2026 Georgia 2Gen Summit

2Gen 101

Melvette Hill

Connecticut General Assembly's Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity & Opportunity

Executive Director

Two Lanes, One Destination: How State Agencies and Nonprofits Use 2Gen Approaches

Melissa Haberlen DeWolf, J.D., M.P.H.

Voices for Georgia's Children

Research and Policy Director

Building Your Collaboration Toolbox

David Tanner

UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government

Associate Director, Government Services and Research

Lori Pfingst

Washington Economic Justice Alliance

Executive Director

Christina Morales

State of Connecticut

Statewide Coordinator for 2Gen

James White

Ascend at the Aspen Institute

Senior Program Manager

Cathy Smith Curry

Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice

Director, Office of Reentry Services

Samanthia Valentine

Georgia 2Gen Academy

Family Advisor

Martha Ann Todd

Columbus Technical College

President

Martha Ann Todd is currently the president of Columbus Technical College and was previously the Deputy Commissioner of Adult and Technical Education for the Technical College System of Georgia. Before joining TCSG in 2018, she was Executive Director of the Governor's Office of Student Achievement, Associate Superintendent of Teacher and Leader Effectiveness at the Georgia Department of Education, and Assistant Superintendent in Meriwether County Schools. With more than forty years of experience in education, in both public and private schools, Pre-K through 12th grade and now postsecondary, Mrs. Todd has served in a wide range of teacher positions and leadership roles at multiple levels throughout her career. She is an alumna of Emory, Columbus State, and Georgia College & State Universities.

Jeff Darnell

Tennessee Alliance for Economic Mobility

Director

Jeff Darnell is the director of the Tennessee Alliance for Economic Mobility (TAEM) at the Martha O'Bryan Center. TAEM is a public-private collaborative created to co-design a new vision for the Tennessee Safety Net that could be scaled statewide and ultimately become a model for the nation. With over 30 partner organizations covering 16 Middle Tennessee counties and enrolling over 1300 families, TAEM provides direct support to families. Support includes family-centered coaching, financial counseling, resource navigation, educational and employment supports, and transitional benefits to counter the benefits cliff. Jeff uses his experiences as a teacher, coach, and pastor to lead in a relationally driven, results oriented style. Before coming to TAEM, he was the Program Director at UpRise Nashville for six years, leading a team who launched over 250 people into promising careers.

Kirsten Russell

Community Foundation of Sarasota County

Vice President, Community Impact

Kirsten Russell is vice president of community impact for the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, leading discretionary grantmaking, strategic partnerships, initiatives, and scholarships. Kirsten brings a substantial career as a business executive to her philanthropic leadership, having previously served as vice president with Marsh McLennan in Washington, D.C., and in publisher roles with several business and association magazines. Central to her work is a two-generation approach to family well-being, centering the whole family to build a legacy of educational success and economic prosperity across generations. Key initiatives include Season of Sharing, Strauss Literacy Initiative, Parent Pathways, and Regional Recovery and Resilience efforts. Kirsten holds an MBA in finance from The George Washington University and a BA in English from Drew University. A Leadership Florida graduate, she has called Sarasota home for 20 years.

Justin D. Hill, Ed.S.

Georgia Department of Education

Deputy Superintendent, Office of Whole Child Supports

Greg Barrett

GEEARS: Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students

Senior Manager – Leadership & Learning

Allison Garefino, Ph.D.

Kennesaw State University, Children and Family Programs

Research Scholar and Clinical Director

Dr. Allison Garefino is a Research Scholar in the Wellstar College of Health and Human Services at Kennesaw State University and Clinical Director of the Children and Family Programs. She runs several grant-funded programs in areas of schools, community settings, and higher education institutions with a focus on 2Generation Trauma-Informed care and programming. She has over 20 years of experience and expertise in bringing a 2Gen lens to training, implementation, and evaluation of psychosocial interventions for children with a range of behavioral, academic, and social difficulties as well as the adults in their lives. Dr. Garefino has a long-standing interest in both clinical implementation and research, focusing on the intersection between whole family behavioral well-being and pedagogy. She has significant experience in the implementation of randomized controlled trials in both laboratory and community settings.

Morgan Birch

Scottdale Early Learning

Director, Programs and Operations · Center Director, Midway Woods

Morgan D. Birch, Ed.S., M.Ed., BS is an accomplished early childhood education leader, nonprofit executive, and community advocate with extensive experience in program operations, quality improvement, family engagement, compliance, and organizational leadership. She currently serves as the Director of Programs and Operations at Scottdale Early Learning, where she helps lead high-quality early learning programs, supports staff development, strengthens classroom practices, and builds meaningful partnerships that support children and families. Throughout her career, Morgan has demonstrated a strong commitment to equity, access, and excellence in education. In addition to her professional work, Morgan is deeply committed to service and advocacy, actively serving in several civic and community leadership roles focused on empowering women, supporting families, advancing education, and creating opportunities for underserved communities.

Jenee Dutch

APEC Learning Center

Terese Sommer

Northwestern University

Research Professor, Director Northwestern 2Generation Research Initiative (NU 2Gen)

Teresa Eckrich Sommer is a Research Professor at the Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University and the Director of the Northwestern Two-Generation Research Initiative (NU2Gen) which she co-founded in 2012. Sommer designs and promotes research-practice partnerships to study pressing issues in education and social policy. Her main areas of focus are the dual development of children and parents and the economic mobility of families. Sommer began her career at the New York City Department of Juvenile Justice following a Coro Foundation Fellowship in Public Affairs. Over the course of her career, she has worked to advance social policy and practice for families in the U.S. and globally, including Ireland and Jamaica. Sommer has a MPP and PhD in Public Policy, Harvard University and a BA in Human Biology, Stanford University.

Jill Taylor

Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning

Director of Community Partnerships & 2Gen Outreach

Jill Taylor serves as Director of Community Partnerships and 2Gen Outreach within the Quality Innovations and Partnerships Division at Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL). She leads efforts focused on community partnerships, 2Gen outreach, stakeholder engagement, and relationships with Georgia's business community, while overseeing a statewide team dedicated to building community capacity to support young children and families. Jill has played an instrumental role in designing and implementing DECAL's Community Impact Grants, including the Expanding Parents' Access to Nontraditional Delivery (EXPAND) Grants. Before joining DECAL in 2015, Jill served as Program Coordinator for Early Childhood Care and Education at Wiregrass Georgia Technical College and taught Georgia's Pre-K in Coffee County. She and her husband, Christian, have three grown children and call Statesboro, Georgia, home.

La'Keidra H. Mitchell, MPH

Georgia State University – Georgia Health Policy Center

Senior Research Associate

La'Keidra Mitchell is the System of Care Senior Research Associate with the Center of Excellence for Children's Behavioral Health. In this role, she works with the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities and local, regional, and state level System of Care (SOC) stakeholders to assess, develop, and implement strategies to increase capacity and facilitate statewide SOC efforts for children's behavioral health services. Mitchell has extensive experience in regional coordination and capacity building using SOC. In addition, she has worked in adolescent reproductive and sexual health, and community engagement.

R. Michael Key

Troup Trauma Responsive Community Collaborative and Resilient WEST

Senior Judge

Judge R. Michael Key practiced law in Troup County, Georgia from January 1979 until December 2016, while also serving as the Part-time Juvenile Court Judge in Troup County from March 1989 until becoming the Full-Time Juvenile Court Judge in December 2016. Judge Key also served as Superior Court Judge Pro Tempore presiding over the Adult Felony Drug Court. After retiring from the Juvenile Court bench on January 1, 2025, Judge Key was appointed by Governor Brian Kemp as a Senior Judge, allowing him to sit in Juvenile Courts and other classes of courts around the state. Judge Key received a Bachelor of Science in General Business from Troy State University, a Master of Business Administration from Auburn University, and a Doctor of Law from Emory University. Judge Key served in the United States Air Force from 1971 until 1975.

Richard Sheward

StreetCred and Boston Medical Center

Director of System Implementation Strategies

Richard Sheward is the Director of System Implementation Strategies at Boston Medical Center – StreetCred. Richard leads the cross-sector policy work and initiatives of the organization. In close coordination with the leadership of StreetCred, he identifies and executes a wide range of projects grounded in research, policy analysis, and advocacy to inform and influence policy decisions that improve children's health. Richard's multi-pronged portfolio includes strategic and innovative partnerships with other national organizations, researchers, and policymakers to advance the mission of StreetCred and Boston Medical Center.

Heather Stanley, ATR-BC, LPAT

Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities

MATCH Director

Heather Stanley, MPS, ATR-BC, brings over two decades of leadership to child and adolescent behavioral health, system of care, and community-based treatment across Georgia. As Director of the Multi-Agency Treatment for Children (MATCH) initiative at DBHDD within the Office of Children, Young Adults and Families, she leads strategic initiatives and strengthens cross-agency collaborations for youth with complex unmet needs. A licensed, board-certified Art Therapist and former Tennessee Art Therapy Association President, Heather pairs executive rigor with a creative, human-centered vision for systemic care. Beyond her professional endeavors, Heather approaches life with boundless energy and wide-eyed optimism. Whether competing in Ironman triathlons, capturing moments as a semi-professional photographer, parenting rescue dogs, or spending time as a dedicated wife, her creative drive shapes everything she does.

Christine Norbut Beyer

Think of Us

Executive in Residence

Christine Norbut Beyer, MSW, is Executive in Residence at Think of Us, where she applies three decades of public, philanthropic, and nonprofit leadership to advancing national child welfare systems change. Previously, she served as Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Children and Families, leading its transformation into a prevention-focused, family-serving agency. Under her leadership, New Jersey reduced foster care removals by 56 percent, expanded kinship placements, elevated family voice and healing-centered practice, and strengthened children's mental health and staff wellness initiatives. She also successfully negotiated the state's exit from a 20-year federal consent decree, establishing New Jersey as a national leader in child welfare transformation. Beyer is an Aspen Institute Ascend Leadership Fellow and serves on the American Public Human Services Association Executive Governing Board.

Shawnell Johnson

GEEARS: Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students

PAACT Director

Gbemi Famule

GEEARS: Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students

PAACT Program Manager

Gbemi Famule, MPH, PMP is the Program Manager for PAACT: Promise All Atlanta Children Thrive, a citywide alliance housed at GEEARS: Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students. She leads communications, coordination, community engagement, and data initiatives to strengthen partnerships and improve outcomes for Atlanta's youngest children. Gbemi earned her Master of Public Health in Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Science from Emory University. Prior to joining GEEARS, she served as a Health Education Analyst at Resilient Georgia, supporting statewide efforts to advance trauma-informed care and resilience for children and families. Her cross-cultural perspective, shaped by her childhood in both Nigeria and the U.S., informs her commitment to ensuring that no child's opportunities are limited by geography or circumstances.

Melissa Carter

Emory Law School

Clinical Professor of Law

Melissa Carter is a Clinical Professor of Law at Emory University School of Law and Executive Director of the Barton Child Law and Policy Center, where she teaches child welfare and family law and directs public policy and legislative advocacy clinics. A nationally recognized child welfare law and policy expert, Carter brings more than two decades of experience in system reform, policy development, research, and advocacy. Her work extends beyond academia through consultation with child welfare leaders and policymakers throughout the U.S. and service as an expert witness in child welfare class action litigation. She is also a frequent national speaker and published scholar.

Joe Fretwell

Purpose Built Communities

Vice President, Neighborhood Planning

Katie Landes

Voices for Georgia's Children

Director, Georgia Statewide Afterschool Network

As the director of the Georgia Statewide Afterschool Network (GSAN), Katie works to create a system that supports, advances, and connects a wide variety of out-of-school time programs across Georgia. She joined Voices for Georgia's Children in 2013 when Voices brought GSAN into its portfolio. At GSAN, Katie has co-led the creation and implementation of the Georgia Afterschool & Youth Development Quality Standards, oversees a robust array of quality improvement supports, and, in partnership with the Georgia Department of Education, designed and launched the Building Opportunities in Out-of-School Time (BOOST) grants program. Katie earned a Master in Social Work at Georgia State University and holds her Bachelor of Arts from Washington University in St. Louis. She previously taught elementary school in Atlanta Public Schools as a Teach for America Corps member.

Shannon Longino

Georgia Department of Human Services – Division of Child Support Services

Outreach Manager

Shannon Longino is a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience in the human services field. She has dedicated the past 10 years to the Georgia Department of Human Services (DHS), Division of Child Support Services (DCSS), where she has excelled in a variety of roles including Parental Accountability Court Coordinator, PAC Supervisor, PAC Program Consultant, and PAC Program Manager. In her current role as Outreach Manager, Shannon oversees three key outreach programs aimed at enhancing support for families and improving child support outcomes across the state. Shannon holds a Master of Science in Administration of Justice and a Bachelor of Science in Forensic Science.

Amy Roys

Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning

CAPS Director for Development & Partnerships

Belisa M. Urbina

Ser Familia, Inc.

CEO

For over 25 years, Belisa Urbina has been on a mission to ensure that Latino families in Georgia have access to the support they need to thrive. She believes that strong, healthy families are the foundation of strong, healthy communities. In 2001, she and her husband, Miguel, co-founded Ser Familia Inc., Georgia's leading nonprofit providing culturally responsive family, social, and mental health services to the Latino community. As CEO of Ser Familia, she led the organization to earn national CARF accreditation and national recognition for its family-centered model from the American Psychiatric Association, SAMHSA, the American Public Health Association among others. Belisa has received numerous awards for her work including two congressional commendations. In 2024, Gov. Brian Kemp appointed her to the Commission on Equal Opportunity. She also serves on multiple national and state boards, including the National Network to Eliminate Disparities in Mental Health and Voices for Georgia's Children.