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Melissa Blom
Manager of Children, Youth, and Families Division | Outagamie County Department of Health and Human Services | Appleton, Wisconsin
Melissa has 30 years of experience in public child welfare including the last 14 years in leadership. She is the Manager of Outagamie County’s Children Youth and Families Division ensuring quality delivery of child protective services to children and families. Melissa has been instrumental in bringing best practice reforms to Outagamie County, including an organizational improvement model, trauma informed care, and Family Find to the CPS Division and the agency. In the spring of 2012, Outagamie County was selected as one of four sites nationally to be involved in the Models for Change Robert F. Kennedy Children’s Action Corps System’s Integration work on Dual Status Youth. In partnership with the Youth Justice Manager she has focused on developing improved practices for youth being served in both divisions. She has authored an article and an Op-Ed for the RFK National Resource Center’s Practice Network which include “A Better Way to Do Business: Changing Organizational Culture to Promote Integrated Service Delivery in Child Protection and Juvenile Justice Systems” and “Why Juvenile Justice Reform Needs Child Welfare at the Table”. Melissa has been involved in the RFK National Resource Center for Juvenile Justice, Dual Status Youth Practice Network since 2013.
Barbara Duey
Director, Children’s Law Center of California | CWLS (Child Welfare Law Specialist) Care Project | Los Angeles, California
Barbara Duey, supervising attorney, CWLS and CARE Project Director at the Children’s Law Center of California has been committed to improving the lives and outcomes of dual status youth for over thirty years. As a juvenile public defender in Los Angeles County and now as a children’s attorney at CLCLA, Ms. Duey has benefited from the dual perspective of representing children in both systems and seeing, first hand, the bias against foster youth in the juvenile justice system. Since 1997 Ms. Duey worked with Judge Michael Nash to create the LA dual status protocol as well as creating best practice protocols for CLC attorneys. Her expertise in this area has led to appointments to serve on local, state and national committees all working toward best practice for youth in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. In 2013 she launched the CLCLA CARE unit. CARE provides holistic, trauma informed support and guidance to the youth to help them navigate through and successfully complete probation. The CARE unit provides these youth with a consistent connection with an adult who provides unsolicited attention, acceptance, and advocacy while also modeling for and educating the system to focus on healing, not punishing, the youth.
Honorable Geoffrey Gaither
Magistrate, Juvenile Division | Marion County Superior Court | Indianapolis, Indiana
The Honorable Geoffrey A. Gaither is the Senior Magistrate at the Marion County Juvenile Court in Indianapolis, Indiana. He has served there since 1995. He has been an adjunct professor at IUPUI and Martin University, motivational speaker, Marion County Juvenile Court representative at the Undoing Racism workshops, created the “Is Indianapolis Another Ferguson?” public forum. Judge Gaither developed The Young Women’s Empowerment Conference Series benefiting young women involved in the juvenile justice system. He also created the Male Mentoring Conference which is a young men’s event that emphasizes mentorship. Judge Gaither has also hosted the 100 Black Men of Indianapolis’ Beautillion Militaire “Know Your Legal Rights” and helped develop the Urban Initiative Hi5 Rallies at local schools empowering young people to take ownership of their educational careers. Judge Gaither earned his Bachelor of Urban Planning degree from the University of Cincinnati and graduated from law school at Howard University. Judge Gaither was an editor and published author on the Howard Law Journal. After graduation, he clerked for the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, is a former Marion County deputy prosecutor, deputy public defender and was in private practice before being sworn onto the bench.
Laura Garnette
Chief Probation Officer | Santa Clara County Probation Department | San Jose, California
Laura Garnette is the Chief Probation Officer for the Santa Clara County Probation Department. In this role, she has had the pleasure of collaboratively enhancing, creating and implementing system changes including: educational/therapeutic day treatment and family centered in-home Wraparound services as alternatives to detention; robust re-entry services for youth exiting secure care; serving as a team lead to create one of two model sites in the country to competently serve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth in the juvenile justice system; increasing the competency of local providers to appropriately serve youth and families of different races, ethnicities and socio-economic status; development and implementation of best practices for youth involved with both child welfare and juvenile justice; and applying evidence-based practices to all areas of service delivery. Ms. Garnette serves as a national consultant and trainer on issues ranging from expedited court processes, risk-based detention strategies, jail population reduction tools, strength-based family-focused service delivery and serving lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth in the juvenile justice system. Ms. Garnette received her BA in Psychology from the University of California- Santa Cruz, and her Master’s Degree in Public Administration from San Jose State University.
Jessica Heldman
Fellmeth-Peterson Professor in Residence in Child Rights | Children’s Advocacy Institute at the University of San Diego School of Law | San Diego, California
Professor Heldman holds the position of Fellmeth-Peterson Professor in Residence in Child Rights at the University of San Diego School of Law and its Children’s Advocacy Institute. Prior to this appointment, she served as Associate Executive Director at the Robert F. Kennedy National Resource Center for Juvenile Justice at Robert F. Kennedy Children’s Action Corps in Boston, MA. In this capacity, she provided technical assistance and training to state and local jurisdictions, guiding the development of law and policy within child welfare and juvenile justice systems throughout the nation. She served as a consultant for organizations including Children’s Rights in New York City, the Child Welfare League of America, and Georgetown University’s Center for Juvenile Justice Reform. She has experience in representation of dependent and delinquent children in juvenile court as well as impact litigation on behalf of foster children. Prior to law school, Heldman worked as a theater educator developing and teaching educational arts programming for dependent and delinquent youth in San Diego.
Nick Juliano
President | Nebraska Youth Justice Initiative | Omaha, Nebraska
Nick Juliano is an accomplished senior leader with 25 years of nonprofit human services experience. His diverse practitioner background includes direct care, training and organizational development, youth and family program administration, business and program development, community engagement, and advocacy and public policy. He is currently President & CEO of a new nonprofit multiservice agency serving youth in the juvenile justice system and their families. Nick serves on a variety of local and regional committees seeking to improve system responses for youth and families including the Juvenile Services Committee of the Nebraska Children’s Commission. One of Nick’s primary interests is the important role of youth and family voice in improving system policies, decisions, and access to services and supports. Nick has been co-chair of the dual status initiative in Douglas County, known as Youth Impact!, since its launch in 2012. Nick is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Public Administration at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. He is 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’s McCourt School of Public Policy. Nick is most energized by spending time with his wife Christiana and his two children.
Mark M. Mertens
Executive Director | Norris Adolescent Center | Mukwonago, Wisconsin
Mark Mertens is Executive Director of the Norris Adolescent Center and member of the Youth Corrections Leaders for Justice. He formally served as the Administrator for the Division of Youth and Family Services for Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. He has over two decades of experience as a juvenile justice manager in Wisconsin. Previously, Mark led Outagamie County’s participation in the Models for Change DMC Action Network generously funded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and with his colleague Melissa Blom worked with the Robert F. Kennedy Childrens Action Corps as one of four initial sites to participate in the MacArthur and OJJDP-sponsored Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare System Integration Technical Assistance initiative. Mark’s primary interests are in juvenile corrections reform, improving service delivery to impact positive outcomes for dual status youth, violence prevention, and reducing racial disparities. Mark has also worked as a juvenile disposition social worker, an intensive in-home family therapist, a mobile crisis intervention counselor, and a unit manager for a residential treatment center for youth. He has a Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
Brian Richart
Chief Probation Officer | El Dorado County Probation Department | Shingle Springs, California
Brian Richart was appointed Chief Probation Officer for the California County of El Dorado in 2013. He assumed that role after serving for three years as Chief of Staff in Alameda County, CA and after a thirteen year career with the Shasta County Probation Department. Brian received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in 1995 from the California State University at Chico. He currently serves on the California State SARB Board and was recently appointed by Chief Justice of the State Supreme Court to the Family and Juvenile Law Advisory Committee of the California Judicial Council. Brian is very active in statewide policy issues as a member of the Juvenile Advisory Committee for the Chief Probation Officers of California and is considered a juvenile reform advocate in California. In his free time Brian enjoys spending time riding his motorcycle, mountain biking, snow skiing, sailing, running, exercising and spending time travelling to beaches near and far with his wife, Kimberly and their two adult boys.
Marcus Stubblefield
Criminal Justice Policy & Strategy Section Manager | King County Executive Office | Seattle, Washington
Marcus Stubblefield is the Criminal Justice Strategy & Policy Section Manager for King County Executive Office of Performance, Strategy and Budget where he will oversee King County’s efforts to transform the entire criminal justice system through strategic partnerships, policy and practice reform yielding better outcomes for everyone the criminal justice system touches. In this position he will use experience learned over the last ten years where he served as the Program Manager, Systems Integration Coordinator for King County. Funded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, King County’s Systems Integration Initiative is a consortium of local and state youth serving agencies. This multi-agency consortium works to create a more coordinated and effective response for youth and families involved in the juvenile justice, child welfare, behavioral health, and educational systems. Marcus served as the primary point person and is responsible for overall management, organization, and advancement of the goals and daily work associated with implementing the Initiative’s Strategic Plan. Another critical component of Mr. Stubblefield’s position involves facilitating community partnerships primarily with youth, parents/guardians, and other key stakeholders. He also actively coordinates and collaborates with his counterparts – other County, statewide and national Systems Integration Coordinators and Foundation personnel.
Mark Werner
Deputy Chief | Cook County Juvenile Probation and Court Services | Chicago, Illinois
Mark Werner has been employed with the Circuit Court of Cook County Juvenile Probation and Court Services Department for the last 18 years. He has served in several capacities in the Department and is currently the Deputy Chief over Operational Support. He serves as the department’s liaison to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, and he has conducted trainings for DCFS in the past. He is honored to work with the probation officers and Judges on difficult delinquency cases that involve DCFS or child welfare issues. He helped develop two workgroups that staff high risk cases with child welfare issues with the goal of keeping them from being further entrenched in the juvenile system. He also serves as an adjunct instructor for Benedictine University teaching Juvenile Justice. Mark has his Bachelor of Arts in Education and Master of Science in Administration of Justice. He and his wife are former foster parents and adopted their son Josh. He also has two biological daughters, Addison and Isabella. In his spare time he loves to coach his daughter’s softball teams.