Darneshia Allen, BS, is a Director of Practice and Field Operations for the National Infant-Toddler Court Program (ITCP) at ZERO TO THREE. Darneshia Allen offers over 29 years of experience working with young children. Her background includes intensive work with families in urban communities, years of experience in Early Care and Education which ultimately led to the development of a Pre-K 4 program. She joined ZERO TO THREE as the Arkansas Community Coordinator for the Pulaski County Safe Babies Court Team Project in 2009. In the continuous leadership of ZERO TO THREE, Mrs. Allen has provided support for communities implementing the Safe Babies Court Team™ approach in many roles. She previously led the work as a Statewide Training and Outreach Coordinator and Quality Improvement Center for Infant Toddler Court Teams Technical Assistance Specialist prior to becoming the Senior Technical Assistance Specialist in 2018. She currently serves the project as the Director of Practice and Field Operations. Over the last 10 years with ZERO TO THREE, Mrs. Allen has presented on the safety and well-being of infants and toddlers in child welfare on local and national levels. She has spoken regularly at state infant mental health and early childhood conferences, including: The National Birth To Three Institute; The Arkansas Early Care and Education Annual Conference; The Arkansas Home Visiting Network Annual Conference; The Arkansas and Oklahoma Children in the Law Annual Conferences; State CASA Conferences for Arkansas, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Washington State; The Arizona Infant and Toddler Symposium and Arkansas Association for Infant Mental Health Conference ; The ZERO TO THREE: Scientific Meeting for the Board and Staff of ZERO TO THREE; The National Child Abuse and Neglect Conference; The ITCP Annual Cross Sites Meeting; The Maryland Divorce and Separation Roundtable; Arkansas Foster Parent Association Annual Meetings; The American Bar Association Annual Conference; Multiple years for the ZERO TO THREE: National Training Institute; Arizona’s First Thing First Annual Conference; San Diego International Conference on Child and Family Maltreatment, Louisiana’s Together We Can Conference; The Virginia Crimes Against Children’s Conference and The Children’s Defense Fund Annual Conference.

Amy Huffer, PhD, LCSW, IMH-E (IV-C)  is a Training and Technical Assistance Specialist HealthySteps, a program of ZERO TO THREE. Dr. Huffer began her work at ZERO TO THREE in 2019 and currently supports the dissemination of HealthySteps in California.  She has supported various specialties in applying infant and early childhood mental health principles, including pediatric clinics, child welfare, court systems, child care, and community mental health.  Dr. Huffer has been endorsed as an Infant Mental Health Mentor by the Alliance for the Advancement of Infant Mental Health and regularly provides trainings and reflective consultation to professionals serving infants, toddlers, and their families.

Desirée Caporaso, LMSW, IMH® graduated from Fordham University with her Masters in Social Work with a concentration in Client Center Management and Specialization in Social Work in the Law.  Desirée has over 10 years of experience facilitating evidence-based interventions to youth and families in outpatient and community-based settings.  She is endorsed in Infant Mental Health and trained in providing Reflective Supervision and Consultation.  In 2015, Desirée joined the Zero to Three Infant and Toddler Court Team Program as a Community Coordinator.  Desirée provides service coordination for the most at-risk youth in child welfare and prides herself on building and maintaining quality relationships with providers, attorneys, judges, child welfare staff, parents, and caregivers. As an active member in her community, Desirée facilitates a group of champion stakeholders to identify gaps and needs in communities that serve infants and toddlers.  She is a certified facilitator of Triple P-Group and Circle of Security.  Desirée has been actively involved in local and statewide collaboratives and taskforces since the beginning of her professional career; recently participating in CT’s Family First Planning.  She is a longstanding and active member of a local Regional Early Childhood Council and an active member of the Professional Development Committee for CT’s Association of Infant Mental Health.  Desirée is life member of Girl Scouts and a Gold Award recipient.  She is the proud mother of a 3-year old son and is expecting their second child in October; her family enjoys camping and being outdoors.  Whenever asked to describe her role working with families, Desirée’s response is “I am one part of a larger team, by working collaboratively and maintaining communication we are providing better services to our families to ensure lasting permanency for the youngest of children.  I am honored and blessed to have found my place in the world of Social Work and ha

Jaclyn Szrom, MPA, is a Senior Policy Analyst for the National Infant-Toddler Court Program (ITCP) at ZERO TO THREE. Ms. Szrom has worked with ZERO TO THREE for many years, utilizing her research and analysis skills to support implementation of best practices for infants and toddlers. As Senior Federal Policy Analyst, Ms. Szrom played an integral role in developing a child welfare policy agenda and writing key supporting resources. Later, Ms. Szrom worked on conducting data analysis and trends, developing a decision-making framework for selecting evidence-based interventions, and overall policy and sustainability for the Infant-Toddler Court Program. Earlier in her career, Ms. Szrom worked at the Child Nutrition Division of the Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, where she interpreted policy, provided technical assistance to regional and state offices, and conducted site visits around the country as part of the USDA Farm to School Team supporting states in innovating their efforts to purchase school meals from local farms. Ms. Szrom holds a Master of Public Administration from The Maxwell School at Syracuse University and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from The College of New Jersey

Nicolette Cook received her master’s in social work from University of Minnesota Duluth. Her career emphasis has been working with high risk children and families. She is currently employed through St. Louis County, MN as the Safe Babies Court Community Coordinator. She has worked within child protection as an ongoing case manager and safety planner for 5 years before her current role. She lives in Ely, MN near the Canadian border with her husband and they have 5 children together ranging in ages from 6-19. We live a busy life filled with sports, activities, and a love for the outdoors.

Judge Robert Friday was appointed March 9, 2018, by Governor Mark Dayton. He was elected in 2020. His current term expires in Jan. 2027. Judge Friday serves in the 6th Judicial District in St. Louis County, Virginia, MN. He is the judicial leadership of Safe Babies Court in Virginia, MN. His education included; J.D., magna cum laude, William Mitchell College of Law (Associate Editor of the Law Review) and B.A. from Gustavus Adolphus College.  His work experience included; Director of Advocacy, Legal Aid Service of Northeastern Minnesota; Client Services Manager, United Health Care, small business owner, solo practitioner, and associate attorney at Lindquist & Vennum, Judge Friday is a member of the Consolidated Block Grant Advisory Board, member of Lawyers Concerned for Lawyer, member of Iron Range Bar Association, President of Range Transitional Housing Board of Directors and Volunteer Attorney Program, Duluth.

Bell Monika Cirius is the Early Childhood Court Community Coordinator in the 15th Judicial Circuit of Florida where she provides a consistent, strong voice for infants and toddlers in the dependency system. She facilitates Family Team Meetings with cross-sector professional providers who work to support the families in order to obtain timely permanency for the children. Bell graduated with a BSW and minor in French at Florida Atlantic University in 2019. She also obtained her Masters in Social Work in the same school in 2020.  She always had a passion for working in social services. In the summer before her sophomore year in college, she interned at Holy Ground PBC, an organization that helps homeless, single mothers. There, she learned how to work first hand with one of the populations that she would eventually assist in her career. She is currently on the Executive Board of Holy Ground PBC as the secretary. She is also one of the newest members of Leadership Engage PBC, a program that selects diverse professionals for their leadership and service within Palm Beach County and beyond.  Bell gained a strong character for her career through her childhood. She was born and raised in Haiti and had to leave her mother and friends behind after surviving the 2010 earthquake that hit the country. She learned soon after she came in the USA that she had to prioritize her studies because she knew that education was the number one way of becoming a success in society. She managed to graduate in the top 10% of her high school class as the only Gates Millennium Scholar. Bell strongly believes that every person, no matter what they have been through in their lives, can become a strong member in society if they receive the resources and help that they need. She is passionate about making sure that every child grows up in a loving family and society that will nurture a future adult who can make a difference. As a young social worker, she is ready to dedicate the rest of her life to help as many people as possible to the best of her abilities.

Gwen Doland is the Substance Use Disorder Clinical Manager for the National Infant-Toddler Court Program (ITCP) at ZERO TO THREE. She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) and a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC). Gwen offers over 20 years of experience working with young children and parents who have experienced significant adversity. Gwen has worked as an outpatient substance abuse counselor with teens and adults, in a long-term women and children’s substance abuse program, and provided in-home services to families involved in the child welfare system. As a therapist she has worked with infants through the lifespan and has had a significant amount of training and clinical consultation from specialized consultants in the areas of trauma and attachment, including training and consultation in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy (EMDR) and Child Parent Psychotherapy (CPP). The individuals she has provided services to in these positions have had histories of trauma, mental health needs, and substance misuse. Prior to joining the ZERO TO THREE National Infant-Toddler court program, she was the Clinical Director of Behavioral Health Services at a private nonprofit agency in Iowa and worked extensively with various programs and agencies to infuse Trauma Informed Care into their service delivery model.  Gwen provided consultation to the Des Moines Service Area Parent Partner program, served as a local stakeholder and provider on the Polk County Infant-Toddler Court Team, and Polk County Juvenile Court Trauma Assessment work group.  As a member of the National Infant-Toddler Court Program (ITCP) she is excited to be able to offer expertise in the areas of infant toddler mental health, complex trauma, and substance use disorders.

Lindsay Calveri grew up in Twentynine Palms, CA. She moved to Iowa after living many places including Las Vegas, Pau France and West Yellowstone, MT. She is a single mom to one amazing five-year-old named Gabriel. She is the Director of Rooms at the Renaissance Savery in Des Moines and has been in the hotel industry since she was 17 years old. Lindsay has been in recovery for 4.5 years. She is a graduate of the Polk County Recovery Court Program and has worked closely with Project Iowa and Children and Families of Iowa.

Erin Dalton is the Director of the Allegheny County Department of Human Services, which works to strengthen families and communities through a network of social services, care and support. DHS serves over 200,000 people each year through its community-based programs that prevent harm and address needs for family support and child development, developmental supports, senior services, housing, and protection from maltreatment. Ms. Dalton previously directed DHS’s analytics, planning, and information technology functions. She was recognized for her groundbreaking achievements in integrated data and analytics, including in using predictive risk models to bring critical information to front line staff so they could make better decisions, as well as in the unique information-sharing partnerships she built. Her years of experience in leading systems improvements earned her a reputation for expertise in child protection, housing, and criminal justice systems, as well as being a leader who relies upon community engagement to understand needs and strengths and to design solutions. Her experiences prior to joining DHS, including working for the violence prevention initiative, One Vision One Life, and her six years of work for the U.S. Department of Justice, are fundamental to Ms. Dalton’s sense of what community-government partnerships can accomplish, as well as the racial disproportionality of our systems. Her national-level work for the Rand Corporation, Arnold Ventures, Bloomberg Associates and the Obama Foundation have further broadened her perspective on what government can accomplish for individuals, families, and communities. Ms. Dalton earned a Master of Science in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College. She is an alumna of the Coro Center for Civic Leadership program.

Jennifer Skala is Senior Vice President at Nebraska Children  and brings her previous experience from multiple arenas including non-profit, school, nursing home, daycare, University, local public health department and other organizations to promote community solutions for child well-being. At Nebraska Children , she is focused on improving collective impact for child well-being working with internal and external partners to develop a collaborative prevention system for Nebraska. She works to align key partners, utilize data and leverage relationships for funding, advocacy, sustainability and system improvements in carrying out the mission of the organization. In addition, she works to ensure that communities have a voice in decisions and opportunities to engage in processes for decisions that are community owned. She has developed a nationally recognized model for community change and built private-public partnerships for policy and practice changes in foster care and prevention. Prior to her current position, she was the Manager of Education and Training at CityMatCH, a national Maternal and Child Health organization (based at the University of Nebraska Medical Center). She holds a Master’s degree in Health Education as well as certification as a Health Education Specialist. She is married to Steve Skala and has one daughter.

Theresa Zighera, MSW, has spent nearly two decades in the nonprofit and public service sectors throughout San Francisco and the Bay Area. As Interim Executive Director of First 5 San Francisco, Ms. Zighera is proud to guide First 5’s mission to improve service delivery systems and outcomes for the city’s youngest children and their families. Ms. Zighera also served as a First 5 San Francisco Senior Program Officer overseeing the expansion of early intervention initiatives, shepherding evaluation and research efforts, and creating key points of alignment across First 5 investments in early childhood development, family strengthening, and child health. Current work is informed and inspired by prior experiences as a teacher, trainer, and mental health clinician in a variety of educational settings spanning both US coasts and Europe.

For over eight years, Shelli Rawlings-Fein, BS, RAS,CLEC, has been spearheading the San Francisco Family Resource Center Initiative in her position as Family Support Officer for First 5 San Francisco. The $15 million initiative includes a network of 26 centers across the city that reach more than 10,000 families a year linking them to vital services and resources. Ms. Rawlings-Fein has an extensive background implementing and overseeing non-profit services for families, children, and individuals affected by child welfare involvement, substance use, domestic violence, and teen pregnancy. She is also a lactation educator counselor who enjoys helping families get the best start possible.

Torey Silloway, MPP is the Director of Policy and Financing for the National Infant-Toddler Court Program (ITCP) at ZERO TO THREE. Mr. Silloway has over 20 years of experience working to help make state and local governments more effective through analyzing public funding sources; engaging state and local human services agencies and nonprofits to use data to inform policy, funding, and strategy decisions; and improving performance management and measurement systems. Prior to his current position, Mr. Silloway managed the research division of Pew-MacArthur Results First Initiative, including overseeing all aspects of external research products and tools; and managing internal research aimed at informing evidence-based policies and practices in state and county governments. Mr. Silloway has worked for and as a consultant with non-profit and government organizations, including the Finance Project, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, and the Maryland Executive Office of Budget and Management. Mr. Silloway holds a Master’s in Public Policy from Georgetown University.

Ms. Mays is Clinical Social Worker and Clinical Supervisor on staff at the UCSF/SFGH Child Trauma Research Program. She provides clinical services to children and families, supervision to clinicians in training, and is a national trainer for the dissemination of Child-Parent Psychotherapy. Markita earned her BA in Human Biology at Brown University, with an emphasis on African Studies, and her Master's degree in Social Work, focusing on Children, Youth, and Families from California State University, East Bay. In 2018, Ms. Mays co-developed EMBRACE, an integrated behavior group perinatal care model for Black Families at UCSF in partnership with reproductive medical providers from the National Center of Excellence in Women's Health. Ms. Mays is committed to understanding the intersection and intergenerational patterns of race and trauma for African American families and communities and has a special interest in healing interventions rooted in spiritual/indigenous practices and traditions.

In addition to direct service and clinical training, Markita has pursued advocacy on behalf of children of incarcerated parents. She is the co-Founder of the Alameda County Children of Incarcerated Parents Partnership (ACCIPP), which is a regional coalition focused on those who work with or are concerned about children of incarcerated parents. In her work with ACCIPP, she served as a consultant with Sesame Street on the development and implementation of their toolkit, Little Children, Big Challenges: Incarceration.

Dr. Bohlander has also been a practicing clinician in a variety of settings for over a decade, partnering with parents to understand the behavior and development of their young children to support infant and early childhood mental health. Immediately prior to joining the National Infant-Toddler Court Program Dr. Bohlander was a member of the professional development and workforce innovations team at ZERO TO THREE leading the development of the Growing Brain curriculum and providing professional development opportunities nationally and internationally on topics related to infant and early childhood mental health. Ms. Bohlander is a graduate of the University of Michigan’s School of Social Work with a concentration in Interpersonal Practice with Children, Youth, and Families. She completed a Ph.D. in social work at the National Catholic School of Social Service at the Catholic University of America, where she studied the long-term effects of early parenting practices on self-regulation and overall child well-being. Ms. Bohlander’s dissertation research was presented at the 2016 World Infant Mental Health Association meeting in Prague.