National Resource Center Staff

John A. Tuell, Executive Director
Jodi Martin, Deputy Executive Director
Sorrel Lewis, Director of Operations
JJ Messier, Staff Consultant and Innovation Center for Youth Justice at JMU Liaison
Mariam Elassal, Staff Consultant/Program Coordination

Independent Consultants

Johanna Balascio
Paul Daniels
Pat Escamilla
Ivy T. Lomax
Kathy McNamara

Learn about our Alumni Consultants.

National Resource Center Staff

John A. Tuell, BSW, MA

Executive Director

John A. Tuell currently serves as the Executive Director for the National Resource Center for the Transformation of Youth Justice at RFK Community Alliance. The National Resource Center focuses on practice and policy reform through an active commitment to partnerships with state, local and federal agencies dedicated to improving the lives of our nation’s youth.

Mr. Tuell has devoted his entire professional career to practice within and reform on behalf of the juvenile justice and related youth serving systems. Mr. Tuell began his career in the Fairfax County, Virginia Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court by working as a probation officer, intake and residential group care worker, and Administrator for twenty-two bed, residential facility for chronically delinquent boys, covering the period from 1979-1996. Mr. Tuell has also served in the U.S. Department of Justice within the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (1996-2001), within the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) where he directed the newly created Juvenile Justice Division (2001-2009), and finally with RFK Community Alliance (formerly Robert F. Kennedy Children’s Action Corps) where he founded and launched the Robert F. Kennedy National Resource Center for Juvenile Justice in December 2013. 

Mr. Tuell has been an author and contributing author to numerous publications that support the work of the National Resource Center’s Dual Status Youth, Probation System Reform, and Youth Justice System Reform and Enhancement initiatives. Mr. Tuell was the primary author for the Developmental Reform in Juvenile Justice: Translating the Science of Adolescent Development to Sustainable Best Practice Brief (2017) and for the newly released innovation brief entitled Keys to Youth Justice Improvement: Demonstration of Practical, Sustainable, Measurable, and Replicable Solutions (February 2023) which highlights the process, challenges, and achievement of six jurisdictions that undertook a comprehensive review of their youth justice system and implemented positive reforms to produce improved youth outcomes.

Mr. Tuell earned his Bachelor of Social Work degree from James Madison University and his Master of Arts degree in Criminal Justice from George Washington University. He is the proud father of two sons, Austin (age 36) and Zachary (age 31).

Jodi Martin

Deputy Executive Director

Jodi Martin serves as the Deputy Executive Director for the National Resource Center for the Transformation of Youth Justice at RFK Community Alliance. In her current role, she provides consultation, technical assistance, and training to local, state, and national leaders, practitioners, and youth-serving agencies seeking to enhance system performance and improve outcomes for youth involved with the juvenile justice system. In partnership with the Executive Director, she supports development and implementation of innovative communication and outreach strategies to grow the National Resource Center’s positive impact on youth in state and local jurisdictions across the country.

Jodi has over 30 years of experience working in juvenile justice and child welfare systems. Prior to joining the National Resource Center, Jodi served in many different capacities within the youth justice system in Clark County, Washington. She began her career working as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) and a youth counselor in a community-based residential program. At Clark County Juvenile Court, she served as a Juvenile Probation Counselor, Program Coordinator, and Program Manager. Jodi has extensive experience reforming truancy processes, developing detention alternatives, implementing information and data sharing initiatives, and training schools, courts and community-based organizations on implementing restorative practices. In 2008, Jodi assisted in creation of the Truancy Workshop, an alternative to formal court process for status offenders in Clark County.  In 2012, Jodi co-authored the Clark County Information Sharing Guide: Guidelines for Agencies Serving Youth & Families. In 2013, she assisted in development of the county’s first ever detention alternatives, the Weekend and Evening Reporting Programs and Community Support Program. Jodi has served on numerous local and statewide committees and is currently a board member for Boys and Girls Clubs of Southwest Washington. She received her bachelor’s degree in Child and Family Studies from Washington State University in 1992.

Sorrel Lewis, MA

Director of Operations

Sorrel Lewis, MA, serves as the Director of Operations for the National Resource Center for the Transformation of Youth Justice at RFK Community Alliance. In both her current position and prior role as Director of Program Administration, Sorrel has supported all aspects of the National Resource Center’s work since its inception in 2013. In addition to managing the program’s operations, she also contributes toward the development of publications and resources, oversees event planning, and supports the National Resource Center’s training and technical assistance initiatives.

Since 2007, Sorrel’s work has focused on improving outcomes for dual status youth and advancing child welfare and juvenile justice system reform. A decade of her career was largely dedicated toward supporting the MacArthur Foundation’s Models for Change: Systems Reform in Juvenile Justice initiative, which fostered her knowledge and professional interests. She previously served as a Program Manager to Georgetown University’s Center for Juvenile Justice Reform and as Program Coordinator of the Child Welfare League of America’s Juvenile Justice Division. In these roles, Sorrel contributed to the authorship and development of numerous publications, planned and supported various events and conferences, and served as staff lead to several networks and advisory groups, including CJJR’s Juvenile Prosecutor Leadership Network and CWLA’s National Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice.

Sorrel earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Central Florida and received her Master’s degree in Forensic Psychology from Marymount University. She served as a Graduate Intern to CWLA’s Mental Health Division and assisted in the revision of assessment guidelines used by mental health and substance abuse practitioners working with children in the foster care system. As an undergraduate student, Sorrel volunteered at women’s domestic violence shelters by tutoring and mentoring children, and taught health and wellness classes.

JJ Messier, MSW

Staff Consultant and Innovation Center for Youth Justice at JMU Liaison

JJ Messier began her career as an elementary school teacher in Chicago, Illinois, where her passion for advocacy and equity was ignited, leading her to take on various roles in community organizations.

For the past 11 years, JJ has served as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) in DuPage County, a role she intends to continue. Her commitment to supporting dually involved youth led to her role as an Independent DSY Consultant for the National Resource Center and as a liaison between the National Resource Center and James Madison University’s Innovation Center for Youth Justice (ICYJ). In this role, she draws upon her extensive experience in education, child welfare, and youth justice to support the next generation of youth justice practitioners.

JJ earned her Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Northern Colorado and her Masters of Social Work (Leadership and Social Change) from the University of Illinois. She lives in the western suburbs of Chicago with her husband of 22 years, Matt, and their four children, Ben, Harper, Cameron, and Ellis.

Mariam Elassal

Staff Consultant/Program Coordination

Mariam Elassal is a staff consultant with the National Resource Center for the Transformation of Youth Justice. In this role, she supports project coordination and assists with daily operations and communications.

Mariam is committed to reforming youth justice systems in ways that align with adolescent development and give young people the space to learn and grow. She is deeply invested in addressing racial and ethnic disparities across justice systems and has independently completed several intensive research projects examining how challenges within jurisdictions are intertwined with broader social issues. She is especially passionate about centering connection and collaboration as essential drivers of sustainable reform in justice systems.

Mariam earned her BS in Reforming Systems of Justice, with Criminal Justice and Youth Justice minor degrees from James Madison University. During her time at JMU, Mariam worked as a communications intern for the Gandhi Center for Global Nonviolence and served as the editor of the Independent Scholars E-Zine. Her Youth Justice minor (as part of the Innovation Center for Youth Justice at JMU) provided the opportunity for her to complete a rigorous internship with Fairfax County Juvenile Domestic Relations Court in the juvenile probation department.

Mariam was raised in Fairfax County, VA, and continues to enjoy living in the Northern Virginia region.

Independent Consultants

Johanna Balascio

Independent Consultant

Johanna Balascio has 29 years of dedicated experience in the juvenile justice field. In April 2023, she retired from her role at the Fairfax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court, where she served as the Deputy Director for Operations. During this tenure, she oversaw a wide range of units within the Court Service Unit, including Special Projects and Initiatives, Research and Development, Continuance Quality Improvement (CQI), Language Access, and Victim Services.

Johanna began her career in direct service, spending many years as a probation officer before transitioning into supervisory roles. As a probation supervisor, she worked with staff during the introduction of evidence-based practices within the agency, including use of the Youth Assessment Screening Instrument (YASI), Effective Practices in Community Supervision (EPICS) and Motivational Interviewing (MI). Recognizing the critical importance of maintaining fidelity in implementing these practices, Johanna transitioned into an administrative role focused on monitoring Quality Assurance (QA) and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI). Her efforts ensured that youth received equitable treatment and achieved the best possible outcomes. During this time, she played a key role in the Probation and Youth Justice System Reform workgroup and contributed to the development of the Assessment Unit within the Court Service Unit. Although Johanna transitioned into supervisory and administrative roles over the course of her career, her true passion remained with the clients and families she served. She was driven by a steadfast hope to empower them to improve their lives and create positive change within the community.

Johanna earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Work from George Mason University. She also pursued graduate studies, focusing on Social Justice and Human Rights at George Mason University, and Criminal Justice Policy and Administration at Pennsylvania State University.  Johanna has been married to her husband for 29 years. She is the proud mother of her two daughters, Alexis and Alivia, and cherishes her role as Nonna to her superhero grandson, Elijah.

Paul Daniels

Independent Consultant

Paul Daniels is the Director of the Juvenile Court Services Division of King County Superior Court in Washington State. He graduated from the University of Washington in 2001 and joined King County Superior Court in 2004. In his time with King County, Paul has worked as a Juvenile Probation Counselor, a Probation Counselor Supervisor, Court Services Manager, and now serves as the Court Director. Paul has led efforts to rethink the use of secure detention and implemented strategies that have dramatically reduced the detention population while positively impacting disproportionality for youth of color.

Paul is a member of the National Resource Center’s Transformation of Youth Justice Practice Network. In 2016, Paul received the Northwest Justice Restorative Justice Award for his work in pioneering alternative responses to family violence and continues to push for transformational change.

Pat Escamilla

Independent Consultant

Pat Escamilla began his professional career with the Clark County Juvenile Court in 1982 as a Juvenile Detention Officer. After three years, he was appointed Juvenile Probation Counselor and went on to serve in a series of leadership roles, including Probation Manager, Detention Manager, and Mental Health Manager. In 2008, he was appointed by the Superior Court Judges as Juvenile Court Administrator.

During his seven years as Court Administrator, Pat was a strong advocate for reducing youth incarceration through alternatives to detention and increased community involvement. Under his leadership, the Clark County Juvenile Court participated in several national and federal initiatives, including Models for Change, the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI), and an OJJDP grant-funded project focused on reducing racial and ethnic disparities. Clark County became a national model for developing community-based responses to student absenteeism and truancy, supporting federal efforts to deinstitutionalize status offenses. Pat also advanced work begun by his predecessor to align court and community responses with balanced and restorative justice principles.

From 2016 to 2023, Pat served as Superintendent of Naselle Youth Camp (NYC). During his tenure, he led significant system changes to address behavioral issues and reduce the use of room confinement. At the time he assumed leadership, NYC’s room confinement rates exceeded the national average. Through coordinated changes across residential, school, and cafeteria settings, confinement rates were reduced to well below the national average. In recognition of this work, Naselle Youth Camp received the 2021 Barbara Allen-Hagen Award from Performance-Based Standards (PbS) for excellence in reducing room confinement.

In addition to his system leadership, Pat served for 28 years as an Adjunct Professor at Clark College, teaching courses in Criminal Justice, Juvenile Delinquency, Crime Victims, and Sociology. He retired in 2023.

Pat earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and a Master of Public Administration in Public Administration/Criminal Justice. Pat currently works as a substitute teacher on the Central Oregon coast. He enjoys spending time with his two granddaughters, ages 17 and 3, and playing pickleball with his wife and friends.

Ivy T. Lomax, LCSW

Independent Consultant

Ivy T. Lomax recently retired from the Fairfax County Juvenile Domestic Relations District Court as the Deputy Director of Residential Services. She has administrative oversight of the Juvenile Detention Center, Shelter Care, two residential treatment programs and a probation unit that serves as an alternative to incarceration. As Deputy Director, Ivy has helped to champion the efforts of Juvenile Justice Reform across the entire child service system to include the residential services within JDRDC, ensuring that staff are trained in the Risk-Need-Responsivity Model and other evidenced-based practices such as Anger Replacement Training (ART). She is also the chairman of the Court Service Unit’s Family Engagement Committee. As the Chairman, Ivy guided the committee in creation of “A Family Guide to Fairfax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court. She, along with the committee, has trained the JDRDC staff in the principle and practices of family engagement.

Ivy has 27 years of varied work experiences. She has worked in and managed community based residential programs and worked as a field probation officer in the Juvenile Justice System. She has also worked as a Court Liaison and Family Intervention Resource and Engagement (F.I.R.E) social worker in the Child Welfare system and worked in the private sector as a home-based therapist.

Ivy earned her bachelor’s degree in Social Work from James Madison University and received her Master’s degree in Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University. She obtained her clinical license in 2012. Ivy is very passionate about providing equitable services to adolescents and families in crisis.

Kathy McNamara

Independent Consultant

Kathy McNamara, MSW, LSW, CCATP, has dedicated her career to supporting, guiding, and advocating for youth in the Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare systems. She currently serves as the Service Provider Network Liaison for DuPage County Probation and Court Services. She previously served for 25 years as a Probation Officer in the Juvenile Division, including 23 years as the Community Placement Manager, and also held the role of Senior Probation Officer. Prior to joining DuPage County Juvenile Probation, Kathy worked as a crisis counselor under the Minors Requiring Authoritative Intervention Act, working with youth engaging in runaway behaviors and youth involved in lock out situations.

Kathy is an inaugural member of the National Resource Center’s Transformation of Youth Justice Practice Network (formerly the Probation System Reform Practice Network). She currently serves on the Children’s Justice Task Force, where she previously held the position of Vice Chairperson from July 2015 to June 2019. In 2024, Kathy was appointed to the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice.

Kathy earned her B.A. in Criminal Justice from Aurora University, and her MSW degree from the University of St. Francis. She is also a fellow of the Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare: Multi-System Integration Certificate Program at the Center for Juvenile Justice Reform (CJJR) at Georgetown University Public Policy Institute. Kathy enjoys cooking, gardening, hiking, and spending time with her husband, Rich, and their newly welcomed Boxers, Lourdes and Floki.

Alumni Consultants

We want to recognize the significant contributions of our former independent consultants. Their experience, expertise, commitment, innovation, and dedication to the mission and vision of the National Resource Center resulted in the positive transformation of youth justice systems in multiple state and local jurisdictions that we have partnered with throughout the country. We extend our gratitude to the following individuals:

  • Christine M. Berbelis
  • Robert “Bob” Bermingham
  • Marcus Graves
  • Lisa Jacobs
  • Peg Robertson
  • Keith Snyder