The P.E.A.C.E. Initiative is a voluntary, staff-led movement that began after two staff members were able to become trained presenters in the ACE Interface, Self-Healing Communities initiative offered through the Department of Children and Families in 2021 to 2022. After becoming certified in the ACE Interface training, they shared what they learned with embrella, sparking the idea behind
using science and research to help build a stronger child welfare community through action.

Committee Chairs

Ebony Lenard, Scholarship Programs Manager

Michele Rodriguez, Development Program Coordinator

Carlissa Snowden-Gause, Family Support Advocate

Educational Events Sub Committee

Kathleen Battle, PACES Coach Region 2

Lindsay Fox, Family Support Advocate

Corissa Kazar, Director of Family Support

Tasia St. Louis, Family Support Advocate

Family/Engagement Sub Committee

Travis Fuchs, Family Support Advocate

Robin Garzoni, Director of Communications

Jessica Hernandez, Family Support Manager

Lazaro Lugo, Family Support Advocate

Novelette Williams, Technical Support & Office Coordinator

P.E.A.C.E Initiative Sub Committee

Anika Beckford, PACES Coach Region 2

Lenore Bonilla, Family Support Manager

Sebastian Vargas, Digital Media Manager

Sandra White, Scholarship Administrative Coordinator

P.E.A.C.E Initiative Committee Oversight

Corinne LeBaron, CEO

We send a special thank you to the child welfare community advisory committee that consists of resource and kinship caregivers, child welfare provider staff, and Department of Children and Families (DCF) staff, specifically from the Office of Resource Families (ORF), Office of Resilience (OOR), and Division of Child Protection & Permanency (CP&P). And we especially appreciate that all advisory committee members have committed to volunteering their time to help bring embrella’s P.E.A.C.E. Initiative to life.

Sharon Coney, Resource Parent, embrella Heart to Heart mentor

Katie Cunniffe, Resource Family Support Supervisor, DCF/CP&P

Juanita Henry, LCSW, New Jersey Therapy Partners

Lisa Johnson, Health and Wellness Coach, L Marie Wellness

Yvonne Ketter-Walls, Kinship Caregiver, embrella Heart to Heart mentor

Sophia Noncent-Johnson, Faith Based Community Navigator, DCF/OOR

Sheray Norfleet, Resource Development Specialist, DCF/CP&P

Twanda Owens-Jones, Kinship Caregiver, embrella Heart to Heart mentee

Gina Lynn Pearson, NJFC Scholars Graduate

Greg Rapport, Executive Director, Age Out Angels

Ava Sharp, Local Office Manager, DCF/CP&P

Lauren Sikora, Communications and Development Director, CASA of Middlesex County

Victoria Spera-Ballesteros, Program Manager of Community Education, Prevent Child Abuse NJ

Mahnoush Vaziri, Assistant Director, DCF/ORF

Dr. Alexis Walsh, LCSW, ADHD-CCSP, Owner & Director, Constanta Wellness & Healing