Human Services Change Makers

Dr. Angela Pharris — The Science of Hope

Dr. Deb and Kelly are joined by Dr. Angela Pharris, the director of the University of Oklahoma’s Child Welfare Impact Institute. They discuss the science of hope and how it can be applied to human services, specifically child welfare, and how creating hopeful communities can create resiliency against stress and adversity, and generate positive outcomes for the individuals who need them the most.  In addition to her work for the Child Welfare Impact Institute, Dr. Pharris is an associate professor at OU and the senior research fellow at OU’s Hope Research Center, which conducts research and provides training and resources to community foundations and states looking to integrate hope science into their programs and services.  Human Services Change Makers is a podcast by Human Services Group. For more information about HSG, or to get in touch, go to https://www.humanservicesgroup.com [https://www.humanservicesgroup.com/about], or email Deb Shropshire (Deb@HSGadvance.com [Deb@HSGadvance.com]) or Kelly Harder (Kelly@HSGadvance.com [Kelly@HSGadvance.com]).

Andrea Danes — Using Technology to Help Caseworkers Succeed

Dr. Deb and Kelly are joined by Andrea Danes, a seasoned human services leader with more than three decades of experience developing strategies to improve services and systems across the country. Andrea speaks about the ways emerging technologies can improve human services systems, the guardrails that need to be taken into consideration, and the need for any new systems to be designed alongside the people using them on the ground.  Before her current position as a Global Health & Human Services Leader at Slalom, Andrea spent more than 15 years working as a consultant with governments at all levels to step up their information systems and use technology to support human services aims. Before that, she spent more than a decade working in Illinois human services, becoming an expert in Medicaid and child welfare along the way. Human Services Change Makers is a podcast by Human Services Group. For more information about HSG, or to get in touch, go to https://www.humanservicesgroup.com [https://www.humanservicesgroup.com/about], or email Deb Shropshire (Deb@HSGadvance.com [Deb@HSGadvance.com]) or Kelly Harder (Kelly@HSGadvance.com [Kelly@HSGadvance.com]).

Kim Merolla-Brito - Teams Need Trust, Plans Need Flexibility

Dr. Deb and Kelly are joined by Kim Merolla-Brito, the director of Rhode Island’s Department of Human Services, to talk about how her background as a social worker informs her leadership of the department. Kim discusses communication and transparency with stakeholders and staff as non-negotiables, and how to improve program quality and integrity while keeping data and core values at the center of decision making.  Before becoming the DHS Director in Rhode Island, Kim spent five years as an assistant administrator and a policy specialist. She also spent more than a decade as a caseworker and policy systems specialist at the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF).  Human Services Change Makers is a podcast by Human Services Group. For more information about HSG, or to get in touch, go to https://www.humanservicesgroup.com [https://www.humanservicesgroup.com/about], or email Deb Shropshire (Deb@HSGadvance.com [Deb@HSGadvance.com]) or Kelly Harder (Kelly@HSGadvance.com [Kelly@HSGadvance.com]).

Molly McGrath Tierney — Challenging the Status Quo

Dr. Deb and Kelly are joined by Molly McGrath Tierney, who spent 25 years working in human services and a decade as the Director for the Baltimore City Department of Social Services where she worked on the city’s public assistance and child welfare programs, to talk about her history with improving the human services system in Baltimore and focusing on helping families rather than just growing the systems designed to help them.  Molly is a Managing Director at Accenture focused on health and public services for vulnerable children and families. Molly frequently speaks on her effort to improve the impact of social services for vulnerable citizens, and the challenges of child welfare as an industry. Human Services Change Makers is a podcast by Human Services Group. For more information about HSG, or to get in touch, go to https://www.humanservicesgroup.com [https://www.humanservicesgroup.com/about], or email Deb Shropshire (Deb@HSGadvance.com [Deb@HSGadvance.com]) or Kelly Harder (Kelly@HSGadvance.com [Kelly@HSGadvance.com]).

Fariborz Pakseresht — Public Service & the Power of Love

Dr. Deb and Kelly kick off the new year with Fariborz Pakseresht, long-time Director of Oregon's Department of Human Services.  Recently retired from that role, Fariborz reflects on what drew him to public service, lessons he learned along the way, the importance of love in leadership, and how he hopes to continue shaping and supporting leaders. Before his eight years of service as the director, Fariborz spent more than two decades working for the state, including a six-month rotation that turned into nine years at the Oregon Youth Authority, the state’s juvenile justice organization. He speaks about his time at OYA, saying it taught him that “youth are not problems to solve, but potential to nurture,” and how authenticity and respect are crucial components in doing that. He also speaks on the values of power and love — and importantly, the power of love. His full retirement announcement can be found here [https://apps.oregon.gov/oregon-newsroom/OR/ODHS/Posts/Post/message-from-odhs-director-planning-for-a-leadership-transition], and both Deb and Kelly highly recommend giving it a read.  Human Services Change Makers is a podcast by Human Services Group. For more information about HSG, or to get in touch, go to https://www.humanservicesgroup.com [https://www.humanservicesgroup.com/about], or email Deb Shropshire (Deb@HSGadvance.com [Deb@HSGadvance.com]) or Kelly Harder (Kelly@HSGadvance.com [Kelly@HSGadvance.com]).