NCSEA On Location

How can you constructively navigate sometimes difficult conversations?  Coming to you from Illinois and California, join Emily Jernigan of California Department of Child Support Services and Pat O’Donnell of YoungWilliams as they discuss the importance of Crucial Conversations with Jasper Jacobs, Training Facilitator from the California Department of Child Support Services – Training and Development Unit.  As we continue our personal and professional development journeys, the tools and techniques described will help us “Master Our Dialogue”.  Listen to learn more …

Today’s program comes to you from Chicago, Illinois; Heidelberg, Germany; Victoria, British Columbia, Canada; and Rancho Cordova, CA.  Join Pat O’Donnell (YoungWilliams) as she hosts Thomas Meysen (SOCLES International Centre for Socio-Legal Studies), Hannah Roots (Hannah Roots Law) and Kristen Erickson Donadee (Chief Deputy Director, CA Child Department of Child Support Services).  They have a robust discussion of international child support, including payments, OCSS forms system for Convention cases, obstacles, issues and how to succeed.  They also engage in talking about lessons learned, and where to find resources.

Today’s episode comes to you from Washington DC and Alaska, where Tim Lightner (from Anchorage, Alaska) hosts Raghavan Varadachari from the Federal Office of Child Support Services (better known as OCSS). He is joining us to have a conversation about the future of child support systems – a topic of interest to many in the child support community -- and give a little more understanding, including a perspective from the Federal Office.  Listen to the conversation as they talk about where the child support systems started, where it has progressed, and where it is likely headed.

Today’s episode comes to you on location from Georgia, Ohio and Colorado.   Lisa Westfall (Enforcement Supervisor with Franklin County, Ohio Child Support Enforcement Agency) welcomes Maureen Leif (President of Grays Peak Strategies in Colorado), and John Hurst (Marietta, Georgia).  They have a conversation about the upcoming NCSEA-U offering, how it can help you understand the child support program a little deeper, increase your networking experience and build your confidence.  They also talk about the application process, what the committee looks for in choosing applicants, and how you can help your application to stand out.  Learn who should apply, and when to apply!

Today’s program comes to you from Franklin County, Coumbus, Ohio. Join Brandi Gallebo of Franklin County Child Support Enforcement Agency, as she hosts a conversation with Susan Brown (Director of Franklin County CSEA). Learn about Susan’s history and background in the child support program spanning over the past twenty-seven years. Listen as she shares her thoughts with the NCSEA community in transitioning from “enforcement” to “engagement.”  Brandi and Susan talk about the grants that Franklin County has received along with resources, to analyze and dig deeper into the impact that policies and practices have on their residents. Get to know Susan, as she also shares her hobbies and interests outside of the child support office.

On this episode of On Location, host Veronica Riley (Veronica Riley Training & Consulting) talks with Dr. Marcella Wilson. Dr. Wilson is an expert on poverty and the possibilities that exist to eradicate it. She is the founder of the organization Transition to Success, which designed and implemented an evidenced based system of care for understanding and treating the condition of poverty. She is the author of the book "Diagnosis Poverty". Her work has been showcased by the CBS Evening News, The New York Times, and recognized by the Clinton Global Initiative. Don't miss this enlightening and important discussion. 

Today we come to you from too many locations to count (well, actually 15 different locations across the U.S.)!  On our program today, we are celebrating NCSEA’s premier podcast -- On Location.  Listen and hear the top ten listened to On Location episodes for 2023.  See how many you have heard, and which ones you might want to catch up with.  And for those that have heard all the top ten, we thank you for diligently listening, and get ready for a fresh program episode next week!

Welcome to a special edition of NCSEA On Location--coming to you from across the U.S. Today, many of our NCSEA Board visit to share their favorite holiday memories, as well as their hope for the child support program. Settle in, and listen all the way through to hear them all.

Today’s program comes to you from North Carolina and is hosted by Tammy Pearson of YoungWilliams.  Join Tammy as she has a conversation with James Brannon (Senior Business Consultant with CGI Technologies and Solutions, Inc.) and Kelly Little (Founder and President of the Urban Institute for Strengthening Families). Listen as they share their passion for making fatherhood programs and initiatives successful, and the impacts and importance for involvement in the child support program.

Coming to you from Georgia, Illinois, and Ohio, Pat O’Donnell of YoungWilliams and Brandi Gallebo of Franklin County Child Support Enforcement Services, host a conversation with Liz Schriber, the 2023 Emerging Leader Awardee.  Liz is the Strategic Performance Planning Manager for the Georgia Department of Human Services (DHS) Division of Child Support Services.  Learn how Liz uses data to help inform decision making within the child support team and continuously impacts and improves services to Georgia families. 

On today’s edition hear how Natalie Dillon and her team created and implemented a new three county Regional Child Support Agency to serve families in Colusa, Sutter, and Yolo Counties in Northern California.  Their comprehensive outreach and branding efforts and impressive results led to their selection as the NCSEA 2023 Program Awareness Award.   Pat O’Donnell of YoungWilliams and Brandi Gallebo of Franklin County Child Support Enforcement Services bring you an interesting and engaging conversation focused on how to effectively communicate across a large and diverse set of communities.  Listen to learn more of their experiences and the positive impact they make with families served by their program.

This episode of On Location, is hosted by Pat O’Donnell of YoungWilliams and Brandi Gallebo of Franklin County Child Support Enforcement Services and features a conversation with the NCSEA 2023 Innovative Partnership and Collaboration Awardee.  Yemane Weldu, Ami Gomez and Andee Monexay represent the team of people within the San Diego County Department of Child Support Services who created and implemented the initiative for Justice Involved Parents and Children (JIPC).  Listen as they describe their mission, their passion for their work,  and the impressive results that they and their program deliver to individuals and to their families.

Today’s episode comes to you from Indiana, California, and Alaska.  Join co-hosts Tim Lightner (CGI Technologies and Solutions, Inc.) and DeAnna Rice (California Department of Child Support Services) as they welcome Adam Norman (the IV-D Director of the Indiana Child Support Bureau).  Get to know Adam as he talks about how he got involved in child support, the structure of Indiana’s state program, and his responsibilities as the Director.  He talks about the importance of collaboration as well as relationships within the program.  Listen as Adam discusses his views and experiences with project management, policy work, and even what catches his interest during his “off the clock” time. 

This episode of On Location is a celebration of Child Support Awareness month and is hosted by Pat O’Donnell of YoungWilliams.  Tammy Pearson of YoungWilliams interviewed participants during the 2023 NC Child Support Conference to gain their perspectives on the importance of child support to families and on their unique contributions to the program.  Join us in celebrating the community of professionals throughout the country whose work positively impacts children and families.

Today’s episode comes to you from Michigan, North Dakota, and Alaska.  Tim Lightner (CGI) hosts current NCSEA President Erin Frisch (IV-D Director of the Michigan Child Support Program) and Immediate Past-President, Jim Fleming (Director of the Child Support Section of the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services).  The conversation resumes as they talk about their challenges, successes, and passions, both during the past NCSEA year, and for the new year ahead.  They talk about NCSEA’s name change; the Leadership Symposium in Anaheim; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; and so much more.  So much in fact, that we’ve presented this podcast in two parts to capture it all!  You don’t want to miss today’s completion, and if you haven’t heard Part 1, please take the time to listen to it as well. 

Today’s episode comes to you from Michigan, North Dakota, and Alaska.  Tim Lightner (CGI) hosts current NCSEA President Jim Fleming (Director of the Child Support Section of the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services) with President-Elect, and incoming President Erin Frisch (IV-D Director of the Michigan Child Support Program).  The conversation centers around Jim and Erin’s leadership roles, how they started with the child support program, their involvement with NCSEA, and how they prepared for the role of president.  Listen as they talk about their challenges, successes, and passions, both during the NCSEA year now ending, and for the new year ahead.  They talk about NCSEA’s name change; the Leadership Symposium in Anaheim; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; and so much more.  So much in fact, that we will present this podcast in two parts to capture it all!  You will want to hear not only today’s edition; don't miss next week’s program as well.

This episode of On Location features a conversation with Konitra Jack, the IV-D Child Support Enforcement Director for the State of Louisiana Department of Children & Family Services.  Konitra is NCSEA’s 2023 Outstanding Leader Awardee.  Her career journey as well as her commitments to community and family,  as shared with hosts Pat O’Donnell of YoungWilliams and Brandi Gallebo of Franklin County Child Support Enforcement Services, will motive you to set goals, always remember who we serve and to remember to practice self-care.  Listen and be inspired. 

Today’s program comes to you on location from California, Louisiana, and Virginia.  Mariellen Keely hosts today’s episode and is joined by Shaun Edwards (Program Planner, Sacramento County, California Child Support Services), and Gabrielle Brown-Morgan (Project Director for the Responsible Parenting Grant with the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services).  They discuss their projects with the Federal Demonstration Grant that involves fifteen states and two Tribes.   Their conversation centers around the goal to educate and motivate teens and young adults to postpone parenthood until after they complete their education, start a career, and engage in a committed relationship. 

Today’s On Location comes to you from Green Bay, Wisconsin: Salem, Oregon; and Anchorage, Alaska.  Tim Lightner (CGI) hosts Lisa Skenandore (VP -- Business Development at Systems and Methods, Inc.) and Kate Cooper Richardson (Director of the Oregon Child Support Program and current President of the National Council of Child Support Directors).  You recently heard legislative updates from The Hill.  Now take a deeper look into the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and their February 2023 memo on “unauthorized” disclosure and no longer holding findings in abeyance.  Lisa and Kate talk about the direct impact on child support vendors, and how it relates to the National Tribal Child Support Enforcement Act as it currently sits in Congress.  Hear them as they discuss what is being done to address and assist -- including with NCCSD -- and the potential affects on the families we serve within the child support program.

This episode of On Location comes to you from North Carolina, Michigan, and Alaska.  Co-hosts Tim Lightner (CGI in Anchorage, AK), and Erin Frish (IV-D Director of the Michigan Child Support Program; and NCSEA President-Elect) welcome NCSEA’s newest addition, Executive Director Christopher Wood. Listen as they introduce Chris to our membership and have a conversation to learn more about him and his journey to NCSEA.   Hear Chris talk about his experiences with associations, what sparked his interest with NCSEA and what made him apply.  Hear also about what he brings to the table, his vision and what he is excited to see happen.  As you listen to get introduced to Chris, be ready to introduce yourself to him at the 2023 Leadership Symposium in Anaheim, California.

Coming to you from Washington DC and Alaska, Tim Lightner (with CGI in Anchorage, Alaska) hosts a conversation with Tom Joseph (Vice President and Managing Partner for Paragon Government Relations in DC). Learn about Tom and his leadership journey, as well as how he got involved in the child support community and child support issues.  Hear what services Tom provides to NCSEA and the importance of this partnership.  Listen as Tom talks about legislative updates from Capitol Hill as they relate to child support, including the IRS/FTI notice that came out in February; the Tribal Child Support Enforcement Act (S.534); the House Ways and Means Work and Welfare Subcommittee hearing titled “Welfare is Broken – Restoring Work Requirements to Lift Americans Out of Poverty”; and the Federal debt ceiling and the federal budget. 

**Note:  This On Location episode was recorded on Wednesday, 5/17/23 and legislation and updates may change as Congress acts.

Today’s show comes to you on location from Missouri and Illinois.  Pat O’Donnell (YoungWilliams) welcomes Ellen Rutledge.  Ellen is the Director of Professional Development at YoungWilliams, an NCSEA Board member and a co-chair of this year’s NCSEA Leadership Symposium.  Today Ellen and Pat discuss the meeting heavy nature of our work and the world we live in.  We’ve all seen that joke about how our last meeting could have just as well been an email.  We all get frustrated with the content and the need for meetings, but it seems that over the past few years with the advent of much more remote work, meetings and their importance have only increased.  Ellen has made it her mission to improve the meetings she leads and today she shares some tips and advice on how we can make the most of this necessary part of our lives. 

On today's program, Pat O'Donnell (YoungWilliams) in Chicago, Illinois welcomes Leadership Symposium co-chairs Phyllis Nance (Director, Alameda County, CA DCSS) in Oakland, California, and Ellen Rutledge (Director of Professional Development, YoungWilliams) in Jefferson City, Missouri. They share their thoughts and insights on leadership, and talk about the hot topics planned for the plenaries and breakout sessions at the conference this year. And preview some surprises and opportunities for Leadership Symposium attendees.

Today’s podcast comes to you from Shoreline, Washington; Sacramento, California; and Charlottesville, Virginia.  Mariellen Keely (VA Division of Child Support) hosts a discussion about the Section 1115 grants for the Intergovernmental Case Processing Innovation project which was awarded by the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE).  She is joined by Alexis Ramirez (California Department of Child Support Services) and Tom Atkinson Washington Division of Child Support).  They discuss what drew them into this federal demonstration grant, what were there favorite things about the project, and what their state implemented based on what they learned.  They also talk about if they did their own evaluation, or involved a vendor as part of the project.  Bonus:  hear who is the father of a wonderful three-year old! 

Coming to you on location from Virginia and California, join Emily Jernigan (California Department of Child Support Services) as she hosts Barbara Lacina Director, Virginia Child Support Enforcement) and David Kilgore (Director, California Department of Child Support Services).   They have a conversation focused on the National Child Support Market Research Survey that was recently launched.   Hear some of the preliminary findings that were discussed at the February 2023 NCSEA Policy Forum in Washington DC, and some thoughts about how to turn the trends around as they explore how the child support program will look in the future.   Listen as they discuss barriers to delivering services, shifting from mandated referrals to “selling” the child support product, and what has to change with the program’s current philosophies. 

This episode comes to you on location from Maryland and Alaska.  Tim Lightner (CGI) hosts today’s program where we welcome someone directly involved in the shaping of the child support program as it exists today, and who can speak to the history and progression of the program.  That person is none other than Vernon Drew.  Listen as they have a conversation about how the child support program came about, including some milestones, and how they impacted and influenced the child support program.  Vernon addresses topics including mandatory building blocks, automation, program management, tangible benefits to a strong child support community, and the value of partnerships.  Hear Vernon also share about how he got his start in child support, and his own journey in the program. 

Coming to you from Michigan, Kansas, Ohio and Illinois, join co-hosts Pat O’Donnell (YoungWilliams) and Brandi Gallebo (Franklin County, OH Child Support) as they host Erin Frish (Michigan IV-D Director) and Monica Evans-Lombe (NCSEA Interim Executive Director). Hear from Erin and Monica as they share about themselves and their roles with NCSEA, and as they discuss the 2023 NCSEA awards nominations and scholarship applications. Learn what these are, what they include, who can submit and apply. Listen as they also discuss the approaching timelines and deadlines, and what to remember to include with your award nomination or scholarship application. Don’t Be Shy. Apply!