Executive Director
Freida S. Baker, MSW
Freida Baker
Freida Baker is the Executive Director of the Child Welfare Policy and Practice Group (CWG) in Montgomery, Alabama. Mrs. Baker was previously Deputy Director of Family Services with the Alabama State Department of Human Resources (DHR). She has worked in child welfare for over 38 years, beginning at DHR as a social worker and retiring as Deputy Director. She participated closely in the implementation of Alabama’s landmark R.C. Consent Decree and has expertise in systems and change management. She is a certified Federal State Reviewer and has participated in CFSR and QSR reviews nationally since 2000. She is also LAMM certified through the National Child Welfare Workforce Institute. She has trained social workers, the judiciary, educators, foster parents, physicians, and other partners across the nation.
Mrs. Baker is an adjunct professor for the School of Social Work at the University of Alabama, and has served as adjunct in Sociology in other college settings. In addition, she has served as guest lecturer for graduate and doctoral classes across the country. Mrs. Baker received her BA from Auburn University and her MSW from the University of Alabama.
Executive Assistant
Shawanda Peterson, LBSW
Shawanda Peterson
Shawanda Peterson is a United States Air Force retired veteran and a native of McKenzie, Alabama.
During her BSW practicum at Troy University, she worked as an intern at the Child Welfare Policy and
Practice Group. She earned her BSW from Troy and her obtained LBSW after graduating. She is presently
enrolled in Troy University's MSW program and is expected to graduate August 2024.
Senior Advisor
Cornelius R. Bird, BA
Cornelius Bird
Cornelius R. Bird is a trainer, coach, curriculum developer and quality service reviewer with more than thirty years of experience in providing consultation services to human service organizations.
Cornelius has led projects to improve the quality of child welfare and children’s behavioral services in multiple states. Cornelius was a co-curriculum developer and facilitator of the New Jersey DCF Fellows program titled, “Managing by Data to Improve Child and Family Outcomes.” He also served as the Project Director for Western Washington University’s Children and Family Services Training Academy where he supervised new worker training and advanced training programs for child welfare personnel.
Additionally, he was a group facilitator at the Domestic Violence Resource Center Men’s Program and is a contributor to the Guidelines for Facilitating Child and Family Team Meetings with Families that have a history of domestic violence.
Senior Advisor
Margaret Bonham, MSW, LCSW
Margaret Bonham
Margaret Bonham brings over 40 years of experience in child welfare, having served in a wide range of roles including direct casework, supervision, consultation, and administration. Prior to retirement, she served as the child welfare director in Alabama during its massive system reform under a federal consent decree.
Following this work, she was a consultant for the Center for Support of Families from 2009 until 2015 where she was involved in implementation of child welfare practice models in several states. Bonham became certified to conduct functional assessments of youth in out-of-home care in Alabama prior to joining CWG. She assisted CWG in 2018 with an assessment of one state’s child welfare system and then joined CWG in 2021. She attained certification as a trained professional coach in 2020 from the Butler Institute for Families.
Senior Advisor
Sue Steib, PhD, LCSW
Sue Steib
Sue Steib has over 50 years of child welfare experience including direct practice, agency administration, research, and consultation. Prior to joining the Child Welfare Policy and Practice Group as an independent consultant in May 2016, she was a Sr. Director of Strategic Consulting at Casey Family Programs, a position she held for eight years. During that time, she led CFP’s work in two states and served as part of a consulting team providing support to child welfare systems in 15 states.
From 2001 to 2008, Steib was Director of the Research to Practice Initiative at the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA), leading work to synthesize current research in child welfare and related fields while making it accessible to agency leaders and direct practitioners through papers, workshops, and direct consultation.
Steib began consulting following a 31-year career in Louisiana’s child welfare system where she served in positions ranging from caseworker to supervisor, ultimately serving as the statewide Child Welfare Program Director.
Our Consultants
Alan Butera, MSW
Alan Butera
Alan has developed and delivered new curriculum to a variety of child welfare professionals in important practice areas such as father engagement, substance use disorders and risk and safety assessments, intimate partner violence and others. During the pandemic, Alan was an advocate for virtual training delivery, which is in line with CWG's flexibility in terms of venues for learning. Alan often manages training scenarios with groups using a variety of web-based learning application systems. Alan also frequently co-facilitates trainings and workshops with additional trainers, introduces outside speakers to the process, and utilizes diverse standardized client actors recruited from provider agencies, to engage directly with trainees in simulation-based activities and is very comfortable in this environment. Alan has served as an adjunct professor at Pitt’s School of Social Work since 2012.
Phil Goldstein
Phil Goldstein, B
Phil brings 32 valuable years of experience in the child welfare arena in the Greater New York City Area. From working "boots on the ground" to serving as Associate Commissioner in Westchester County, he has shown success and outcomes at all levels. He is a skilled trainer and leader in child welfare.
Gabe Gomez, MS
Gabe Gomez
Gabe Gomez is a therapist and consultant living in Seattle, Washington. He has a Master's degree in Clinical Child and Youth Work, and has worked with children and their birth, foster, and adoptive families for over 38 years.
Narell Joyner, BS
Narell Joyner
Narell has forty-two years of experience working with children and adults in both the private and public human services field which includes the areas of mental health, developmental disabilities, special education, and child welfare.
Angela McClintock, MSW
Angela McClintock
Angela received her Master of Social Work from the University of Alabama in 2002. She is currently the owner of Willow Tree Family Counseling, where she also serves as a certified clinical trauma specialist.
Beatrice Salazar, BSW, MA
Bea Salazar
Bea is a committed human services professional who has 25+ years of experience in the areas of child welfare, juvenile probation, behavioral/mental health, and holistic community health and wellness.
Rachael Stinson, MSW
Rachael Stinson
Rachael Stinson is passionate about strengthening families and ensuring they have access to the resources and support they need to achieve success. She has over a decade of experience working with children and their families.
Tonita Phipps
Tonita Phipps
Ms. Phipps began her career as a frontline worker and worked her way to administration quickly. She worked as a supervisor, Program Manager and Conversion Manager during implementation of Alabama’s child welfare consent decree, as well as Assistant Director of Child Welfare. Tonita brings critical context from many levels and angles; from line worker to implementation of a consent decree to managing a large child welfare agency.
Steven Little
Steven Little
Steven has filled many roles in the child welfare space, from overseeing the case practice unit of New Jersey’s child welfare system to supporting systemic sustainability and direct family support. He is skilled at program implementation and an advocate for evidence-based practice.
Michael Fleischman
Michael Fleischman
Michael has worked extensively with children, families, and systems. He has been an instructional facilitator and equity advocate, but is known for creating welcoming and productive spaces for all people. He is a training specialist and skilled coach for child welfare staff, modeling service and compassion.
Wendy Alexander, MBA
Wendy Alexander
Wendy Alexander is an esteemed international consultant with an extensive background in behavioral health, equipped with an M.B.A., and currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Health Psychology. Her career spans over twenty years, encompassing a wide range of expertise both in the United States and internationally. Wendy's qualifications are diverse and comprehensive; she is not only a certified MAPP trainer and a Therapeutic Trauma-Informed Trainer accredited by Duke University but also holds certifications in Diversity and Inclusion, IT, and more.
In addition to her impressive certifications, Wendy is a skilled trainer and coach. Wendy’s international experience has been invaluable in shaping her skills in mental wellness and cross-cultural navigation. Wendy's commitment to mental health extends to her advocacy for women and children's mental well-being.
Mason Hobbie
Mason Hobbie
Mason brings 33 years of service in child welfare, beginning his career in 1991 working for a private agency in a congregate care setting. In 1993 he began working for Alabama’s Department of Human Resources where he remained for 31 years, retiring in 2023.
Upon his retirement, Mason was Program Manager for the Office of Quality Assurance. His varying field and state office experience informed his leadership of QA, and included Foster Care Worker, Foster Care Supervisor, Program Specialist in the Office of QA, and Program Supervisor in the Office of QA. He also had success as a trainer. Mason has particular expertise in the Child and Family Service Review (CFSR) process, and served as a Consultant Reviewer during Round 2. He has a longstanding interest in data and its informed use in child welfare. We are confident that his experience will serve other systems well.
Jenn Bowman
Jenn Bowman
Jenn Bowman is a mission-driven social work advocate with over twenty years of experience in leadership and socially just direct service to individuals, families, youth and young adults. Before joining CWG, Jenn worked at Casey Family Programs for over eleven years where she held a variety of positions, most recently as Director of the Casey Family Programs Bay Area office. Previous to Casey Family Programs, Jenn worked at a myriad of human service organizations in Seattle focused on education, self-sufficiency, multicultural health and policy. Jenn is an expert in child welfare, permanency and family well-being with a racial justice and trauma- and healing-informed lens. Jenn is a passionate racial justice/diversity/equity/inclusion thought leader with over twenty years of facilitation experience and curriculum development.
Cathy Walker
Cathy Walker
Cathy has worked in child welfare for over 33 years, beginning her career as a protective service worker with the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR) in 1989. Cathy later transitioned to the State Office in Montgomery in 2004 as a Child Welfare Consultant and supported the successful implementation of the sweeping R.C. vs. Hornsby Consent Decree.
Cathy provided consultation and coaching to county supervisors for 13 years and later provided supervision to the Quality Child Welfare Practice (QCWP) consultants at State DHR. Her team provided feedback to county supervisors through coaching and solution-focused discussions about practice. The Office of Child Welfare Practice provided statewide training on Family Engagement, Comprehensive Family Assessments, and the Individualized Service Plan. She led her team as they supported the Federal CFSR and the Program Improvement Plan (PIP). She retired from DHR in September 2022 and continues to have a passion for strengthening supervision and casework, now across the country.
CWG Supports Field Placement Opportunities
CWG is honored to support students with a field placement as they pursue a BSW or MSW. A placement with the Child Welfare Policy and Practice Group provides students with a macro-level view on current and historical child welfare policy and practice. CWG offers students the opportunity to engage with a variety of organizations and individuals across the U.S. who are working tirelessly to improve outcomes for children and their families.
CWG has hosted students from Alabama State University, Auburn University, Troy University, and the University of Alabama.
CWG's Board of Directors:
Thomas Bernier, President
Jerry Glover, Vice-President
Thelma Braswell, Treasurer
Eric Graves
Ron Marks
Stephanie Wander
Marie Youngpeter
Paul Vincent – Advisor to the Board