Copy of Staff Template – By Region
Our dedicated, enthusiastic staff serves kinship and adoptive families statewide. The OhioKAN Staff is comprised of Navigators and team members with the local knowlege, statewide expertise, and personal experience needed to make sure Ohio's families are thoroughly supported.
STATEWIDE STAFF
Julia Donovan
Statewide Program Director
Julia Donovan
Statewide Program Director
Julia joins Kinnect as the founding Program Director of OhioKAN, a new statewide kinship and adoption navigator program developed in partnership with the State of Ohio. Prior to Kinnect, Julia was the Employment Services Director at Linking Employment, Abilities and Potential (LEAP), which works to advance participation and equality in society for people with disabilities in Northeast Ohio. Leading through a period of significant programmatic change and development, Julia worked to increase the effectiveness of several LEAP initiatives, resulting in measurably improved outcomes for job seekers with disabilities. Previous to her eight years of tenure at LEAP, Julia worked in the nonprofit sector managing volunteers, teaching therapeutic riding for people with disabilities, and fundraising. She holds an Executive MBA from Case Western Reserve University and a bachelor’s from Hiram College.
Veronica Burroughs
ODJFS Project Manager
Veronica Burroughs
ODJFS Project Manager
Veronica Burroughs, LISW-S, is Project Manager for the Ohio Kinship and Adoption Navigator Program at ODJFS. Prior to this work she was with the Supreme Court of Ohio as the Court Improvement Program Analyst in the Children and Families Section. In this role she managed the federal Court Improvement Program grants to assist juvenile courts in handling cases related to child welfare. She has had multiple roles at private child serving agencies, and she started her career as a therapist working with children and adults with mental health and substance use disorders. Veronica is an adjunct professor at Columbus State Community College and has done training for a variety of audiences. She holds a Bachelor of Science from the DePaul University and a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Chicago, School of Social Service Administration.
Amber Phelps
Statewide Project Manager
Amber Phelps
Statewide Program Manager
Amber joins Kinnect with experience in the fields of social welfare and policy, including hands-on social work and an expertise in building and implementing evidence-based programming. After attaining her master’s degree in Social Work from Case Western Reserve University and a Juris Doctor from Western Michigan Law School, Amber worked for Cuyahoga county in the juvenile prosecutor’s office, serving as a liaison to parents of youth impacted by incarceration and the court system. Most recently, Amber served as Senior Project Manager for Lorain City Schools. She is very excited about joining the Kinnect team and expanding the OhioKAN program!
Statewide Program Trainer
Roxana Bell
Statewide Program Coordinator
Roxana has a breadth of experience serving children, youth, and families in clinical and educational settings. Prior to joining Kinnect, Roxana worked for the Mobile Crisis Team at FrontLine Service in Cuyahoga County, where she conducted clinical assessments to children and youth experiencing suicide crises. She served as an AmeriCorps volunteer in an intertribal Native school and mentor for incarcerated youth. As a transracial, transnational adoptee from El Salvador, Roxana has a passion for working with multicultural adopted, foster, and kinship populations. She earned a Master of Science in Social Administration from Case Western Reserve University, a bachelor’s in Cultural Studies and Literature from The Evergreen State College, and is a licensed social worker. Roxana is so happy to be the Statewide Program Coordinator!
Teresa Scrimenti
Statewide Program Trainer
Teresa Scrimenti
Statewide Program Trainer
Teresa has an eclectic background working with progressive organizations invested in giving power back to the people they serve. She has a range of customer service and teaching experiences, primarily in the disability service and culinary arts industries. Throughout her career, Teresa has developed and implemented curricula, including culinary education for home cooks, life skills classes for adults with developmental disabilities, and summer work experiences for youth in collaboration with local businesses. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Broadcasting and Mass Communications from Baldwin Wallace University. Teresa is so excited to be a part of OhioKAN as the Statewide Program Trainer!
Raymond Utrup
Statewide Program Coordinator
Teresa Scrimenti
Statewide Program Trainer
Teresa has an eclectic background working with progressive organizations invested in giving power back to the people they serve. She has a range of customer service and teaching experiences, primarily in the disability service and culinary arts industries. Throughout her career, Teresa has developed and implemented curricula, including culinary education for home cooks, life skills classes for adults with developmental disabilities, and summer work experiences for youth in collaboration with local businesses. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Broadcasting and Mass Communications from Baldwin Wallace University. Teresa is so excited to be a part of OhioKAN as the Statewide Program Trainer!