GRANTEE INTENSIVE TRAINING SUMMIT SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES Shay Bilchik, JD, Director, Center for Juvenile Justice Reform Shay Bilchik is the founder and director of the Center for Juvenile Justice Reform at Georgetown University’s Public Policy Institute in Washington, DC. The center’s purpose is to focus the nation’s public cross-systems agency leaders on the key components of a strong juvenile justice reform agenda. Prior to joining the institute, Bilchik was president and CEO of the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA), where he led CWLA’s advocacy efforts on behalf of children through public speaking, testimony and published articles, and collaborative work with other organizations. Prior to his tenure at CWLA, Bilchik headed the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, where he advocated for and supported a balanced and multi-systems approach to confronting juvenile crime and addressing child victimization. Before coming to the nation’s capital, Bilchik was an assistant state attorney in Miami from 1977–1993, where he served as a trial lawyer, juvenile division chief, and chief assistant state attorney. Bilchik earned his BS and JD degrees from the University of Florida. Jeanette Bocanegra, Family and Community Organizer, Community Connections for Youth Jeannette Bocanegra is the family and community organizer for Community Connections for Youth. She is a dedicated mother of six and a longtime resident of the South Bronx. Bocanegra is an active educational activist and parent organizer who has worked to mobilize parents for more than ten years. Prior to joining CCFY, she worked as a full-time parent involvement coordinator, providing professional development for parents across the city. Recently, Bocanegra has taken an active role in advocating for families with youth in the juvenile justice system, based on her own experiences as the parent of an incarcerated youth. She strives to ensure that young people who have come into contact with the juvenile justice system are given a second chance to become productive members of their communities, and to provide families with the tools and resources to help their children succeed. David Bonaiuto, Assessment, Quality Assurance, and Process Improvement Manager, Boulder County IMPACT Dave Bonaiuto is the assessment, quality assurance, and process improvement manager for Boulder County IMPACT, a multi-agency partnership that serves the needs of children, youth, and families at risk of out-of-home placement, hospitalization, or detention/commitment in Boulder, Colorado. With an MA in counseling psychology, Bonaiuto has been training, coaching, and leading initiatives involving the integration of evidence-based practices into the juvenile and criminal justice systems for the past 9 years. He is a risk/need assessment trainer and member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers. In 2012, Bonaiuto began leading Boulder County IMPACT’s multi-system assessment and case planning framework, an initiative funded by a BJA grant that is aimed at ensuring the integration and quality use of validated assessments to drive decision-making and case planning across multiple agencies.
GRANTEE INTENSIVE TRAINING SUMMIT Hernan Carvente, Program Analyst, Vera Institute of Justice Hernan Carvente is a program analyst for the Center on Youth Justice at the Vera Institute of Justice. At Vera, Carvente works on conditions of confinement, including youth voice in facilitybased and statewide juvenile justice policy reform. Carvente recently graduated from the CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice with a degree in criminal justice; he is also the founder of the Youth Justice Club. Outside of Vera and John Jay, Carvente is a member of the New York State Juvenile Justice Advisory Group and is the northeast regional representative for the Coalition for Juvenile Justice’s (CJJ) National Youth Committee. He also serves on boards with the National Academies of Science and the Annie E. Casey Foundation. His goal to advance efforts to reform the structure of the U.S. criminal justice system stem from his own experiences in the juvenile justice system. In May 2013, he was awarded the Spirit of Youth Award by CJJ and, on December 2014, he was awarded the Next Generation Champion for Change Award by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Margaret diZerega, Director, Family Justice Program, Vera Institute of Justice Margaret diZerega works with corrections departments, juvenile justice agencies, and faith- and community-based organizations to support them in adopting family-focused and strength-based approaches to their work. Before starting the Family Justice Program at Vera, diZerega was the director of training and technical assistance at Family Justice, a Vera spin-off organization where she worked for three years. While at Family Justice, she led the development of the Relational Inquiry Tool as well as ongoing work with the Michigan Department of Corrections and California’s Division of Juvenile Justice. Prior to Family Justice, diZerega provided technical assistance to affordable housing developers and police as a program officer at Local Initiatives Support Corporation’s Community Safety Initiative. diZerega holds a Bachelor of Arts in American studies from Williams College and an MPA from New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. Dan Edwards, PhD, President, Evidence-Based Associates Dan Edwards is the president of Evidence-Based Associates (EBA), a technical assistance and project management services firm that focuses on the high-impact implementation of evidencebased programs and solutions. EBA is most well known for its award winning Redirection project in Florida, launched to “redirect” youth from residential placements into more effective evidence-based alternative treatments. Edwards leads EBA’s ongoing work with states that are seeking to adopt evidence-based policies, programs, and practices for at-risk children, youth, and families. Prior to coming to EBA, Edwards was clinical professor at the Medical University of South Carolina and vice president at MST Services, the training and technical assistance organization that supports the dissemination of Multi-Systemic Therapy. Edwards, who holds advanced degrees from Harvard University and the University of Florida, has written several chapters and journal articles and spoken at conferences around the world on evidence-based programs.
GRANTEE INTENSIVE TRAINING SUMMIT
Patrick J. Kanary, Director, Center for Innovative Practices, The Begun Center for Violence Prevention Research and Education, Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University Patrick Kanary is a senior research associate and the director of the Center for Innovative Practices at Case Western Reserve University. The center focuses on the identification and dissemination of youth and family-focused evidence-based and effective practices within the behavioral health system. Prior to this role, Kanary was an independent consultant for 10 years, specializing in community-based, inter-system policy and program development, with particular focus on youth and family issues. He previously served as chief of the Office of Children’s Services in the Ohio Department of Mental Health. Before his state appointment, Kanary worked for several years at children’s community mental health agencies in direct care, program supervision, and administrative roles. He began his professional career as a special education teacher in the Cleveland Public Schools. He holds a BA and MA in special education and completed the Mental Health Executive Leadership certificate program at Case Western Reserve University. Tracy A. Levins, PhD, Manager, Prevention and Early Intervention Services, Texas Juvenile Justice Department Tracy Levins currently manages prevention and early intervention services for the Texas Juvenile Justice Department. With more than 25 years of experience in the juvenile justice and the mental health systems, she has worked with communities, organizations, policymakers, and professionals throughout Texas to help youth access the services and resources they need to become productive, literate, lawful, and responsible citizens. Levins was a 2010 nominee for Outstanding Woman in Texas Government for her work in developing the first-ever Parents’ Bill of Rights for the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (then the Texas Youth Commission), implementing the family liaison initiative in state juvenile correctional facilities, and coauthoring the Family Handbook entitled Understanding. She earned her BA in psychology from Hendrix College and her PhD in psychology from the University of Texas at Austin. Timothy Lisante, PhD, Superintendent, District 79 in New York City Timothy F. Lisante has worked within the NYC Public Schools system for the past 37 years. Currently, he is superintendent of District 79, with oversight for 11 alternative programs including HSE/GED prep, early childcare for student parents, career and technical education, and residential and youth justice education. Since 1988, Lisante has been a leader in alternative education, and has served as a teacher, assistant principal, and principal at the schools on Rikers Island. He is a member of the NYS Alternative Education Steering Committee, the NYS Alcohol & Substance Abuse Providers Youth Committee, and the NYC Juvenile Justice Advisory Board. He also serves as an adjunct lecturer teaching graduate courses in special education at Brooklyn College. He has a BA and MA in special education and a doctorate in education.
GRANTEE INTENSIVE TRAINING SUMMIT
Kathy Mitchell, Program Manager, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice Kathy Mitchell is a program manager with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). Her priorities include applying and interpreting policies, guidelines, and regulations for federal grants; managing an extensive grant portfolio; and overseeing the review process for cooperative agreements and awards. Her other priorities include working with correctional education reform, school climate, and school discipline in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Education, and managing culturally diverse grant programs involving Latino citizens. Previously, Mitchell worked as a program specialist at the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the largest grant-making agency in the federal government for museums and libraries. She is a certified grants management specialist and holds a BA in communication studies and an EdM in education and instructional technology from the University of Maryland with a focus on international application for student learning and assessment. Dr. Sylvia Rowlands, PhD, Senior Vice President, New York Foundling Monica Zeno-Martin, Senior Vice President for Program Impact, YouthBuild USA Monica Zeno-Martin serves as YouthBuild USA’s senior vice president for Program Impact. In this role, she is responsible for managing YouthBuild USA’s technical assistance contract with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), working in concert with staff from both agencies to ensure the delivery of quality and timely services, solid fiscal management, and effective communication. She also oversees YouthBuild USA’s SMART Initiative, a national, multi-year pilot to serve court-involved youth through nine YouthBuild programs. Prior to joining YouthBuild USA, Zeno-Martin was vice president of employment services at Jewish Vocational Service in Boston. She has managed public and private workforce development and education grants, statewide replication efforts, program development for women and families, and youth and adult social justice initiatives. She has EdM in human development and psychology from Harvard Graduate School of Education and a BS in business administration from Florida A&M University.
GRANTEE INTENSIVE TRAINING SUMMIT
COUNCIL OF STATE GOVERNMENTS JUSTICE CENTER STAFF BIOGRAPHIES Stephanie Akhter, Policy Analyst Stephanie Akhter is a policy analyst with the Reentry Program. Prior to joining the CSG Justice Center, Akhter was the director of programs at Career Gear, a nonprofit organization that supports men who are low income in becoming stronger contributors to their families and communities. In this role, she was responsible for overseeing the growth and success of three programs, as well as for data analysis and reporting. She has also worked on program development and evaluation in reentry and alternative to incarceration programs through internships at the Office of the Appellate Defender and the Center for Court Innovation’s Midtown Community Court. She is a licensed master social worker in the state of New York. Akhter received her MS in social work from Columbia University and her BS in business administration from Ramapo College of New Jersey. Suzanne Brown-McBride, Deputy Director
Suzanne Brown-McBride began her career working on behalf of sexual assault victims as a community education specialist and crisis line advocate. Before beginning her tenure as deputy director at the CSG Justice Center, she served as the executive director for two statewide victim assistance associations, the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault and the Washington Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs. She acted as chair of both the California Sex Offender Management Board and the Washington State Department of Corrections Victims Council. Brown-McBride was also an appointee to The California Alliance to Combat Trafficking and Slavery and the Washington State Sentencing Guidelines Commission. She is a 2010 recipient of The Lois Haight Award of Excellence and Innovation, which honors a professional whose efforts have had a significant impact on local, state, national, or international public policy development and implementation that promote dignity, respect, rights, and services for victims of crime. She received her BA from Pacific University. David D'Amora, National Division Director
David D’Amora oversees the National Initiatives Division of the CSG Justice Center. The National Initiatives Division consists of four program areas: Mental Health, Reentry, Courts, and Substance Abuse. In addition to working with legislators, consultants, researchers, analysts, scholars, practitioners, and policymakers to help raise the level of public awareness about critical criminal justice issues, the National Initiatives Division provides technical assistance to more than 400 grantees of various federal grant programs including the Second Chance Act, the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program, and Circles of Support and Accountability. Most recently, D’Amora coauthored the CSG Justice Center publication, Adults with Behavioral Health Needs Under Correctional Supervision: A Shared Framework for Reducing Recidivism and Promoting Recovery. His previous criminal justice and human services experience includes
GRANTEE INTENSIVE TRAINING SUMMIT extensive work with adults and juveniles, and individuals with developmental disabilities, substance use, mental illnesses, and/or sexually violent behavior. He has co-authored scholarly articles, provided training for criminal justice and mental health practitioners, and has implemented programs for persons with mental illness and behavioral health difficulties. Ronin Davis, Policy Analyst Ronin Davis is a policy analyst with the Reentry Program at the CSG Justice Center. Prior to joining the CSG Justice Center, Davis worked on the Strong Fathers, Stronger Families program at Seedco, where he oversaw four community-based organizations that provide services to parents who are low income. He has also worked on alternatives to incarceration for vulnerable populations through internships at the Legal Aid Society and the Center for Court Innovation’s Midtown Community Court. Before moving to New York, Davis worked in juvenile detention as a bond commissioner and community justice professional at the Boulder County Juvenile Assessment Center in Colorado. He is a licensed master social worker in the state of New York. Davis received his MS in social work from Columbia University and his BA in psychology and English from the University of Colorado-Boulder. Mark Ferrante, Senior Policy Analyst Mark Ferrante is a senior policy analyst on the juvenile justice team. Prior to joining the CSG Justice Center, he was a senior policy advisor to the commissioner for the New York City Department of Probation. In that role, he staffed an interagency juvenile justice stakeholder group, which was integral to the planning and implementation of New York State’s Close to Home initiative and the launch of the Crossover Youth Practice Model. Ferrante has also worked on an arts-based collaborative bringing music, spoken word and theater to underserved communities in NYC, as well as the design of a commitment project to the Clinton Global Initiative, connecting probation clients to higher education. Previously, Ferrante served as the director for Training and Leadership Development at the Coalition for Juvenile Justice in Washington, DC and as the assistant director for Program Development and Prevention Services with the New Jersey Juvenile Justice Commission. Cynthea Kimmelman-DeVries, Deputy Program Director Cynthea Kimmelman-DeVries works with the Criminal Justice/Mental Health Consensus project providing technical assistance to jurisdictions serving both adults and juveniles around the country under the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program. She has extensive experience working in mental health program development, including the utilization of data collection tools, coordination of field research, and curricula content and design. Prior to joining the CSG Justice Center, Kimmelman-DeVries was the director of administrative services for the Bronx County Mental Health Court, one of five mental health courts designated as a national learning site by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance. KimmelmanDeVries has worked on projects dealing with juvenile waiver and reverse waiver, juvenile sex offenders, and advocacy for victims of violence and sexual assault. She received her BA from
GRANTEE INTENSIVE TRAINING SUMMIT Sarah Lawrence College and her MS in applied psychology and forensics from the University of Baltimore. Emily Morgan, Senior Policy Analyst Emily Morgan works on the CSG Justice Center’s Juvenile Justice Program. Prior to joining the CSG Justice Center, Morgan served as national policy coordinator for The After School Corporation, where she conducted policy analysis and research and managed grant initiatives related to out-of-school time and youth development. She brings valuable experience in program management and education policy. Previously, she taught fifth grade in Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland and served as a program officer at the Institute of International Education, where she managed Fulbright Foreign Student Program grantees. She also conducted research on effective middle-grades policies and practices for the Academy for Educational Development’s Middle Start National Center. Emily received her BS from Vanderbilt University and her MA in education policy from Teachers College, Columbia University. Phoebe Potter, Program Director Phoebe Potter is the director of the Behavioral Health Program at the CSG Justice Center. Previously, she was a budget analyst in the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)’s Justice Management Division, where she oversaw budget formulation and execution issues related to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, U.S. Marshals Service, Office of the Federal Detention Trustee, and the U.S. Parole Commission. In this capacity, Potter wrote budget requests supporting a number of sentencing reforms and reentry-related initiatives at the federal level. During her tenure at the DOJ, she also served as a member of the Deputy Attorney General’s Project Reentry Working Group. Potter received a BA in economics and government from Hamilton College and an MA in public policy from Georgetown University, where she completed her thesis on the role of employment in the reentry process for young adults. Elizabeth Seigle, Policy Analyst Elizabeth Seigle is a policy analyst with the Juvenile Justice Program at the CSG Justice Center. Prior to joining the CSG Justice Center, Seigle worked directly with youth at FEGS Health & Human Services in New York City, serving as a coordinator for its Education and Youth Services division. In this role, she developed paid internships for youth, trained and supported employers in their roles as internship mentors, and provided career counseling and training for the interns themselves. Most recently, she served as program manager at YouthBuild Boston in Roxbury, Massachusetts, where her primary role was managing Civic Justice Corps, a reentry program funded by the U.S. Department of Labor that focuses on positive education, employment, and life outcomes for youth involved with the juvenile justice system. She collaborated with probation departments, schools, courts, and various social service agencies to build and develop a cross-systems approach to Civic Justice Corps. Seigle received her MS in
GRANTEE INTENSIVE TRAINING SUMMIT program management and administration from Columbia University School of Social Work and her BA in psychology from Kenyon College. Cynthia Thaler, Program Associate Cynthia Thaler is a program associate with the Juvenile Justice Program at the CSG Justice Center. Prior to joining the CSG Justice Center, Thaler was a juvenile justice policy analyst with the New York City Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice. In this capacity, she served as a liaison to various citywide stakeholders and analyzed data to inform juvenile justice policy decisions. Thaler received her MA in public policy from Harvard Kennedy School and her BA in sociology and Portuguese and Brazilian studies from Brown University. Shenique S. Thomas, Senior Policy Analyst Shenique S. Thomas is a senior policy analyst with the National Division's Reentry program. Prior to joining the CSG Justice Center, Thomas worked at the Rutgers University EvidenceBased Institute for Justice Policy Research as a research faculty member, managing evaluation projects focused on offender reintegration initiatives in correctional facilities and the community. She also taught courses in New Jersey state prisons for the New Jersey Pathways from Prison to Postsecondary Education Project. Thomas has conducted research related to the impact of incarceration on prisoners, families, and communities, and linkages between incarceration, inequality, and health disparities. She has written on the social implications of mass imprisonment in the Journal of Ethnicity in Criminal Justice and the Journal of Criminal Justice and on risk assessments for sex offenders in Criminal Justice and Behavior. Thomas earned her BA in psychology from Hampton University and her MA and PhD in criminal justice from Rutgers University School of Criminal Justice. Sarah Wurzburg, Policy Analyst Sarah Wurzburg provides technical assistance focused on behavioral health and reentry. Previously, Wurzburg was a research analyst at the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors, where she was the team leader for Youth and Women’s Services. In addition to her work on youth and women’s services, Wurzburg was the primary author of research reports on youth substance use disorder treatment, driving under the influence, and Medicaid. She has also worked as a juvenile court advocate and in community substance abuse prevention. She received her BA from DePauw University in English writing and her MA in social services administration with a focus on policy analysis from University of Chicago.