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Child Welfare Summit Agenda

Daily schedules for the two-day summit and links to speaker bios and resources.



Speakers

The Kansas Child Welfare Summit agenda included speakers and activities that focused on practical steps child welfare partners can take to prevent unnecessary involvement in the child welfare system, improve the current permanency process, and empower Kansas families, youth, and young adults involved in state custody. 

Learn about who presented at the summit:

April 15 speakers
April 16 speakers
 

Summit resources

Visit our Tools, Presentations, and Resources page for tools, speaker presentations, and other helpful materials. Feel free to print presentations and resources. 
 

Agenda

Monday, April 15

7:30 to 8:30 a.m. 

Registration                                                                              

8:30 to 9 a.m. 

Welcome and Opening Remarks
Justice Melissa Standridge
Chief Justice Marla Luckert
Senator Ty Masterson, President of the Senate
Representative Dan Hawkins, Speaker of the House of Representatives
Secretary Laura Howard, Department for Children and Families

Register for Welcome and Opening Remarks
                                   
9 to 9:50 a.m.

Effective Collaboration Between Child Welfare Partners
Moderator: Heather Kestian, Capacity Building Center for the Courts

Panelists:

3rd Judicial District
District Judge Penny Moylan
Morgan Hall, senior deputy district attorney                                                   
Jennifer Martin Smith, guardian ad litem
Janay Kent, parent’s attorney
Nicole Harris Meerpohl, attorney
Jerilyn Smith, KVC Kansas
Ashley Lang, Department for Children and Families
                                                   
15th Judicial District
Chief Judge Kevin Berens 
Bret Mangan, county attorney
Justin Barrett, parent’s attorney
Heather Alwin, guardian ad litem
Tanya Becker, Department for Children and Families
Jake Hess, investigator, Colby Police Department
Ivy Wendt, reintegration supervisor, St. Francis Ministries

Register for Effective Collaboration Between Child Welfare Partners 

9:50 to 10:05 a.m.                         

Break
 
10:05 to 11:20 a.m.                        

Improving the Kansas Permanency Process

Chief Judge Amy Harth, 6th Judicial District
Rebecca Gerhardt, director of permanency, Departmetn for Children and Families
Lori Ross, executive director, Foster Adopt Connect

Register for Improving the Kansas Permanency Process

11:20 a.m. to 1 p.m.                 

Lunch provided for all in-person attendes.
Judicial district teams will meet over lunch. 
 
1 to 2:15 p.m.

Safety vs. Risk
Rob Wyman, consultant, Judicial and National Engagement Team, Casey Family Programs

Register for Safety vs. Risk 
                                                
2:15 to 3:05 p.m.                          

Disproportionality, Disparities, and Inequities in Kansas Child Welfare

Shanelle Dupree, executive director, Racial Equity Collaborative
Dr. Pegah Naemi-Jimenez, associate researcher, University of Kansas  

Register for Disproportionality, Disparities, and Inequities in Kansas Child Welfare
                                                               
3:05 to 3:20 p.m.                           

Break
 
3:20 to 4:10 p.m. 

Empowering Families Involved in the Child Welfare System
Moderator: Nina Shaw-Woody, executive director, Kansas Family Advisory Network                                             
                                                 
Lived expertise panelists:
Ashley (Richey) Grippando
Sean Grippando
Sierra Jones
Billy Shadden              

Register for Empowering Families Involved in the Child Welfare System

4:10 to 5 p.m.

Judicial district team meetings     
                   

Tuesday, April 16

8:30 to 9:20 a.m.                      

Authentic Engagement and Collaboration with Children, Youth, and Young Adults Impacted by the Child Welfare System                                                            
Moderator: Kayla Powell, national consultant on youth with lived expertise

Lived expertise panelists:
Sophia Bond
Yusef Presley
Marquan Teetz
Alexandria Ware

Register for Authentic Engagement and Collaboration with Children, Youth, and Young Adults Impacted by the Child Welfare System

9:20 to 10:10 a.m.                   

Well-being of Child Welfare Partners
Moderator: Danielle Hall, chief of professionalism and outreach, Office of Judicial Administration
                                            
Panelists:
District Magistrate Judge Doug Jones, 5th Judicial District
Rachel Miller, assistant district attorney, Shawnee County
Sarah Heeke, guardian ad litem and parent’s attorney
Katie Wolf, foster parent
Paige Shifflet, permanency specialist, St. Francis Ministries
 
Register for Well-being of Child Welfare Partners

10:10 to 10:25 a.m.               

Break
 
10:25 to 11:15 a.m.               

Mental Health in Kansas Child Welfare
Sheamekah Williams, president, Evolution Foundation
Andy Brown, deputy secretary, Department for Aging and Disability Services    

Register for Mental Health in Kansas Child Welfare
                                               
11:15 to 12 p.m.       

District team meetings
 
12 to 12:30 p.m.              

Takeaways, Low-Hanging Fruit, Short-Term and Long-Term Goals
Justice Melissa Standridge, Kansas Supreme Court                                  

Register for Takeaways, Low-Hanging Fruit, Short-Term and Long-Term Goals
 
12:30 to 2 p.m.               

Lunch on your own
 
Optional

2 to 2:50 p.m.               

Ethical Issues in Child Welfare (part 1)
Chief Judge Kevin Berens, 15th Judicial District
Heather Alwin, guardian ad litem, 15th Judicial District
Morgan Hall, senior deputy district attorney, 3rd Judicial District
Grant Brazill, parent’s attorney, 18th Judicial District
Julia Hart, deputy disciplinary administrator, Office of the Disciplinary Administrator  
 
Register for Ethical Issues in Child Welfare (part 1)

2:50 to 3:05 pm.          

Break
 
3:05 to 3:55 p.m.                 

Ethical Issues in Child Welfare (part 2)
District Judge Penny Moylan, 3rd Judicial District
Heather Alwin, guardian ad litem, 15th Judicial District
Morgan Hall, senior deputy district attorney, 3rd Judicial District
Grant Brazill, parent’s attorney, 18th Judicial District
Julia Hart, deputy disciplinary administrator, Office of the Disciplinary Administrator 

Register for Ethical Issues in Child Welfare (part 2)



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