NAPSA
LEADERSHIP
The Board Members, Regional Representatives and Staff who support our mission every day. Please CLICK HERE for a full copy of the 2024-2026 NAPSA Strategic Plan.
Kezeli (Kez) Wold serves as the Associate Commissioner for Adult Protective Services at the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. Texas Adult Protective Services is a nationally recognized program known for its innovation and client services. His management skills are backed by many years of health and human services experience. He started his career in protective services in June 1996. Kez was both a child and adult protective services caseworker, front-line supervisor, subject matter expert in risk and self-neglect, program administrator, and regional director. Prior to his selection as the Associate Commissioner for APS, Kez was the Director of Field for seven years. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Texas Lutheran College and a Master’s in Public Administration from Texas State University.
Akiles Ceron, MSW is the Adult Protective Services (APS) Program Director for the City and County of San Francisco, CA. He earned his Master’s in Social Work from California State University Long Beach. He has been a public servant for 25 years, working in various capacities within the APS program. He has been an instructor for three APS Regional Training Academies, training on Working with the Self-Neglecting Client and on Elder and Dependent Adult Financial Abuse. He has participated in the California Welfare Directors Association’s Protective Services Operations Committee, and its Consistency Workgroup since 2010. The workgroup develops and maintains the CWDA’s APS guidelines to supplement regulations, and has developed guidance on Consistency in Case Documentation, Consistency in Findings, and Consistency in Outcomes in APS.
Ali Brown is an Investigator for Vulnerable Adult Protective Services with the North Dakota Department of Human Services – Aging & Adult Services Division. Ali has been an investigator for 8 years and has worked closely with vulnerable adults for 16 years. Ali is a Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker and has a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work. She has developed and currently coordinates a local Multi-Disciplinary Team. and has been co-chair and vice president of other regional groups serving the elderly and vulnerable adults. Ali has provided training to law enforcement, financial institutions, nursing organizations and many other agencies on abuse, neglect and exploitation.
Iris C. Freeman, MSW, is a longtime advocacy leader in public policy for older adults. She is the Founding Board Chair of the Minnesota Elder Justice Center and serves on its Executive and Governance Committees as well as its Public Policy Cabinet. She has taught Elder Justice and Policy classes to law students since 2008. Earlier, she taught Community Practice, Advanced Community Organizing, and Advocacy courses at the University of Minnesota Graduate School of Social Work from 2003-2008. In 2002, she was honored by the school as its Alumna of the Year and in 2010 as a Distinguished Alumna of the University’s College of Education and Human Development.
Carol Dayton’s career has focused on services to older adults and those at risk of harm with the goals of improving service delivery systems, creating innovative collaborations that are sustained over time, and demonstrating a belief that the older and vulnerable adult has dignity and value that can be supported and enhanced. Carol has been a presenter in the field of aging and elder abuse in the Cleveland area, throughout Ohio and at national conferences. She retired from the Cuyahoga County Department of Senior and Adult Services in May 2005, after serving as Chief of Adult Protective Services since 1993. Her commitment to protecting vulnerable adults continues through her ongoing participation and leadership on national, statewide, and local boards, commissions, and committees. Ms. Dayton was appointed Co-Chairperson of the joint Research Committee for the National Adult Protective Services Association (NAPSA) and National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse in 2007, which is an ongoing commitment. Currently identified as the NAPSA Research to Practice Interest Group, this commitment includes responsibility for quarterly Research to Practice Webinars, Research to Practice Briefs, a listserv and journal club, as well as other activities, including published documents and a journal article. Carol is on the NAPSA Board of Directors. Ms. Dayton is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Illinois and received her MSW degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Ms. Dayton’s work is published in several journals, and she wrote the chapter on social work in The Clinical Management of Elder Abuse. Her work as a consultant includes the NAPSA Self-Neglect Study and the recent ODJFS/OSU research project, “Ohio’s APS Service System.” She has been the recipient of awards in recognition of her leadership and contributions to the field of aging.
Paul Greenwood has been an attorney for over 40 years. For 13 years he worked as a legal aid lawyer in the UK. In 1991 he moved to San Diego with his wife and passed the California Bar. From March 1993 until March 2018 he worked as a deputy district attorney for the San Diego DA’s office. In January 1996 Paul established that office’s elder abuse prosecution unit and has prosecuted over 600 felony cases of elder or dependent adult abuse including homicides, neglect, physical and mental abuse, sexual assaults and financial exploitation. Paul has testified before the US Senate Social Committee on Aging and has been involved in assisting with the drafting of elder abuse legislation in California. Mr Greenwood is now concentrating on motivating other prosecutors around the nation to get more involved in elder abuse prosecutions.
Dr. Pi-Ju (Marian) Liu is an Assistant Professor at Purdue School of Nursing and a Faculty Associate in the Center on Aging and the Life Course at Purdue University. She conducts applied and translational research around elder justice issues, covering topics on elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation. She works with Adult Protective Services at the county and state level and was funded by the Administration for Community Living to measure effectiveness of Adult Protective Services’ referrals and services. She has impacted elder justice policy in California in areas such as building a statewide data system for Adult Protective Services, advocating for additional training for Adult Protective Services caseworkers and supervisors, providing effective services for elder abuse victims, and providing additional long-term services and supports for people with both Medicare and Medicaid. She is also the Co-Chair of the Research-to-Practice Interest Group. Prior to joining Purdue University, Dr. Liu was an Assistant Professor at University of California, San Francisco.
Cynthia G. Farrell is the Division Director of Adult Services within the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). She has been with the State of Michigan for 32 years, with 31 of those years in Adult Services. Cynthia started her adult services career in Clinton County as an adult services worker managing three programs that included adult community placement, adult protective services, and independent living services. She came to the Office of Adult Services in 1998 as the policy writer and trainer for the statewide Adult Community Placement Program. In 2003, she became the Adult Services Supervisor for the Office of Adult Services overseeing the three adult services programs. In 2005, Cynthia became the State Administrative Manager for Adult Services through December 2022. In December 2022, Cynthia was promoted to the Director of the newly created Division of Adult Services.
Olivia Valdes
Paul Needham Has worked in the field of Adult Protective Services and Domestic Violence for 43 years. Paul retired from OKDHS in 2015, after 36 years of service, 35 of those in APS. Paul spent 21 years in the field as a front-line worker and supervisor. And from 2000 to 2015 he was the Lead Trainer and Curriculum Developer for the OKDHS APS Academies. Paul is a 1975 graduate from Oklahoma Baptist University and obtained his MBA in 1990 from Central State University (now the University of Central Oklahoma).
Cathy Wood is a Program Field Representative for Adult Protective Services with the Oklahoma Department of Human Services. She is a trainer for the New APS Specialist Academy and the APSS III & IV Academy. Mrs. Wood has over 20 years of experience in Adult Protective Services. She has conducted training on APS related topics for APS staff, law enforcement, the local university, tribal entities, and other community organizations. She has also presented at several state conferences. She is a graduate of East Central University with a M.S. in Psychological Services and a B.A. in Human Services Counseling, Specialization in Aging Services with a double major in Psychology.
Stefanie Woodard is the state Director of Colorado’s Adult Protective Services Program. She has worked in a variety of capacities with at-risk populations for over 17 years. In her tenure with the Colorado Department of Human Services, Stefanie has developed, delivered, and overseen training for the APS workforce and community partners, conducted numerous presentations, webinars and podcasts both locally and nationally, and currently leads Colorado’s APS system in partnership with 60 county APS programs throughout Colorado. Stefanie has experience with all facets of the state Adult Protective Services program including staff leadership, program oversight, state budgets, legislative and regulatory initiatives, and stakeholder engagement. She is committed to pursuing quality improvement, innovation, collaboration and cohesive implementation of the APS program across Colorado for a wide range of stakeholders, many with unique needs and challenges.
Dorian Long is the Director of the Social Work Services Division at the Connecticut Department of Social Services. She has experience in working with a variety of special populations, including elders, persons affected by family violence, and individuals with disabilities. She has responsibility for the following programs:
Alan served as Director of the Bureau of Adult Services of the New York State Office of Children and Family Services from November 2007 through December 2019 . The Bureau oversees the Protective Services for Adults and the Family Type Home for Adults programs. Alan previously was an Associate Attorney for the New York State Department of Health, heading up the Long-Term Care Group of the Bureau of House Counsel, and dealing with legal issues relating to Assisted Living, Adult Care Facilities, Nursing Homes, and Home Care, among other areas. He also previously served as a Senior Attorney for the former New York State Department of Social Services, representing the agency in the areas of Protective Services for Adults, Adult Care Facilities/Assisted Living and Homeless Housing, serving as counsel to the Homeless Housing and Assistance Corporation. He is a 1977 graduate of Columbia College, Columbia University (B.A.) and a 1980 graduate of the Syracuse University College of Law (J.D.)
Mr. Wawrzusin has worked with the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, Aging & Disability Services, for 30+ years. His experience includes serving as a clinical case manager in Adult Protective Services (APS), Public Guardianship, and care management for 15 years. Additionally, he has served as a Supervisor and Administrator of Adult Services and APS. His current duties include administration, training, community outreach, program development, continuous quality improvement and partnering with key members of the community. He has been a member and leader of the Montgomery County Elder/Vulnerable Adult Abuse Task Force since 2011; Chair/Co-Chair, of the nationally recognized, local World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. He’s an active member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) – Maryland NASW Aging Committee, the National Adult Protective Services Association (NAPSA), and is a member of NAPSA’s Education Committee. He has received several national team awards, as well as state, county and non-profit awards for his disaster/mass-care/sheltering, community service and leadership work. He has presented at several NAPSA national conferences, state workshops, a national webinar and local senior programs on adult protective services.
Cathy Bahadur is the Section Manager of the Georgia Adult Protective Services (APS) Program overseeing its daily operations. Cathy has worked in the Social Services field for over 26 years and has worked with the disabled and elderly populations for 23 years. She has worked in several roles in the Georgia Division of Aging Services where she has provided training to numerous staff members and community partners. For five years, she served on the advisory board with the Georgia Advocacy Office. She is currently the Regional Representative for NAPSA’s Southeast region. She received her bachelor’s degree in social work from Clark Atlanta University.
Renee Bouchillon is the Director of the Tennessee Adult Protective Services (APS) program. She has over 20 years of experience protecting vulnerable adults from abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation. She leads with a shared vision that no one agency alone can protect our vulnerable adults; it takes a collaborative effort. She excels at developing and implementing strategic goals to improve program efficiency, customer service, policy compliance, and to identify gaps and areas of improvement. She successfully developed a statewide team of nineteen (19) state agencies that work to streamline services to protect Tennessee’s vulnerable adults. Her accomplishments include the restructuring of the APS Program through data analysis to determine staffing patterns and caseload trends and improved efficiency by streamlining processes. Ms. Bouchillon has a MA in counseling from Trevecca Nazarene University and an MBA from Middle Tennessee State University.
Carmen Castaneda, MSW, LICSW, has been the Program Manager of Hennepin County Adult Protection Services in Minneapolis, Minnesota for the past 25 years. She has managed several adult behavioral health programs, including Forensic Case Management Services and a mobile crisis response team. For 15 years, she served on the Board of Directors of the National Adult Protective Services Association, and currently is the NAPSA Regional Representative for the Central States. Ms. Castaneda is a member of the Minnesota Security Hospital Liaison Committee, the Hennepin County Sexual Assault Multi-Disciplinary Response Team, the Vulnerable Adult Justice Project, and is Chair of the Adult Protection/Law Enforcement Team. She is a frequent speaker on the Vulnerable Adult Law, guardianship/conservatorship, civil commitment proceedings, and forensic case management services. She is the recipient of several awards relating to her work in investigating and preventing elder abuse.
Ms. Turner-Stone has worked in Human Services in Ohio for more than 30 years. Her state-level team works closely with county APS staff to ensure proper implementation of mandates and best practices and improving collaborative efforts among service providers. Ms. Turner-Stone has a BA from Bowling Green State University, and an MA from The Ohio State University.
Chrisy Khatib is the Deputy Director for Adult Protective Services for the State of Kansas. She leads the statewide DCF Adult Protective Services team, comprised of ninety-six staff whose role is to support and/or investigate allegations of abuse, neglect, and/or financial exploitation of vulnerable adults. She led the revision of the 2021 Adult Protective Services statutes and testified on behalf of HB 2151, creating Kansas elder and dependent adult abuse multidisciplinary teams and a coordinator. Her 202 projects include supporting the state-wide adoption of IDA, Interview for Decisional Abilities, from Weill Cornell Medical. Kansas will be adopting the semi-structured tool to be completed during APS assessments.
Robin Tejada has been with the State of Nevada Aging and Disability Services Division (ADSD) for over 18 years and is the Adult Protective Services (APS) Social Services Manager for the Northern Nevada. Ms. Tejada previous roles include the Quality Assurance Manager for APS and the State Long Term Care Ombudsman program, Social Work Supervisor and Social Worker for ADSD’s Community Based Care unit. Ms. Tejada received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Work from the University of Nevada, Reno and received a Master of Science in Education -Counseling from the University of Nebraska, Kearney. Ms. Tejada is a licensed social worker.
Tamesha Squire is the Director of Development, Events, Marketing for the National Adult Protective Services Association (NAPSA). She is a proud small-town country girl from Emporia, Virginia. Tamesha is a Certified International Event and Wedding Planner, Certified Event Decor Professional, and Virtual Events Pro. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Development and Family Studies with a minor in Sociology. This all speaks to her passion for people and relationship-building.ABOUT NAPSA
The National Adult Protective Services Association (NAPSA) is a national non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization with members in all fifty states, D.C., and the territories. Formed in 1989, the goal of NAPSA is to provide Adult Protective Services (APS) programs a forum for sharing information, solving problems, and improving the quality of services for victims of elder and vulnerable adult mistreatment. Its mission is to strengthen the capacity of APS at the national, state, and local levels, to effectively and efficiently recognize, report, and respond to the needs of elders and adults with disabilities who are the victims of abuse, neglect, or exploitation, and to prevent such abuse whenever possible.
NAPSA OFFICES
NAPSA (National Adult Protective Services Association)
Address:
1612 K Street NW #200
Washington, DC 20006
Phone:
(202) 370-6292
Hours:
9 am – 5 pm EST
