Bryan Samuels
Director
Bryan Samuels was appointed by Governor Rod Blagojevich to serve as director of DCFS in April 2003. Previously, Samuels served as program manager with Chicago Metropolis 2020, a non-profit civic organization. In that role, he researched and completed analysis on public policy issues, such as regional equity, juvenile justice and housing issues. Just prior to his appointment as director, Samuels chaired Governor Blagojevich's DCFS Task Force that assessed Illinois current child welfare needs and made recommendations on how to move forward. The Chicago native began his career in 1990 as assistant for Human Services under Illinois Governor James Thompson. Samuels has spent more than 10 years working in state and local government within seven states across the nation. His national reputation was also achieved through his work with the Annie E. Casey Foundation, John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Cummins Foundation, Danforth Foundation, and the National Center for Family Practice. Samuels received his Master's degree in Public Policy from the University of Chicago, and a Bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of Notre Dame. He maintains contact with his alma mater as a lecturer at the University of Chicago's School of Social Work.

Gene Griffin
Management Team Coordinator
Prior to his new appointment, Griffin was the chief of Juvenile Forensics for the Illinois Department of Human Services, Office of Mental Health. He administered the Mental Health Juvenile Justice Initiative. He also served as coordinator of the Individual Care Grants Program and as Intergovernmental Liaison. As a clinical psychologist, he worked with children on both an inpatient and outpatient basis. As an attorney, he served as an assistant public defender for the Office of the Cook County Public Defender where he represented minors in delinquency proceedings and indigent parents in abuse and neglect proceedings. He previously served as a staff member on a Governor's Commission to Review and Revise the Illinois Mental Health Code. Griffin is an instructor at Northwestern University Medical School's Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. He holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and a J.D., both from Northwestern University. In addition, Griffin holds a Bachelor's degree from Villanova University.

Andrea Ingram
Chief of Strategic Partnerships and Information

Prior to her current appointment, Ingram worked at Voices for Illinois Children as the Director of the Budget & Tax Policy Initiative. Under her direction, the project provided analysis regarding state budget and tax policy with the goal of stabilizing the revenue system on which programs that support children and families depend. In this capacity, Ingram helped develop key messages and materials to inform and shape a collaborative response to the state fiscal crisis. Prior to that, Ingram was a partner in a business law firm in San Francisco. She has litigated cases in state and federal court involving contracts, real estate transactions, intellectual property, financial fraud, employment law, and bankruptcy and has significant trial experience. In 2001 she became a member of the Board of Trustees of Perspectives Charter School in Chicago and since 2002 has been a member of the Education Advisory Committee of the Chicago Urban League. Ingram holds a J.D. from the University of California, Davis and a B.A. in Justice from The American University in Washington, D.C.

Robin Staggers
Deputy Director, Human Resources
Prior to her new appointment, Staggers was an employee relations representative for the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA). In that role, she assisted in the interpretation of contract provisions, advised management concerning proper application of labor policy and procedure, negotiated agreements with union officials, researched and responded to grievances, reviewed proposed changes in jobs under union jurisdiction to provide opinions regarding contractual propriety of proposals, and performed preliminary analyses of the financial effects of labor agreements being considered by CTA. Staggers also worked as occupational adjustment specialist and human resources/employee relations analyst for the CTA. She has served as consultant for the YMCA Urban Programs West, and community relations coordinator for the Quaker Oats Company. Staggers has completed coursework towards a Master's degree in Human Resource Management from Keller Graduate School in Chicago, and holds a Bachelor's of science in business administration with a concentration in Management from Roosevelt University.

Tom Berkshire
Chief of Staff
Prior to his new appointment, Berkshire served as vice president of Funding Factor, Inc., a newly formed fundraising, board management and grant writing consultant company. He also served as president and chief executive officer of Inclusive Environments, Inc., a consulting firm dedicated to helping clients design, finance, develop and manage childcare centers. Berkshire has also been president and chief executive officer of Easter Seals Illinois, where he built the agency from four employees to 45 employees. This was accomplished through the creation of award winning program innovations including the development of multiple inclusive childcare and development centers, assistive technology programs for rural elderly, and teenage mentoring safety programs. Berkshire also provided association service to 12 local Easter Seal affiliates, providing them with the opportunity for growth and development. Additionally, he has served as policy analyst in the Office of the Governor, director of human service planning for the State of Illinois, program evaluator for the County of San Diego, program analyst/management advisor for the Greater London Council, and budget and policy analyst for the State of Connecticut. Berkshire holds a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of Florida.

Randy Wells
Deputy Director, Legislative Affairs
Prior to his new appointment, Wells served as a lobbyist for several organizations, most recently for seven years in the capacity of state executive director and chief lobbyist for the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill of Illinois. Previously, Wells lobbied for both private and public organizations, including several that represented children with disabilities. During this period, he played a significant role in passing legislation that changed the appeal process for children receiving special education services in Illinois. Wells is a graduate of Sangamon State University, and previously served as a member of the Sangamon County Board.

Elizabeth F. Yore
Acting General Counsel
Elizabeth Yore has served as chief deputy general counsel for DCFS since 1998. In that role, she drafted language for contracts on behalf of the Department, directed and tracked all outside law firm legal contracts and billings, monitored and oversaw the Office of Legal Services budget, handled all international and immigration legal issues, served as the legal liaison to the Communications Office handling legal issues in high-profile media cases, served as the legal legislative liaison by providing legal analysis for proposed legislation, and oversaw all personnel matters, including hiring, staffing and employment issues in the Office of Legal Services. Additionally, Yore served as Chief Legal Officer and Director of the International Division for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in Virginia. Yore has also served as assistant attorney general in the Illinois Attorney General's Office. She has received numerous appointments and awards for her work, and has served as subject matter expert for several media outlets. Yore holds a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola University School of Law, and a Bachelor's degree from Georgetown University.

Debra Dyer
Deputy General Counsel
Prior to her new appointment, Dyer served as assistant state's attorney in the State's Attorney Office of Cook County. As the lead prosecutor in a juvenile justice/child protection courtroom, she was responsible for conducting trials and hearings, training prosecutors, and managing the day-to-day prosecutorial activities of the courtroom. Previously, Dyer served as deputy director of External Affairs for DCFS. In that role, she collaborated with internal and external partners; resolved problems and improved relationships with external constituents; and managed the Office of Communications, African American Services, and Latino Services. Dyer has also served as supervisory legal counsel, technical advisor, public service administrator, child protection investigator, and child welfare specialist for DCFS. She holds a Juris Doctorate degree from the Chicago Kent College of Law at the Illinois Institute of Technology, a Master's degree from the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration, a Master's degree in Education and a Bachelor's degree in Social Science from Jackson State University.

Sarah Gardner
Affirmative Action
Gardner has been with DCFS since 1989, most recently as the acting chief of the Office of Affirmative Action. She has over 22 years of experience in Affirmative Action and received her Equal Employment Opportunity Training at the U.S. Department of Defense, Race Relations Institute in Cocoa Beach, Florida. Previously, Gardner was employed at the Prairie Capitol Convention, and has served as EEO specialist with the Military and Naval Department. Gardner holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Sangamon State University.

External Affairs:

Bamani Obadele
Deputy Director
Prior to his new appointment, Obadele served as executive director for Harvest Holistic Community Services, a community-based non-profit agency. He also served over nine years at the Youth as Resources (Y.A.R.) Chicago Area Project. As field coordinator for families in public housing at Y.A.R., Obadele worked closely with the director to develop the mission of the program, served as the community staff liaison to the Board of Directors, mobilized youth groups in the Grand Boulevard community to acquire funding for community service projects, and formed collaborations with various community-based organizations around youth leadership development. He also served as lead organizer/advocate for the Chicago Area Project. Obadele volunteers his time to several community organizations, and is an associate minister at the Greater Harvest Missionary Baptist Church. Obadele is currently pursuing a community development degree at Northeastern Illinois University.

Addie Hudson
Associate Deputy Director
Hudson has worked for DCFS for 22 years, most recently as the state coordinator for the Illinois One Church One Child Adoption and Advocacy program for the past 12 years. In that role, she was responsible for mobilizing the religious community to help recruit foster and adoptive families for children in the state's child welfare system. Hudson has dedicated the past 27 years of her life to providing services to underserved communities with special emphases on the protection of children and the preservation of families. Hudson holds a MSW in Clinical Social Work from Loyola University and a Bachelor's degree in Sociology with a minor in Psychology from Tougaloo College in Tougaloo, Mississippi. She has received numerous accolades for her work, including the Mazelene Roberts Towner Scholarship Foundation's 2000 Humanitarian of the Year award and the McDonald's Leadership Award. Hudson is also an active Alumna at Tougaloo College and Loyola University where she is a member of the Minority Alumni Recruitment Committee, serving as co-chair for the prestigious Barbara Bacon Award Committee.

David West
Chief, African American Affairs
Prior to his new appointment, West served as the site director for the Marcy-Newberry Association. In that capacity, he supervised Head Start and after school youth service programs and public outreach initiatives, implemented and monitored federal performance standards and outcomes, and designed and facilitated parent and staff training workshops. Previously, he was a youth service specialist at Youth Guidance where he implemented a Comer school improvement program through training and consultation with school policy groups, direct classroom academic/social intervention, and parent outreach. He also led youth behavior modification groups and mediated teacher/parent conflicts. Additionally, West served as case manager/licensing assistant for PSI Services where he managed cases referred by the state for abuse and neglect cases, developed and implemented client service plans, testified in court permanency planning hearings, and licensed foster homes. Community service involvement includes serving as a youth mentor for the Cancer Family Support program at St. Mark United Methodist Church, and youth mentor/tutor for the St. Sabina Church Community of Men program. West has completed coursework toward a Master's degree with a clinical concentration from the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration, and holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from Lake Forest College.

Daniel Ibarra-Fitzgerald
Chief, Latino Affairs
Prior to his new appointment, Ibarra-Fitzgerald was the director of programs and services for Casa Central. In that role he was responsible for supervising, monitoring, and evaluating program activities and staff for seven programs, as well as the coordination of agency transportation. Under the direction of the president of the agency, he operated a $4 million budget and managed a staff of 290. Ibarra-Fitzgerald also supervised human service programs, acted as liaison to government agencies, and actively participated in the budget program and planning process. Prior to that, he was the program director for Casa Central, where he managed the Intact Family Services Unit, providing child and family preservation services to intact family cases through DCFS. He has also held direct service positions at Youth Guidance and De Micco Youth Service. Additionally, he served as a member of Casa Central's Continuous Quality Improvement Team where he oversaw policy and procedures, and acted as chairperson of the Clinical Utilization Review Team where he oversaw policy and procedures and reviewed clinical files. Ibarra-Fitzgerald holds a Master's degree from the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration, has completed coursework toward a Master's degree in Business Administration at North Park University and holds a Bachelor's degree in Social Work from Southern Illinois University. He is currently an instructor for the Policies & Strategies for Community Intervention MSW Program at Loyola University Graduate School of Social Work, and an instructor of various social service classes at Northeastern Illinois University.

Petra Porras
Deputy Chief, Latino Affairs
Prior to her new appointment, Porras was the executive director of the Jose Maldonado Children & Family Center, a non-profit agency that specializes in providing after-school counseling, and family-oriented support services to underprivileged children and families in the West Town neighborhood of Chicago. Her responsibilities included Board of Directors recruitment, fundraising, program design, service delivery, and management duties. She also served as director of the Children's Home & Aid Society of Illinois' Viva Family Center where she administered program operations to racially diverse and low-income communities, managed service coordination, oversaw program contracting with state funding agencies, served as liaison to the community and government officials, developed external funding contracts, and engaged in fundraising activities. Porras has held various other executive-level positions in the child welfare arena, including director of social services for Ebony Missionary Baptist Church, project director for the South Bronx Community Action Theater, Inc., and director of the Children and Families Together Program. Porras holds a Master's degree in Social Work from Columbia University, and a Bachelor's degree from Texas Tech University.

Placement and Permanency:

Mary Sue Morsch
Deputy Director
Since 1991, Morsch has served in a variety of executive positions at DCFS including: executive deputy director responsible for all operational aspects of the department; deputy director for the Purchase of Service Monitoring, responsible for fiscal, programmatic and regulatory oversight of private sector contractors; associate director over the offices of legislation, child care and communications; chief of the office of litigation management and special assistant to the director. Morsch has also served as administrator of the Division of Child Support Enforcement for the Illinois Department of Public Aid. Other work includes serving as executive director of the Illinois Task Force on Child Support, a non-profit entity charged with fundraising, development, legislative and individual case advocacy. She has worked as a paralegal on litigation and pro bono matters including federal funding for family planning clinics and the city of Chicago remap. Morsch holds a Master's degree from the University of Chicago's School of Social Service Administration, and Bachelor's degrees in English and International Relations from the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin.

Ron Davison
Associate Deputy Director
Davidson is a 22-year DCFS veteran and most recently served as the associate deputy director for Operations and Community Services and administrator of the Interstate Compact Office. In that capacity, he managed the safe return of nearly all of the 800 DCFS funded youths from out-of-state residential care settings and assisted in the overall management of residential care services purchased by DCFS. Davidson previously held senior administrative positions in the DCFS director's office, Division of Financial Management, and the Division of Planning. Prior to joining DCFS, he worked in state mental health agencies in Illinois and Arizona. Davidson holds a Master's degree from the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration and Bachelor's degree from Arizona State University.

Field Operations:

Arthur Bishop
Deputy Director
Bishop joined DCFS in 1995, after 20 years of direct service and administration in community mental health and substance abuse settings. At DCFS, he has served as a follow-up worker, supervisor and field service manager in the Cook Central Region. In August of 2001, Bishop was promoted to the position of assistant chief of staff. Bishop holds a Master's degree in Human Service Administration from Spertus College in Chicago, and is an ordained minister.

Jose Candelas
Associate Deputy Director
Candelas joined DCFS in 1998 after working in direct and management services 13 years for bilingual substance abuse and mental health organizations. At DCFS, he served as a bilingual follow-up worker in the Cook South Region. Other experience includes health and outreach education provided citywide to schools through the Chicago Department of Health. Candelas worked for the Secretary of State's Office under Jim Edgar's community program where he received awards and certificate from the National Hotline for Missing and Exploited Children, Daley Junior College, and Veterans of Foreign Wars. Candelas holds a Bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences from the University of Illinois at Chicago, with a major in Political Science and a minor in Latin American Studies.

Monitoring and Quality Assurance:

Erwin McEwen
Deputy Director
Prior to his new appointment, McEwen served as child welfare administrator at Lakeside Community Committee where he oversaw four core child welfare programs. He has committed over 15 years of service to youth and families in the Illinois social services industry at Kaleidoscope, DCFS, Hull House, and Lakeside. In addition, McEwen has served as a member of the Illinois Statewide Foster Parent Advisory Council, the Illinois Child Care Association Board of Directors, the Child Welfare Advisory Committee on Performance-Based Contracting, and the African American Family Commission Monitoring and Oversight Committee. He is also a recipient of the Evelyn Harris Ginsburg Memorial Prize from the University of Chicago, the Elinor Nims Brink Fellowship from the University of Chicago, and the We Care Role Model Award from the Chicago Police Department and Board of Education. McEwen holds a Master's degree from the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration, with a clinical concentration in family systems. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from Illinois State University.

Adrienne Bell
Associate Deputy Director, Field Audits
Bell was promoted from an auditor to associate deputy director of the DCFS Office of Field Audits for the Purchase of Service Monitoring Division in 2001, after acting in this capacity for a year. In this role, she oversees the audit division that financially monitors the private agencies that contract with the DCFS statewide. Monitoring is completed by desk reviews and site reviews/field audits of the Private Agencies. Bell has served as an auditor for the same division since 1998. Prior to coming to the Department, she worked with the Department of Public Aid for eight years as an auditor for Medical Quality Assurance where she audited medical providers contracted with Public Aid and in the Legal Department. Bell will complete a Master's degree in Accounting and Financial Management from Keller Graduate School of Management in December 2003. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration with concentrations in Accounting, Finance and Insurance from Ball State University.

Jim Gregory
Associate Deputy Director, Monitoring and Quality Assurance
Gregory's experience with the DCFS has evolved from that of front-line caseworker in 1976, to caseworker supervisor in 1978, to Management Systems Specialist in 1985. He became an Associate Deputy in 1995. Gregory has used his direct service experience and computer skills to anticipate and solve a broad range of data-management problems for the Department. His accomplishments include development of the Findhome system that matches children with foster homes, the Unusual Incident Reporting System, the Guardianship Consent system, the Emergency Resource Center System, and the Case Assignment System, among others. He has developed the Department's primary mapping databases and has played a key role in various programmatic reorganizations. Gregory has also developed rapid response capabilities for ad hoc reporting and has thorough knowledge of all of the Department's data systems. In addition, his leadership has led to the Department's first comprehensive quarterly publication of the Purchase of Service Agency statistical profile, and a web-based system for accessing APT, licensing, and field audit reports for POS agencies. He holds a Master's degree in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago.

Michael Holmes
Associate Deputy Director, Quality Assurance
Prior to his new appointment, Holmes served as vice president of operations for Westside Holistic Family Services where he oversaw all agency programs and services including education, health and case management, and youth services such as foster care and counseling. In that role, he managed a budget of $3 million and supervised all personnel. Holmes has committed over 24 years to the human services field, working in public and private agencies such as DCFS, Chicago Youth Centers, Chicago Area Project, the National Crime Prevention Council, and as director of Youth as Resources. Holmes' community involvement includes 13 years of working with the Chicago Housing Authority's (CHA) Midnight Basketball and Biddy Basketball programs, as well as working with the Chicago Inner City Games and numerous other community efforts. He has also served on the DCFS African American Advisory Council, the 7th Congressional District Youth and Child Development Task Force, the Westside Youth Service Committee, and chaired the Country Club Hills Umbrella Project. Holmes holds a Master's and Bachelor's degree in Inner City Studies from Northeastern Illinois University's Center for Inner City Studies, and an Associate's degree in Human Services from Kennedy-King College.

Shelia Riley
Associate Deputy Director, Contract Compliance
Prior to her new appointment, Riley served as Director of the Contract Investigations and Mediation Unit for Chicago Public Schools (CPS). In that capacity, she supervised the mediation and investigation of allegations of contract waste, fraud, mismanagement, and other wrongdoing in the administration of CPS' $3 billion construction program and procurement of $1 billion in other goods and services. Riley and her staff analyzed the contract bidding, contract performance, and payment authorization processes to determine employee, consultant, and vendor compliance with applicable rules and laws. Riley has 12 years legal experience, including in-house and law firm practice. She has represented management in state and federal civil litigation and her specialties include municipal, education, labor, employment discrimination, civil rights, and contracts. Riley's work has ranged from drafting legal responses in a multi-million dollar federal class action lawsuit and presenting oral arguments before the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals to negotiations, regulatory analysis and compliance to proactive management counseling and training. Her background includes extensive knowledge of public-sector procurement and contracts. She is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism and Cornell University School of Law.

Camille Sleet
Acting Associate Deputy Director, Daycare Licensing
Camille Sleet has more than thirty years experience with the Department. She has held increasingly responsible positions at the supervisory and administrative level in licensing. Sleet has served as a supervisor for a foster home licensing team and administrator for the foster home, day care home and center as well as agency and institution licensing functions in Cook County. She is certified as a trainer and has participated in the development of and training of new licensing staff across the state. Additionally, Sleet has assisted in the development and revision of licensing rules and procedures, and development of the handbooks and forms used by both public and private agency staff. Sleet holds an A.B. in psychology from the University of Chicago, and a MSW from the Jane Addams School of Social Work at the University of Illinois.

George Vennikandam
Associate Deputy Director, Agency Performance Monitoring Unit
Vennikandam joined DCFS in 1995 as a caseworker and has served as a supervisor, field services manager, site administrator, and regional program manager in the Cook Central Region. He joined the Purchase of Service Monitoring division in June 2000 as the field services manager and was promoted to his current position in 2001. He came to the Department with 16 years of management and supervisory experience. Previously, he served as program coordinator for the Mother and Child Health Program in Kerala State, India through Catholic Relief Services, an overseas development agency sponsored by the Catholic Bishop's Council of United States. Vennikandam holds a Master's degree in Sociology and a Master's degree in Social Work from Kerala University, India.

Guardian and Advocacy:

D. Jean Ortega-Piron
Deputy Director
Since 1996, Ortega-Piron has been charged with the responsibility of guardian of all children/youth committed to the Department by the juvenile courts of the state of Illinois. Additionally, from 1994 until her current appointment, Ortega-Piron worked for Governor Edgar in his Office of Special Counsel for Child Welfare Services where she focused on the development of innovative public/private relationships with the state's child welfare system to improve the provision of services and participated in all policy discussion, analysis and initiatives related to Juvenile Court reform. She has also served as the DCFS chief administrative law judge and administrator of the Appeals and Hearings Unit. Prior to that, she worked as chief legal counsel for the Illinois Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities. Oretega-Piron attended Rosary College, and the Illinois Institute of Technology's Chicago Kent Law School.

Theresa Matthews
Assistant Guardian
Mathews possesses a wealth of varied and valuable professional child welfare experience totaling more than 16 years. She has served as a Department of Children and Family Services child welfare specialist and child welfare supervisor, child protection investigator, and public service administrator in the Division of Child Protection and public service administrator for the Guardianship Consent Unit. Mathews received the DCFS Dale Rowell Fellowship in 1995 in recognition of her superior performance as a child protection supervisor. Previously, she served as a prevention coordinator for the Human Resources Development Institute. Matthews holds a Master's degree in Social Work from the University of Chicago and a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Augustana College in Rock Island.

Clinical Practice and Professional Development:

Velma J. Williams
Deputy Director
Williams, a clinical social worker, has worked in human services for over 20 years serving families in the metropolitan Chicago area. She has committed herself to specialization in child maltreatment and has worked as a protective social worker, clinician, and social work supervisor for the state of Illinois, private agencies, and major Chicago area hospitals. In her current role, Williams oversees the delivery of clinical services in numerous programs. She also serves as a member of the Governor's Sex Offenders Management Board and the Illinois Task Force on Mental Health. An alumna of Loyola University School of Social Work, Williams has been an active member of her alma mater's Minority Alumni Recruitment Committee.

Service Intervention:

Cynthia Moreno
Deputy Director
Prior to her current appointment, Moreno served as the central region manager for the Chicago Park District. In that role, she restructured a region that included 126 parks to provide more responsive and effective leisure and recreational activities in diverse and challenged communities. Moreno has 26 years of professional human service experience in management and direct service settings, including parks and recreation, juvenile probation, emergency services, residential, and child welfare programs. She has also served as child welfare division director and residential services division director for the Association House of Chicago. Moreno has held various executive positions for the City of Chicago's Department of Human Services, and has served as case manager for the Illinois Department of Corrections. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts from the University of Illinois, a Master's degree in Education from the University of Americas, and has completed a certificate program at John Marshall Law School in Chicago.

Dr. Sharon Latiker
Associate Deputy Director, Education and Transition
Prior to her new appointment, Latiker was the principal of the Chicago Christian Language Academy where she was responsible for the implementation of office and classroom policies and procedures, management of support personnel, and strategic planning activities. Previously, she was principal of HRDI/Lakeview Alternative High School and the Evangelical Christian School, and has been an elementary school teacher for the Evangelical Christian School and Nathaniel Dett Elementary School. Latiker has a diverse background in all areas of administration and leadership management and has served as office administrator for the Corporation Counsel Department of Law, and adjustment auditor/office administrator for the Clerk of the Circuit Court. Latiker holds an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University, as well as Master's degrees in Public Administration and Educational Leadership, and a Bachelor's degree in Community Law from Northeastern Illinois University. Additionally, she has been awarded numerous certificates, including one in Community Development and Social Work from John Marshall Law School.

Budget & Finance:

Barb Piwowarski
Deputy Director, Budget & Finance
Prior to her new appointment, Piwowarski served as a consultant for Resources Connection in Chicago. In that role, she provided financial and accounting assistance for various publicly and privately held companies on a project basis. Piwowarski has also served as general accounting manager for the Gymboree Corporation, director of accounting for Stuart Anderson's Restaurants, and audit manager and senior accountant for BDO Seidman, LLP. She holds a Bachelor's degree in accounting from Loyola University of Chicago and is a Certified Public Accountant in the State of Illinois.

Planning and Performance Management:

Ray Knight
Deputy Director
Prior to his new appointment, Knight served as vice president of the Strategic Planning Group for ABN AMRO North America. In that role, he was responsible for identifying, driving, and implementing cost savings opportunities, managing a global initiative that addressed over $702 million in direct cost, managing a task force to build profit centers at all facilities, and directing a services company team through an invoice generation streamlining process. Knight has also worked in the New Business Development unit at Hedge Fund Research Investments, served as marketing manager for Banc One Credit Card Company, and held positions at various other financial institutions. He also served as military intelligence officer/military finance officer in the United States Army Reserve for 10 years. Knight holds a Master's degree of Public Policy Studies from the University of Chicago's Irving B. Harris School of Public Policy Studies, and a Bachelor's degree in Economics from Oberlin College.

Communications:

Jill Manuel
Deputy Director
Prior to her new appointment, Manuel worked for more than a decade in television news. Most recently, she was an executive producer at WBBM-TV in Chicago. Previously, Manuel was a senior producer at Fox News Channel (FNC) in New York City where she helped launch the cable news operation in 1996. In that role, Manuel was responsible for FNC's on-air product and she managed major remotes in the field such as the death of Princess Diana and the Oklahoma City bombing trials of Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols. Manuel also served as senior producer for Fox News Edge in Washington, D.C., the newsgathering service for Fox stations nationwide, and she has worked as a journalist in Washington, D.C. for Reuters Television and CNN. Manuel holds a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin, and a Master's degree in Public Communications from the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.

Kim Broome
Associate Deputy Director
Broome joined DCFS in 2000 as a public information officer in the Office of Communications and was promoted to deputy chief in 2002. In those roles, she served as a liaison to the media and public, collaborated with internal and external partners on various public information efforts, managed special event projects, and served as writer/editor for DCFS publications and the D-Net/web site. Previously, Broome served as the communications manager for the Illinois Violence Prevention Authority where she developed, implemented and marketed the Imagine Peace & Harmony public awareness campaign for kids, and oversaw all other communications and public relations functions for the Authority. Additionally, as senior grant developer for the Chicago Housing Authority, Broome was responsible for marketing and fundraising for community programs, public awareness campaigns, and education initiatives on behalf of public housing residents. She holds a Master's degree in Integrated Marketing Communications and a Bachelor's degree in Journalism, both from Roosevelt University.

Mamie Rodgers
Associate Deputy Director
Prior to her new appointment, Rodgers served as manager of marketing, communications and fundraising for the Abraham Lincoln Centre. In that capacity, she was responsible for cultivating relationships, developing and directing all initiatives to raise funds, implementing strategic marketing plans, and overseeing public relations, advertising and special event activities. Her 14 years of management experience includes working at the Akron Beacon Journal in Ohio. There, she was responsible for creating, promoting and implementing new projects. Further responsibilities included establishing project partners, developing promotional scripts and sales presentations, and hiring and supervising independent sales contractors and telemarketing staff. As Kent State University's executive coordinator of Minority Recruitment and Retention, Rodgers recruited students of color, mentored and helped them stay in school. Other experiences include hosting radio talk and music shows, and working in various positions in the legal community. Rodgers holds a Master's degree in Media Management from Kent State University and a Bachelor's degree in Journalism from Chicago State University.

Child Protection:

Gailyn Thomas
Deputy Director
Thomas has been with DCFS since 1994, serving as child protection manager and intact supervisor in the division of child protection. Prior to being appointed to her current position, Thomas was the assistant chief of staff for DCFS where she served as a key point person to the director and chief of staff in the planning and implementation of the Family Advocate Project in Bloomington, assisted in resolving issues and challenges regarding quality of services, served as subject matter expert for media inquiries involving child protection issues, served on various internal and external committees, participated in statewide quality assurance reviews, and assisted with the collaboration between the Chicago Police Department and DCFS regarding the Infant Homicide Symposium. Thomas also served as program coordinator for the Nia Comprehensive Center for Developmental Disabilities. She holds a M.S.W. from Washington University's George Warren Brown School of Social Work, a Bachelor's degree in Social Work from Xavier University in New Orleans, Louisiana, and has completed coursework toward doctoral studies at the Jane Addams School of Social Work in Chicago.

Mary Ellen Eads
Associate Deputy Director
Eads began working for DCFS in 1973 as a caseworker on an in-home protective services unit. She served in various front-line child protection positions until 1986, when she became a child protection supervisor. Since becoming a supervisor, Eads has taken on increasing management responsibilities and in early 2002 was promoted to her current position. Much of her time in recent years has been devoted to devising and implementing programs and procedures to identify high-risk cases so that these cases obtain the services necessary to prevent further harm. Eads has served on the Cook County Child Death Review Team since it was established in 1995, and has served on a number of other committees concerned with increasing the efficiency and professionalism of child protection operations. Prior to joining DCFS, Eads was a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and Colombia for several years. In Guatemala, she lived and worked in a rural Mayan community and in Colombia, she worked in an urban community development program. Eads holds a Master's degree in Social Work from the University of Chicago, and a Bachelor's degree from the University of Vermont.

Keith Langston
Associate Deputy Director
Keith Langston has been with DCFS since 1994 and has worked in the Division of Child Protection as a child protection advanced specialist. Langston has over 15 years of professional experience with the State of Illinois, private agencies, and major Chicago area hospitals, plus a wealth of excellent training. He served on audit committees in the private sector and is a Youth Motivation volunteer with the Chicago Public Schools. Langston holds a Master's degree in Social Work from Aurora University and a Bachelor's degree in Social Work from the University of St. Francis.

Kathryn Roman
Associate Deputy Director, Child Protection Downstate
Roman has been with the Department since 1985 starting as a child protection Investigator, child protection supervisor and Child Protection Manager in the Springfield area. She has also held positions overseeing both the child protection functions and the child welfare functions. Roman has been actively involved in the Best Practice Initiative, a Certified Practicing Trainer for the specialty cores, various initiatives within the Department over the last ten years and has currently been overseeing the child protection and operational functions of the Southern Region since December 2002, in addition to the responsibilities of Associate Deputy. Prior to joining the Department, Roman was an elementary school teacher. She holds a Master's degree in Social Work and a Bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois, with a concentration in elementary education, psychology and social services.

Regional Administrators:

Child Protection (Cook County)
Kathy Glenny, Ann Marakis, Dany St. Preux

Operations (Cook County)
Cook South - Lorne Garrett, Marilyn Hyde
Cook North - Chris McGrath

Downstate
Northern - Joseph Becerra
Central - Deb Kennedy
Southern - Bill Peyton