Transitions at Be Strong Families
BSF Welcomes
Since our last Revitalizer on March 3, we welcomed:
Tyriniesha Anderson (She/Her) as Training and Technical Assistance Provider
After spending one year as a training consultant to Be Strong Families, Tyriniesha Anderson joined the team in April as a full-time training and technical assistance provider. Ty has extensive experience as a home study writer and foster care trainer preparing others who are passionate about helping the most vulnerable She has a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Memphis. Working with Be Strong Families has given her an opportunity to do one of the things that she loves the most…TALK. The ability to share and educate others is one of her key motivators. It is her hope that when she leaves the room that those who she has encountered feel inspired, motivated and ready to do the work in their community.
Beth Lakier (She/Her) as Acting Chief Operating Officer
Beth has a long history of working with Be Strong Families, including working with them when she was at One Hope United to pilot Parent Cafés in child welfare, joining the Be Strong Families board for a period of time, and working on the Vitality Cafés. Beth has always been impressed with the impact Be Strong has on all families with whom they connect.
In her most recent role at an Organization, Beth was the COO of Chicago Commons and responsible for program operations at Chicago Commons. This included oversight of the Senior Care Department (Adult Day Services and Home Care), and the Early Childhood Department (four directly operated early childhood centers, community partner agencies, and four agencies that reported to Chicago Commons as subrecipient of a Head Start grant.).
Fond Farewells
Alexandra James-Okochi (She/Her) former Chief Program Officer
After almost 4 years, Be Strong Families said goodbye to Alexandra James-Okochi. Alexandra had come to us from Trinity Family Life Center in Richmond, VA where she served as CEO. While at Be Strong Families, Alexandra was beloved by her team and made many substantive contributions both externally with forging strategic partnerships and internally with EDI work as well as spearheading the Culture Forward Initiative to move Be Strong from being an entrepreneurial start-up to a non-profit institution. We wish her all the best as she moves on to the next portion of her life’s journey and hope there will be opportunities for connection and collaboration in the future.
Corina Hoenshell (She/Her) former Senior Manager of Marketing and Communications
Corina came to Be Strong Families through Cafés as a foster mom … and stayed! Corina served as a training consultant and then a full-time staff trainer before lending her talents in marketing and promotion. Corina is a font of creativity and brought so many great ideas to Be Strong Families, including being the inspiration and guiding force behind the creation of Questionable: The Game as well as an upcoming Protective Factors Coloring and Activity Book for children. We are grateful for the positive, productive time she spent with us!
Promotions
Please join us in congratulating those who have gone from strength to strength as part of BSF’s recent restructuring:
Tiffany Murphy (She/Her) from Training and Technical Assistance Provider to Training and Technical Assistance Manager. Tiffany’s journey with Be Strong Families began in 2007 when she attended her first Parent Café. Immediately after, she became a volunteer – bringing Parent Cafes to the west side of Chicago. Soon after, Tiffany became a consultant for Be Strong Families doing Birth Parent, Foster Parent and Youth Cafés. Tiffany came on staff with Be Strong Families as Office Manager and Birth Parent Services Provider in 2016. In July 2019, Tiffany was promoted to a full-time position as a Training and Technical Assistance Provider. As Training and Technical Assistance Manager, Tiffany now coaches, supervises, and supports Be Strong Families’ full-time trainers.
Laura Smalley (She/Her) from Measurement, Learning & Development Coordinator to Manager of Operations and IT – In her new role, Laura will be the primary liaison with Jitasa – BSF’s new accounting and bookkeeping service as well as responsible for managing BSF’s CRM and overseeing IT policy and practice.
Letechia Holmes (She/Her) from Evaluation and Quality Assurance Data Manager to Chief of Staff to the CEO – Letechia is a founding partner of Be Strong Families and has worked closely with our CEO Kathryn Goetz for the past 17 years (initially as part of Strengthening Families Illinois). In her new role, she has joined the BSF executive leadership team and will work across all BSF departments to create cohesion and unity. Her portfolio still includes working closely with Laura on Evaluation, Quality Assurance, and Data management. Having recently obtained a Certificate in Non-Profit Human Resources Management, Letechia will also have this as part of her portfolio.
Sarita Sashington (She/Her) from Director of Engagement and Training Capacity to Director of Engagement and Program Initiatives. As a member of Be Strong Families’ executive leadership team, Sarita’s portfolio still includes being a BSF Cafes Master Trainer, the main liaison to our Certified Training Partners and the Café Community of Practice, National Parent Café Leadership Team management, and building strategic relationships. She has recently also taken on management of Program Initiatives, which seems like a natural fit, given her longtime service in building strategic relationships.
Robyn Harvey (She/Her) from Director of Training and Program to Director of Training and Child Welfare Initiatives. As a member of BSF executive leadership team, Robyn Harvey continues to serve as director of all training activities – including our major contract with Illinois DCFS through which we convene more than 400 training events per year and all our training fee-for-service contracts, nationally and internationally. With this promotion, Robyn returns to supervising BSF’s IDCFS Youth Advisory Board contract.
