DENVER - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Treasurer
- Treasurer of the Board of Directors
- Chief Investment Officer at Westwood Holdings Group
Adrian Helfert joined the board in 2023. He is proud to be involved with a mission-based organization focused on childrens' well-being. His motivation for involvement is contributing to the Denver community and the DCAC staff in improving the mental and physical health of abuse and neglected children. He believes the DCAC organization and its role in improving the life outcome for children and families serves a vital function in a creating a healthy community.
Adrian is a Chief Investment Officer at Westwood Holdings Group. In his career he has been involved in finance from investment banking to investment management. He earned his MBA from Duke University and a degree in physics from the University of Virginia.
Job Titles:
- Child and Family Therapist
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Amy is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Colorado and Texas. Amy obtained her master's degree in Social Work from the University of Texas at Arlington and bachelor's degree in Psychology from Southern Methodist University. Following graduation, Amy began her Social Work career in the foster care and adoption field for 10 years. Amy has worked with all members of the adoption triad, including adoptive parents, birth parents, and adult adoptees providing counseling and case management services. Wanting to focus more on a clinical role, Amy joined the Dallas Children's Advocacy Center as a Therapist, where she received training in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy), PCIT (Parent-Child Interaction Therapy), TF-CBT (Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), and PSB-CBT (Problematic Sexual Behavior Cognitive Behavioral Therapy). Amy joined DCAC in 2021, as a Child and Family Therapist, following a move to Denver with her husband and Australian Shepherd mix, Shelby.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Andrea joined the board of DCAC to support the organization's critical mission of preventing child abuse, strengthening families and restoring childhood to those who have experienced the trauma of abuse and neglect. She believes that every child deserves a safe and nurturing environment in which to grow and thrive and that we, as a community, need to work together to make this a possibility for all children. DCAC's staff works tirelessly to achieve this objective and it is a privilege to support their mission. Andrea holds an MBA from Cornell University and has over 20 years of corporate finance experience. She has volunteered and served as a board director with many community and non-profit organizations and in addition to DCAC currently serves on the board of the Greenwood Village Police Foundation.
Job Titles:
- Bilingual Forensic Interviewer
Angela is a bilingual, bicultural therapist who has worked with traumatized children and their families since 1999. Special areas of interest for Angela are: early childhood development, the impact of trauma on the developing child and the effects of immigration on young children. At DCAC, Angela has played a major role in supporting the growth of DCAC's Spanish-speaking caseload. She has been a lead player in the development and expansion of the successful prevention program, Denver Safe from the Start, which focuses on high-risk children ages 3-8 and their families. Angela has been instrumental in the growth of DCAC's community outreach mental health initiative.
Job Titles:
- Victim Advocate / Crisis Intervention Specialist
Annie was inspired to work in the field of child advocacy during her time in her undergraduate program at Colorado Mesa University, where she obtained her Bachelor's degree in Psychology. Annie devoted her time to help her community and decided she wanted to build on relationships between mental health professionals and the criminal justice system and improve its overall support for the community. While obtaining her Master's degree in Criminology at Regis University, she was employed with the Rocky Mountain Crisis Partners Hotline, where she provided ‘in-the moment' crisis support to those struggling with mental health and trauma-related situations. Her time spent working on the crisis line led to a deeper interest to serve and help the community of Denver in the field of victim and child advocacy; which in turn led to a wonderful opportunity to work as an intern at the Denver Children's Advocacy Center before earning her Master's degree in 2022. Annie is excited to be serving and advocating for children and families in the Denver community. Annie is dedicated to improving and making an impact in the field of victim services and child advocacy.
Job Titles:
- Child and Family Therapist
Ashley graduated from Hope College in Holland, Michigan with her bachelor's degree in Social Work in 2016, and from Aurora University in Aurora, Illinois with her master's degree in Social Work in 2019. She moved to Denver, Colorado in 2019 with her husband and Golden Retriever, Woodson. She spent three years working with adoptive families and birth parents providing case management services and relinquishment counseling. Looking to focus on a more clinical role, Ashley joined Denver Children's Advocacy Center as a Child and Family Therapist in 2023 and looks forward to walking alongside children and families in their healing journeys.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Barry joined the board because of his admiration and respect for the inspirational work completed day in and day out by the talented and devoted DCAC staff members. Beyond the dramatic results children and their families derive from the staff's efforts, he believes that extraordinary servant organizations such as DCAC foster and promote the overall well-being of the community. After hearing many of the heart-warming success stories and seeing the real and positive changes the organization brings to those children and families it serves, Barry felt compelled to become a part of the exceptional Denver Children's Advocacy Center. He is committed to assisting all the DCAC staff in fulfilling their mission. He has nearly 30 years of work experience in the earth resources industries working primarily in leadership roles in the technology and innovation sectors. Barry is also presently serving on the College of Computer & Information Sciences Advisory Board at Regis University. Barry received a BA in Geology from the University of Montana, a MSc in Geology from the University of Iowa and a MBA from Regis University.
Job Titles:
- Director of Treatment and Assessment
Cathy is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) with extensive experience working with child and adolescent survivors of sexual abuse and trauma. Cathy joined DCAC in 2009 as a child and family therapist. During her 13 years with the organization, she has served in roles in a number of different areas. Cathy was DCAC's Prevention Program Manager for six years, working to increase safety knowledge and decrease risk of child abuse through the coordination, development, and implementation of prevention services for children, families and teachers in Denver Public Schools. In 2021, Cathy was appointed Director of Community Outreach. In this role she was responsible for the coordination, development, and implementation of community outreach services to children and families. In 2022, Cathy became the Director of Treatment and Assessment, where she is responsible for the management of Clinical Services at DCAC. While pursuing her master's degree at Pepperdine University, Cathy worked as an intake specialist and therapist in Southern California, where she gained expertise in crisis management and meeting the immediate needs of mothers and children traumatized by violence. Prior to this, she was a Community Educator at WEAVE (Women in Escaping a Violent Environment), a charity in Sacramento which provides services to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Cathy earned her bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of California, Davis.
Job Titles:
- Secretary
- Secretary of the Board of Directors
Cherie joined the board because she's passionate about the protection and nurturing of children and found the Denver Center for Children's Advocacy to be a committed steward to that end. After learning about the amazing services provided - from education and prevention to community outreach, crisis intervention, advocacy and treatment - Cherie knew she wanted to be a part of this life-changing organization. A Denver native and mother of two adult sons, Cherie has over 25 years of experience in marketing in a variety of industries including medical, earth resources, and financial services.
Job Titles:
- Director of Community Outreach
Christa is originally from Portland, OR where she graduated from Oregon State University with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology. Following her undergraduate years, Christa gained experience in the field working as a mental health skills trainer for two years in a Residential Living Facility. She graduated from Regis University with her Master's Degree in Clinical Counseling and a certificate in Child and Adolescent Therapy in 2018. She has been a part of the Denver Children's Advocacy Center team since 2017 when she began as a clinical intern. During that time, she worked in Denver Public Schools providing the Denver Safe From The Start curriculum to grades ECE through 5th. Following her internship, Christa was hired as an Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant providing social and emotional support to childcare centers and school-based classrooms. She developed leadership and interpersonal skills necessary to provide individualized and classroom support to all students, staff and families. Christa became a part time consultant, part time Child and Family Therapist in 2019 where her passion for providing therapeutic services to survivors of trauma and non-offending family members only grew. She has been an active member of the DCAC team and is taking her passions and skills to the community as the Director of Community Outreach. Christa is excited for this chapter and to continue building partnerships with agencies throughout Colorado.
Job Titles:
- Victim Advocate / Forensic Interviewer
Job Titles:
- Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant
Delia is an early childhood mental health consultant. She recently moved to Denver after graduating from the University of California, Irvine with a master's degree in Legal and Forensic Psychology. Previously, she obtained a Bachelor of Science from the University of Oregon, majoring in Family and Human Services and minoring in Spanish and psychology. Throughout her undergraduate and graduate experience, Delia had the opportunity to work with children of all ages in a variety of settings. While in her undergraduate program, Delia interned at Kids FIRST, the Children's Advocacy Center in Eugene, Oregon. During her graduate program, Delia was hired at Kids FIRST as a Victim Advocate, providing her with experience working with children who have experienced trauma and their families and/or caregivers. Delia has also worked, volunteered, and interned in a variety of nonprofits and childcare centers, enabling her the chance to work with diverse populations in many different contexts.
Job Titles:
- Consultant With a Diversity
Dr. Sampson is an equity consultant with a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging focus. She is also a Clinical Social Worker and holds a Ph. D in Culturally Responsive Pedagogy. More importantly, Dr. Sampson engages in co-creating EDI work with organizations and in the Denver Metro area. She is transparent and humorous, and anchored in the best practices of EDI work. Dr. Sampson works with organizations to engage and challenge themselves in this work.
Dr. Barrett is a full clinical professor in the International Disaster Psychology Program in the Graduate School of Professional Psychology (GSPP) at the University of Denver. He has taught program evaluation in the doctoral program in GSPP since 1980. Previously, he was senior medical officer and consultant for the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Department in the World Health Organization. Between 1994 and 2004 he was the mental health director for the state of Colorado. He is also past president of the National Association of State Mental Health Directors.
Job Titles:
- Bilingual Victim Advocate
Job Titles:
- Bilingual Child and Family Therapist
Emily joined DCAC as a Bilingual Child & Family Therapist in 2019. After receiving her bachelor's degree in Spanish and Theology from Benedictine College in Kansas, she moved to Honduras for 2 ½ years where she volunteered at a children's home. Emily returned to her home state of Colorado to complete her master's in Social Work at the University of Denver. Prior to joining DCAC, she worked with women and children experiencing homelessness as a case manager. Emily is a Licensed Social Worker and she looks forward to continuing to serve children and families while working towards her clinical license in social work.
Job Titles:
- Bilingual Child and Family Therapist / Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant
Emma joined the DCAC team of therapists in early 2020. She has been working with children and families for the past decade and is passionate about supporting those who are dealing with trauma. A Colorado native, Emma first learned about Children's Advocacy Centers as an intern at one of the advocacy centers in New Orleans while earning her Bachelor's in Psychology at Tulane University. She is excited to be a therapist at a CAC here in Denver. Emma is a licensed social worker who received her Masters in Social Work from Metropolitan State University of Denver. She has experience working with children of all ages at schools, at a residential treatment center, with neurodiverse kids, and with victims of domestic violence. Prior to coming to DCAC, Emma was a family advocate at SafeHouse Denver where she supported victims of domestic violence and their children through crisis and case management. Currently, Emma does therapy with clients at DCAC as well as in a Denver elementary school and provides mental health consultation to Head Start programs in Adams County.
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Chairman of the Board of Directors
Eric joined the board because he believes that the work of the DCAC is vital to the health and welfare of children impacted by abuse and neglect. Fluent in English, Spanish and Portuguese, Eric earned his MBA from the University of Denver, and has over 20 years of experience in the mining industry, primarily in development and strategic roles. As a member of the board, Eric is focused on supporting the efforts of DCAC staff in their work on behalf of the most vulnerable in our community.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Erika Sidney, MD joined the DCAC board as a response to her over two decades experience as a physician and working in a pediatric emergency department taking care of children who had been victimized by sexual and physical abuse. While caring for these patients, she observed the stress and confusion impacting the children and their families. She was inspired to join the board after learning of the critical resources that DCAC offers to help children tell their stories in a safe environment and receive appropriate, free, bilingual services to help them heal. Erika has also supported kids through her volunteer activities with Reading Partners and the Courage Classic bike ride for Children's Hospital Colorado Foundation.
Job Titles:
- Director of Rapid Response / Forensic Interviewer
Hollie began Forensic Interviewing in 2015, joining the CAC field with prior experience working with children and families in both a community mental health and in a developmental research setting. She has a Bachelor's degree in psychology from Wichita State University and a Master's degree in Human Development and Social Intervention from New York University. While studying at NYU, she worked closely with a Child Advocacy Center and started her training as a Forensic Interviewer. Since that time, she has completed over 1,400 interviews, trained locally, state-wide, and internationally. She has been endorsed as an expert witness in Forensic Interviewing and is dedicated to the continued research and application of best practices in the field. Additionally, Hollie serves as a state-wide trainer for the Colorado Children's Alliance, training new interviewers on the Semi-Structured Narrative Process since 2018.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Joe Montoya is a native of Denver, Colorado. He graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School in 1981 and continued his education at Whittier College in Southern California. In 1984 he was hired by the Northglenn Police Department where he worked until 1991 when he joined the Denver Police Department.
In his 30 years with DPD he has worked various assignments and progressed through the ranks to his current position. He served as the Captain of the Crimes Against Persons Bureau, The Commander of Police District 4, the Commander of Police District 3, the Commander of the Internal Affairs Bureau and now his current position as Division Chief of Investigations.
He has served on the board of the Denver Latino Commission and the Denver Police Pension Board and currently serves on the L.I.F.T. (Latinos Impacting our Future Together) board, the Restorative Denver Advisory Council, and the Denver Psilocybin Mushroom Policy Review panel. Joe is married (34 years) and has two adult daughters. He has a passion for the children of this community and that is the primary motivation for serving on the DCAC Board
Julia joined the Denver Child Advocacy Center as the Bilingual Prevention Specialist in August of 2023. She is originally from Louisiana but attended college in Arkansas where she studied social work and had the opportunity to intern at a Child Advocacy Center as a Family Advocate. She received her bachelor's degree in 2021 and moved to Colorado to work as an ABA therapist. She later transitioned into her role as a Bilingual Parent Educator, where she learned how to manage a caseload and provide resources to families. She is currently in her graduate program at Denver University and is expected to graduate with her master's in social work at the end of 2023. She is excited to once again be a part of a Child Advocacy Center.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Karen joined the DCAC board because of her training as a developmental psychologist and longstanding interest in child development, especially for those who have been disadvantaged, either physically or emotionally. DCAC is a critical resource in our community to help children tell their stories in a safe environment and receive appropriate free, bilingual services to help them heal from being witnesses to or victims of abuse. After retiring from a gratifying career with Bell Labs, Karen followed her passion around values-based leadership, with the opportunity to encourage undergraduate and graduate students at DU to lend their expertise to the non-profit world. Karen is also an active Rotarian, completing many local and global projects that benefit children, including support for professional training sessions delivered by DCAC for those who work with children. She is married to the current Chief Judge of the Colorado Court of Appeals and has two young adult daughters.
Job Titles:
- Bilingual Child and Family Therapist
Kate joined DCAC in 2021 as a Bilingual Child and Family Therapist. Kate received her Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Texas at Austin. During her undergraduate studies, Kate worked as a Recovery Technician at a residential treatment program, was a part-time volunteer in local residential detox and long-term treatment programs, and completed a case management internship in a Youth Corps alternative high school. Upon graduating, Kate spent a year in Spain working as a teacher in a bilingual preschool. Kate received her Master of Social Work from la Universidad Católica de Chile, in Santiago, Chile, where she conducted research in residential childcare facilities as part of her thesis investigation. Upon moving to Denver in 2019, Kate worked as a Family Service Worker for Catholic Charities in two of their Head Start and Early Head Start facilities.
Job Titles:
- Bilingual Community Connector
Job Titles:
- Family Advocate and Intake Specialist
Lucy joined the DCAC team as a Family Advocate and Intake Specialist in 2023. She graduated from North Central University in 2022 with a bachelor's degree in Social Work. While obtaining her degree, Lucy was an intern at CornerHouse Child Advocacy Center in Minneapolis, where she worked as an advocate to support children and families experiencing trauma. Prior to working at DCAC, she worked as a program coordinator for a non-profit specializing in community engagement with DHA Section 8 Housing. She also spent many years working as a caregiver for adults with developmental disabilities. Lucy is passionate about advocating for children and families and is excited to serve the Denver community!
Job Titles:
- Community Mental Health Coordinator
Marlen graduated from the University of Colorado in Boulder with a bachelor's degree in psychology in 2019. During college, she volunteered at Safehouse Progressive Alliance for Nonviolence in Boulder and was part of support groups for adults and organizing activities for children. After graduating, she worked at Imagine as a Bilingual Children's Case Manager for two years, supporting families and children with developmental disabilities. During her time at Imagine, Marlen partnered with other organizations to streamline resources for people with disabilities and Spanish speaking families. Throughout her past experiences, Marlen participated on bilingual teams supporting Spanish speaking families to gather more information on community resources for any need they might have. Marlen joined DCAC in 2021 and is excited to continue to serve families and children.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Matt returned to the DCAC Board in 2022 after taking a few years off. He previously served on the Board for seventeen years-fifteen of which he served as Board Chair. Working in concert with Colorado homebuilders and Colorado Avalanche player Peter Forsberg, he was instrumental in coordinating the capital campaigns for all three houses on DCAC's campus. He is a strong advocate of providing optimal services in a child-friendly environment to Denver's children and is humbled to witness how DCAC's remarkable therapists, forensic interviewers, victim advocates, and staff apply themselves every day to allow children to tell their stories and begin the healing process.
Matt is a partner with the law firm Sherman & Howard where he serves as a member of the firm's Public Finance practice. In such capacity, he has participated in the financing of major capital projects for Denver International Airport, the City of Denver, Denver Water, the State of Colorado, the Regional Transportation District, and countless other governmental entities. Matt received a B.A. in economics and political science at Georgetown University and received an MBA and law degree from the University of Denver. He is the lucky husband of Mary Kay and the proud father of Kassidy and Connor.
Michelle joined DCAC in May 2020 as the Development Director and is excited to help carry out our mission. Early in her career she built a successful publishing franchise from the ground up by leveraging skills in strategic planning, human resources, team building, as well as sales and business development. In 2016 she sold her publication to pursue a career in the non-profit sector, knowing her successful sales career would serve her well as a fundraiser. She has held an active Board position for a local charitable organization since 2014 were she is actively involved with fundraising, event planning, volunteer coordination, and community outreach. Before joining the DCAC team she was the Development Director at the Friends of Dinosaur Ridge were she over saw membership, events, individual giving and corporate sponsorships.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Molly spent the last 10 years working alongside survivors of human trafficking both domestically and internationally. Before completing graduate school, she spent time in Central America and Asia assisting survivors of trafficking. Molly holds a master's degree in International Psychology with a concentration in Trauma. She was employed as the Program Director for a residential treatment center for youth, a therapist at a psychiatric hospital, and an advocate at a safe house, all of which were environments where she had the opportunity to support survivors of both labor and sex trafficking. Prior to taking on her current role as Human Trafficking Director, Molly worked for the Department of Defense where she was a Subject Matter Expert and Sexual Assault Specialist for survivors within the military. Currently, she sits on the governor-appointed Colorado Human Trafficking Council. Molly's commitment to supporting survivors and families in a culturally-inclusive environment was the catalyst for her joining the board at DCAC.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Preeti is deeply passionate about the protection and well-being of children and is honored to have the opportunity to make a difference in her community through her involvement with DCAC. With over a decade of experience in Human Resources, Preeti has delved into the intricacies of how individuals operate within systems and the behaviors exhibited in the workplace. Currently, her focus lies in driving culture change and enhancing employee engagement. Preeti holds an MS in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from Baruch College and is currently pursuing an MBA in Strategic Innovation & Change from the University of Denver.
Safiullah Mohammadi joined DCAC in May 2023 as Office Coordinator. Safiullah obtained his master's degree in business administration from the University of Dunya of Kabul, Afghanistan with major in public administration and his bachelor's degree in economics with a major in business administration from Kabul University in Afghanistan. Safiullah is a result driven professional bringing a comprehensive nine years of working knowledge and experience from Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission. He has also worked as a child protection consultant with the United Nation on Children Affected by Armed Conflict (CAAC) and 12 years working experience with other non-profit and humanitarian agencies such as United States Agency of International Development (USAID). He has knowledge and expertise in program management, monitoring and evaluation, research, program coordination, facilitation, training, and result based reporting with the capacity to execute result oriented and deliverable based assignments.
Job Titles:
- Child and Family Therapist / Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant
Samantha joined DCAC in 2021. After receiving her bachelor's degree from Gonzaga University in 2015, Samantha spent time in the Jesuit volunteer corps where she worked at a domestic violence shelter in Cleveland. Samantha returned to her home state of Colorado in 2016 to complete her Master's degree in Social Work at the University of Denver. Prior to joining DCAC, Samantha worked in the adoption field providing all options counseling and case management to women and family's experiencing unexpected pregnancies. Samantha is looking forward to supporting DCAC's mission and supporting children and families in the Denver area.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Will is inspired by the work that the Denver Children's Advocacy Center does to help children and families. Their mission of preventing abuse, strengthening families, and giving children back their childhood is extremely motivating. They successfully provide resources to victims of abuse and the community at large. DCAC is an incredible organization to support.
Will is an investor and entrepreneur who has co-founded and led multiple companies, including USA Rx, a market-driven discount on prescription medications, CastleWave, a full-service strategy consultancy and interactive agency (acquired by a public company), and UrbanMaidGreen, an eco-friendly cleaning service (acquired by a private group). Will is a mentor for the University of Rochester and also serves on the Board of Directors of Inside the Orchestra. Will received a B.A. in Political Science and Economics at the University of Rochester.
Job Titles:
- Bilingual Child and Family Therapist
Job Titles:
- Vice Chair
- Vice Chair of the Board of Directors
- Senior Director of Business Engagement for Comcast
Yolanda Barnes is the Senior Director of Business Engagement for Comcast, where she oversees the learning and development initiatives for the entire West Division.
Prior to her role in Business Engagement, Yolanda was responsible for overseeing the Comcast West Division flagship leadership development program LEAD - Leadership Exploration and Development. In this capacity she led a team focused on the training and empowerment of 3,000 leaders across eleven states.
Mrs. Barnes' career with Comcast also includes seven years leading the company's philanthropic efforts in the Houston Region. During her tenure she developed and launched several strategic community campaigns including the "Hispanic Hero Awards" and the "Mayor's History Makers Awards," hosted in partnership with Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner.
Before joining Comcast Yolanda was a successful radio and TV personality with a career in media that spanned nearly two decades.
Mrs. Barnes holds a bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas.
Job Titles:
- Director of Finance & Operations
- DCAC As Director of Finance and Operations
Zach joined DCAC as Director of Finance and Operations in 2018. He began his career in nonprofit finance and administration before moving to Mozambique in 2011 as a Peace Corps Volunteer. He stayed in the country for seven years, eventually leading finance and operations for an international development organization operating in Mozambique. Zach is originally from the Midwest, but is very excited to make Colorado home and to help DCAC make a positive impact in the community.