DARLENE ALLEN

Darlene Allen is an experienced leader in child welfare who has dedicated her 35+ year career to helping at-risk children and families. She has worked in both public and private organizations and her focus has included adoption, permanency, child protective services and family preservation. Darlene is the CEO and Executive Director of Adoption Rhode Island, a private non-profit organization that provides a range of trauma-focused and evidenced-informed services for foster and adopted children, transition age youth and families. The agency also provides professional development services for child serving professionals who work with children impacted by trauma. Ms. Allen is also a consultant for JBS International where she has participated in federal child and family service reviews in numerous states across the nation.

Ms. Allen received her undergraduate degree at Providence College and her Master's Degree in Human Service Administration at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. Ms. Allen has participated in numerous non-degree conferring educational opportunities over the years. She has recently completed two executive education courses at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Ms. Allen is a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 (SB) program.

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DEBORAH BURRUS

Deborah Burrus is the State Adoption Director for the State of Georgia. Ms. Burrus has worked passionately in the field since 1992. Ms. Burrus began her work in child welfare in Texas and her career with the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services started in 1998. Ms. Burrus was able to join the newly created and now former Office of Adoption shortly after its creation. She served as a Regional Adoption Coordinator, where she had the privilege to share in both local and national accomplishments of the former Office or Adoptions. Ms. Burrus' passion for placement of children in forever families led her to her next job as Georgia's Statewide Recruitment Manager. This position provided Ms. Burrus with unforgettable opportunities, including being a core member of the development team for Georgia's IMPACT curriculum used for training and development of Foster and Adoptive Parents.

KAMILAH BUNN

Kamilah Bunn is the CEO of the Adoption Exchange Association (AEA). Because of her love for children and skills in strategic operations, marketing, and program development, Ms. Bunn has devoted her career to being a child advocate.  She participates in the national media tour for AdoptUSKids and has been featured in many publications, on nationally syndicated television news broadcasts, and radio programs. Ms. Bunn holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree from the University of Pittsburgh, a Master of Business Administration degree from Trinity University, and a public management certification from George Washington University in Washington, DC.

RICH VALENZA

Rich Valenza is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of RaiseAChild, a national nonprofit organization building loving families for foster children®. In establishing RaiseAChild, Mr. Valenza has drawn on more than 30 years' success in marketing and development for broadcast media and nonprofit organizations. He has used his expertise in working with leading national and international corporations to form strategic partnerships with community service agencies, national and regional LGBTQ organizations, and businesses to build RaiseAChild's strength and influence.

DR. JACQUELINE WILSON

Dr. Jacqueline Wilson has been the Chief Executive Office of TRAC Services for Families since 2000. In this position, Dr. Wilson heads one of the largest full service adoption agencies in Western Pennsylvania and one only a handful that recruits for both public and private child welfare agencies. Since becoming CEO, Dr. Wilson has doubled the organization's staff and budget, fully implemented their foster care license and has developed an outpatient clinic that specializes in the traumatic impact being involved with the Child Welfare system has on children, youth and families.

Dr. Wilson is a Licensed Social Worker (LSW) and is credentialed therapist with UPMC, Highmark and CHIP. She holds a BSW and an MSW from the University of Pittsburgh, and a Ph.D. from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in Administration and Leadership Studies.

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To request a speaker, please contact our CEO, Kamilah Bunn .