Brittani M. Kindle, LCSW serves as the Program Director of Safe Families PLUS, a program created to provide mentorship to teenage foster youth to help them successfully transition into adulthood. She also runs a private practice in Chicago, Meant For Me Therapy, which is dedicated to destigmatizing mental health in communities of color. Brittani is also a former foster youth. She earned her Masters in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago & her Bachelors degree at Stanford University.
Small Organization/Program Category
Jorge Camarena is the Program Director at Journey Youth House in Pasadena, California. Jorge has dedicated his efforts to ensure that former foster youth have opportunities to pursue higher education. He is committed to decreasing barriers that foster youth experience as they transition into adulthood. Prior to joining Journey House in 2004, Jorge worked for the LA County Probation Department and was a teacher for students who were considered “at-risk.” His experience and completing his masters degree in social work from USC has provided him an in-depth understanding of why foster youth struggle to establish a sense of belonging and permanency in their lives.
Mid-Size Organization/Program Category
Kate Danielson is the Executive Director of Foster Progress in Chicago, Illinois. Kate’s belief that “education is the great equalizer” has been the cornerstone of her life’s work – first as a public school teacher, later running mentoring programs, and finally culminating in the founding of Foster Progress. Their mission is to empower youth who experienced foster care to become successful adults through achieving in higher education. Kate has a bachelor’s degree in Education and English from North Park University and a master’s in Education and Social Policy from Northwestern University. She also loves her role as mom to four kids, two through foster care.
Madeline Reedy is the Senior Director of CitySquare’s Transition Resource Action Center (TRAC) in Dallas, Texas. TRAC’s mission is to “connect young people age 14-24 that are transitioning from substitute care toward self-sufficiency, with individualized support, planning and access to community services.” Ms. Reedy has close to 20 years of experience working with at risk youth, including youth transitioning out of the foster care and juvenile justice systems. She is responsible for coordinating direct client services, case management and transition planning for the youth at TRAC. She assists with program evaluation and planning, ensuring these program areas accommodate the changing needs of youth transitioning from substitute care to independent living.
Large Organization/Program Category
Jorge Camarena is the Program Director at Journey Youth House in Pasadena, California. Jorge has dedicated his efforts to ensure that former foster youth have opportunities to pursue higher education. He is committed to decreasing barriers that foster youth experience as they transition into adulthood. Prior to joining Journey House in 2004, Jorge worked for the LA County Probation Department and was a teacher for students who were considered “at-risk.” His experience and completing his masters degree in social work from USC has provided him an in-depth understanding of why foster youth struggle to establish a sense of belonging and permanency in their lives.
Madeline Reedy is the Senior Director of CitySquare’s Transition Resource Action Center (TRAC) in Dallas, Texas. TRAC’s mission is to “connect young people age 14-24 that are transitioning from substitute care toward self-sufficiency, with individualized support, planning and access to community services.” Ms. Reedy has close to 20 years of experience working with at risk youth, including youth transitioning out of the foster care and juvenile justice systems. She is responsible for coordinating direct client services, case management and transition planning for the youth at TRAC. She assists with program evaluation and planning, ensuring these program areas accommodate the changing needs of youth transitioning from substitute care to independent living.
Youth Impact Category
SInce 1989, Janetta Williams Green has been employed by the Center for Independent Living of Central PA (CILCP) based in Harrisburg, PA. She has over 36 years of experience working with people with disabilities with 34 of those years working in independent living centers. Ms. Green is a proponent of Outcome Logic Model within her organization, which is a model that is used to effectively identify, measure, and track nonprofit outcomes. She also has served on the Administration on Community Living’s Outcome Logic Model Committee. She has four years experience as a non-federal peer reviewer for U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Region II and is a Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS).
Jamese works as a Family Support Specialist with Samara in Harrisburg, PA. She primarily provides assistance and resources to families with newborn babies. Jamese Preston received a Bachelor’s degree Human Services from York College of Pennsylvania and is currently working towards a Master’s in Social Work from Millersville University. She has worked in the human service field for four years and has focused her professional aspirations on advocacy, race relations, and mental health. In addition, she is a proponent of the Outcomes Logic Model in her organization, which is a framework for nonprofit organizations to identify, measure, and track impact outcomes for the people they serve.