Learn More About Our Dedicated Team Members
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Ronald C. Hughes
Dr. Ronald C. Hughes, PhD, MSSA, isthe Executive Director at the Institute for Human Services and the Child Maltreatment Policy Resource Center. Dr. Hughes has been a thought leader in the child welfare and child maltreatment practice field for more than four decades. In 1977, he co-founded the Institute for Human Services (IHS) in Columbus, Ohio, to improve child welfare practice through large-scale capacity building and change efforts in the systems and organizations that serve maltreated children and their families. Dr. Hughes also co-authored the widely used Field Guide to Child Welfare.
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Judith S. Rycus
Dr. Judith S. Rycus is Program Director and Director of International Child Welfare at the Institute for Human Services (IHS) in Columbus, Ohio, an organization she co-founded in 1977. Judith also manages and is a Senior Policy Analyst with the Child Maltreatment Policy Resource Center (CMPRC). She co-authored the widely used Field Guide to Child Welfare and has decades of experience in workforce development, organizational capacity building, and evidence-based practice. Her work focuses on improving outcomes for vulnerable children and families through systemic change and professional excellence.
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Janet F. Rosenzweig
Dr. Janet Rosenzweig, PhD, MS, MPA, is a Senior Policy Analyst for the Child Maltreatment Policy Resource Center and a nationally recognized expert in child welfare and sexual abuse prevention. She also lectures at the Fels Institute of Government at the University of Pennsylvania. With decades of experience in public health, child protection, and nonprofit leadership, Dr. Rosenzweig is the author of The Sex-Wise Parent and a frequent advisor on policies that promote child safety and healthy development. She is dedicated to bridging research, policy, and practice to create safer, more supportive environments for children and families.
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Pamela J. Miller
Pamela Miller, JD, MSW, is a Senior Policy Analyst for the Child Maltreatment Policy Resource Center, bringing extensive expertise in child welfare law, policy, and practice. She has served in leadership roles across public and nonprofit sectors, focusing on systems reform and legal advocacy for vulnerable children and families. With a background in both social work and law, she offers a unique interdisciplinary perspective to improving child welfare outcomes. Ms. Miller is committed to advancing equitable, evidence-informed policies that strengthen families and protect children's rights.
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Frank D. Vandervort
Frank D. Vandervort, JD, is a Senior Policy Analyst with the Child Maltreatment Policy Resource Center and a clinical professor at the University of Michigan Law School. He has decades of experience in child welfare law, having worked as a juvenile defender, led the Children’s Law Center, and served in national leadership roles. A former president of APSAC, he is widely published on child abuse and juvenile justice. Professor Vandervort is committed to using legal expertise to improve outcomes for vulnerable children and families.
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Vincent J. Palusci
Vincent Palusci, MD, MS, FAAP, is a Senior Policy Analyst with the Child Maltreatment Policy Resource Center and a Professor of Pediatrics at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. A board-certified child abuse pediatrician, he directs clinical services at Bellevue Hospital’s Child Protection Program and leads research on child maltreatment and health systems. Dr. Palusci is editor-in-chief of Child Maltreatment and a former board president of Prevent Child Abuse–New York. He is committed to advancing evidence-based policy and medical practice to protect vulnerable children and support families.
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Daria Palatna
Daria Palatna, PhD, MSW, has focused her career on improving the lives of vulnerable, at-risk, and maltreated children and strengthening organizations that serve them. She is an Organizational Consultant for Child Policy for the Institute for Human Services and Senior Policy Analyst for the Child Maltreatment Policy Resource Center. Daria has experience in group facilitation, strategic planning, program coordination, and providing consultation and technical assistance to nonprofits and government entities. She developed competency-based in-service training programs and led their implementation across Ukraine.
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Amy Baker
Amy J.L. Baker, PhD, is a Research Consultant and Senior Policy Analyst for the Child Maltreatment Policy Resource Center and has worked in research positions in a variety of child and family-serving organizations for the past 35 years. Dr. Baker previously served as Director of the Center for Child Welfare Research at The Children’s Village in Dobbs Ferry, New York, and as Senior Research Analyst at the Vincent J. Fontana Center for Child Protection at the New York Foundling. She is currently Director of Research at the Fontana Center.
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Nan Beeler
Nan Beeler, MSW, is a Senior Policy Analyst at the Institute for Human Services and the Child Maltreatment Policy Resource Center. She has extensive expertise in organizational development and workforce training within child welfare systems. Nan specializes in creating and implementing training programs that build staff capacity, promote trauma-informed care, and improve service delivery for vulnerable children and families. She is dedicated to strengthening agencies through evidence-based strategies that enhance organizational effectiveness and support positive outcomes.
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Mike A. Nowlin
Mike A. Nowlin, MSSA, LISW-S, is Director of Operations at the Institute for Human Services (IHS) and the Child Maltreatment Policy Resource Center. He brings nearly 30 years of expertise in child welfare, behavioral health, and international development, and manages IHS’s daily operations and administers its nationally accredited social work continuing education program. He is committed to supporting agencies and systems in strengthening their capacity and implementing evidence-informed practices to improve outcomes for vulnerable children and families. Mike has published on topics of trauma and resilience, and co-authored on the subject of youth with problematic sexual behaviors.
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Susan Yingling
Susan C. Yingling, BS, has over 35 years of experience in governmental and non-profit organizations working in a variety of capacities. As Marketing and Communications Manager for the Institute for Human Services and the Child Maltreatment Policy Resource Center, Susan is responsible for managing digital communications, including web development and SEO. She also collaborates on the production and delivery of online courses and the development of all print and marketing materials for the organization.
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Dawn Morgan
Dawn Morgan, serves as Operations and Communications Coordinator for the Institute for Human Services (IHS) and the Child Maltreatment Policy Resource Center. Dawn’s diverse skill set enables her to reliably support numerous operational and communications functions, including managing payables/receivables, coordinating training events, customer service, social media management, website development, and assisting with communications and marketing.
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Venitra Glass
Venitra Glass, serves as the Administrative Assistant for the Institute for Human Services and the Child Maltreatment Policy Resource Center, and is responsible for administrative and customer service responsibilities, online training production, meeting coordination, supporting the executive team, and small research projects. Throughout her career, Venitra has contributed her administrative skills to a variety of child and family-serving organizations in the central Ohio area.
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Jamin Thomas
Jamin Thomas, BS, serves as an Independent IT Consultant for the Institute of Human Services and the Child Maltreatment Policy Resource Center. He brings extensive IT expertise and currently maintains and administers their network systems, wireless infrastructure, hardware systems, and software applications for IHS, and provides technical support to the team.