ED BOWMAN - I began my career in 1990 working for the Virginia Department of Corrections as an Adult Probation and Parole Officer. I previously worked for the Federal Bureau of Prisons at the United States Penitentiary in Beaumont, Texas and at the Federal Detention Center in Philadelphia as a Correctional Treatment Specialist. In 2002, I returned to Virginia to pursue my doctoral degree in Public Policy and Administration at Virginia Commonwealth University and I began working for the 16th District Court Service Unit as a Parole Officer. In 2005, I accepted the position of Programs Coordinator at Blue Ridge Juvenile Detention, the position I current hold. I received my Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Psychology and Philosophy from James Madison University and a Master’s of Science Degree in the Administration of Justice at Virginia Commonwealth University. I am currently completing my dissertation on Educational Leadership at Virginia Commonwealth University and my Master’s of Education degree at the University of Virginia in the Social Foundations of Education. I am currently the acting President of the Virginia Detention Association of Post Dispositional Programs.
DR. BELINDA BRUSTER is a native of Detroit, Michigan. She received her Bachelors of Arts degree in Psychology from Wayne State University. In 1994 she completed the Masters of Social Work program at Norfolk State University (NSU). In 2001, Dr. Bruster received her License in Clinical Social Work (LCSW) from the state of Virginia, and in 2005 she obtained her Ph.D. in social work from NSU. Currently, Dr. Bruster is an Assistant Professor/Child Welfare Faculty Member at NSU, and the co-owner of Adolescent and Family Institute Inc. a mental health practice located in Norfolk, Virginia.
DARLENE BURCHAM was named City Manager for the City of Roanoke in January 2000. Ms. Burcham came to Roanoke from the City of Norfolk, where she had served as Deputy City Manager since 1995. She began her service to the City of Norfolk in 1987 as Director of Human Services, being named Assistant City Manager in 1989. Ms. Burcham also served eight years as Assistant County Administrator and acting County Administrator in James City County (VA), and eight years before that as Director of Social Services for the City of Hampton (VA). She has been involved in numerous committees, programs and initiatives throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia, earning many distinctions along the way. Since her arrival in Roanoke, she has been recognized by: "Government Technology" magazine as one of the Top 25: Doers, Dreamers and Drivers for 2004, The Madison Society of Political Science, Oration, and Debate in 2005 for outstanding service, NAACP as a Citizen of the Year in 2007, and Rotary International as a Paul Harris Fellow. She now serves on the boards of the Roanoke Valley Convention and Visitors’ Bureau, the Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission, the Regional Partnership Executive Committee, as chair of the CLEO consortium for the Western Virginia Workforce Development Board (Workforce Investment Area 3), and is a member of Hotel Roanoke Conference Center Commission. She was previously a member of the Western Virginia Water Authority Board. Her association with First Cities Coalition has included serving as its secretary, as chair of its City Manager’s Steering Committee and as a member of its Executive Committee. In addition, she serves on the Governor’s Task Force on Urban Policy, the Governor’s Virginia Citizen Soldier Support Council Task Force, the Governance Task Force for the Start Strong Council, the Governor’s Energy Policy Advisory Council, and is a member of the Virginia Municipal League Executive Committee. Ms. Burcham is one of two Virginians on the Alliance for Innovation Board and recently has been appointed to the ICMA Sustainability Advisory Committee. A native of northern Virginia, Ms. Burcham holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the College of William and Mary, a master’s degree in social work administration from Virginia Commonwealth University, and a certificate from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. She has two daughters and five grandchildren.
PAT DAVENPORT is an experienced presenter who has most recently presented at the Annual Conference of National Association of Community Schools, the Annual Conference of the American Public Health Association, the 11th Annual Conference on Advancing School Mental Health, the 6th Annual Diversity Challenge Conference at Boston College, and the Annual Conference of the National Black Child Development Institute. She is the executive director of the FAST (Families and Schools Together) National Training and Evaluation Center, a private, non-profit organization. She has over 20 years experience in the field of human services and has a strong background in services to families, children and communities. She is an accomplished program administrator, grant writer, fiscal manger, and coordinator of intergovernmental relations. Born in Nicaragua, Ms. Davenport moved to the US as a young adult.
ANTOINE ENSLEY is employed by Norfolk Human Services as the Superintendent of the Norfolk Juvenile Detention Home. Prior to moving to Virginia in 2005, he served as Chief of Police of the Fletcher (NC) Police Department. Over the course of a twelve year career in law enforcement, Ensley also held the positions of Training Officer, Community Problem Oriented Police Officer, Background Investigator/Recruiter, Shift Commander and SWAT-Hostage/Crisis Negotiator. In 1995 Ensley was named the City of Charlotte’s Employee of the Year. In 1996, he was named the Charlotte Jaycee’s Outstanding Young Black Professional. Ensley has a bachelor of science degree in criminal justice from the University of North Caroline at Charlotte, a master of business administration degree from Pfeiffer University and a certificate from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Academy.
SHAUNA FRANKLIN EPPS is the Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) Coordinator for the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice (VA DJJ). She took on the challenge of this position effective July 1, 2003, and prior to that she had over 26 years of varied juvenile justice experience with the Hampton Court Service Unit in Hampton, VA. In 2007 she was given additional duties of Coordination of the Juvenile Correctional Centers Volunteer Coordinators. Being the DMC Coordinator for VA DJJ has afforded her the opportunity to work with both state and local agencies/partners on the issues of racial and ethnic disparities in the juvenile justice system. She has worked with all of the Court Service Units that are involved in the work of the Annie E. Casey Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative (JDAI), some more intensively than others. Specifically, Newport News and Norfolk are actively working with the W. Haywood Burns Institute, a nationally recognized organization working to reduce the overrepresentation of youth of color in the juvenile justice system. She has also worked with other Court Service Units that are not JDAI sites but are keenly aware of DMC issues and want to provide services to youth and families that are racially and culturally appropriate while ensuring public safety for all of the citizens of the Commonwealth. Shauna received her B.A. Degree in Psychology with an emphasis in education and has completed done post graduate study in psychological testing and adolescent psychology.
CHRISTINE FELLER is the Supervisor within the Child Victim Identification Program (CVIP) at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) in Alexandria, Virginia. Ms. Feller has been with the Exploited Child Unit at NCMEC since 2002, where she started as a CyberTipline analyst using her analytical skills on nearly 4,000 reports. In July 2003, Ms. Feller joined CVIP. This program allows NCMEC to locate and identify unknown child victims featured in sexually abusive images as well as assist law enforcement agencies and prosecution teams with child pornography cases across the country. To date the CVIP staff has grown to seven analysts and one digital imaging specialist, who collectively process an average of 55-90 image reviews per week for local, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies. In the last year CVIP has been involved in the successful identification of over 30 previously unidentified child victims. Due to its success, the Child Victim Identification Program continues to grow both in staff and in its services and efforts to assist law enforcement in protecting child victims across the nation. Ms. Feller received a M.A. in Criminal Justice, with a concentration in Computer Fraud Investigations, from George Washington University, and a B.A. in Economics from Saint Mary’s College.
COLLEEN FRENCH began her career working with children and families nearly thirteen years ago. She is currently employed as the Superintendent of the New River Valley Juvenile Detention Home. Previously she served as an Assistant Superintendent at the Roanoke Valley Juvenile Detention Center where she first became involved with VJJA. She has served as a district officer and currently serves on the Board of Directors in the capacity of Director of Public Relations. French was the 2005 recipient of the VJJA’s Meritorious Service Award in the Area of Residential Services. She was recognized for her lead role in the development of an automated case management system, post-dispositional detention program, and continuous quality improvement program for the RVJDC. French has a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia’s College at Wise and a Master of Public Administration degree from Virginia Tech. She is certified by the Commission on Correctional Services and the American Correctional Association as a Certified Correctional Executive. French and her husband, Mike share their Botetourt County home with their two American Bulldogs, Kira and Okie, and their cat, Maggie.
BARRY GREEN is the Director of the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice. He previously served as Deputy Secretary of Public Safety in the administrations of Governor Mark Warner and Governor George Allen. With over 30 years of public service, Mr. Green has worked with several Commonwealth agencies, Planning and Budget, and was Deputy Director for Administration & Finance in the Department of Juvenile Justice prior to the beginning of Governor Warner’s administration. He has also served as adjunct faculty on the Master of Public Administration program at Virginia Commonwealth University. Before being appointed Director at the Department of Juvenile Justice, while employed at the Secretary of Public Safety’s office, Mr. Green chaired the Governor’s working group on Prisoner Re-entry, working with a number of state, local and non-profit agencies to develop strategies for reducing the number of inmates who offend after their release from prison.
NANCY HANS is the Council Coordinator for the Roanoke County Prevention Council overseeing operations of the Council, coalition building, and developing collaborative strategies to prevent and reduce substance abuse among youth. Her professional background includes 20 years in the Maryland Public School system where she served in several capacities within the special education spectrum. She served as a specialist on the team that provided integrated services to 400 students in non-public settings and coordinated school/family needs with the Department of Juvenile Justice, the Department of Social Services, and the local Coordinating Council. She received a Bachelors of Science From Towson University and a Masters degree in Education Administration and Supervision from Loyola College. She lives in Roanoke with her husband Jack and three children.
DR. CAROL GRACE HURST is a Virginia Licensed Clinical Social Worker and holds her doctorate in social work as well. Her seventeen years of clinical experience have primarily focused on children, youth, and their families; as well as clinical supervision, in various settings. She has held roles providing family and individual therapy, substance abuse services, services for runaway youth, community based crisis mental health services, and intensive in-home services. She is an adjunct instructor in the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Social Work. She has a keen interest in helping bridge the practice-science divide, and is excited about CFIT for this reason. She coaches Providence supervisors and counselors throughout the region on incorporating CFIT into their everyday practice.
MELINDA JARVIS began her career working with juveniles and families over ten years ago. She is currently employed by the Virginia Beach Juvenile Detention Center (VBJDC) as their Post-Dispositional Program Coordinator. She has been with the detention center since June 2004 and helped hire the staff and prepare for the center’s grand opening in October 2004. She developed the Post-Dispositional Program for the new facility in Virginia Beach and officially began the program on January 1, 2005. Jarvis also joined the Virginia Detention Association for Post-Dispositional Programs, eventually becoming the Secretary for the association in December of 2006. Jarvis has been an active member of VJJA for many years. Prior to her employment at VBJDC, Melinda worked as a juvenile probation officer with Virginia Beach Court Service Unit. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from James Madison University and a Masters of Science in Psychology from Old Dominion University. She is also a Certified Substance Abuse Counselor. Jarvis was raised in Chesapeake, Virginia and remains in the Tidewater area as a resident of Virginia Beach.
CHUCK J. KEHOE has over 43 years experience in the juvenile and adult corrections field. He has worked in the public and private sector and in community-based and institutional programs. He has published several articles on correctional issues. Mr. Kehoe has served as an Expert Witness in Federal and State Courts in the United States, and has testified before the U. S. Congress on two occasions and before several State Legislative bodies. Mr. Kehoe has provided training and technical assistance in 33 U. S. states and the Territory of Guam. Mr. Kehoe has participated in the design and planning of several juvenile and adult correctional facilities and in master planning for a number of states. He has also toured and inspected correctional facilities in several foreign countries. He has received nine awards for his contributions to the judicial and corrections profession, including the E. R. Cass Award from the American Correctional Association. Mr. Kehoe is a Past President of the American Correctional Association and a Vice President of the National Juvenile Detention Association. He is also an active member of numerous other professional associations including VJJA.
DR. WALTER KISTHARDT is nationally and internationally recognized as a dynamic, informative, inspirational, and entertaining speaker, trainer, and educator. He has been a major contributor to the development, evaluation, and dissemination of Strengths-Based, Person-Centered Community Care. He has provided consultation within a wide range of settings, both in-patient and outpatient, in 42 states, in England and New Zealand. Participants have consistently reported feeling affirmed, challenged, renewed, and rekindled in their passion and personal commitment to assisting others. Dr. Kisthardt models creativity and innovation by incorporating original music from his CD, “On Your Case” and poetry from his book “You Validate My Visions: Poetic Reflections on Helping, Healing, Caring, and Loving” to illustrate points in a manner that speaks to the very soul of the helping enterprise. Dr. Kisthardt has conducted seminars for administrators and providers in Juvenile Justice, Hospice, Developmental Services, Mental Health, Head Start, TANF, Homelessness, Substance Abuse, Corrections, Education, Children and Family Programs and Vocational Rehabilitation. Dr. Kisthardt is the Chair/Director and Associate Professor at the newly accredited BSW Program at Park University. He holds a BA in Sociology and Social Work from Elizabethtown College, Pa., an MSW from the University of Hawaii, and a Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of Kansas. Dr. Kisthardt also has a wide range of direct practice experience, including both in-patient and outpatient therapy and supervision of case management. Dr. Kisthardt has presented on numerous occasions in Indiana, including the Consumer Conference, the Vocational Rehabilitation Conference, with several mental health and developmental disabilities programs throughout the state, as well as Logansport State Hospital. He is currently collaborating with Oklahoma and Kansas to provide training and evaluate the effectiveness of Strengths-based, Person Centered practice with those affected by the co-occurring disorders of substance abuse and mental illness.
KATAYOON MAJD is a Senior Staff Attorney at the National Juvenile Defender Center (NJDC) in Washington, D.C. Since 2006, Ms. Majd has been working as one of the coordinators of the Equity Project, a collaborative project of NJDC, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, and Legal Services for Children in San Francisco that focuses on the needs of LGBT youth in delinquency courts. Previously, she provided direct legal representation to youth in the District of Columbia as a staff attorney at the Children’s Law Center. From 2000-2004, Ms. Majd specialized in racial justice litigation and advocacy as a staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Northern California. In particular, she worked on Williams v. State of California, a statewide class action aimed at ensuring equal access to educational opportunities for low-income students of color in public schools. Ms. Majd is a 2000 recipient of the Ford Foundation New Voices Fellowship. She holds a J.D. from Stanford Law School and an A.B. in Psychology, with a specialization in Health and Development, from Stanford University.
DR. RANDY OTTO is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mental Health Law and Policy at the University of South Florida. He received masters and doctoral degrees in clinical psychology from Florida State University, and completed an NIMH-funded fellowship in Law and Psychology at the University of Nebraska. Dr. Otto is a licensed psychologist and Diplomate in Forensic Psychology, American Board of Professional Psychology. In addition to his position in the Department of Mental Health Law and Policy, he holds adjunct faculty appointments at Stetson University College of Law, the Department of Psychology, and the Department of Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling at the University of South Florida. Dr. Otto has served as President of the American Academy of Forensic Psychology, the American Psychology-Law Society, and the American Board of Forensic Psychology. He chairs the Committee to Revise the Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychology and is on the editorial boards of Behavioral Sciences and the Law, Assessment, and the Journal of Behavioral Health Services Administration. Dr. Otto has published numerous articles and book chapters in the areas of forensic assessment and clinical decision making. Most recently, he joined department colleagues John Petrila and Norman Poythress in authoring the third edition of Psychological Evaluations for the Courts: A Handbook for Mental Health Professionals and Lawyers.
CAROLINE OVERFELT is the E-Learning coordinator in Roanoke County Public Schools. She has worked for Roanoke County Public Schools for 15 years: 10 years as an English teacher in high school and middle school, and five years as E-Learning Coordinator. Caroline runs the Virtual High School, is the system administrator for Blackboard, and travels extensively speaking on Internet Safety locally and across the state of Virginia. Caroline is working towards her doctorate at the University of Virginia in Education Leadership and finishing her administrative endorsement program internship. Caroline worked closely on the bullying policy and procedure for Roanoke County and with the Instructional Technology Resource teachers implementing Internet Safety education through curriculum integration.
FRANCEE LAVERTY Francee Laverty is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Virginia. Her 12 years of experience includes work with people of all ages in a variety of public and private contexts including roles as Substance Abuse Counselor, Coordinator of a Women's Intensive Outpatient Substance Abuse Program, and In-Home Individual and Family Counselor. She has been with the Charlottesville Regional Office of Family Preservation Services for the past 7 years, working initially in the capacity of an In-Home Counselor and since 2001 in the capacity of Clinical Director. She is also co-serving as a Virginia State CFIT Consultant and as the Virginia State CFIT-Carelogic Liaison.
RICK MITCHELL is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified Substance Abuse Counselor in the state of Virginia. His 15 years of experience includes work with people of all ages in a variety of public and private contexts including roles as Outpatient Therapist, Prevention Specialist, Crisis Worker, In-Home Family Therapist, and Children and Youth Pastor. He has been with Family Preservation Services for the past 7 years and in his current role as Regional Director of the Cedar Bluff, Virginia region for app. four years. He has been the Clinical Director of the region since its inception in 2001. He is also co-serving as a Virginia State CFIT Consultant.
DR. TIM PERRY is a licensed Professional Counselor with Mental Health Service Provider status. Tim has a Doctorate of Theology and a Masters in Counseling. He is a Nationally Certified Domestic Violence and Forensic Specialist, and a Tennessee State Supreme Court Listed Rule 31 Family Mediator. Tim holds a Tennessee and Virginia Certification as a Critical Incident Stress Debriefing Instructor with Emergency Management Status with the American Red Cross for Survivor Debriefing. He is Coordinator of Children and Youth Services at Bristol Regional Counseling Center and Johnson County Counseling Centers, divisions of Frontier Health. Tim is the Coordinator for the Sullivan County Tennessee Critical Incident Trauma Teams for Children. He is a special counsel on Gangs and Juvenile Violence for the cities of Bristol Tennessee and Bristol, Virginia. He has done workshops on School Violence, CISD, Children of Divorce, Working with Hostile Families, Self Harming Behaviors, and Giving Professional Testimony in Court.
THE HONORABLE JUDGE DIANE STRICKLAND is a retired judge in Roanoke Valley's 23rd Judicial Circuit, serving in the circuit court from 1989-2002 and the general district court from 1987-1989. She is currently employed by the McCammon Group. A certified mediator, in 2000 Judge Strickland received the Virginia Supreme Court Department of Dispute Resolutions Services' Distinguished Service Award. Following the tragedy at Virginia Tech earlier this year, Governor Kaine appointed Judge Strickland to the Virginia Tech Review Panel. She received her Bachelor's Degree from the University of North Carolina and her Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia.
LARRY ROBINSON has served as the Director of the City of Newport News Department of Juvenile Services for twelve years. He brings with him insurmountable years of experience; he has been an advocate for youth involved in the juvenile justice arena for over 20 years. His unique, innovative, creative, and “cutting edge” approach has led to the Department’s tremendous growth. Specifically, during the beginning of his tenure as Director, there were only three youth serving programs; under his direction, the Department now has more than 14 programs, all of which have adopted the holistic approach to addressing and servicing youth and their families. This has resulted in the department having the most Alternative to Detention Programs in the state. Three of the department’s programs received multiple recognitions for “Best Practices” throughout Virginia and the United States by the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice, Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services, the National Association of Drug Court Professionals, the National GAINS Center, National Council of Juvenile * Family Court Judges Juvenile Sanctions Center, and the International Adolescent Association. Additionally, Robinson invited by the Governor of Kentucky to train juvenile agencies in his state on Best Practices in Juvenile Justice. Mr. Robinson was personally responsible for the vision of the Newport News Juvenile Drug Treatment Court and Family Dependency Treatment Court. His motto of; “Always doing what is in the best interest of our kids” serves as his guiding light for decision making. He is truly committed to providing programs, services, and opportunities for juveniles and their families which will aid in improving and enhancing their lives.
FRANK SMITH has been Roanoke Valley Juvenile Detention Center’s Post-Dispositional Program Coordinator for five years. Prior to assuming his current position he served as a shift supervisor at the detention center for two years. A graduate of Radford University, Smith’s thirty year career has spanned all areas of the human services arena. Prior to joining the detention center’s staff, he worked as a crisis intervention clinician for eleven years. Smith has extensive experience in program development and management. By combining the elements of cognitive restructuring, military structure, and various other traditional treatment approaches, five years ago he and his colleagues developed the Impact 180 Post-Dispositional Program. The Impact 180 Program mission is to “motivate juvenile offenders to change cognitive habits that lead to socially unacceptable or self-defeating behavior”.
THE HONORABLE JUDGE STEVE TESKE received his Associate of Arts in Political Science from Clayton State College and University in 1981, Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies in Law and Society from Georgia State University in 1983, Master of Arts in Political Science from Georgia State University in 1988, and his Juris Doctor from Georgia State University College of Law in 1991. Judge Teske also received his Certified Public Manager diploma from the University of Georgia. He is a member of the State Bar of Georgia and admitted to practice before the Georgia Court of Appeals, Georgia Supreme Court, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court. He served as Chief of the Atlanta Parole District and Deputy Director of Field Services of the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles. He was a trial attorney and partner in the law firm of Boswell & Teske where he served as Special Assistant Attorney General representing various State agencies in federal and state courts and also the Clayton County Department of Family and Children Services prosecuting abuse and neglect cases in Juvenile court. He was appointed to the juvenile bench of Clayton County in 1999 and re-appointed in 2003. He has written articles for national journals titled “Reducing Detention Using Collaborative Strategies: It Takes a Community!” published in Juvenile and Family Justice Today and “Using Collaborative Strategies to Reinvent Juvenile Justice,” published in The Link, and “CASA: Watchdogs for the Abused and Neglected” published in @ Law. He is also featured in an article titled “Front-End Loading with Detained Juveniles in Clayton County, Georgia: Centerpiece of a Forward-Looking Strategem” published in Juvenile Justice Update.
He is married to the former Deborah Appling of Atlanta. They have three children ages 22, 18, and 16.
THE HONORABLE JUDGE PHILIP TROMPETER has served as a Judge of the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District court for the 23rd Judicial District of Virginia for the past 20 years. Judge Trompeter has been an active member of various boards and organizations throughout the Roanoke Valley. He has also been instrumental in initiating programs such as Roanoke Valley CASA and Virginia's first Domestic Violence Court program. A lifelong resident of the Roanoke Valley, Judge Trompeter has devoted his life to helping children.
JOHN TUELL is currently serving as the Director for CWLA’s Child Welfare-Juvenile Justice Systems Integration Initiative and the Juvenile Justice Division. Mr. Tuell was appointed to this position with CWLA in August 2003. He has been with CWLA since July 2001. His responsibilities include (1) management and oversight for a national training & technical assistance initiative designed to promote integrated and coordinated child welfare and juvenile justice systems on behalf of delinquent youth with previous histories of maltreatment, and (2) oversight for the range of activities and tasks of the CWLA Juvenile Justice Division. Mr. Tuell has previously maintained responsibility for a set of core program divisions within the Program Operations center for CWLA. Mr. Tuell developed a five phase training and technical assistance process to assist state and local jurisdictions in accomplishing this work. Prior to accepting his position with CWLA, Mr. Tuell served in the U.S. Department of Justice from 1997-2001, during which time he was the Deputy Director of the State Relations and Assistance Division in the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), providing managerial oversight to six grant programs, the Comprehensive Strategy for Serious, Chronic, and Violent Offenders Initiative, and as the Manager for the Juvenile Accountability Incentive Block Grant (JAIBG) Program. Mr. Tuell had previously worked in the Fairfax County, Virginia Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court for seventeen years in a variety of practitioner and management capacities. Those duties included probation officer, field office probation supervisor, intake officer (handling status offender, delinquency, domestic relations, and abuse and neglect complaints), and administrator at a twenty two bed, residential treatment facility for serious and chronic juvenile offenders. Mr. Tuell earned his Bachelor of Social Work degree from James Madison University and his Master of Arts degree in Criminal Justice from George Washington University. He is the proud father of two sons, Austin and Zachary.
ANGELA CIMINO VALENTINE currently holds the position of Community Programs Manager with the Department of Juvenile Justice’s Division of Community Programs. Her areas of management include Transitional Services, Interstate Compact, Local Detention Homes, and Community-Based Contracted Programs. One function of her position is the development and management of a private provider network of a statewide system of community-based residential and non-residential programs and services, budget oversight and quality assurance of delivered services. She began her career in juvenile justice as a probation officer with the Henrico County Court Service Unit. During her employment with the court service unit, she gained a variety of experiences within the juvenile justice system including intake, diversion, and parole. She has held various positions in the administrative offices of the Department including Interstate Compact Specialist, Clinical Casework Supervisor, and Community Programs Coordinator. Valentine obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from Virginia Tech and a Master of Education degree from Virginia Commonwealth University and received VJJA’s 2007 Meritorious Award in the Area of Administration. She is a native of Richmond, Virginia where she continues to reside with her husband and two sons.
ROBIN WALKER is Special Counsel with the National Juvenile Defender Center. Prior to joining NJDC, Ms. Walker was a Supervising Attorney at the Children’s Law Center, where she supervised guardians ad litem in abuse and neglect cases in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Ms. Walker came to CLC from the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, where she was a staff attorney in the Trial Division. Before working at the Public Defender Service, Ms. Walker was a Prettyman Fellow with the Georgetown University Law Center's Juvenile and Criminal Justice Clinics, and a law clerk to the Honorable Emmet G. Sullivan of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. She holds a J.D. from New York University Law School, where she was a Root-Tilden-Kern Scholar, and a B.A. from Yale University.
NATASHA S. WALSH is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with an extensive background in family based services who is currently the Vice President of Clinical Services of Providence Service Corporation, Eastern Division. Her responsibilities include leadership and support for programs providing community based services such as Therapeutic Foster Care, Home-based Counseling, School Based Services, and others. She is also the Chair of Providence’s National Clinical Advisory Board.
DR. ROSANNE WALTERS has been the Director of the Newport News Office on Youth Development (OYD) since it was created in October 2000. As Director of the OYD, Dr. Walters is involved in the development of policies and practices related to services for children, youth and families in Newport News to include monitoring of the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Youth. The OYD provides parenting education programs, research and evaluation services, training on adolescent development, and leadership skills development for middle and high school students. Dr. Walters is currently facilitating the creation of a violence prevention plan for the City. She has been chairperson of the Newport News JDAI DMC Committee since October 2004. Prior to becoming the Director of the OYD, Rosanne was the Executive Director of the Newport News Alliance for Youth. She has over 25 years of experience working in nonprofit and public organizations providing services to children, youth, and families to include coordinating services to children and families for the American Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia.
AUSTIN WEST, JR. is Director of Westward Consulting, Inc., and has been designing and directing specialized judicial court programs for 11 years. He was a central figure and the Director of the first Drug Court and Youth Court in the state of Virginia. He served as a consultant on the state level in the development of program design, treatment planning, funding and MIS. He is currently the lead consultant to the Virginia Department of Public Safety on the development of four additional pilot Youth Courts.
