CQI: Mentorship Program

Introducing Our 2025 Mentors and Mentees

2025 Mentors
2025 Mentees

Adam Stout

Adam Stout is a ten-and-a-half-year veteran of the child welfare work force, including six years in CQI. Adam enjoys creating projects in areas not previously considered, including employee retention and case assignment process improvement. He has mentored new child welfare workers as a caseworker and as a CQI ambassador, and continues to advise new CQI staff. Adam's essential goal is to make the work easier, more efficient, and more understandable, while helping to maintain a high level of quality. Adam has helped his team garner buy-in and achieve noticeable results in child welfare practice. Adam holds a Bachelor of Social Work degree from Cleveland State University and a Data Analytics Professional Certificate from Cuyahoga Community College.

Allen Yang

Allen has spent 40+ years in information technology, 20+ years as a business analyst, and 7+ years since he completed his master’s degree in data science. He is the co-chair of the IL DCFS PowerBI User Group and the acting chair of the newly formed CQI Conference PowerBI User Group. Allen is a proud graduate of the Second City Training Center Improv and Sketch Writing Programs, as well as a recent recipient of a certificate in Museum Studies. In his spare time, he is the past president, current secretary/webmaster, and lifelong attendee of Chinese Family Camp since 1959 (www.chinesefamilycamp.org). He is married with one cat, living in a 100 year old bungalow in Albany Park just northwest of downtown Chicago. Allen is a proud son of immigrants, with his parents coming to the United States from China during WWII.

Amanda Smith-Chonko

Amanda Smith-Chonko, MBA, is an Evaluation Coordinator in the Organizational Performance Department at Pressley Ridge. With a robust background in program evaluation, data analysis, and quality improvement, Amanda plays a crucial role in enhancing the organization's effectiveness and efficiency. In her current role, Amanda develops comprehensive evaluation plans to assess program performance and outcomes. She assists in grant proposal preparation, analyzes potential funding opportunities, and researches new technologies to enhance evaluation processes. Her responsibilities also include creating presentations summarizing evaluation findings for senior leadership, utilizing evidence-based approaches to inform programmatic decisions, and preparing detailed reports on project progress for internal and external audiences. Before her current position, Amanda served as an Evaluation Specialist and Evaluation Assistant at Pressley Ridge. In these roles, she developed evaluation criteria, facilitated data collection and analysis, trained staff on best practices, and identified key performance indicators to evaluate the success of projects.

Anita Larson

Anita Larson is Vice President of Quality & Evaluation at Nexus Family Healing where she leads quality improvement, planning, and evaluation staff who support multiple agencies in five states, providing residential, outpatient, crisis stabilization and other behavioral health services. She also chairs the Nexus-Institutional Review Board and oversees compliance and risk management activities. She has been a county human services case worker, worked at the state level on federally-funded integrated data projects, was a research fellow at the University of Minnesota, and has provided planning, evaluation and analysis support to multiple sectors since the mid-1990s including child welfare, human services, public health, community corrections, and education. She holds a Doctorate in Public Administration from Hamline University in St. Paul, MN.

April Wall-Parker

April Wall-Parker, M.S., is a Research Coordinator in the Organizational Performance Department at Pressley Ridge. As such, she supports the research, program evaluation, and quality improvement efforts within the organization. This includes analyzing data, creating annual outcomes reports, selecting evidence-based models, assisting programs in using their data to improve decision-making, presenting at conferences, and publishing research articles. She also currently serves as the Research Committee Chair and Board Member for the Association of Children's Residential and Community Services (ACRC). Her research interests include developing equitable research practices, ensuring that the voices of vulnerable populations are heard in research processes, and utilizing data to improve program practices. She has experience presenting at a number of regional and national conferences including the Association of Children's Residential and Community Services, Family Focused Treatment Association, the Coalition for Juvenile Justice, the Eastern Evaluation Research Society, the American Society of Criminology, and the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences.

Barbara McCoy

Barbara McCoy, LMSW serves as the Performance Outcomes Analyst at Arrow Child & Family Ministries. She has partnered with a variety of programs including, foster care, adoption, residential facilities, community-based services, and special education schools to best serve their clients. Her specialty is in utilizing excel to assemble, interpret, and visualize data, including analyzing outcome measures which is used determine how programs and/or individual locations are performing. Barbara has a bachelor's degree in social work from Franciscan University of Steubenville, and a master’s in social work from the University of Houston. In her free time, she enjoys crafting and taking care of her plants.

Dave Koch

Dave Koch currently serves as Director of Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning at BUILD, a violence prevention nonprofit serving young people on Chicago's West Side. At BUILD, Dave has helped transition all programs into a new data system, co-created what BUILD calls its Service Impact Model, and co-founded the Data Storytelling Cooperative to connect and equip folks in data-focused roles in other community-based nonprofits. Prior to BUILD, Dave served as Director of Evaluation and Research at another youth and family services nonprofit in Chicago, and conducted research related to youth and families at both Chapin Hall and Harris Public Policy at the University of Chicago. Dave has undergraduate degrees in Philosophy and Elementary Education, and a Masters degree in Social Work with a concentration in Organization and Community Leadership, all from Michigan State University. In his free time, Dave coordinates a weekly game of ultimate frisbee in his neighborhood and serves as Chief Operating Officer for his son's downtown lemonade stand.

Jill Myers

Jill Myers is the Executive Vice President of a large child and family serving organization with residential, foster care, community counseling, early learning and education programs in the Middle Georgia area. She has worked for an accrediting body and leads all quality efforts at the organization. Jill has a husband, raised for children into adulthood, and enjoys building people, programs, and systems for the purpose of quality.

Kimberly Lohrfink

Kimberly J. Lohrfink, PhD is a Senior Research Coordinator in the Organizational Performance Department at Pressley Ridge. She assists the director with maintaining and coordinating research and evaluation activities for Pressley Ridge, supports the quality improvement activities of the organization, and leads the organization’s current data literacy initiative. Kimberly earned a doctorate in Applied Developmental Psychology from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Her recent research interests include relational health, underserved and underrepresented populations, and maternal and child health and well-being. She has over 25 years of research experience in social science and education, and has presented at a variety of regional and national conferences, most recently for the Family Focused Treatment Association.

Kyle Eaton

Kyle Eaton joined Meritan in October 2015 as the Strategic Information Improvement Analyst, bringing over a decade of government and nonprofit experience along with him. Since March 2017, Kyle has served as the Quality Improvement Officer. Kyle directs company wide compliance initiatives including quality assurance, incident management, and accreditations. He also chairs the Safety and Continuous Quality Improvement committees as well as managing the employment assistance program. Kyle earned his Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of Memphis in 2006. In 2015 Kyle earned his Master of Public Administration with a concentration in Nonprofit Administration along with his Certificate in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership from the University of Memphis. He is a member of the American Society for Public Administration, the Society for Corporate Compliance and Ethics, and the Tennessee Conference on Social Welfare. Kyle serves as the chairman for both the Leadership Germantown executive board and the Germantown Historic Commission. Kyle is a member of the Germantown Education Commission, the president of his HOA, a representative for the Shelby County Community Justice Panel, and has served as a mentor with tnAchieves and the CQI Community Group. Kyle is a 2019 graduate of Leadership Germantown and is certified by Labor Relations Alternatives as a serious incident investigator. Kyle was recognized as one of the Memphis Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 in 2020 and received Germantown’s Jo Reed Community Service Award in 2022. In 2025, Kyle will begin serving as a Peer Reviewer for the Council on Accreditation. In his free time Kyle enjoys spending time with his family, coaching his son’s baseball team, and cheering on the Atlanta Braves to another World Series title!

Melissa Curtis

Melissa Curtis received her Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Painting from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She worked for over 3 years at Alden Town Manor, a nursing and rehabilitation center where she was introduced to the concept of Quality Assurance. In 1999, Melissa joined Lawrence Hall to assist in launching a new team-based approach to implementing a Continuous Quality Improvement model. She has been leading the CQI process at Lawrence Hall since 2004. Melissa supports and meets with all agency QI teams; systematically collects, aggregates, analyzes, and communicates data; develops data collection tools, databases, dashboards, and reports; provides training and capacity building in CQI concepts with organization staff, is the lead coordinator for the agency’s COA reaccreditation process; and creates a visual data reports for Lawrence Hall.

Tina Marie Lowry

Tina received her undergraduate degree from Marquette University and her Master of Public Policy and Administration from Northwestern University. She is currently the Director of Quality at Envision Unlimited, a Quality Enhancement Specialist for The Council for Quality and Leadership, and a swim coach for COHO Swim Club. Recently, she has been a keynote speaker for transition fairs guiding families working through what comes next after high school, guiding professionals on understanding how to evolve supports as a person transitions between child to adult services; and she has been a panel speaker discussing topic areas of human rights along with empathetic communication with neurodivergent learners. She identifies as a data geek and enjoys utilizing data to advocate for policy changes that benefit quality of life.

Valerie Bundy

Valerie Bundy, PQI Director at Spero Family Services, has over 20 years of experience in Illinois Child Welfare. She leads Spero’s quality improvement, risk management, and professional development across diverse programs, including early education, behavioral health, child welfare—including therapeutic residential care—and family support services. Valerie specializes in making data clear and actionable, helping teams identify system issues, recognize risks, and improve processes. A firm believer in collaboration and best practices, she also serves as an EAGLE reviewer, supporting organizations in strengthening their impact.

Vanessa V. Klodnick

Vanessa V. Klodnick, PhD, LCSW partners with agencies across the US to implement continuous quality improvement practices to better understand, improve, sustain and grow innovative multidisciplinary programs for adolescent and young adults with mental health needs, complex trauma histories, and current or former system involvement. Dr. Klodnick leads/co-leads several federal, state, and foundation-funded mixed-methods studies, as well as, facilitates training and strategic change management initiatives, and publishes widely in academic and practice literatures. Dr. Klodnick recently transitioned fully into a Research Associate Professor role at the Texas Institute for Excellence in Mental Health at UT-Austin after serving in program evaluation and research roles for 17 years in Thresholds Youth & Young Adult Services in Chicago, IL. Dr. Klodnick earned her PhD at The University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy & Practice, her masters at The University of Texas at Austin Steve Hicks School of Social Work; and is a licensed clinical social worker in the State of Illinois. Vanessa loves a good story, and running through Chicago’s alleys.

Wendy Patterson

Wendy Patterson has worked in Human Services for over 25 years, with experience working with early childhood programs all the way to senior programming. She has a background in direct service but has primarily focused on administrative aspects for the past 16 years. Wendy currently works at Lutheran Family Services, which is a multi-service organization providing services across Nebraska and other Midwest locations, as the Assistant Vice President of Performance and Quality Improvement. She is passionate about work that assists in providing a strong foundation so that those providing direct service are supported through strong quality improvement processes. She has an educational background that includes a Master’s in Social Work, a Master’s in Public Administration, and a Doctorate of Education in Interdisciplinary Leadership. Wendy has been a volunteer with the Council on Accreditation (COA) for 14 years and serves as a Peer Reviewer, Team Leader, and Commissioner. She enjoys the review process and seeing the great work that is occurring across the field. In her spare time, Wendy loves watching movies and traveling, and often combines the two passions by visiting film locations during her travels.

Adrienne Williams

Adrienne Williams, MSW, LCSW received her Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Social Work from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. She has worked at the Missouri Children’s Division for over 23 years. She spent the majority of her career as a Senior Social Services Specialist with a focus on continuous quality improvement. Through this role, she has provided guidance and support regarding the agency’s accreditation, eventually leading statewide efforts towards reaccreditation. She is currently the project manager for the agency’s efforts to strengthen and revise the policy manual and related content management systems.

Alayia Forsyth

Alayia Forsyth is the current Director of Quality Improvement at Crisis Nursery in Urbana Illinois. She received her MSW from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 2019 and LCSW for the state of Illinois in 2021. Her post graduate work history includes case management services with youth and adults for inpatient psychiatric hospitalization, inpatient adult substance abuse treatment and outpatient therapy with adults. Moving from direct patient care to quality improvement has been an exciting learning opportunity for her and she is eager to continue learning about CQI, its relation to her current education and work with children and families.

Cait Proctor-Frazier

Cait Proctor-Frazier joined Kinnect in April of 2022 in the role of Evaluation Manager and is responsible for establishing and maintaining key performance indicators, consistent measurement systems, and the appropriate infrastructure to ensure compliance and sustainability of programs. Before joining Kinnect, Cait worked at the Center for Evidence-Based Practices, a technical assistance center within Case Western Reserve University, where she coordinated and executed fidelity reviews on a national scale for mental health and substance use organizations. Beginning her career in nonprofit and government settings, Cait combined her passion for human services with a desire for data-driven decision making and continuous quality improvement by obtaining a Master’s in Nonprofit Administration and Leadership.

Courtney Murray

Courtney Murray (she/her) is the Director of Risk & Compliance with Friends of Youth, a COA accredited agency serving homeless youth and young adults in King County, WA. Courtney maintains over a decade of experience with program and project management in the pacific northwest nonprofit sector and, in her current role, oversees a continuum of administrative areas from safety and compliance to data analysis and quality assurance. She works collaboratively to address opportunities for improvement, both within program services as well as quality improvement programs. Some recent projects include improving data integrity through input standardization; automating case record auditing practices; and the development of clear and comprehensive dashboards which meet multiple stakeholder needs. She is passionate about pursuing lean, agile, and intuitive processes that provide accurate and timely data without being overly cumbersome for employees. Courtney retains an interest in furthering her understanding of software capabilities and increasing her competency in such programs to support her work and those around her.

Grace Bramman

Grace Bramman, MSW, LCSW: Grace earned her Masters in Social Work from Washington University in 2013 and her clinical social work license in 2016. Grace also holds Bachelors degrees in Psychology and Statistics from the University of Missouri-Columbia, where she worked as a research assistant in multiple Psychology labs. After working in School Social Work roles in both traditional and non-traditional school settings, Grace joined Wyman in 2013 facilitating Wyman’s Teen Outreach Program in a local middle school. In 2016, Grace joined the Research & Learning Department as an Evaluation Specialist and currently holds a shared position—Director of Evaluation & Grants—across both Research & Learning and the Donor Engagement Departments. Grace specializes in supporting positive youth development programming through thoughtful program evaluation design and an intentional approach to grant planning and management. She is adept at maximizing efficiency and quality through effective process development and process communication. Grace earned a Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Webster University in 2019, which broadened her understanding of nonprofit operations and informs her strategic approach to evaluation and reporting.

Jenna Barrus

As a Public Health Consultant with a Master's from Boston University, Jenna leverages her expertise in community health strategies and program evaluation to effect change. At SWOP Chicago, her grant proposals have secured vital funding, and at Boston Medical Center, her data driven outreach plans support pregnant individuals of color with substance use disorders secure services they need. Jenna’s commitment to public health is underscored by her time at UCAN. She uses data analysis to drive improvements in patient care and operational efficiency for their Behavioral Health Services and new Mobile Crisis Initiative. With a collaborative approach, she works closely with program staff to identify areas for improvement and implement evidence-based solutions. Jenna monitors and tracks key performance indicators (KPIs), ensuring that progress is measurable and aligned with organizational goals. She is fostering continuous improvement and creating sustainable mental healthcare solutions that positively impact Chicago communities.

Jess Vergara

Jess Vergara, M.Ed., is a research analyst at Start Early. They primarily conduct systems-level research and evaluation projects, using research-practice-policy partnerships and improvement science to engage early childhood state and community leaders in data- driven systems building. An expert in developing and assessing theories of change and logic models, Vergara works with Start Early’s Consulting and Illinois Policy teams to design and iterate high-quality, equitable early childhood systems and Illinois-based programming. They lead and support all stages of research and evaluation for these teams, including study development, implementation, management, analysis and reporting. Vergara also has extensive experience in translating and disseminating research, collaborating with partners on literature reviews, research agendas, and toolkits and creating accessible data visuals, infographics, and written products. Vergara holds a Bachelor of Art in psychology and a Master of Education in youth development from the University of Illinois at Chicago. A Chicago local, they reside in the Douglass Park area with their partner and a household of plants. Jess is a co-founder of the Viento Little Village Runners club and has served as captain for the past 12 years. An avid community leader, runner, and triathlete, Vergara enjoys sharing their love for all things food, culture and books.

Kristin Meyer

Kristin Meyer, LMSW, VP of Quality Improvement and Innovation, directs strategies and tactics necessary to successfully improve the outcomes and results of the organization and identifies best practices and innovative approaches that enhance Bethany’s services for children and families. She has over 20 years of experience in the field of child and family services. After beginning her career at Bethany in the Refugee Foster Care program in Grand Rapids, Kristin has spent the last 12 years in leadership roles for Bethany’s Headquarters, working to support staff and enhance program quality across a diverse array of programs such as pregnancy counseling, adoption, post adoption, foster care, ReNew and SafeCare. Kristin is experienced in policy and program development, training and coaching child welfare staff and foster parents, data analysis, project management, and strategic planning for achieving high standards of quality in program implementation. Kristin is passionate about partnering with families to ensure services and supports are fair, responsive, and accountable to outcomes that truly strengthen families and children.

Leslie Price

Leslie Price (she/her) is the Data Strategist for Birth to Five Illinois. Prior to joining the Team, Leslie was a Faculty Research Associate at the Center for Collaborative Systems Change at Indiana University. She has experience in partnering with communities to create and implement evaluations of programs and policies, as well as data analysis. During her time at Indiana University, she served on local boards related to mental and behavioral health, maternal health, and treatment and recovery. Leslie holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Indiana University and a Master of Arts in Urban and Comparative Politics from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Marissa Catley

Marissa Catley recently graduated from Lamar University with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and is currently pursuing her Master’s in Psychology while working full-time as a Data Outcome Coordinator for Texas Family Care Network, a foster care service organization. In her role, they analyze and report data to improve service delivery and outcomes for children and families in the foster care system. Marissa’s academic and professional experiences have fueled their passion for understanding human behavior, particularly within the realms of social services and mental health. Marissa is eager to deepen their knowledge of data analysis, data quality, and quality assurance methodologies, as she believes these skills are essential for making impactful contributions to the field of psychology. Outside of work and studies, she enjoys hiking, baking, knitting, and photography and finds that having creative hobbies helps with having a balanced academic and professional life. Marissa is excited to connect with mentors who can guide them as they continue to grow academically and professionally, and looks forward to expanding their expertise as they advance in their career.

Rebeca Borloz

Rebeca Borloz has worked in compliance and risk management for 12 years, specializing in risk assessment, compliance controls, and project management. She has experience across multiple industries and is now working in the non-profit sector for the first time. Rebeca currently serves as Risk & Compliance Specialist, where she focuses on ensuring regulatory adherence while promoting quality and continuous improvement. She is passionate about leveraging data-driven strategies without losing sight of quality and efficiency. Fluent in Spanish, English, and Portuguese, she thrives in diverse environments and enjoys collaborating across teams. Rebeca joined this mentorship program to further develop her skills in data-driven decision-making while staying committed to compliance and operational excellence. Originally from Costa Rica, Rebeca loves discovering new coffee shops and exploring different coffee varieties, always on the lookout for her next great cup.

Rebecca Turner

Rebecca is a dedicated and results-driven Performance Improvement Manager with a passion for fostering organizational growth and empowering teams to achieve their full potential. With a passion for data analysis, strategic planning, and change management, she thrives on identifying opportunities for improvement and implementing sustainable solutions that drive measurable outcomes. Rebcca relies heavily on a collaborative leadership style and a commitment to continuous learning, and is seeking mentorship to deepen her knowledge, refine her skills, and expand her impact within the field. Through this mentee opportunity, she aims to leverage her strengths while gaining valuable insights to navigate challenges and further enhance her contributions to her organization and community.

Thomas Caleb Lutz

Thomas is a director with over three years in leadership, currently overseeing a team of six professionals. In this role, he directly manages three team members, who specialize in auditing, reporting, and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) initiatives. With a solid background in quality, he has held various quality-focused roles throughout his career, contributing to both operational excellence and organizational growth.

Valerie Varela

Valerie Varela has a background in grantmaking and evaluation in the public sector. Designing and implementing monitoring, evaluation, and learning frameworks for large-scale community-based initiatives. Expertise includes improving grant management systems, enhancing program efficiency, demonstrating measurable impact, and leading strategic planning efforts. Proficient in bilingual communication (English and Spanish) with a background in international development, humanitarian affairs, global health and youth development. Valerie earned a Master of Social Work specializing in Policy and Program Evaluation of Community and Social Systems from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Santa Barbara in Global & International Studies specialized in culture and ideology.

Vania VanDusen

Vania VanDusen is a data and program evaluation practitioner at Metro Detroit human services non-profit, Starfish Family Services. In her role, she is charged with managing a team of analysts, evaluators and project managers, as well as implementing the agency's ongoing performance quality improvement plan. Through trial and error (arguably, the true spirit of QI!), she's continued to iterate on her implementation approach, leveraging the use of high-quality data, evaluation results, and ultimately, relationship-building. She comes to this mentorship opportunity in hopes to learn both formal frameworks as well as practical tools to better embed quality improvement into organizational culture, as opposed to limiting QI to ad-hoc projects or standalone departments. She hopes more pathways such as this Illinois CQI Community makes learning and growing the practice of quality improvement more accessible to folks, regardless of educational or professional background.

Steering Committee (2023-Present)

Kristina Slacum Jones

Assistant Director of Quality, Thresholds

Melissa Villegas

Director of Evaluation and Quality Improvement, Jewish United Fund

Yolanda Green-Rogers

Senior Policy Analyst, Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago

Past Steering Committee Members

Carly Contri (2023-2024)

Manager, Immunization Program Evaluation, American Academy of Pediatrics

Thank You to Our Past Mentors and Mentees

2024
2023

2024 Mentors

Abigail Eskenazi

Abigail (Abby) Eskenazi, MPP is a Research and CQI Associate at James Bell Associates. Abby has engaged in the planning and implementation of continuous quality improvement (CQI) projects for over five years, focused on several topics including infant safe sleep, child development, and family engagement. She is trained as an Improvement Advisor through the Institute for Healthcare Improvement Breakthrough Series College. Prior to working at James Bell Associates, Abby was the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Quality Improvement Coordinator at the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families. She earned her master’s in public policy, focusing on program evaluation, advanced statistics, and survey design in early childhood policy. In her spare time, Abby enjoys hiking and baking with her husband, and snuggling with her orange tabby cat, Gus.

Adam Stout

Adam Stout is a nine-and-a-half-year veteran of the child welfare work force, including almost five years in CQI. He enjoys creating projects in areas not previously considered, including employee retention and case assignment process improvement. He has mentored new child welfare workers as a caseworker and as a CQI ambassador, and he continues to advise new CQI staff. His essential goal is to make the work easier, more efficient, and more understandable, while helping to maintain a high level of quality. He holds a Bachelor of Social Work degree from Cleveland State University and a Data Analytics Professional Certificate from Cuyahoga Community College.

Alison Wagner

Alison Wagner (AM, LCSW) is a licensed clinical social worker and quality improvement practitioner based in Chicago, IL. She utilizes her foundational training in direct service to inform efforts to improve the effectiveness of human service programs across a variety of settings, including healthcare, community mental health, residential treatment, foster care home study assessment, and research in community-based medical and mental health programs. She has dedicated the past 10+ years of her career to ensuring that youth and families in marginalized communities receive high quality mental health services informed by the best policies and evidence-based practices in the field. Alison holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Master of Arts degree in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice. She completed a post-master’s certificate in Program Evaluation through the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis. Outside of work, Alison spends her free time traveling and hiking with her dog, Jenna.

Anita Larson

Anita Larson began her public service career in 1989 as a case worker for Hennepin County in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area, serving low-income clients who were homeless, recently incarcerated, chemically dependent and having experienced multiple life traumas. Over the next 16 years Anita moved to training and supervision positions, working in different service areas, and earned her master’s degree in Health and Human Services Administration from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota, eventually taking a position in Planning and Analysis. Subsequent opportunities centered on data use in measurement and evaluation as the amount of administrative data grew exponentially in all service sectors including child welfare, corrections, public health, and human services. These opportunities included the management of the Minn-LInK Project at the University of Minnesota and leading the construction of the federal, SLDS-funded Early Childhood Longitudinal Data System in the state of Minnesota. During this time, she also earned her doctorate in Public Administration from Hamline University in Minnesota. Her research, publications and presentations have revolved around the importance of data use, knowledge diffusion, and developing data literacy to improve outcomes, but more broadly on the essential value of inquiry – both quantitative and qualitative – to inform leadership, practice, and policy (both organizational and governmental) to provide the best possible human outcomes. Cultivating this intellectual curiosity, confidence, and the skills to engage in inquiry in practice is also a cornerstone of her teaching philosophy. In her most current position at Nexus Family Healing, she is dedicated to the diffusion of these values and practices to all staff in her support of its rapidly growing services.

April Wall-Parker

April Wall-Parker, M.S., is a Research Coordinator in the Organizational Performance Department at Pressley Ridge. As such, she supports the research, program evaluation, and quality improvement efforts within the organization. This includes analyzing data, creating annual outcomes reports, selecting evidence-based models, assisting programs in using their data to improve decision- making, presenting at conferences, and publishing research articles. She also currently serves as the Research Committee Co-chair and Board Member for the Association of Children's Residential and Community Services (ACRC). Her research interests include developing equitable research practices, ensuring that the voices of vulnerable populations are heard in research processes, and utilizing data to improve program practices. She has experience presenting at a number of regional and national conferences including the Association of Children's Residential and Community Services, Family Focused Treatment Association, the Coalition for Juvenile Justice, the Eastern Evaluation Research Society, the American Society of Criminology, and the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences.

Gabrielle (Gabby) Caroselli

Gabrielle (Gabby) Caroselli is the Quality and Outcomes Regional Manager for Nexus Family Healing, a behavioral health organization providing residential, community-based, and foster and adoption services across the US. While only formally in the quality improvement space for a few years, Gabby has worked on quality improvement projects throughout her career in the capacity of Operations Manager for nonprofits and for-profit entities. She has led multi-disciplinary teams across the early education, restorative justice, and behavioral health fields. She understands the value in managing projects and processes, and believes strongly in the development and investment in staff. Gabby holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations from Boston University and a Master’s of Education from George Mason University. Outside of work, she currently sits on the Associates Board for Pilot Light, a food education nonprofit, and in her free time enjoys traveling, cooking, walking her opinionated Coonhound, and is currently learning to speak Italian.

Kimberly Lohrfink

Kyle Eaton

Kyle Eaton joined Meritan in October 2015 as the Strategic Information Improvement Analyst, bringing over a decade of government and nonprofit experience along with him. Since March 2017, Kyle has served as the Quality Improvement Officer. Kyle directs company wide compliance initiatives including quality assurance, incident management, and accreditations. He also chairs the Safety and Continuous Quality Improvement committees as well as managing the employment assistance program. Kyle earned his Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of Memphis in 2006. In 2015 Kyle earned his Master of Public Administration with a concentration in Nonprofit Administration along with his Certificate in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership from the University of Memphis. He is a member of the American Society for Public Administration, the Society for Corporate Compliance and Ethics, and the Tennessee Conference on Social Welfare. Kyle serves as the chairman for both the Leadership Germantown executive board and the Germantown Historic Commission. Kyle is a member of the Germantown Education Commission, the president of his HOA, a representative for the Shelby County Community Justice Panel, and a tnAchieves mentor. Kyle is a 2019 graduate of Leadership Germantown and is certified by Labor Relations Alternatives as a serious incident investigator. Kyle was recognized as one of the Memphis Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 in 2020 and received Germantown’s Jo Reed Community Service Award in 2022. In his free time Kyle enjoys spending time with his family, coaching his son’s baseball team, and cheering on the Atlanta Braves to another World Series title!

Lara Raper

Lara Raper’s passion for over 30 years is to provide best practice, high quality and supportive services to families in need. She grew up in a close-knit family and community, which instilled in her the drive to help others. Lara is a lifelong learner who is always looking at ways to improve herself professionally and personally. Lara has been married to her husband Ron for 24 years and they have two amazing children together. Through her employment at The Baby Fold, she has built a reputation of someone who gives her all, provides good support, has an open door to all and someone who strives for high quality, best practice in all they do at the agency. Being a part of the CQI community has been an amazing experience and she would love to give back by becoming a mentor.

Martha Mann

Martha Mann is the Director of Strategic Performance at Maryville Academy. In her current role, she coordinates the Performance and Quality Improvement Activities for the Agency, participates in program compliance, best practices, and risk management activities, and facilitates the accreditation process through the Council on Accreditation. Her clinical and management experience are in child welfare, post-adoption services, and child development services. She has been employed with Maryville Academy since April 2022, but was the Senior Director of Performance and Quality Improvement at Catholic Charities for 6 years, and has been a Licensed Clinical Social Worker since 1999.

Melissa Curtis

Rebecca Schedin

Rebecca (Becky) Schedin joined the University of Chicago in 2018 with an extensive background in quality improvement. She has worked as a senior administrator in social and health services over the past decade, partnering with leadership in order to shape strategic initiatives and meaningful outcomes measures, before stepping into a role of Operational Excellence (OE) Partner for the Biological Sciences Division in 2021. In this role, she works across multiple departments and teams to identify and facilitate collaborative improvement opportunities across the Biological Sciences Division. Becky is passionate about supporting and engaging teams and leveraging data to inform decision-making. Becky holds a master’s degree in Public Policy and Administration with a specialization in Health Services Policy from Northwestern University as well as bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Sociology from DePaul University.

Sandra Crasko

Sandee Crasko has spent her professional life in healthcare and human services, focusing on Quality Improvement, Accreditation and Compliance in a variety of settings and with numerous accrediting and regulatory bodies. Having served as Vice President for Home and Community-Based Services at a local senior service agency, she has a deep appreciation for working with staff across locations, shifts and the challenges of engagement and compliance without direct contact. Prior to that, Sandee spent years in program administration as a licensed nursing home administrator, giving her a strong understanding of state regulations. Sandee holds a Master's degree in public health, and brings significant experience in evidence-based practices, outcomes, and articulating impact in communities.

Suzanne Robinson

Suzanne Robinson is currently the Director of Data Management and Performance Improvement with Heartland Human Care Services. In this role, she leads the organization’s data strategy for centralized participant data and the organization’s performance management system. Previously Suzanne was a Project Manager on a Quality Improvement team within HHCS. In this role she focused on continuous improvement of data quality through learning facilitation, cross-teams collaboration, and fostering data ownership. Her graduate degree from University of Illinois at Chicago focused on measurement, evaluation, statistics, and assessment, and sparked her interest in the power of program evaluation to make meaningful change to improve program participants’ lives. Over the last 16 years she has worked with data in many aspects, including creation of data collection tools, data system management and administration, creating data quality monitoring processes, developing system training curriculums, analysis, and program evaluation. Whenever she is not working on CQI, Suzanne can be found with her family exploring museums or hiking.

Tina Ruiz

Tina Ruiz, MSW, LCSW is the Vice President of Quality Improvement, Impact and Analysis at UCAN. She is a highly skilled leader, strategic thinker, problem solver and gets people thinking differently about data. She champions finding better, more refined ways of working, and innovating processes so they reach their full efficiency. She believes in engaging all levels of an organization in quality improvement. Tina has worked in the social services industry for 25+ years with over 15 years of experience serving in the Quality Improvement and Risk Management space and has considerable expertise in supporting child welfare and outpatient mental health programs. Tina received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia, and her Master’s in Social Work from Loyola University of Chicago.

Valerie Bundy

Valerie Bundy, the PQI Director at Spero Family Services, brings over 20 years of experience in the Illinois Child Welfare system. Starting as direct service provider in residential settings, she transitioned into supervision, eventually specializing in quality improvement. Valerie's passion lies in simplifying data, helping teams implement quality improvement and identify process inefficiencies. Valerie's commitment to collaboration and best practice has led her to serving as an EAGLE reviewer.

Vanessa V. Klodnick

Vanessa V. Klodnick, PhD, LCSW is a nationally recognized implementation scientist in youth and young adult community mental health. Dr. Klodnick empowers agencies across the US to implement continuous quality improvement practices to better understand, improve, sustain and grow innovative programming. Dr. Klodnick leads/co-leads several federal, state, and foundation-funded mixed-methods studies, trains providers, and publishes widely in academic and practice literatures. Dr. Klodnick recently transitioned fully into a Research Scientist role at the Texas Institute for Excellence in Mental Health at UT-Austin after serving in program evaluation and research roles for 17 years in Thresholds Youth & Young Adult Services in Chicago, IL. Dr. Klodnick earned her PhD at The University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy & Practice, her masters at The University of Texas at Austin Steve Hicks School of Social Work; and is a licensed clinical social worker in the State of Illinois. Vanessa loves a good ghost story and running in Chicago’s alleys.

Wendy Patterson

Wendy Patterson has worked in Human Services for almost 25 years, with experience working with early childhood programs all the way to senior programming. She has a background in direct service but has primarily focused on administrative aspects for the past 14 years. Wendy currently works at Lutheran Family Services, which is a multi-service organization providing services across Nebraska and other Midwest locations, as the Assistant Vice President of Performance and Quality Improvement. She is passionate about work that assists in providing a strong foundation so that those providing direct service are supported through strong quality improvement processes. She has an educational background that includes a Master’s in Social Work, a Master’s in Public Administration, and a Doctorate of Education in Interdisciplinary Leadership. Wendy has been a volunteer with the Council on Accreditation (COA) for over 12 years and serves as a Peer Reviewer, Team Leader, and Commissioner. She enjoys the review process and seeing the great work that is occurring across the field. In her spare time, Wendy loves watching movies and traveling, and often combines the two passions by visiting film locations during her travels.

2024 Mentees

Amanda Burton

Amanda Burton is from Kentucky and has been living in Chicago since 2019, when she participated in a service year after graduation. Though she has only officially been in the workforce for about 5 years, she juggled many jobs throughout college and amassed experience in many sectors such as social services, teaching/tutoring, office management, retail, editing, academic support, and research. Most recently, she has worked as the Manager of Data Analysis and Management at Catholic Charities for the last 4 years.

Ana Alcantara

Ana Alcantara is a recent MBA graduate (concentration: Non-Profit Management) from Touro University Worldwide. She has 2 years of experience in the Quality improvement field and over 5 years of administrative experience.

Ana Wacker

Ana Wacker is a public health professional with over 6 years experience in the field. Since earning her degree in Public Health from the University of Minnesota, Duluth she has enjoyed working in both government agencies and non-profit organizations to provide support to communities. Ana has worked on teams focused on topics ranging from sexual health to food access, and has recently found an interest in utilizing data to improve program quality and outcomes. In her free time she loves spending time with her chocolate lab, Rocco and traveling with her husband.

Anne Konen

Anne Konen began a new position in February 2024 with the Wisconsin Alliance for Infant Mental Health as the Professional Development Manager for the Healthy Minds Healthy Children initiative. Previous to this she worked for two years as the Workforce Development Manager for Caregiver Connections in Illinois. She is a licensed social worker with close to 20 years of experience in the areas of child welfare, early intervention, family support, and early childhood education. Anne was an Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant in Chicago for over ten years where she worked directly with child care providers, center staff, and home-based family child care providers, to promote and support social-emotional development, understand behaviors and developmental needs of children, and prevent challenging behavior in young children ages birth to five years old. This work involved providing consultation and observation, sharing information and resources, supporting communication and relationship building with families, and education and training. In her role with Caregiver Connections she supports the onboarding and professional development of mental health consultants across the state.

Bridget James

Bridget James is a Quality Compliance Manager in the Quality, Compliance, and Data team at LSSI. She is a licensed social worker and has over 14 years of experience working in Head Start, running an intake line for a community action social service program, providing mental health outpatient services and most recently transitioning to assisting LSSI with continuous quality improvement. Bridget is trained in LEAN Six Sigma and was designated by organization leadership as “LEAN Pro” to help her peers implement LEAN processes. She has additional training as a Results Oriented Management Accountability or ROMA Implementer in her prior organization to help establish logic models, outcomes and reporting. She used both those trainings to help lead quality improvement projects that resulted in positive change in the organization. Bridget is passionate about making the connections between data and the day-to-day work that employees do each day in order to encourage both the organization and employee to keep growing.

Ethan Owens

Ethan Owens has worked in child welfare for 9+ years. Ethan accepted a Quality Improvement specialist with Saint Francis in March of 2022 and has been with Saint Francis Ministries since November of 2019. Ethan is looking to learn and expand skills that will help their company move forward.

Haley Simpson

Haley Simpson received her bachelor’s degree in social work from the University of Illinois Champaign- Urbana and her Master’s degree in social work from the Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in Saint Louis. She also earned her clinical license while focusing on trauma treatment for biological parents, children and youth within the child welfare system. Ms. Simpson served as supervisor of the High-Fidelity Wraparound Program assisting family reunification and the HALO (Healing and Loving Oneself) program for youth at risk or involved in trafficking. Ms. Simpson has experience implementing Quality Improvement initiatives and conducting Utilization Reviews of cases to ensure clients are receiving quality care. Since joining FCURP Haley Simpson has enjoyed the opportunity to focus on strengthening child welfare practice to improve outcomes for children and families. With her clinical background, Ms. Simpson takes a special interest in mental, emotional, and behavioral needs of children in child welfare. As being a part of developing and growing the HALO program, she is particularly passionate about the youth most vulnerable to trafficking. Ms. Simpson also takes interest in utilizing research methods to improve equity among organizations. She was able to practice these skills as a founding member of her agency’s Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee. Overall, Ms. Simpson is passionate about research-informed practice and practice-informed research to achieve successful outcomes for families.

Hannah Dunham

Hannah Dunham is the Chief Performance & Quality Officer at Thompson Child & Family Focus since September 2017. Hannah oversees performance and quality improvement processes for the nonprofit organization including client rights, outcomes and evaluation, compliance with internal and external standards, complaint resolution, and learning and development. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, prior to Thompson, Hannah worked for more than 16 years with youth and families in the mental health/substance use, child welfare, and/or juvenile justice system. Hannah earned her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from UNC-Chapel Hill and her Master’s degree in Social Work from NC A&T State University and UNC-Greensboro. Hannah’s 'why' includes a passion for helping others and ensuring that those in need receive access to the highest quality care.

Jamara Knight

Jamara Knight, MA, works with Early Impact Virginia supporting home visiting models and sites across the state. She has worked in home visiting for over a decade first as a home visitor, then as a supervisor and is a staunch advocate for two generation approaches. She is the mommy of two young boys and an old grouchy cat.

James Viele-Assman

James currently works as a quality assurance specialist at Saint Francis Ministries, providing reports for multiple programs within the agency and externally.

Jennifer Hostetler

Jennifer Hostetler, LMSW is a Quality Program Manager for BenefitBump, a benefit navigation company. She obtained her Master's in Social Work and initially spent time working in clinical settings with disadvantaged youth and children in foster care. In 2012, she started her work in quality assurance working for the State of South Carolina reviewing Children's Division cases. She has experience in both startup and government settings and specializes in ensuring compliance with company standards and federal policies while enhancing participant experiences. She currently works to collaborate across departments, implement QA tools, and analyze data to drive continuous improvement. Adept at leading audits, proposing innovative solutions, and achieving significant time and efficiency gains. With a passion for helping children in foster care, she and her family have spent time fostering newborn babies. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, running, and yoga.

Jessica Farmer

Jessica is a Continuous Quality Improvement Associate Manager and has over 20 years of experience in the field of child welfare. Her previous experience includes working in Residential Treatment as a supervisor and as the Quality Improvement Compliance Coordinator for a child welfare agency. She joined the Family First team through the University of Illinois, School of Social Work in March of 2022 as an Implementation Support Specialist and has recently started a position as the Family First Continuous Quality Improvement Associate Manager. The Family First team works with contracted agencies who provide evidence-based interventions to families and youth who are at imminent risk of entering foster care. In her new role, she will use data to improve utilization of services and support the implementation of Family First in Illinois. Jessica has a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Illinois.

Jonathan J. Booher

Jonathan J. Booher is the Continuous Quality Improvement Supervisor at the Summit County Juvenile Court, Akron, OH. Under the direction of Judge Linda Teodosio, he is responsible for supporting probation case managers through training, observing, and coaching in evidenced-based practices. Jonathan takes an objective look at the probation services delivered to youth and formulates innovative case plans that address driving vulnerabilities using evidenced-based interventions. Passionate about education, Jonathan participates in the Ohio Supreme Court Judicial College and is certified to train on Carey Guides, Brief Intervention Tools and the Ohio Youth Assessment System. Jonathan brings 27yrs. of experience in juvenile justice and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice Studies from Kent State University.

Joseph Bruns

Joseph Bruns prefers to be called "Joe", as Joseph is what he is called by his wife and as a kid by his mother when he is in trouble. He was born raised in Southwest Ohio and enjoys traveling with his wife and son when the budget allows. He believes that you should never stop learning something new and that you should challenge yourself. This is why two years ago he changed career paths from doing case work in the various stages of child protective services for almost 20 years to doing Quality Improvement. He looks forward to learning in growing in the CQI community.

Kasey Doyle

Kasey Doyle is a current employee for the State of Indiana. Most of her historical work was completed in finance. Kasey has a degree in Psychology. Kasey is currently contemplating a Masters in IT specific to Data Analysis. Kasey uses process improvement not only in her day to day in her direct employment, but practice daily in her personal life.

Kendra Kennedy

Kendra Kennedy is the Director of Quality Assurance at ComWell where she has worked for the last seventeen years. Kendra originally started her career as a mental health therapist, and has progressed through the spectrum of community behavioral health working as a crisis coordinator and a care manager before moving into administration. Kendra has her Masters of Science in Clinical Psychology from Eastern Illinois University. In her current role, she oversees Continuous Quality Improvement, Accreditation of the agency, and grant reporting and evaluation for the agency, specifically the CCBHC and RCORP-CHS grants. She is committed to ensuring ComWell is a high quality organization providing services in Southern Illinois. In her free time, Kendra enjoys spending time with her family and friends, being outside, and volunteering with the Girl Scouts.

Kris Barnekow

Kris serves as Continuous Quality Improvement Lead at WI-AIMH and is Associate Professor Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM). She received a baccalaureate degree in Occupational Therapy from UWM, a master’s of science degree in Human Learning and Development from UWM and a doctorate of philosophy in the Therapeutic Science track, Department of Kinesiology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The focus of her doctoral dissertation was maternal-infant attunement, and this research was guided by Kraemer’s Psychobiological Attachment Theory where she focused on infant capacities that fostered attunement with their mother. While completing her doctoral work, Kris served children and families in Wisconsin’s Birth to Three Program. Because of her work with Dr. Kraemer, Kris understood the significant role relationships play during early development. She and Dr. Kraemer co-authored a paper in 2005 that outlined Psychobiological Attachment Theory as a frame of reference for pediatric occupational and physical therapists who serve children and families in early intervention settings. Since then, Kris has integrated an early childhood mental health approach in her research, teaching and service. Kris holds Infant Mental Health Endorsement in Wisconsin and is committed to work that enhances the lives of young children and their families.

Quinette Hobson-Robb

Quinette Hobson-Robb is the Compliance and Quality Assurance Analyst at the McHenry County Mental Health Board. She is a Licensed Social Worker, who completed her master's in social work at Aurora University. Quinette has a background in behavioral health case management and therapy. The idea of impacting larger groups of individuals through quality service delivery drew her to the macro side of social work with a focus on compliance. Quinette enjoys reviewing program outcomes and identifying areas to focus quality improvement efforts. She likes developing relationships with Network Providers to improve collaboration.

Tyla Ricks

Tyla Ricks is a Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Specialist at Ready for School, Ready for Life in Greensboro, NC. Tyla recently graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies. Although this role as a CQI specialist is new to her, working with children and families has always been a passion.

2023 Mentors

Abigail Eskenazi

Abigail (Abby) Eskenazi, MPP is the Home Visiting Quality Improvement Coordinator at the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF). Abby has engaged in the planning and implementation of home visiting continuous quality improvement (CQI) projects for over four years, focused on several topics including infant safe sleep, child development, and family engagement. Abby is trained as an Improvement Advisor through the Institute for Healthcare Improvement Breakthrough Series Collaborative. Prior to working at DCF, Abby managed a Head Start financial capability program and completed her master’s in public policy, with a focus on program evaluation, advanced statistics, and survey design in early childhood policy. In her spare time, Abby enjoys hiking, baking, and snuggling with her orange tabby cat, Gus.

Alison Wagner

Alison is the Director of Quality Improvement at UCAN, a large social service and child welfare agency in Chicago, IL. In this role, she partners with social service program leaders to meet best practice standards through program evaluation and data analysis. She leads UCAN’s team of Quality Improvement Specialists with expertise across all program areas along UCAN’s continuum of services and advocates for data-informed decision-making and implementation of program improvements. Alison lead UCAN’s improvement efforts toward recognition as a 2021 Change-Maker with the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s All Children – All Families project, which sets best practice standards for supporting LGBTQ+ youth, families, and foster parents navigating the child welfare system. She has experience in community mental health, residential treatment, foster care home study assessment, and research in community-based medical and mental health programs. Alison holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Master of Arts degree in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice. She completed a post-master’s certificate in Program Evaluation through the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis. Outside of work, Alison spends her free time traveling and hiking with her dog, Jenna.

Amy Strickler

Amy Strickler, Ph.D., is the Director of Organizational Performance at Pressley Ridge where she oversees the outcomes management and quality improvement process in the organization. She also pursues a strong research agenda to advance knowledge and best practices in the mental and behavioral health field. She has over 15 years of experience conducting research and evaluation in the behavioral health field. Her publications focus on evaluating foster care pre-service trainings, reducing barriers to using data, and building working alliances. She presents at national conferences each year on research, evaluation, and quality improvement projects.

Anita Larson

Jamie Riojas

Jamie Riojas is the Director of Human Resources and Quality Improvement at EmberHope Youthville. EmberHope Youthville is a non-profit organization located in Newton, Kansas that provides Clinical, Foster Care, and Residential services for children and families. Jamie originally joined EmberHope Youthville in 2002, working case management. Jamie transitioned to the Quality Management Department in 2007 and has been involved in performance improvement positions ever since. After a brief hiatus working family preservation in the Quality Department at Saint Francis Ministries, she rejoined the agency in 2014. Jamie has held a variety of quality roles before being promoted to the Director of Human Resources and Quality Improvement in 2022 in effort to streamline processes for both clients served and employees. Jamie holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Wichita State University.

Kyle Eaton

Kyle Eaton joined Meritan in October 2015 as the Strategic Information Improvement Analyst, bringing over a decade of government and nonprofit experience along with him. Since March 2017, Kyle has served as the Quality Improvement Officer. Kyle directs company wide compliance initiatives including quality assurance, incident management, and accreditations. He also chairs the Safety and Continuous Quality Improvement committees as well as managing the employment assistance program. Kyle earned his Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of Memphis in 2006. In 2015 Kyle earned his Master of Public Administration with a concentration in Nonprofit Administration along with his Certificate in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership from the University of Memphis. He is a member of the American Society for Public Administration, the Society for Corporate Compliance and Ethics, and the Tennessee Conference on Social Welfare. Kyle serves as the chairman for both the Leadership Germantown executive board and the Germantown Historic Commission. Kyle is a member of the Germantown Education Commission, the president of his HOA, a representative for the Shelby County Community Justice Panel, and a tnAchieves mentor. Kyle is a 2019 graduate of Leadership Germantown and is certified by Labor Relations Alternatives as a serious incident investigator. Kyle was recognized as one of the Memphis Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 in 2020 and received Germantown’s Jo Reed Community Service Award in 2022. In his free time Kyle enjoys spending time with his family, coaching his son’s baseball team, and cheering on the Atlanta Braves to another World Series title!

Martha Mann

Rebecca Schedin

Suellen Rizzo

In the corporate sector, Suellen had 15 years’ experience in a Fortune Global 500 company managing creative teams as an Operations Director, with a focus on process improvement, policy development, systems implementation, and performance measurement. Managing an international team provided her with a unique view of cultural considerations and differences, and she spent six months in Beijing establishing a creative team at the Asian regional headquarters. She was inspired to change careers after volunteering as guardian ad litem for children in foster care in Rhode Island, and received her MSW in 2017. Suellen now strives to bring private-sector processes, data analysis, and program evaluation methods to the child welfare world. She is currently a PQI Program Analyst at St. Mary’s Home for Children in Rhode Island, where she uses critical incident tracking, record audits, program evaluations, and outcomes research to analyze program quality and improvements. She is the Chair of the monthly PQI Committee at St. Mary’s responsible for tracking and analyzing all improvement projects at the agency. Suellen is a graduate of George Washington University, received a Master’s Degree in Psychology from George Mason University, and a M.S.W. degree from Rhode Island College.

Suzanne Robinson

For over four years Suzanne Robinson has been on the Quality Improvement team for the HART initiative with Heartland Human Care Services. In her most recent role as Project Manager for Quality Improvement and Outcomes, she focused on continuous improvement of data quality through learning facilitation, cross-teams collaboration, and fostering data ownership. Suzanne has recently stepped into the role of Director, Data Management and Performance Improvement with Heartland Human Care Services. Her graduate degree from University of Illinois at Chicago focused on measurement, evaluation, statistics, and assessment, which sparked her interest in the power of program evaluation to make meaningful change to improve program participants’ lives. Over the last 15 years, she has worked with data in many aspects, including creation of data collection tools, data system management and administration, creating data quality monitoring processes, developing system training curriculums, analysis, and program evaluation at a national level. Whenever she is not working on CQI, Suzanne can be found exploring museums with her family or attending Illinois CQI Community Group professional development webinars.

Vanessa Klodnick

Vanessa V. Klodnick, PhD, LCSW is the Director of Research & Innovation at Thresholds Youth & Young Adult Services (YAYAS), and Affiliate Research Faculty at the UT-Austin Texas Center for Excellence in Mental Health. Dr. Klodnick partners with agencies across the US to implement continuous quality improvement practices to better understand, improve, sustain and grow innovative, engaging and effective service models for adolescent and young adults with serious mental health needs, complex trauma histories, and current or former system involvement. Dr. Klodnick leads/co-leads several federal, state, and foundation-funded projects, trains providers and state systems, and contributes to both academic and practice literature. Dr. Klodnick earned her PhD at The University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy & Practice, her masters at UT-Austin Steve Hicks School of Social Work and is a licensed clinical social worker in the State of Illinois. Check out YAYAS Research & Innovation, including a virtual service best-practice guide for organizations and practitioners.

Wendy Patterson

2023 Mentees

Alexis Farr (Artner)

Alexis Farr (Artner) is a Continuous Quality Improvement Manager with 14 years experience in healthcare and human services fields. Her primary responsibilities include coordinating quality improvement (QI) efforts through development, implementation, education, collection, and analysis. Alexis Farr has been at Independence Health & Therapy for three years, with her focus this year on program improvement and software implementation. Alexis Farr has an analytical mind and excels in data analysis and project management. Alexis Farr's passions outside of the QI world include singing, cooking, and enjoying nature with family and friends. She unwinds by curling up on the couch with her dog Duke and a cup of tea or a glass of wine.

Autumn N. Crowe

Autumn N. Crowe, MPH (she/her) is the Thresholds Youth & Young Adult Services (YAYAS) Research & Innovation Evaluation Specialist. Autumn joined YAYAS R&I in August 2021. Autumn earned a Masters of Public Health with a concentration in Community Health Research from Northwestern University. Autumn manages all YAYAS data, analysis, visualization, and reporting for YAYAS research, program evaluation, and quality improvement initiatives. She collaborates with the research and innovation team to develop and disseminate peer-reviewed journal articles, white papers, program-specific data reports, and QI dashboards. She is a staff champion for the YAYAS Young Adult Advisory Board, comprised of representatives across YAYAS programs who advise on YAYAS programming, research, evaluation, and innovation. Currently, Autumn is co-leading a young adult engaged evaluation project to identify young adults' experiences with programming as well as how young adults can take action to inform programmatic changes. Autumn is excited to participate in the CQI mentorship program and is looking forward to developing skills to advance her analytic toolbelt. Additionally, she is eager to learn how to be a champion for equity and inclusion in CQI processes at her organization.

Catherine Moe

Catherine Moe has many years of experience in social services and management in services for Older Adults and People with disabilities. She has an MSW and Masters in Public Administration, both from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. For the past 5 years, she has been with the Milwaukee County Aging and Disability Resource Center as the Quality Improvement Coordinator.

Christopher Pruitt

A Chicago native, for the past thirty years, Chris has worked in the State of Wisconsin as a licensed Social Worker in Child Protective Services (Rock Co DHS), Juvenile Justice (Columbia Co DHS) and program manager for a prominent residential treatment facility (Rawhide Youth Services). Following the completion of his graduate studies, Chris began his CQI journey in 2021. Chris was recently promoted to serve as the Quality and Improvement Manager at Rawhide where he oversees the organization’s PQI infrastructure as well as maintaining regulatory and compliance requirements with the Department of Children and Families, Department of Juvenile Correction and the Council on Accreditation. Chris earned his Bachelors in Social Worker Degree from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (1991) and Master’s in Business Administration Degree from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh (2021). In his spare time, Chris is a professional photographer and enjoys everything related to the topic of coffee!

Elizabeth Cook

Elizabeth is the Director of Quality Improvement at Egyptian Health Department in Southeastern Illinois. She has a Masters in Business Administration from Murray State University and a Masters in Counseling from Missouri Baptist University. In her free time, Elizabeth coaches roller derby and loves to cook.

Elizabeth Teague

Liz received her Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs with High Distinction from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. She received her Juris Doctorate from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. Prior to joining Kids Above All, Liz was a practicing attorney in the area of family law. She represented clients in Cook and DuPage counties in divorce, post-decree, child support, custody, and adoption matters. Liz is also a trained Collaborative Law Attorney and a trained Mediator. Liz joined Kids Above All in 2016 as a Grants Manager, writing funding proposals and preparing reports for funders. In 2018, Liz was promoted to Director of Grants, managing the grants team and the preparation of all grant proposals and reporting. In 2021, Liz expanded her role, becoming the Director of Grants and Compliance and overseeing continuous quality improvement, as well as the grants program. In 2022, Liz’s position grew to include project management of the expansion of multiple programs, as well as ensuring forward movement on the strategic plan.

Fairleigh Barnes

Fairleigh was born and raised in Baltimore, MD. She now lives in Pittsburgh, PA and works as the Administrator of Data, Analytics, and Quality for Chartiers Center, a community behavioral health agency. She is passionate about improving behavioral health care access; empowering consumers to drive their own care; and whole person health that considers the unique individual, their community, and their society.

Hannah Miro

Hannah Miro (any/all pronouns) is the Community Impact Data and Knowledge Manager for the CS3 team at Illinois Action for Children. They are passionate about community and liberation for all people. Their career focus has been understanding systemic inequity through data analysis, with a specific focus on showcasing how structures of white supremacy and capitalism drain human potential. Hannah believes that data should be a communal resource building towards community data cooperatives. They love savory small plates, well-done documentaries, and hearing about your favorite conspiracy theories.

Jasmine Mobley

Compassion-driven advocate and dedicated team member with a demonstrated history of empowering a community one family at a time through a person-centered, strengths based, and holistic approach. It is her belief that as hope ignites in us, it rekindles connection to human-kind giving us the freedom to try again... just one more time.

Kelli Crawford

Kelli Crawford has spent her career entirely in the non-profit sector. She is the Continuous Quality Improvement Manager at Ready for School, Ready for Life – a backbone organization that is building a connected, innovative system of care for Guilford County, North Carolina’s youngest children and their families. Kelli leads Ready Ready’s efforts to provide CQI training and funding to programs serving families and children ages PN-8. When programs apply CQI methodologies, families benefit from increased access to higher quality services. Prior to her time at Ready Ready, Kelli was the Director of Impact for Junior Achievement of the Triad. She also worked at the Greensboro Science Center for a decade as the Volunteer Coordinator and Curator of Collections. Kelli is an advocate for lifelong learning and professional development and believes that learning amongst peers fosters the greatest breakthrough moments for personal and professional growth.

Lisa Lew

Lisa has dedicated her 30+ year career to working with and advocating for people with disabilities. With her broad knowledge base of issues impacting this community, she is excited about her newer role as Keshet’s first Director of Quality Assurance. In this role, Lisa ensures that programs are compliant with accreditations/licensures, the organization’s operations meet quality, integrity, and efficiency standards and she develops systems to sustain optimal delivery of services. Lisa is a Licensed Social Worker and has an Advanced Certification for Social Work Case Management. She is honored to have been selected to participate in the Quality Improvement Professional Mentoring Program.

Margaret Mosca

Maggie Mosca is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who holds her credential in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation. Maggie is the Associate Director of Operations for Caregiver Connections with Chaddock. In her role as Associate Director Maggie oversees the continuous quality assurance process to ensure compliance with contracts and the program plan by Caregiver Connections and its sub-contracting agencies. Maggie previously provided early childhood mental health consultation services and training to child care providers in the state of IL for over 10 years. Maggie is currently a registered facilitator in Circle of Security Parenting Model and has trained on a variety of topics surrounding social-emotional development, including, attachment, trauma, co-regulation and challenging behaviors. Maggie feels passionate about supporting the reflective capacity of early care and education professionals to meet the social emotional needs of children and families. Maggie has also served children aged birth to three as a therapist in Early Intervention.

Margarita Scouten

Margarita Scouten has 29 years of experience with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. Ms. Scouten’s career with the agency has provided her with a comprehensive background in the delivery of family and child services with both a regional and statewide perspective. Her experience includes direct delivery, support, and managerial positions. After retirement in December of 2020, Ms. Scouten returned to DFPS as a Research Specialist with the Office of Data and Systems Improvement in November of 2021. Her experience, in combination with her deep creative drive and determination to see “the bigger picture” is a great fit for her new role with CQI. Ms. Scouten resides in Abilene, Texas where she directly works with regional Child Protective Investigation and Family Based Safety Service leadership and supports 60 counties.

Michelle Calvert

Michelle is the Quality Assessment Coordinator for Children’s Home Society of NC (CHS), a large statewide organization specializing in education and prevention programs, family preservation, and adoption and foster care. She originally joined CHS in 2011 as a Family Finding Specialist, and then spent several years helping to grow the training team before joining the Analytics and Quality Improvement team in early 2022. In her current role, she is responsible for reporting efforts across all programs, quality assessments, design and deployment of satisfaction surveys, and identifying issues of data quality. Michelle holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration with a focus on nonprofit management, and she earned the Project Management Professional certification in 2017. She recently joined the board for Camp to Belong, a nonprofit organization that provides summer camps and other events to reunite siblings separated by the foster care system. In her free time, Michelle enjoys traveling, camping, concerts, and being outdoors.

Naquanda Jordan

Naquanda has dedicated her child welfare career to focusing on changing the system to improve the safety, permanency, and well-being of children and families in the state of New York. She holds almost 20 years of experience in the child welfare system. Her career includes serving in various child welfare positions at the private, local, and state levels. She has held professional titles of CPS Caseworker, Foster Care Caseworker, Juvenile Youth Counselor, Aftercare Juvenile Counselor, Children and Family Services Specialist 1, Child Abuse Prevention Specialist 1 & 2 and Child Welfare Regional Manager. For several years, Naquanda successfully managed a 9-county region where she was responsible for supervising the oversight, monitoring, and technical assistance provided to local districts of social services and voluntary agencies with a focus on Child Protective Services, Domestic Violence Prevention and Runaway and Homeless youth residential programs for the NYS Office of Children & Family Services. While employed with the state, she graduated from the NYS Supervisory and Leadership Institute. Currently, she’s employed with the Monroe County Department of Human Services as a Child Welfare Quality Assurance Division Manager. She oversees Child Welfare Quality Assurance and Continuous Quality Improvement. Naquanda earned a Master of Social Work from the University of Buffalo and a Bachelor of science in Criminal Justice from Buffalo State College. In addition to professional child welfare experience, she also has lived experience. She is a proud 2020 AdoptUSKids Minority Professional Leadership Development Program alumna, where she completed an action-research project to address and reduce Disparities in Child Welfare Mandated Reporting.

Remilekun Sonubi

Remilekun Sonubi is a Data Specialist at Conscience Community Network in Chicago, IL. Although she has always had an early passion for public service, her last position as a Program Specialist at Revolution Workshop truly sparked her interest in how data can push forth program policies to better serve people and create change. Remilekun obtained her B.A in Political Science from Northeastern Illinois University and has interned at U.S Senator Tammy Duckworth's Office and Chicago Transit Authority Headquarters. During her free time, Remilekun loves riding the city bike on the lakefront trail, as well as reading and writing. One of her favorite motto is to "Always move forward."

Russell Pagano

Russell Pagano is a nonprofit professional driven by research and data to achieve social impact. Currently, they are the Manager of Program Evaluation at Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, where they lead quarterly Continuous Quality Improvement and evaluation efforts, culminating in an annual report. Russell has worked as a part of improvement teams and performed data analysis and reporting in previous roles at UChicago and the Network for College Success. Russell holds a Master's of Nonprofit Management from the University of Chicago and is a Certified Data Analyst with R (Datacamp.org). In their free time, Russell enjoys watching RuPaul's Drag Race and baking with their 6-year-old daughter. You might see Russell in an empty lot in Logan Square trying to learn how to longboard in the warmer months.

Stacy Craft

Stacy is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor who has been working in the field of child welfare for over 20 years. Her previous experience involves working in Residential Treatment as a therapist and Associate Director over programming. Beginning in December 2020, she transitioned to the University of Illinois, School of Social Work as an Implementation Support Specialist for the Family First program in the state of Illinois. This involved working with contracted child welfare providers implementing Family First treatment models. She is currently the Family First Continuous Quality Improvement Manager. This position requires monthly data collection and analysis to make determinations on the future programming and goals for Family First.

Tara Helfrich

Tara Helfrich is currently the CQI coordinator for Nexus-PATH Family Healing, which is located throughout the state of North Dakota. Nexus-PATH has a variety of programs which includes but is not limited to; foster care, independent living services and community-based services. She grew up in Mandan, North Dakota which is in the central part of the state. She attended North Dakota State University and Minot State University where she double majored in human development and family science (HDFS) and social work with a minor in psychology. The HDFS degree came from NDSU and the social work from Minot State. This is a dual program located on the campus of NDSU. She then obtained by LBSW. The summer of 2018, right after she graduated from college, she moved to Washington D.C. for a summer internship where she worked under Senator Heidi Heitkamp. After the internship was over, she moved back to North Dakota and applied for a social work position at Nexus-PATH. She worked as a treatment foster care worker in the Bismarck office for just under 4 years until transitioning to her current position in May of this year. In 2020, she started her master's program and in May of 2022, she graduated from Western New Mexico University with a master's in social work. In October of this year, she took and passed her LMSW exam. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, boyfriend and friends. In the summer of 2020, she purchased her first house and have been slowly making it her own, taking on new projects. She loves to travel and am always planning her next trip!