CHAMPIONS FOR CHILDREN
Each year, we honor individuals and organizations that have gone above and beyond in making the world a better place for children. Our Champions for Children are below:
Ruth Charles
Ruth first got involved with MCCC in 2014 when she was trained as an ACE Interface Presenter. She is a professor in the social work department at Winona State University. She is passionate about ensuring trauma-informed child welfare policies and practices and has catalyzed county-wide initiatives in Winona to build community resilience. Ruth was trained as an ACE Interface Master Trainer in 2017.
Tom Gonzalez
Tom was trained as an ACE Interface Presenter in 2014 and since that time has been raising awareness about childhood trauma and resiliency across Crow Wing County (and statewide), reaching over 4,000 people across a variety of sectors. His ability to educate and engage communities on issues related to trauma and resiliency led him to the role of a Self-Healing Communities Project Coordinator with Bridges of Hope in Crow Wing County, where he served until he moved to Wisconsin in 2019.
Shelley Jacobson
Shelley’s strategic leadership of MCCC through challenging times and times of growth over the past five years have been critical to the organization’s success. She worked tirelessly to build a strong organizational infrastructure (at MCCC and through the merger process) and she inspires staff to be their best every day.
Stacy Johnson
Stacy has demonstrated her commitment to MCCC’s mission in her leadership as Board Chair and as a member of MCCC’s Strategic Partnership Taskforce. She has given so much time, energy, and thoughtfulness in supporting MCCC through transition, and we are so grateful for her leadership as the Co-Chair of the merged Familywise board.
Gina Little
Gina first became involved with MCCC as a young mom in the Circle of Parents program in Faribault. She eventually started co-leading the parent support and education sessions, becoming a valued mentor to the weekly participants. Gina has a background in non-profit management and her passion to support families and advocate to end child maltreatment is an asset to her community.
Safeer Mirza
Safeer has served in several officer positions during his time on MCCC’s board, including Secretary and Treasurer. He consistently shows up for MCCC events, shares MCCC’s work with his network, and he has played an important role on the organization’s Strategic Partnership Taskforce.
Matthew Olson
Matt is a long-time volunteer and the Chair of MCCC’s Development Committee. He has consistently contributed his time, talent, and treasure to MCCC over the years and is a huge asset to our fundraising efforts.
Susan was among MCCC’s first Certified ACE Interface Presenters. Along with Lowell Johnson, Susan led and supported the first community cohort of Presenters in Brainerd. In 2015, Susan designed a project to build the capacity of tribal communities to address health and social problems related to ACEs and historical trauma. She directed that project as a MCCC staff member for three years, partnering with five tribal communities to promote resilience and healing.
Lowell is a co-chair of the ACEs Resiliency Coalition (ARC) in Crow Wing County. In 2015, through his work with ARC, Lowell secured funding to train the first community-based cohort of ACE Interface Presenters in Minnesota. Lowell plays an active role in strengthening families in his local community. He has been involved with the Minnesota Fathers and Families Network and has facilitated trainings and support groups in the Brainerd area for more than three decades.
David was an instrumental member of the group that originally envisioned MCCC’s ACE education work. He was also a member of the first cohort of ACE Interface Trainers in 2013. Over the past several years he has served as a contract trainer for MCCC across the state, particularly in tribal communities. He recently played a key role in creating podcasts about ACEs and resiliency in partnership with MCCC's Tribal NEAR Science and Community Wisdom Project.
Joanne is the Family and Community Well-Being Coordinator for the Children’s Trust Fund at the Minnesota Department of Human Services (MN DHS). She has been a continual champion for child abuse prevention and the services provided by MCCC for more than 20 years. It was through a partnership with Joanne and other advocates at MN DHS that the Parent Leadership program was developed in 2009.
Becky has provided leadership for MCCC programs for the past 18 years. She has been the lead coordinator of ACE-related programs since 2014. This includes envisioning and managing the expansion of ACE work from a standard train-the-trainer model into a Self-Healing Communities model in partnership with communities statewide. She is a passionate coach for individual and community transformation, and she empowers participants and staff to be their best selves.
Dan has spent more than three decades in Minneapolis-St. Paul radio. He is currently the Vice President and Market Manager for Hubbard Radio in Minneapolis-St. Paul and in that role he oversees the Radiothon to End Child Abuse. Dan is committed to supporting efforts to prevent child abuse and neglect; he frequently attends and consistently secures sponsorships from Hubbard Radio for MCCC special events.
Ann (left)
Ann Boerth
In her role with the Children’s Mental Health Division of the Minnesota Department of Human Services, Ann Boerth oversees 90 Children’s Mental Health and Family Services Collaboratives statewide. As a parent who once participated in her own local Collaborative, she is passionate about creating effective local, cross-system partnerships that improve family services. Ann recently secured legislative funding for an expansion of MCCC’s ACE awareness efforts in partnership with Collaboratives statewide.
David Thompson
During his career as a child welfare professional, David Thompson has lead efforts to move child welfare practice toward respectful engagement of families in strength-based and safety-focused partnerships in Minnesota. He has worked as a child protection worker, supervisor, and manager at the county level and as a child protection manager at the Minnesota Department of Human Services. Since retiring in 2014, David now chairs a non-profit working in Africa to build infrastructure in poor subsistence farming communities.
Barb Sorum
As the Director of Prevention Initiatives for Southern Minnesota for Minnesota Communities Caring for Children, Barb Sorum works extensively with family and community supportive services to strengthen awareness and prevention education efforts. She works with community leaders and agencies to establish and guide the operations of parenting support and education programs through the Circle of Parents® statewide network. Fueled by personal experience, Barb is committed to children’s health and safety through parent and community-based leadership.
Dave Ellis
Dave Ellis is the owner and Principal Consultant at Dave Ellis Consulting, LLC, a group dedicated to providing training on equity and inclusion, strategic planning, and community engagement. He has been exploring the impact of early childhood trauma on adult issues and has been instrumental in conversations on race, power, and privilege in Minnesota. As one of MCCC’s ACEs Trainers, Dave has presented over 100 times in the past 6 years to raise awareness about the effects of trauma and increase the knowledge of successful strategies for building resiliency in the communities most impacted by historical and community trauma.
African American Babies Coalition (AABC)
The African American Babies Coalition (AABC) is a group of African American community stakeholders which include educators, nonprofit and civic leaders, researchers, childcare providers, parents and grandparents and public health professionals, from across the Twin Cities who are committed to promoting the healthy development of African American babies. Their goal is to support family and community members in the health development of babies through community voices sharing the everyday impact of toxic stress to show how it is the primary public health issue for African Americans.
2017 Champions for Children
Dave Vagle
Dave’s 42 years of broadcasting all started in the Fall of 1974 on the Thief River Falls campus station. His first job was at KTRF in Thief River Falls where he was promoted to sales on a new thing called FM. In 1981, he moved to KBUN/KBHP in Bemidji. His first management job was with the Ingstad Broadcasting group in Wadena. He was later promoted to General Manager (GM) at KOVC AM/FM in Valley City, ND in 1988. The following year he became the GM of KDHL and Power 96 in Faribault. In 1990, Dave joined the Omni Broadcasting family as GM of KIKV in Alexandria. He’s proud to have been a part of the Radiothon, which has raised over a million dollars in Alexandria in the last 26 years.
Kris Jacobson
Kris Jacobson
Lou Buron and Mary Campbell hired Kristie Jacobson for Paul Bunyan Broadcasting in 2000 and she immediately began working on the Radiothon. They spent long hours preparing the night before the Radiothon, Kristie in her pj’s at times. Kristie’s husband Rick knows that Radiothon preparation begins in October; Kristie spends many hours working from home preparing descriptions of auction items and updating the Radiothon.info website. Rick and their son Michael are often recruited to set up and tear down the Radiothon broadcast site. Kristie believes the Radiothon is a success because she works with great team and had a great teacher. After Lou and Mary sold the stations in 2015, Kristie has been the force behind the Bemidji Radiothon. She has worked tirelessly to maintain its 29-year history.
Mike Boen
Mike Boen
Mike Boen is the Managing Partner of Hubbard Radio’s six radio stations in Brainerd. Since the first Brainerd Radiothon to End Child Abuse raised $12,000 in 1994, the annual Brainerd event has grown and raised a total of more than $1.4 million for child abuse prevention in Crow Wing, Cass, Aitkin and Morrison counties and across Minnesota. Mike and wife Pat live on Woman Lake near Longville, Minnesota with English Setters, Honey Bunch and Sweetie Pie.
Elizabeth Melton
Elizabeth Melton
Elizabeth Melton’s work with children and families includes over 8 years on MCCC’s board —including 2 as a Board Chair — representing foster children; helping women and children obtain restraining orders; and acting as a court-appointed special advocate for kids in family and child-protection matters.
Cameron & Mackenzie Melton have grown into sweet, happy & productive adults despite the many mistakes Elizabeth made as their mom. Elizabeth spent most of her career as general counsel for companies involved with consumer credit. She and her husband John live in Richfield and invest in real estate.
Nacole Kaai
Nacole Kaai
Nacole Kaai is a passionate advocate for causes that fundamentally change people’s lives and she formerly served on the board of Minnesota Communities Caring for Children as a member and Board Chair. She also volunteers with organizations that focus on advocacy, education, and leadership development. When Nacole is not volunteering, she works to improve healthcare as an Associate Director at Optum – UnitedHealth Group. She holds a Masters of Public Affairs with a specialization in Public / Non-Profit Leadership and Management from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs.
Sam Simmons
Sam Simmons
Sam Simmons, LADC has over 27-years of experience as a behavioral consultant specializing in culturally sensitive trauma informed work with African American males and their families. He is SAFE Families Manager at The Family Partnership and an Adverse Childhood Experience Interface Trainer for Minnesota. In 2014 he was awarded the Minnesota Fathers & Families Network Excellence in Fatherhood Award for his work to advance fatherhood policy and practice throughout Minnesota. In 2016 Sam received the Healing the Hidden Wounds of Racial Trauma and the Black Tear Drop awards for his vision and leadership in culturally sensitive trauma informed work around the country. He is co-host of “Voices” radio show on KMOJ FM addressing urban community issues.
Harold Richey
Harold Richey
Harold Richey is an unusual and exceptional volunteer. He has been volunteering with MCCC an average of a day a week for more than 8 years! He volunteers to help with our financial management – a high level skill rarely done by a volunteer. A retired vice-president from Wells Fargo, Harold’s extensive contributions have made it possible for us to save significant administrative costs while maintaining excellent internal controls resulting in year after year of clean audits – an often unsung but critically vital component of mission delivery. Thank you, Harold!
Clint and Beth Doroff
Clint and Beth Doroff reside in White Bear Township, MN with their two children Alex (10) and Hunter (7). Clint is a Senior Vice-President of Institutional Client Service at Nuveen Asset Management and Beth is a stay-at-home mom. Clint is a graduate of St. John’s University and Beth of the College of St. Benedict in central Minnesota. Clint received his Master of Business Administration and Beth received her Master of Business Communications from the University of St. Thomas. Their involvement in Minnesota Communities Caring for Children (MCCC) started in 2011. After being moved by stories of child abuse and neglect on the nightly news, they made the decision to focus their time and resources on child abuse prevention. A search for organizations involved in child abuse prevention led them to MCCC. After initial contact through a financial contribution, Clint was recruited to serve on the board.
In addition to their continued financial support, both Clint and Beth have been active in volunteering their time for MCCC. Clint has served as the vice-chair of the board, chair of the public policy committee and member of the gala planning committee. As part of his role on the public policy committee, Clint provided testimony on behalf of MCCC to the Governor’s Task Force on Child Abuse and Prevention. For her role, Beth has been instrumental in designing surveys to assist MCCC to better understand their internal and external partners’ views of the organization. While neither has an educational background in the area of child abuse prevention, they believe that all of us have the ability to contribute in our own way and would encourage you to do the same.
Victoria Karpeh
Victoria Karpeh is currently the President/CEO of Legacy Family Center. Legacy Family Center is a grass-roots, 501c3 non-profit which aims to provide Brooklyn Park families with comprehensive family resources and services. She earned her M.A. in Educational Leadership from the University of St. Thomas; and prior to that Victoria earned her B.S.W. in Social Work from St. Catherine’s University. While at St. Kate’s, Victoria founded the group, Students who are Parents (SWAP). SWAP provides a resource point and informal support for parents who are students. She has been involved with Minnesota Communities Caring for Children as a Parent Leader for the past two years.
Victoria recently planned and coordinated MCCC’s very successful Parent Recognition Event, in celebration of Parent Leadership Month.
Joanna Woolman
Joanna Woolman is an Associate Professor of Law at Mitchell Hamline School of Law where she also directs the Child Protection Program. Her role as the Director of the Child Protection Program is to carry out the program’s mission to promote legal-system reform on behalf of children and families through education and training, research, and interdisciplinary collaboration. This includes designing and providing attorney and stakeholder training for child protection system professionals; working collaboratively with other institutions to evaluate and study a multi-disciplinary model of parent representation, including use of parent mentors and social workers; and engaging partners in the child protection community around trauma based systemic change.
Professor Woolman worked as a public defender in Isanti and Anoka counties prior to coming to William Mitchell College of Law in 2008. She previously directed the Reentry Clinic at William Mitchell, which provided holistic legal services to women transitioning from prison to their communities. Professor Woolman also teaches criminal law and feminist legal theory at the law school. She is a graduate of the University of San Francisco School of Law, and was born and raised in South Minneapolis.
Mitchell l Hamline Child Protection Clinic
Strengthening Families, Strengthening Communities
Launched in Ramsey County in 2013 as a pilot program, the Child Protection Clinic provides support to parents whose children have an active child protection case. Mitchell Hamline students are paired with MCCC Parent Mentors to help parents navigate the complex systems involved in a child protection case. The students meet their clients at the initial hearing and continue to represent them throughout the case, including a trial if necessary. Parent Mentors help parents create a plan to address the mitigating factors of their case leading to increased family stability and the likelihood that abuse will not reoccur. This program is currently in the process of expanding to Hennepin County.
Karina Forrest-Perkins
Karina Forrest-Perkins
Karina A. Forrest-Perkins MHR LADC, is a long time child advocate serving children and families in multiple capacities since 1982. Karina is a member of the Cherokee Tribe and is a contributory author of Congressional Proceedings Reports involving the value of Diversity in Behavioral Health.
Karina currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer at The Wayside House, Inc. and is a Faculty Member for the Heartland National Tuberculosis Center through the Centers for Disease Control. She provides addiction and trauma therapy for children, adolescents and families; consultation for non-profit organizations; and, training for community members and professionals in the area of child maltreatment, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, cultural competency, and the impact of trauma on early childhood brain development.
Karina recently served as a member of the Oklahoma Governor’s Workgroup on Health and Human Services; Vice-Chair for the Oklahoma Interagency Task Force on Child Abuse Prevention; former Board Member for the Oklahoma State Team on Children’s Behavioral Health; Advisory Council member for the Oklahoma Strengthening Families Initiative; and Adjunct Professor for The University of Central Oklahoma Department of Sociology: Child Maltreatment and Addiction.
Ida Lee Hurvitz
Ida Lee Hurvitz
Ida Lee Hurvitz is a survivor. Raised in a dysfunctional household, she was the target of both physical and emotional abuse. Welcoming the opportunity to leave home to attend college, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Maryland. Ida Lee then embarked on her 38-year teaching career, with a one-year hiatus to earn her Master of Science degree at the University of Oregon. Her career took her to positions in Scotland; West Germany; Alexandria, Virginia; and, Saint Paul, Minnesota. During that period, Ida Lee successfully threw off the shackles of child abuse and blossomed into a confident, vibrant individual. Her positive approach has touched thousands of students, parents, and fellow teachers. Although retired from the Saint Paul Public Schools, Ida Lee has continued to help develop the next generation of teachers as a continuing education instructor with the University of Wisconsin at River Falls. Hoping to alert others to the grim reality of abuse, Ida Lee has also acted as an authentic voice for Prevent Child Abuse Minnesota. She does not hesitate to help others who have been victimized and she continues to address abuse. Ida Lee is very grateful for being honored this evening.
Damone J Presley
Damone J Presley
Damone J Presley is the Coordinator of the Frogtown Rondo Action Network (FRAN). He was born and raised in the Rondo Community of Saint Paul, and is the proud father of ten children and grandfather of three. Damone is passionate about his involvement as the Community Founder and Director of Vision In Living Life (VILL) “Change is Possible”, a Building Healthy Lifestyle Leadership program. As part of this program, he developed a six-lesson curriculum that he teaches to youth ages 12-21. Damone has seen many changes in the Rondo Community, both positive and negative, during his lifetime. The goal of FRAN is to get residents and community partners working together for the community to Strive, Thrive, and Prosper. In the VILL “Change is Possible” Building Healthy Lifestyle Leadership program, the Youth Leadership group, directed by Damone, has made great progress within the Rondo Community, including policy work that resulted in passing a bill for decreasing window signage. Currently, he is working on policy change around tobacco sales that will prevent youth from getting access to tobacco products. Damone is a Public Speaker, Mentor, and Advocate for community issues that bring residents to the table to use their voices to better their community. He has worked with MPLS Urban League, Amicus , African American AIDS Task force, and Breaking Free. Damone has also worked in the health field and has a duel certification in training the trainer from the Saint Paul Red Cross.
Reggie Woo
Reggie Woo
Reggie has been a Vice President at U.S. Bancorp since 2003 where he has been a leader in their Internal Audit Department. Prior to joining U.S. Bancorp, he oversaw the audit activities of Target Financial Services the wholly owned credit card operations of Target Corporation with over $650 million in profits. Reggie has earned a B.A. degree in Economics and Finance from Gustavus Adolphus College and a M.B.A from the University of St. Thomas. He has been a frequent volunteer in non-profit youth organizations such as Junior Achievement and the Special Olympics. He has been a MCCC volunteer board member since November 2008 and has served as the Board Treasurer since 2010.
Susan Ault
Susan Ault
Susan Ault is currently a Senior Director in Strategic Consulting for Systems Improvement for Casey Family Programs. The focus of her work is in safely reducing the need for foster care. She has over 35 years of experience in child and family services, over 20 of which are in public child welfare. In 2013 The University of Minnesota Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare recognized Susan with the Child Welfare Leadership Award for her contribution to child welfare practice in Minnesota.
Most recently before coming to Casey Family Programs Susan was the Director of the Children and Family Services for Ramsey County Community Human Services in St Paul, Minnesota. While at Ramsey County she led numerous change efforts that resulted in improvements in the delivery of services and outcomes for children and families. She also led Ramsey County’s innovative work to end racial disparity in the child welfare system.
Susan’s experience includes being one of the pioneers in the Family Service Collaborative movement and working on child welfare together with the Leech Lake Indian Reservation in a manner that has become a model for the state. She has worked in urban as well as rural settings, and for government as well as non-profits. Experienced in clinical practice and a seasoned administrator, Susan holds a B.A. in Sociology and Psychology and a M.S. Ed. in Child Psychology.
Jane Kretzmann
Jane Kretzmann
Jane Kretzmann, MA, is a Senior Fellow in the College of Education and Human Development and the Center for Early Education and Development (CEED) at the University of Minnesota. There she directs the Project for Babies, an initiative that aims to increase understanding of the impact of early experience and relationships on learning, health, and behavior across the life span, beginning before birth. Previously Jane worked as a senior program officer for the Minnesota Community Foundation and the Archibald Bush Foundation in Saint Paul, Minnesota for more than 20 years. Her grant making encompassed a wide range of health and human services programs, and she led the design of initiatives in early childhood development and environmental health. Jane also served as Minnesota’s first State Refugee Coordinator at the Department of Human Services. She earned received her undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Iowa.
State Representative Rena Moran
Rena Moran
In 2011 Rena became the first black Legislator to represent District 65A in St. Paul and she is currently serving her second term in the House of Representatives. She joined Prevent Child Abuse MN in 2009 and is currently the Director of Prevention Initiatives and Parent Leadership. Rena was awarded a fellowship from the Bush Foundation in 2013. As a Bush Fellow her project will focus on engaging parents both in her community and statewide in the implementation, planning and evaluation of a single early childhood education experience for all Minnesota children from pre-Kindergarten to third grade. Rena has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Early Childhood Education where she worked in the field for over 15 years in the private and public sector. Rena is a strong advocate for building safe, nurturing environment in which children and families strive. She believes every child needs the opportunity to grow into strong functional adults. With that goal comes investment in program and policies that supports the strengths of individuals, families and communities. Rena is a member of the MN Taskforce of Prematurity appointed by Gov. Mark Dayton and is a community organizer and activist at heart who works for social, racial and economic justice. Rena is a mother of 7 children and a Grandmother of 3.
Jacquelyn (Jacquie) Thomas
Jacquie Thomas
Jacquelyn (Jacquie) Thomas is a native of Minnesota, with one child that she is raising as a single parent. Jacquie’s upbringing came with some challenges, growing up in a home with domestics; yet both parents showed her lots of love. Jacquie was the youngest of eight children, she attributes her being the youngest to the strength that she had during those times and now. Jacquie also, grew up during an era of controversy; and her parents made sure all of the children knew they had rights.
Jacquie didn’t quite know what that meant until she became a teenager. Jacquie along with many other Black students and some White students stood up, staged a non-violent protest, to a policy in school of not recognizing Black History month. This policy separated students; Jacquie felt this policy was not in the best interest of the children and students. After the protest the policy changed; Black History month was recognized and celebrated in this St. Paul Public School.
Jacquie’s adulthood has brought many challenges that she has worked through; including helping her siblings with understanding their parental rights within many systems; including but not limited to education, Child Welfare, city and state governments. Jacquie has fought for children’s and parental rights long before she became a parent. However, once she became a parent her involvement, advocating and policy work took off.
Jacquie serves on the Parent Child Safety and Permanency Leadership Team as a Parent Leader/Advocate/Consultant with Prevent Child Abuse Minnesota/Minnesota Communities Caring for Children; she was a member, before becoming President of St. Paul Network of Education Action Teams, were they strengthen, engage and empower parents around public school education policy; Serves on the Ramsey County Citizen’s Review Panel: Children’s Services; as well as being a Community Organizer.
Jacquie is looking to launch her own business this year to connect parents to the right organizations, programs and teach advocacy skill building. She feels that many organizations already exist to assist the child, which is very important; but these very same children go back home to parents that have no awareness, knowledge or how to start making their lives healthy. The parent must be healthy or on a healthy path in order for us to make healthy homes, and communities for children.
Connie Skillingstad
Connie is being honored as a past Executive Director of Prevent Child Abuse Minnesota. During her tenure she was an early champion of sharing the information and hope offered by the Adverse Childhood Experiences study and was the first person to invite Dr. Robert Anda to Minnesota to present the ACE study in 2005. She also brought her many deep connections and knowledge to plan a multi-year state-wide expansion of Circle of Parents along with annual workshops and meetings in all of Minnesota’s regions. We currently have over 160 active Circle of Parents groups statewide as a result of her leadership, commitment to this expansion, and dedication to the families of Minnesota. We continue to honor her vision and legacy working to engage, train, support and learn from a strong statewide network of local community leaders across the state creating environments community by community that nurture healthy children. We are grateful for the many talents Connie brought to PCAMN, as well as her continued partnership and commitment to healthy children, families and communities.
Minnesota Children’s Trust Fund
Theresa Davis – Child Safety and Permanency MNDHS
Carole Wilcox – Child Safety and Permanency MNDHS
Joanne Mooney – Child Safety and Permanency MNDHS
Erin Sullivan Sutton – Assistant Commissioner for Children and Family Services, Minnesota Department of Human Services
The Children’s Trust Fund was established in 1986 to prevent child maltreatment by partnering with and funding community-based services that provide resources, education and information statewide. Minnesota was the 18th state to establish a special fund derived from a surcharge on birth certificates and dedicated to the prevention of child abuse and neglect. Children’s Trust Fund is the primary funder of Prevent Child Abuse Minnesota’s primary prevention programs and is a founding sponsor of our Parent Leadership Program for Child Safety and Permanency; our Parent and Caregiver Learning Institute, launched by PCAMN in early 2013; and our web based outreach for parent leadership statewide.
The CTF Staff have been instrumental in leading a new approach to parent education and support. This group of professionals has encouraged innovation; team based design; respect of the parent voice; and, out of the box thinking in order to best meet our parents’ needs. Our Parent and Caregiver Learning Institute is based on a model that reflects community support, involvement, investment, and an opportunity to be mentored when you apply what you have learned back into your community. This model has received national attention and would not be possible without the CTF investment and support.
PATCH: Painters and Allied Trades for Children’s Hope Foundation
The Painters and Allied Trades for Children’s Hope Foundation, or PATCH, was founded in 2001 to better the lives of children in need throughout North America. Supported by the men and women of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades and other generous donors, to date the PATCH Foundation has given over $1 million to youth organizations throughout the United States and Canada. Money raised locally by our IUPAT members goes back to their own communities. PATCH was our first Platinum Sponsor in 2012 and enabled us to break all records in giving with our 2012 Gala event. As a result we were able to scholarship more parents to education opportunities, continue our support of our Circle of Parents program, and reach new contacts in the community who now are committed supporters.
Helene Slocum
An alumnus of Penn State University, Helene became involved with Prevent Child Abuse Minnesota when she chose to do something positive and intentional about preventing child abuse in response to the tragic circumstances leading to the scandal at her alma mater. Helene understands that parenting is hard for every single parent regardless of circumstances and as a result she is dedicated to supporting those programs which support and empower parents and caregivers in their parenting journey. She is a co-founder and investor of the Parent and Caregiver Learning Institute; hosted our first Luncheon for Prevention; and, currently serves on the PCAMN Board of Directors. Helene is among a small number of individuals who made a decision to make a real difference by taking action. Helene shares her own story of parenting, co-leadership in the home, and service in the community by word and deed. Her spirit of compassion and action for both parents and children along with her enthusiasm for this cause is inspiring.
Dave Turk
Dave is a former member of the Board of Directors (2002-2008) and held executive leadership positions including Board Treasurer, Vice President, and President. His expertise transformed our internal accounting, from a loose archaic process into an efficient, transparent system with documented internal controls, cash flow projections and an ongoing commitment to strong board financial oversight. These changes put us on strong footing as nonprofit financial reporting and auditing requirements changed in recent years. “Cash is King!” is a mantra Dave taught us which has helped us navigate the tough recession years. Dave is the leader in lifetime giving at PCAMN and this, in combination with his gift of leadership and legacy of excellence, helped transform our organization into the thriving position we enjoy today serving Minnesota children and families.
Lisa Deputie
Lisa Deputie joined our Parent Leadership Consultant Team in 2009. Lisa brought with her a sense of eagerness, enthusiasm, and commitment as well as personal experience in the child welfare system. From the moment the team gathered for orientation, Lisa focused on creating solutions and better outcomes for families that are impacted by out of home placement within the Child Welfare System. She has been a leader in bringing the vision and mission of PCAMN to life.
Lisa has facilitated countless meetings; lead & hosted parent dialogues in the community; and promoted evidence based factors which strengthen families, communities and systems. In 2012 she organized a fundraiser with her Church to support abused and neglected children where she donated all the proceeds to PCAMN. She did this in order to support our prevention work and apply her knowledge and skills in the broader community. Lisa was able to raise well over $2,000.00.
Lisa sits on several committees and taskforces within the Department of Human Services where she brings her voice to the table in order to create changes in policies, programs and systems so that they better support and strengthen families. She is a team player that not only leads but reaches back and supports her parent leader team members. Lisa is currently in the process of becoming a qualified trainer, capable of training staff at the Department of Human Services and is working with William Mitchell Law School to reunify parents with their children through the court system.
Lisa is a true leader. We here at PCAMN are honored to recognize and celebrate the work of Lisa Deputie, recipient of the 2013 Champions for Children Award.
Omni Broadcasting
For nearly two decades, communities in Northern Minnesota have been coming together for 24-hours the first Thursday and Friday in December to prevent child abuse and neglect. Sponsored by the Radio stations of Omni Broadcasting in Bemidji, Alexandria, Brainerd, and Wadena, the Radiothon To End Child Abuse is a community-wide event. For 24 hours, the radio stations turn their programming over to raising awareness and funds for efforts that strengthen families and prevent child abuse and neglect. The broadcast is live from community based settings like grocery stores and malls. Community professionals speak on-air about local efforts to prevent abuse and share ideas of what each of us can do to support families and invest in the future of our community’s children. Local performers, from students to professionals, sing and dance as part of the festivities. Businesses and individuals make on-air challenges to one another, each giving generously to support child abuse and neglect prevention efforts. The community outpouring is an annual inspiration and testament to the truth that it takes all of us to support and strengthen families. Omni Broadcasting, under the leadership of Lou Buron and Mary Campbell, have modeled what being a Champion for Children truly looks like in action. The Radiothon sponsorship takes an entire year to plan and execute and that is only a portion of their contribution. They donate hours of airtime, professional time, personal volunteerism and personal dollars to support our statewide efforts. They show us how community can come together to solve major issues like child maltreatment and to do so successfully. Thank you for your leadership, Omni!!
Delta Dental
Since 1954, Delta Dental has been working to improve oral health and hygiene by emphasizing preventative care, because they believe that everyone deserves to enjoy a healthy smile. Delta Dental Plans Association is a not-for-profit organization with some for-profit affiliates as member companies. Through Delta’s 39 independent member companies, they offer national dental coverage – administering programs and reporting systems that provide employees and individuals with quality, cost-effective dental benefits and superior customer service. As America’s largest and most trusted dental benefits carrier, Delta covers more Americans than any other dental benefits provider – and strives daily to make dental coverage more accessible and affordable to a wide variety of employers, groups and individuals. The Delta Dental Foundation has been a consistent supporter in the prevention of child maltreatment and the promotion of health and wellness for all. Delta has supported Prevent Child Abuse MN’s programs, events and families for many years as well as supporting us through Board Service. We honor Delta Dental and their long time volunteerism, financial support and community investment in preserving the safety of our community’s children. We could not execute many of our programs without this critical support. We honor you and your investment in Minnesota’s children!
Access Minnesota Radio
Access Minnesota is a weekly public affairs radio and television show featuring noted academics, authors, politicians and business leaders engaging in common sense conversations about compelling and relevant issues in the state of Minnesota, across the nation, and around the globe. Access Minnesota is produced by the Minnesota Broadcasters Association in collaboration with the University of Minnesota’s College of Liberal Arts and the University of Minnesota Alumni Association’s quarterly magazine, Minnesota. Production support is provided by The CW Twin Cities (WUCW-TV) and Radio K (KUOM). Jim du Bois, our host, is a veteran broadcaster whose career spans nearly four decades. Access Minnesota reached out to our organization as the primary Twin Cities media partner for 2011 and promoted a thirty minute show on preventing child sexual abuse. PCAMN is honored to have this new community partner in the metro area and looks forward to more collaboration in the years to come.
Rich Kaplan, MD
Dr. Kaplan is the Medical Director of The Center for Safe and Healthy Children – the University of Minnesota Amplatz Children’s Hospital Child Abuse Program. He is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Minnesota School of Medicine. Dr. Kaplan received a Masters in Social Work degree from St. Louis University and a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of South Dakota. He completed his pediatric residency in Phoenix, Arizona. First, as a social worker and then as a pediatrician, Rich has been working with child abuse victims for over 30 years. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, a charter member of the Ray Helfer Society and a former member of the Society’s executive committee. Dr. Kaplan is a 2003 recipient of the United States Department of Health and Human Services: Commissioner’s Award for Outstanding Service in the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect. He is also a member of the Executive Board of the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Child Abuse and Neglect. Dr. Kaplan is presenting on child maltreatment and trauma informed care in Ireland or would be here to celebrate with us. He sends his regrets as well as a firm commitment to partner with PCAMN and assist us in creating new relationships with the University Of Minnesota School Of Pediatric Medicine.
Mautaui Tongrit-Green
Ms. Tongrit-Green is our Youth Champion Award Winner. She is a senior at Harding Senior High School, a competitor in track, and a natural leader among her peers. Ms. Tongrit-Green approached me in late 2011 with an interest in putting together an artistic rendition of what positive parenting looks like through the lens of a child. Mautaui has a unique connection with PCAMN. Her Mother, Hannatu Green, is one of our Parent Leadership Consultants for the State of MN as well as serving as a member of the National Parent Partnership Council. Mautaui worked through late 2011 and 2012 to put together a montage of interviews to help us learn. We are honored to spotlight this effort and to have a young adult exhibit leadership in preventing child maltreatment and building communities.