Shaped by more than 35 years of work in child welfare and human services, this expert focuses on dependency investigations, juvenile court services, and the operation of complex child welfare systems. Her expertise includes child abuse and neglect investigations, structured decision-making methodologies such as SDM and CWS/CMS, foster care licensing, resource family approval, and placement services across foster homes and group care settings. She is also experienced in protective custody warrants and child removal processes, adoption services, and human trafficking-related cases, along with the evaluation of social worker and supervisor standards of care. Her work is grounded in comprehensive knowledge of regulatory frameworks, including CDSS MPP Division 31 and CCR Title 22, which govern child welfare services and licensing practices.

In the legal arena, she has extensive experience providing consultation, deposition testimony, and courtroom testimony in child welfare matters, supported by involvement in a high volume of cases across multiple jurisdictions. Her casework includes both plaintiff and defense matters involving allegations of abuse, neglect, placement failures, and systemic deficiencies in child welfare systems. Her analyses draw on a detailed understanding of agency policies, regulatory compliance, and accepted standards of practice, including evaluation of investigative procedures, case management decisions, and placement outcomes within public and private child welfare systems.

Her leadership experience includes senior administrative roles overseeing juvenile court services, dependency intake and investigations, and resource family recruitment and licensing programs. She has directed multidisciplinary teams and coordinated complex operational units responsible for foster care placement, inter-county case transfers, and intensive supervision services. Her work includes managing foster care licensing programs overseeing hundreds of homes, as well as implementing large-scale training and development initiatives affecting thousands of personnel within social services agencies. She has also held responsibilities in human resources, including employee relations, return-to-work programs, and compliance with employment and disability laws.

Her career also reflects substantial direct practice as a senior social worker and supervisor, providing case management and court-related services for children in out-of-home care. She has worked within residential group home settings serving court-involved youth, offering insight into placement environments, operational standards, and the application of federal and state mandates governing family reunification and permanency outcomes. She has additionally been recognized as a subject matter expert in the classification and evaluation of social workers and supervisors, contributing to workforce standards and professional development within child welfare systems.

Supporting her professional and litigation experience, she holds a master’s degree in counseling psychology and a bachelor’s degree in applied psychology with a minor in sociology. She is a Certified Professional in Disability Management and has held leadership and advisory roles in initiatives such as the Quality Parenting Initiative, contributing to the advancement and professionalization of foster care practices. Her involvement also includes participation in child fatality review teams, foster care advisory boards, and system redesign committees, reflecting sustained engagement in policy development, regulatory oversight, and continuous improvement within child welfare systems.