has an extensive background in social work, grant writing, program development, business management, policy analysis, and policy implementation. Brenda joined the Linkages Team in January 2007 and is committed to family advocacy, resource development, community collaboration, and the expansion of Merced County’s Linkages program.

Perma Clendenin
Supervisor
Del Norte County

Perma Clendenin, MSW, ACSW is a supervisor for Del Norte County DHHS, Social Services Branch. She has worked in child welfare for the past ten years. She was previously a drug and alcohol counselor and an Intake Worker in CalWORKs and Voluntary Family Maintenance Social Worker in Sacramento County. She lives in Brookings, Oregon which borders Del Norte County and lives in a log house.

Marta Echevarria
Employment & Training Worker II
Merced County

Marta Echevarria is an Employment & Training Worker II who has been employed with Merced County for 9 years. Dubbed the “Linkages Queen” by her co-workers, Marta exemplifies the Linkages philosophy. She has been on the Merced County Linkages team since March 2006. Her personal experience with Domestic Violence as a child helps keep her focused and committed to the families she serves. She is an advocate for Linkages because she believes it is an opportunity to educate through awareness and intervention.

Terri Ellen
CalWORKs Employment Policy Section Chief
California Department of Social Services

Teri Ellen is the CalWORKs Employment Policy Section Chief with the California Department of Social Services (CDSS). Teri’s section develops state policy and regulations for the welfare-to-work participation requirements that CalWORKs recipients must comply with in order to continue receiving CalWORKs cash aid. Teri has been in the CDSS Welfare-To-Work Division for 15 years and has worked in several different welfare-related program areas. She has been in the Employment Policy Section for the last three and half years.

Danna Fabella
Linkages Project Director
Children and Family Policy Institute of California

Danna Fabella received her MSW from the Univ. of California at Berkeley in 1980. She has worked in the field of public child welfare since 1980 beginning as a social worker and holding positions as supervisor, manager, and Director. She worked in Alameda, Sonoma and her last 12 years in Contra Costa where she served as the Child Welfare Director for eleven years and held the Interim Agency Director position for six months. Ms. Fabella is currently employed by the Children and Family Policy Institute of California where she is the Project Director for California’s federally funded TANF and Child Welfare Collaboration Initiative. She was awarded California’s County Welfare Director’s Association 2006 Leadership Award for working on behalf of vulnerable children and families in California

Sidney Gardner
President
Children and Family Futures

Sid Gardner serves as President of Children and Family Futures, a nonprofit policy research firm based in Irvine. He is the author of Beyond Collaboration to Results, and Cities, Counties, Kids, and Families: The Essential Role of Local Government. Mr. Gardner received his B.A. from Occidental College and has Master's degrees from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School and from Hartford Seminary. Mr. Gardner directed the Center for Collaboration for Children at Cal. State University, Fullerton, and served as a program officer of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, as a Hartford City Council Member, on the staff of the White House Domestic Council, as Director of State and Local Affairs for the Children's Defense Fund, and as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare.

Nancy R. Goodman, M.A.
Manager, Policy Development and Support Unit, Child Welfare Policy & Program Development Bureau
California Department of Social Services (CDSS)

Nancy Goodman began her career in the child and family services field in 1984, after earning her M.A. in Psychology. Her experience includes direct service to clients, both as a social worker for child protective services and as a child abuse prevention counselor for a community-based organization, as well as administrative experience in both non-profit and public social service agencies. Nancy has been the director of a Foster Family Agency, program manager for a residential treatment facility, program manager for Tuolumne and Solano County child welfare agencies & California Deputy Compact Administrator for the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children. Nancy is now responsible for policy development and oversight of “up-front services” – emergency response and family maintenance (and related Division 31 regulations) and the Safely Surrendered Baby law. She also participates on the CDSS/CWDA Policy Committee, is a member of the CWS/CMS data committee and performs several other duties as assigned. Nancy holds a lifetime Community College Teaching Credential.

Paul Harder
President
Harder+Company Community Research

Harder+Company Community Research is an evaluation and planning firm with offices in San Francisco, Davis, San Diego and Los Angeles. Harder+Company works with foundations, government agencies and nonprofit organizations. Paul has over twenty-five years in evaluating programs for children and families. He is currently directing the statewide evaluation of Linkages and is also working with counties across California on Child Welfare Improvement activities. Paul holds an MA is Social Service Administration and a MBA, both from the University of Chicago.

Pat Harrington
Research/Evaluation
Contra Costa County

Patrick Harrington, PhD, has a background in Clinical Psychology at both the practice and research level. After receiving his Doctorate degree from the University of Texas and working as an Air Force Psychologist, he has been involved with Children’s Systems of Care and has worked with Contra Costa County Children’s Mental Health as well as with Contra Costa County Children and Family Services.

Leslie Ann Hay
Principal
Hay Consulting

Leslie Ann Hay, M.S.W., brings 20 years experience in the human services field, including direct practice, training, policy development, administration, legislative analysis and management consulting. She has been an advisory consultant to California’s Linkages Initiative since 2002 and more recently has lead Los Angeles County in the design and implementation of their Linkages program. Previously, Ms. Hay was Director of Foster Care Services at Casey Family Programs, Senior Consultant in public sector consulting at Deloitte & Touché, and began her career as a caseworker for U.S. Senator Daniel J. Evans. Leslie Ann earned her MSW and BS in Psychology from the University of Washington. She resides in Seattle with her husband and two sons.

Maria Hernandez
CalWORKs Eligibility Bureau Chief
California Department of Social Services

Maria Hernandez is the CalWORKs Eligibility Bureau Chief with the California Department of Social Services. Maria’s Bureau is responsible for policy development, analysis, interpretation and guidance of the CalWORKs eligibility requirements, including policy for the CalLearn program for pregnant and parenting teens.

Charr Lee Metsker
Deputy Director
Welfare to Work Division, CDSS

Charr Lee Metsker has worked for the California Department of Social Services for over 30 years and is currently the Deputy Director of the Welfare to Work Division, responsible for ongoing oversight of the CalWORKs, Food Stamp, Refugee, and Program Integrity Programs, along with the associated Automation Systems. She has over 20 years experience implementing and overseeing public assistance programs and was actively involved in the deliberations and negotiations that resulted in the enactment of the CalWORKs program. Ms. Metsker holds a B.A. in Political Science and a Master’s Degree in Public Policy and Administration.

Cindy Nott
CWS Division Chief
Santa Barbara County

Cindy Nott, M.S., M.F.T. has worked with Child Welfare Services in northern Santa Barbara County since 1985, responding to many changes in the CWS delivery system. In addition to working with CWS she had her own private counseling practice for about 7 years. Her assignments at CWS have included 13 years as a Social Service Practitioner working primarily with sexual abuse cases and Juvenile Court cases, 2 years as a Social Service Supervisor II for an Emergency Response unit, 1 year as the county-wide CWS Training Supervisor training new and experienced CWS staff, and the last 6+years as a CWS Division Chief. The enjoyment she finds in her work is obvious in her dedication to serving the children and families of the community.

Stuart Oppenheim
Executive Director
Child and Family Policy Institute of California

After receiving a Masters Degree in Philosophy from Northwestern University, Stuart Oppenheim began his career as an AFDC Eligibility Worker in 1973 for the San Francisco County Department of Social Service. During the next 31 years he worked in a broad range of public social service areas at progressive levels of responsibility. Stuart earned his MSW in 1979 while working for the Department of Social Services and worked at every level and in every phase of the Child Welfare program. Stuart began working for San Mateo County in 1988 and after 15 years as the Director of Child and Family Services he retired from county service in March, 2004. In September, 2004, Stuart was named the founding Executive Director of the Child and Family Policy Institute of California, where he currently oversees research, training, education and technical assistance activities that are helping to improve the delivery of human services programs throughout California.

Ken Patterson
Linkage Pioneer County Agency Director
Stanislaus County Community Services Agency

Ken Patterson is the Director of the Stanislaus County Community Services Agency. He is a native of Idaho and has spent his social work career in child welfare, family and youth services around the west. He has designed and implemented practice models in public agencies that rely on understanding community values and family strengths. He views the family and community as the primary focus of practice attention. This orientation has led to lessened reliance on out-of-home care and stronger state/local partnerships in the states where he has held leadership positions. Ken frequently trains and consults on strategies for child welfare system reform.
Ken was Director of the Idaho Division of Family and Community Services from 1989 to 1995, Director of the Nevada Division of Child and Family Services in 1996/97, Director of the Utah Division of Child and Family Services from 1997 to 2001, and was Western Division Director for Child Welfare League of America’s National Center for Field Consultation from 2001 to 2002.

Nina Powell-McCall
Program Manager
Los Angeles County

Nina Powell-McCall has worked for the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) for 20 years. For the past three years, she has been the Program Manager of Family to Family (F2F) and Family Group Decision Making (FGDM) which consist of over 60 full-time Team Decision Making (TDM) facilitators and 15 full time FGDM facilitators. Ms. Powell joined the Linkages Planning Workgroup over a year ago to assist with the integration of DPSS expertise into TDMs. She received her Maters of Social Work from the University of Southern California. Ms. McCall began her DCFS career as a social worker with Adoptions Division and has worked at various administrative and managerial assignments that include policy, foster care recruitment, training, support and special projects. She is a certified Domestic/Family Violence Advocate Volunteer with the Los Angeles Police Department Emergency Response DART Unit and a certified Mediator in community Disputes.

Mary Sheppard
Social Services Consultant II, Child Welfare Policy & Program Development Bureau
California Department of Social Services

Mary Sheppard began her social services work in 2001 as a Family Specialist in the Wraparound program at EMQ Children and Family Services. During her work at EMQ, Mary worked with children and youth in the community to assist them with remaining in their family homes or in the lowest level of care possible.

While working on her graduate degree, Mary worked as a student intern with Yolo County Alcohol Drug and Mental Health providing mental health assessments and individual therapy. After receiving her Master Degree in Social Work in 2006, Mary worked as a Family Reunification social worker for Yolo County Child Protective Services. In her current position, Mary assists California counties with achieving and maintaining outcomes related to child well-being and safety. In addition, Mary supports counties implementing or developing the Differential Response system, which, in part, assists families in receiving the necessary services to prevent them from entering into the formal child welfare system.

Eileen Sterns
Consultant

Eileen Stern is retired from her position as Administrative Services Director for the County of Santa Cruz. With over 25 years of experience in human services, she has worked closely with the California Department of Social Services and The Center for Human Services, UC Davis Extension to develop and provide training to counties for fiscal management and changes in state regulations and policies. Eileen currently runs her own consulting business specializing in human services financial issues.

Cathi Strait
Integrated Caseworker (ICW) Supervisor
Del Notre County

Cathi Strait is an Integrated Caseworker (ICW) Supervisor for Del Norte County Department of Health and Human Services. During her 15 years there she has worked in clerical, eligibility for cash aid, (now CalWORKs), food stamps, MediCal and County Medical Services Program (CMSP). She has also served in the Welfare to Work Program and was a trainer for new workers. She has also worked as an ICT in the Linkages Program and was recently promoted to supervisor. She has lived in Del Norte County since 1975 when she moved there to work a gold mine.

Alma Vega
Program Manager
Los Angeles County

Alma Vega has worked for the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) for 17 years. Ms. Vega began her DPSS career as a CalWORKs (then known as AFDC) Eligibility Worker then promoting to GAIN Services Worker in GAIN (Welfare-to-Work) Program. Her DPSS experience also includes working in the capacity of supervisor and manager in GAIN, consisting of supervising line staff and working administrative assignments and special projects. As a line Manager, Ms. Vega was responsible for daily GAIN Regional operations of a sub-office which consisted of six supervisors, over 40 GAIN workers, and the sub-office’s clerical support staff. For the past two years, she has been a Program Manager responsible for Los Angeles County’s Ancillary/Work-Related Expenses and the Linkages Project. Ms. Vega’s life long commitment of advocating for families in need, domestic violence victims, and child safety began at a very young age by serving her community through community service.

Rose Wentz
Consultant

Rose Marie Wentz, MPA, has worked in the field of public welfare and child welfare for 30 years. She has been a social worker, licenser, social work supervisor, trainer, supervisor of Washington State Training Academy, a residential treatment worker and is currently a CASA for King County Juvenile Court. She is on the board of the National Staff Development and Training Association and is a consultant for the National Resource Center for Family-Center Practice and Permanency Planning. She provides training and consulting on case planning, collaboration, concurrent planning, engaging clients, visitation, permanency planning, diversity and supervision. Rose has an undergraduate degree in Social Work and a graduate degree in Public Administration.