Bruce, Kristin, MA, PC – Graduated from the University of Toledo in 2012 with a Master of Arts degree in Community Mental Health Counseling and is a licensed professional counselor. She has been employed at Zepf Center in Toledo, Ohio for almost 10 years, serving in several roles including vocational case management, non-Medicaid Community Psychiatric Supportive Treatment (CPST), and as a therapist. Currently she is an administrator for Zepf’s Youth Health Home and CPST services and is the individual resiliency therapist for the first episode psychosis program in Lucas and Wood Counties. Additionally, she is a registered trainer for Ohio’s Trauma-Informed Care Initiative and participates on the Advisory Board for Lucas County’s Trauma Informed Care Coalition.

Fisher, Roger, BA – Received an associate’s degree of law enforcement, with a major in advocacy counseling from Terra Community College in 1994, and a Bachelor of Criminal Justice with a major in forensic psychology from Tiffin University in 2000. He is a certified family development specialist through the University of Iowa, School of Social Work. Currently he serves as the employment and training coordinator for WSOS Community Action Commission in Fremont, serving a four county region. Mr. Fisher gained experience in the criminal justice field while working at a community-based correctional facility and a youth center. He also worked in a mental health crisis unit providing direct supervision to clients.

Harris-Darnell, Crystal, BA – Received her Bachelor of Arts in Family Life Education from Spring Arbor University in 2009. Mrs. Harris Darnell has worked for the YMCA/JCC for over 15 years, where she has designed and implemented programs for teens. She currently serves as executive director of the Youth Opportunities Program, overseeing five community sites that serve at-risk youth to ensure that they are meeting program objectives mandated by the Workforce Innovation Opportunities Act. Crystal also serves as board president for Achieve Preparatory Academy Community School and collaborates with other youth-serving organizations, offering support and resources to at-risk youth.

Nusser, Bonnie, CWDP – Received her Bachelor of Education degree from Bowling Green State University in 1982, majoring in recreation administration. Ms. Nusser has retained her Certified Workforce Development Professional status through The National Association of Workforce Development Professionals since 2010. Currently she is the director of the One-Stop Centers for Sandusky and Ottawa counties. She began her career working the Summer Youth Program in Wood county in 1983, and has worked almost every aspect of the Employment Training/Workforce Development Industry ever since.

Oliver, Crystal, MSW, LSA – Received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work in 2007 and 2012 from the University of Toledo. Ms. Oliver's professional experiences include providing case management and therapeutic interventions for young adults within mental health settings. She has coordinated and supervised a transition to independence program for 16-24 year-olds in foster care and/or with a mental health diagnosis. Her personal experience as a foster youth strengthened her passion as an advocate for vulnerable populations, including young adults in need of contribution to the foundation of their success.

Northeast Region

Harris, Latoya W., BA – Received her Bachelors of Arts degree in Individual and Family Consumer Studies & Gerontology from Kent State University in 1999. LaToya is employed at Jobs and Family Services of Summit County, dedicating 16 years to developing programs, managing government contracts, and building pathways to serve low-income residents of Summit County. More recently, she has served as fiscal agent and program administrator for the Ohio Department of Job & Family Services’ pilot program, Connecting the Dots from Foster Care to Employment and Independent Living.

James, Candace, MPA – Received her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Cleveland State University in 2003, and a Master of Arts in Public Administration in 2006. She is employed by Cuyahoga County and administers the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Youth Program for OhioMeansJobs, Cleveland-Cuyahoga, the public workforce system of the City of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County. Prior to this role, Candace was a supervisor of employment services for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Adult and Dislocated Workers Programs in four satellite offices across Cleveland - a city currently ranked as the most distressed in the nation. Candace began her career with Cuyahoga County as an intake and ongoing social services worker in the Division of Children and Families Services.

Johnson, Catherine, OCPSII – Received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art Therapy, with a minor in psychology from Ohio University in 1992. She holds the highest certification in prevention from the Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board. Miss Johnson has worked extensively in the field of chemical dependency prevention, with an emphasis on youth-led prevention. She has worked with various programs at the local, county, and statewide levels; and she is currently working at Neil Kennedy Recovery Centers, where she has worked since 2000.

Lindsey, Karryl J., MSSA, LISW-S, SAP, LICDC-CS – Received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Ohio University and a Master of Social Service Administration from Case Western in 1995. She holds independent licensure from the Counselor Social Work and Marriage and Family Therapists Board and the Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals board. For more than 20 years Ms. Lindsey-Barrow has worked in all aspects of chemical dependency prevention and treatment, as well as behavioral health counseling in Cuyahoga County. Ms. Lindsey is co-owner of Cornerstone Marriage and Family Counseling in Cleveland Heights, where she serves children, adolescents, couples, and families. She is also a school-based behavioral health counselor in a local high school, where she works with at-risk youth.

McDay, Karla, MSW, LISW-S – Received her Bachelor of Arts in Social Work from Northern Kentucky University in 1997, and attended The University of Akron, receiving her Master of Arts in Social Work in 2003. Karla is the independent living/teen permanency/transitional housing manager at Summit County Children Services, where she has been employed since 1998. She has extensive experience with adolescents, having previously worked in residential treatment at The Children's Home of Cincinnati. Karla also works as a psychotherapist and has experience as a facilitator and foster parent trainer for the Ohio Child Welfare Training Program.

STEVENS, MAURICE, BS – Received his Bachelor of Business Administration and has accumulated hours towards his master’s degree in Educational Administration from Kent State University. Mr. Stevens has more than 25 years of experience in workforce and personal development training. He has also served in various capacities nationwide in fulfilling federal, state, and county grant programs on a consulting basis. Mr. Stevens recently established and manages a construction trades training social enterprise program.

Central Region

DOUGLAS, REGINA, MEd, LSW – Received her Bachelor of Arts, with a major in criminal justice in 1983.  In 1994, Ms. Douglas received a Master of Science in Education from the University of Dayton; she majored in social agency counseling.  Ms. Douglas has over 25 years of experience with Franklin County Children Services. Her child welfare experience includes intake and investigations, foster care, and adoptions. Her current position as director of the therapeutic arts program includes traditional and non-traditional counseling with youth, ages 13-18. She has over 15 years of experience assisting youth with obtaining summer employment, and providing direct daily supervision of youth and young adults, ages 14 to 24. Ms. Douglas serves as a resource agent for emancipating youth and for youth who pursue higher education.

Livisay, William, LSW, OCPSII – Received his Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, with a minor in business administration at Otterbein College in 1978. He is also a graduate from The Ohio State University, John Glenn School of Public Affairs, L2000+ Leadership program. Mr. Livisay is a licensed social worker and an Ohio Certified Prevention Specialist II. He is currently employed with Columbus Public Health as the section chief for alcohol and drug abuse services. Mr. Livisay has more than 30 years of human service experience, primarily with children and families, the criminal justice system, and the alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use prevention field.

Samuel-Jones, Arlene, BA – Received her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Wright State University in 2010. Arlene has worked as an advocate in child welfare since 2006, beginning with Daybreak, Inc. at a local and state level, and continued these efforts in working at the federal level with The Ohio Youth Advisory Board and the Public Children Services Association of Ohio. She has experienced multiple facets of Ohio's family service systems, as a foster care alumnus, former court appointed special advocate, and working at Franklin County Children Services for four years. She currently works with policy makers and counties toward improving permanency and long-term outcomes for youth and families who interact with the child welfare system.

Sanford, Geneva, MSW, LSW, LICDC-CS – Received her undergraduate (1989) and graduate degrees from The Ohio State University School of Social Work (2001). She has held multiple social work positions working with individuals, families, and communities. Geneva has been in administrative roles since 2000. She currently coordinates the “Recovery Support Services” program at OhioHealth Grant Medical Center to provide Screening and Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) interventions to hospitalized trauma patients. In addition, she is an instructor and consultant.

Singley, Timberly (Timi), BS – Received her Bachelor of Science in Education from Ohio University in 1995. Timi has over 28 years of experience working with and teaching young people (ages three to adulthood) in schools and through social service organizations in a variety of communities. She facilitates leadership development and peer prevention workshops, training in effective community-based service learning, as well as how to thoughtfully recruit youth volunteers. As an independent consultant, she currently works with non-profit leaders and youth, ages 14-25, to strengthen their understanding of youth voice and the role that young people play in making systemic change, such as ending youth homelessness, preventing substance abuse, and eliminating educational inequity.

Wummer, Rachael, MPH, CHES – Received her Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and Women’s Studies from the University of Delaware in 2009. She received her Master of Public Health in Health Behavior and Health Promotion from The Ohio State University in 2015. She is a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES). Ms. Wummer has worked in many areas of wellness, including substance abuse prevention for 12-25 year olds, suicide prevention and mental health promotion for high school and college age students, along with lead poisoning prevention for families with young children. Ms. Wummer is currently the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Agency/Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (SAMHSA/CSAP) Fellow in Ohio.

Southwest Region

Comedy, Craig, BA – Currently serves as executive director of the Urban Minority Alcohol and Drug Abuse Outreach Program (UMADAOP) of Franklin County. He is an Ohio Certified Prevention Specialist (OCPS) II and has spent the majority of his life helping young people and their families build healthy lifestyles, free of Alcohol Tobacco and Other Drug abuse. The majority of his work has been in the urban core of Columbus, Ohio.  This spring Mr. Comedy received the Visionary Award from the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Association for his leadership across the state. Mr. Comedy graduated from Oberlin College in 1990, majoring in African American Studies and Psychology.

Edelmann, Doris, BS, MA – Ms. Edelmann received her bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Dayton (1979), a master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Dayton (2003), and is presently a doctoral candidate in Public Policy/Public Administration from Walden University. Doris has over 30 years of experience working in child welfare and education. She serves on Ohio’s Workforce Investment Area 7 Board, the National Governor’s Association Strategic Planning Committee, and has served on the Re-entry Task Force Committee. She was awarded the 2008 Virginia Colson Award from Ohio Association Child Caring Agencies and the Brother Ray Fitz Award from the Montgomery County Family and Children First Council.

Fears, Erica L., BA, MA – Received her bachelor’s degree in communications from Bennett College in 1991 and a master's degree in teaching from Miami University in 1995. Erica is an associate director with Talbert House in Cincinnati. She has primarily served as a manager for Community Link, the TANF Work Participation provider for Hamilton County Job & Family Services for 14 years. The last two years, she helped manage Hamilton County's summer youth employment program.

Hampton, Ashley, BS - Is an Ohio Certified Prevention Specialist I with Envision Partnerships in Hamilton, Ohio. She graduated from Miami University with a Bachelor of Integrative Studies and has worked for more than two years in local school districts in prevention and early intervention programs running group sessions and classroom curriculums, such as Life Skills Training and Towards No Drug Abuse. She also worked extensively with Paxis Institute to bring PAX Good Behavior Game to the southwest region of Ohio.

Stevens, Mollie – OCPSI, CDCA – Received her associate’s in arts and humanities in 1993. Mrs. Stevens has worked in the behavioral health field since 1991, providing prevention services in a variety of settings, including local schools. She is an Ohio certified prevention specialist and a chemical dependency counselor assistant. She has facilitated training for youth and adult volunteer mentors in several peer-led prevention programs. Mollie also served as a case manager, facilitating group treatment groups for a non-profit family services agency from 1991 till 2015. Currently she is the CEO of Impact Prevention and is involved in youth-led prevention mentoring of adult allies throughout the state.

Yokum, Kathy, OCPSII, LPCC-S – Received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Masters of Education in Community and Agency Counseling from Ohio University in 1994. Ms. Yokum has over 20 years of experience in behavioral health, serving children and families. She is an independent supervising licensed counselor. She has provided leadership for prevention and early intervention alcohol and other drug family services programs. She has been a contributor to the growth and development of prevention programs and treatment services through community involvement, training programs, community organizing and advocacy. Ms. Yokum currently works for the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services as a prevention coordinator and previously held the position of behavioral health standards surveyor, evaluating community mental health/AOD agencies and residential facilities for compliance with applicable licensure and certification regulations.

Southeast Region

Davis, Amanda, LSW – Received her Bachelor of Science in Social Work from The Ohio State University in 2011. Amanda most recently worked as a clinician at a private foster care agency. Her previous experience includes working for The Salvation Army with a rapid re-housing program for homeless families in rural counties, along with emergency disaster relief case management at The Red Cross. Amanda won the Rising Star Award in April of 2016, from the Ohio Child Welfare Training Program.

Koons, Sherm, MA – Received his Bachelor of Arts in English and his Master of Liberal Learning degrees from Marietta College in 1971 and 2001, respectively. Mr. Koons was a coordinator of the career based intervention program with the Washington County Career Center, working for 10 years with at-risk youth in a variety of work-based environments. He is presently a classroom English teacher at the Career Center, where he has been employed since 2000.

Moretti, Tia Marcel, LSW, OCPSII – Received her Bachelor of Science in Social Work from The Ohio State University in 2006, and holds a graduated from The Ohio State University College of Social Work Human Services Leadership Certification Program. She serves as the prevention program manager and harm reduction project director for Columbus Public Health. She currently serves on the Franklin County Coroner's Opiate Crisis Steering Committee as head of the prevention and education track for the Coroner's Opiate Crisis Summit and resulting community action plan. Tia is a member of the Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board's prevention committee. Tia has been formally recognized for her accomplishments in program management and staff training and development, and was the recipient of the 2014 City of Columbus Spirit of Public Health Award. She has extensive experience in training and group facilitation; prior to becoming a social worker, Tia was a corporate trainer.

Ritzman, Jeffrey, BS – Received his Bachelor of Science degree in Social Sciences/Secondary Education from State University of New York at Oneonta, 1988, and her Master of Science in Social Sciences/Secondary Education, State University of New York at Oneonta in 1992. He holds professional teaching licenses in New York and Ohio, teaches American Government at Washington County Career Center (WCCC), and is currently the instructor of the ABLE/GED program at WCCC Adult Technical School.

Roberts, Jill S., MSW, LSW – Received her Bachelor of Social Work degree in 1983 and her Master of Social Work in 2001 from The Ohio State University. She retired from Franklin County Children Services in 2014, after 32 years of service, including 16 years as a direct service social worker and 16 years as a child welfare casework supervisor providing ongoing casework services/supervision to children both in their own homes and in out-of-home care. She was also involved in developing the Deaf Services position at Franklin County Children Services and is fluent in American Sign Language. Jill is most involved in permanency for children, and since retirement has been an independent trainer for the Ohio Child Welfare Training Program.

Singleton III, Love C., MSW, LISW-S – Received his Master of Social Work from the University of Akron in 2010 and is an independently licensed supervising social worker. He has worked with youth and their families for much of his 20 year career as a case manager, therapist, and program director. He is currently serving as director of recovery housing for CommQuest Services in Stark County, where he has been employed since 2004.