Who We Are
The National Association of Public Child Welfare Administrators (NAPCWA) provides national leadership for the development of sound policy, successful and innovative practices, and critical capacity building to improve agency performance and consumer outcomes.
Our Purpose
NAPCWA represents state and local public child welfare agencies through their child welfare administrators, deputies, and other child welfare agency staff that envision a safe and loving public child welfare system to provide children with permanent homes and support in their social and emotional growth and development.
Contact
Meg Dygert
Senior Policy Associate, Child and Family Well-Being, APHSA
Leadership
Executive Committee:
Chair
Mary Carpenter, Director
Division of Protection and Permanency
Vice Chair
Dr. Alger M. Studstill, Jr, Executive Director
Social Services Administration
Executive Committee Members:
Main State Representative
Angie Schwarts, Deputy Director
CA Department of Social Services Children and Family Services Division
Main State Representative
Daisy Hartsfield,
Hawaii DHS Social Services Division (SSD) Administrator
Main State Representative
Gail Geohagen-Pratt, Associate Commissioner
New York State Office of Children and Family Services
Main State Representative
Jodi Hill-Lily
Deputy Commissioner , CT
Main State Representative
Deborah Shroshpire M.D, Director
OK Department of Human Services Child Welfare Services
Main State Representative
Aprille Flint-Gerner, Acting Director
OR Department of Human Services Child Welfare Programs
Main State Representative
Laura Opfer,
Deputy Director of Policy & Legislative Services
Main State Representative
Mr David Reed, Deputy
Indiana Department of Child Services
Local Representative
Rebecca Palatino, Deputy Director
Allegheny County Children Youth and Families Department
Local Representative
Mr. Michael Becketts,
Fairfax County Director of Department of Family Services
Back-Up Representative
Debi Knecht,
Deputy Director of CW Programs
Main State Representative
Jeffrey Van Deusen, Deputy Director
Office of Families and Children
Main State Representative
Laval Miler-Wilson
OCYF Deputy Secretary
Main State Representative
Tony Nease,
Director of Federal Programs
Main State Representative
Andrea Sanders, Commissioner
MI Department of Child Protection Services
Main State Representative
Nikole Cox,
Director of the Division of Family Services
Main State Representative
Katherine Stoehr,
First Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Children and Families
Main State Representative
John Elliot
Child Welfare Director
Main State Representative
Demetrius Sterling, Senior Deputy Director
Children Services Administration
County Representative
Chip Spinning, Director
Franklin County Family and Child Services
County Representative
Nick Henderson, Child Welfare Director
Sterns County Dept. of Health and Human Services
Latest Work
Comment Letters:
Comment on Senate Finance Committee Hearing “The Family First Prevention Services Act” (June 2024)
Comment on NRPM Foster Care Legal Representation (November 2023)
APHSA Response to NPRM on Safe and Appropriate Foster Care Placement Requirements for Titles IV-E and IV-B (November 2023)
Additional Resources:
APHSA members receive free access to the Journal of Public Child Welfare. This journal provides quality research and comprehensive information for child welfare professionals and public agencies.
