president

Teri Kinsway, MSW, LISW

columbus public schools

Teri Kinsway is currently employed as the Supervisor of the School Readiness Resource Centers program with Columbus Public Schools. She is an adjunct professor in Social Work programs at The Ohio State University and Capital University and provides child abuse trainings to daycare providers. Prior to her current role, she coordinated child abuse prevention programs, worked with delinquent youth in a residential program and runaway shelter, and worked with chronically mentally ill adults in a social/recreational program. She has two children and has been a foster parent in the past. In her role as President of OSSWA, she hopes to help the association move forward in achieving their purpose.

tkinsway@osswa.org

president elect

Kim Oppliger MSW, LISW

Dublin City Schools

Kim works for Dublin City Schools as a mental health specialist and school social worker. She also works part time in private practice through North Suburban Counseling and has done so since 1999. Kim has held several supervisory and director positions serving adolescents and families in school settings. She has also coordinated the School Social Work intern training program which places Ohio State University students in Columbus Public School experiences. Kim served on the Full Service Community Schools innovative practices committee and received the 1996 Ohio Best Practices Award for innovative service delivery. Kim has a Bachelor's Degree in Social Work from Bowling Green and a Master of Social Work degree from The Ohio State University.

koppliger@osswa.org

first vice president

Wendy Baker, MSW, LISW

buckeye valley schools

Wendy is currently employed by Buckeye Valley Middle School as a school counselor and has held that position for 7 years. She earned both her Bachelor of Science degree in Child and Family Studies and her Masters Degree in Social Work from The Ohio State University. Wendy worked as a mental health therapist for Children’s Hospital Columbus and had experience as a prevention specialist for Prevent Child Abuse Ohio. Wendy’s areas of expertise are in cognitive behavioral interventions, child development, effective parenting, and depression in adolescents. This is her first term as first vice president and communications director on the OSSWA board.

wbaker@osswa.org

second vice president

Caryl Yoo, MSSA, LSW

Cleveland Heights-University Heights Schools

Caryl Yoo is a tenured school social worker for Cleveland Heights High School and has held this position for the past 8 years. Caryl has developed high school policies around problem solving teams and child abuse and neglect. She has provided trainings in the areas of safe home visits, disaster mental health, typical or troubled youth, how to start services in a school and Parent to Parent facilitator training. Caryl has expertise in many area some of which include MST therapy, adolescent groups, grief and parenting adolescents, social emotional assessment, students who self-harm, home visits, deescalation and SED adolescents. For the OSSWA board, Caryl has held the offices of program director, awards director, second vice president and Midwest programs co-chair.

cyoo@osswa.org

RECORDING SECRETARY

Angela Mroczka, MSSA, LSW

Bellefaire Jewish Children's Bureau

Angela graduated in 2004 from the Mandel School of Applied Social Science at Case Western Reserve University. Since that time, she has been employed with Bellefaire Jewish Children's Bureau as a School Based Therapist in the Cleveland Municiple School District. Angela provides individual behavioral health counseling and community psychiatric support to medicaid eligible students. She leads prevention groups and provides consultation services to school staff. Angela has experience as both a facilitator and co-facilitator for Bellefaire's partial hospitalization group therapy program. Angela is serving her second term as recording secretary on the OSSWA board.

amroczka@osswa.org

Northwest Regional Director

Kristin Aemisegger, MSSA, LSW

Toledo Children's Hospital

Kristin Aemisegger graduated from Lourdes College in Sylvania, Ohio with a Bachelor's Degree in Social Work. She then went on to earn her Masters Degree from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Kristin is a licensed social worker who is employed by Toledo Children's Hospital. She is currently placed in two Toledo Public Elementary Schools as part of the school based health clinic program. Kristin is the Northwest Regional Director for the Ohio School Social Work Association. As the director, it is Kristin's responsibility to hold regional meetings and offer various trainings.

kaemisegger@osswa.org

TREASURER

Ben Shores, MSW, LSW

Cleveland Heights-University Heights Schools

Ben is a Certified School Social Worker working in the Cleveland Heights-University Heights School District. His current assignment is Wiley and Monticello Middle Schools. Ben received his Masters Degree in Social Work from The Ohio State University and his Bachelor of Arts in Social Work from University of Akron. His social work background includes working for two programs in the juvenile justice field. He also has experience working with abused and neglected children and has worked with state and federal grant programs in various areas. This is Ben’s second term in office as the OSSWA treasurer.

bshores@osswa.org

NORTHEAST REGIONAL Director

Sarah Lundeen, MSSA, LISW

Cleveland Christian Home

Sarah graduated with a Bachelor of Science from John Carroll University in 1997 and a Masters in Social Science Administration from Case Western Reserve University with a concentration in School Social Work in 1999. Certified by ODE in Pupil Personnel Services, Ms. Lundeen first started her career as a foster care case manager and school-based therapist in the Cleveland Municipal School District. She was then hired by the Cleveland Municipal School District in the fall of 2000 as a School Social Worker. Here she wrote several grants, served on the resource committee and was a field instructor for both The Ohio State University and CWRU. Currently she manages school-based therapy program and provides clinical supervision for managers and school-based therapy program and provides clinical supervision for staff. She has served on an advisory board for the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine as well as The Social Service Comittee for the Diocese of Cleveland. Ms. Lundeen has been an active member of OSSWA for six years. Most recently she fulfilled a term as President. Her time as President allowed her to serve on the Midwest Council of School Social Work for two years (as part of the Promotions and Awards committee) and attend national leadership trainings provided by the School Social Work Association of America.

slundeen@osswa.org

CENTRAL REGIONAL CO-Director

Emily Jo Mills, MSW, LISW

Westerville City Schools

Emily received her BSSW from The Ohio State University in 1998 and then went on to earn her MSW in 2000. She became involved with OSSWA as a student in the master of social work program at The Ohio State University, served the board for 2 years as a regional director and is currently a co-director for OSSWA's Central Region. Emily has been working for Westerville City Schools since August 2002 at the elementary level. Prior to that she was a mental health clinician at Beatty Park Elementary School through the Beatty Park Project with St. Vincent Family Centers. Previous to that Emily worked for a mental health organization in Mansfield, OH.

emills@osswa.org

CENTRAL REGIONAL CO-Director

Kristin Zedeker, MSW, LSW

Buckeye Ranch

Kristin graduated with her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Organizational Behavior from Miami University (Oxford, Ohio). Shortly thereafter, she moved to Southern California and spent three years working as a Youth Counselor, Assistant Supervisor, and Day Treatment Counselor at a residental treatment center. Kristin returned to Ohio and graduated with her Masters Degree in Social Work from The Ohio State University with a specialization in child and family welfare and a focus in school social work. Kristin is currently employed at Buckeye Ranch in Columbus, Ohio as an Intensive Family Supprt Program Clinician providing in-home individual and family counseling and therapy and works with several of her clients within the school setting and with associated school professionals on a daily basis. Kristin is a member of the School Social Work Association of America (SSWAA) and serves the OSSWA board as the Central Regional Co-Director, and serves on the Promotions Committee.

kzedeker@osswa.org

SOUTHEAST REGIONAL CO-Director

Kristen Epperson, MSW, LISW

Rolling Hills Schools

Kristen graduated from Muskingum College with a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology and earned her Masters in Social Work from The Ohio State University in 2002. Currently, She is employed through the Ohio Valley Educational Service Center and assigned to Rolling Hills Local Schools and serves children in grades K-8. Kristen’s professional interests are in crisis intervention, grant writing and training and she is a certified grief recovery specialist. Kristen developed the first school social work position for her current district through a grant from Safe and Drug Free Schools.

kepperson@osswa.org

SOUTHEAST REGIONAL CO-Director

Karen Yanico, MSSA, LISW

Cambridge City Schools

Karen received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Work from Ohio University and her Masters degree from the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western. Karen has provided School Social Work services for the Cambridge City School district for the past 8 years. She serves as chair of the Crisis Intervention Team for the district and helped to form the Guernsey County Suicide Coalition. Karen was responsible for securing over $1.2 million in grant monies to hire and maintain professional school social workers and expand mental health services for Guernsey County schools. In 2003, she formed and facilitated the Kinship Support Group in Guernsey County for kinship caregivers. Prior to her employment with Cambridge City Schools, Karen was responsible for the development of the first ever Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention program for Guernsey County Children Services and worked as a medical social worker for Southeastern Ohio Regional Medical Center. Karen currently serves as the Southeast Region Co-chair for the Ohio School Social Work Association.

kyanico@osswa.org

SOUTHWEST REGIONAL Director

Anita Lucas, MSW, LSW

Mad River Local Schools

alucas@osswa.org

AWARDS DIRECTOR

Donna Benke, MSW, LSW

Columbus Public Schools

Donna earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in 1993 and her Master of Social Work degree in 1998 from Eastern Michigan University. Currently, Donna is a school social worker with Columbus Public Schools (Westmoor) where she links families with resources and monitors student attendance. Donna has extensive work experience providing case management for clients through Franklin County Board of Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities and comprehensive, community-based mental health therapy for Children’s Hospital Behavioral Health in Columbus and New Center Community Mental Health in Detroit. She has also provided both supervisory and direct care at Rainbow Rehabilitation Center where she worked as an advocate for head-injured people to help integrate them into the community. Donna has provided presentations on topics including sexual orientation, health and hygiene, and diversity training on gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) issues.

dbenke@osswa.org

LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR

Kathleen Usaj, MSSA, LISW

Cleveland Heights-University Heights Schools

Kathleen Usaj earned a Master of Science in Social Administration from the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western Reserve University. She holds a School Social Work license from the Ohio Department of Education and is a licensed independent social worker. She has had significant experience during the past 12 years at all grade levels and in all areas of pupil services/special education as an ODE licensed school social worker. This experience includes working as a team member and trainer for Intervention Assistance Teams, providing asessment and crisis intervention, individual intervention and behaviroal plans, group work, teacher training, and coordinating the Cleveland Heights-University Heights School District Mental Health Services. Kathleen also has experience working in the university setting as a program coordinator, advisor and adjunct instructor for the Justice Studies Department at Kent State University and as a field and adjunct instructor for the Mandel School. She is currently employed as the Coordinator of the Attendance Assistance for Students and Parents (AASAP) truancy diversion program in a partnership with Cuyahoga County Department of Children and Family Services and Juvenile Court for Cleveland Heights-University Heights School District.

kusaj@osswa.org

MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR

Demitra M. Turner, MSW, LSW

Cleveland Heightts-University Heights Schools

Demitra is a currently employed as a School Social Worker with the Cleveland Heights-University Heights School District. She works specifically with high school students in truancy prevention/intervention. Demitra coordinates services through juvenile justice, BMV and DCFS with families and students experiencing truancy. She received her BA of Interdisciplinary Studies (Public Health) from the University of Toledo and MSW (Joint CSU Masters Program) from the University of Akron. Previously, Demitra worked in family and child abuse prevention and early childhood education as a part of the Early Start Ohio program. She has served on OSSWA’s board since 2002.

dturner@osswa.org

PROGRAMS DIRECTOR

Bethany Anderson, MSW, LSW

Project GRAD/Columbus Public Schools

Bethany completed her Bachelor of Arts degree from Bowling Green State University and her Master’s in Social Work from The Ohio State University. She is currently serving Project GRAD as a student advocate. In this position, Bethany removes non-academic barriers through program development, increasing parental involvement, monitoring attendance, community collaboration and linking students and families to social service agencies. Previous to working with Project GRAD, Bethany directed a pilot program called “The Everyday Counts Attendance Improvement Project” within Columbus Public Schools. She was co-founder of The Ohio State University School Social Work Club and a member of the School Social Work Association of America (SSWAA). Bethany is currently the program director of OSSWA where she provides professional development opportunities for social workers.

banderson@osswa.org

PROMOTIONS CO-DIRECTOR

Elisha Jones, MSW, LSW

Children’s Hospital Behavioral Health

Elisha has Bachelors Degrees in Psychology and Sociology as well as a Masters Degree in Social Work from the Ohio State University. While attending OSU Elisha interned at Champion Middle School where she developed and implemented a peer mediation group as well as providing individual and group services. Currently employed as a clinician with the Community Support Program at Columbus Children's Hospital. Although she is not directly employed by a school district, Elisha spends a large portion of her time working with youth in many Columbus area schools. In the summer time, Elisha also works at Camp Mary Orton as a contract facilitator. In this position Elisha facilitates many adventure-based groups.

ejones@osswa.org

PROMOTIONS CO-DIRECTOR

Jill Miller, MSSA, LSW

Bellevue City Schools

Jill serves the Bellevue City School District as the Safe & Drug-Free Schools Coordinator and is also the At-Risk Coordinator at York Elementary School. She has been at this position for the past eight years. Jill has a Bachelors of Science in Social Work from Bowling Green State University and her Masters in Social Science Administration from Case Western Reserve University. Jill coordinates Red Ribbon Week district-wide and participates in the Sandusky County Red Ribbon Week Planning Committee to plan Red Ribbon Week activities for all the schools countywide. She has brought the Lifeskills Program to the district and it is present in all the 4th-6th grade classes district-wide. The hope of the district is to implement Lifeskills into the Jr. High during the 2007-08 school year. Jill is an active member of the Positive Behavior Support team at her school and helps to interpret data to make improvements to the school-wide behavior plan. Jill helped start a school-wide Character Education program. She was also instrumental in establishing weekly Counselors’ Meetings to collaborate with the elementary counselors and plan district-wide programs.

jmiller@osswa.org

OSU Administrative Student

Melissa Humbert, LSW

Melissa is a social work student in the Masters program at The Ohio State University and is concentrating in Administration. Her professional interests include public policy, program development, and management, especially with children and families. Melissa has three years experience in a mental health setting.

mhumbert@osswa.org

STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE

Drew Williams, OSU Rep

Columbus Public Schools

dwilliams@osswa.org

ADVISOR

Dawn Anderson-Butcher, OSU Advisor

danderson-butcher@osswa.org

ADVISOR

Elizabeth Tracy, CWRU Advisor

etracy@osswa.org

ADVISOR

Elaine Stepp, Executive Director

NASW, Ohio Chapter

estepp@osswa.org