• Director of Training and Research, SATRI
• Senior Director of Residential Services, Parsons, Residential Division
• Director, Community Residence, Parsons, Residential Division
• Program Coordinator, Parsons, Residential Division
• Social Worker, Parsons, Residential Division

Career Highlights

• With Northern Rivers for 23 years in positions of increasing responsibility, Jillian says, “I love the work the organization does.”
• Opportunities exist for people to advance; Northern Rivers recognizes, encourages, and develops staffers' professional skill. Jillian has developed training and leadership skills in residential roles as well as now at SATRI.
• SATRI helps staff be good at what they do through their extensive training offerings; trainings also support child and family social services workers across the state.

Jillian G., director of training and research at the Sidney Albert Training and Research Institute (SATRI), part of the Northern Rivers family, leads the work on training offered to staff and participants across New York state. With Northern Rivers for 23 years in positions of increasing responsibility, and choosing to stay even though recruited more than once by other groups, she emphasizes, “I love the work that the organization does.” She adds that the organization helps staff grow in their skills and capabilities: “opportunities are there for people to advance at Northern Rivers.”  

“I love the work that the organization does. Opportunities are there for people to advance at Northern Rivers.”

She has been encouraged to apply for roles developing her leadership responsibilities, including her current position, roles that have long included a training component. “I've been blessed with great supervisors,” she says.

Soon after earning her master’s in social work (she also holds a bachelor’s in social work) Jillian joined Northern Rivers at the Parsons Child & Family Center as a residential social worker. Following that position and a brief time as a program coordinator, which included oversight of a community residence for adolescents and a crisis community residence for children ages 5 to 12, she became director of community residence. That director role added responsibility for implementing training—an ongoing part of her professional work—and programmatic needs for all of Parsons. She then became Parsons’ senior director of residential services before moving into her current position. She has had the opportunity to work in a clinical role as well as program-specific administration, which has given her knowledge to help do the work she now does. 

Her most recent move has combined her training skills with her increasing leadership expertise. Jillian notes that she has been encouraged to grow in her years at Northern Rivers; the organization pays attention to the abilities of its employees and encourages their use, she adds.

With her move to SATRI in 2015, Jillian took on responsibility for training for Northern Rivers as a whole, including management and development of the sessions, which cover a wide variety of topics critical to children and families. She also oversees contracts to provide training to the NYS Office of Mental Health (OMH) and NYS Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) as well as the State University of New York Professional Development Program.

“My passion is here, doing the work that I love,” Jillian says. That work includes leading her “great team” of 10 as well as teaching training sessions, usually two or three times a week, social services professionals, community members, children, and families. Through SATRI and her oversight, about 100 trainings are offered—both in-person and virtually—to Northern Rivers staff and to child and family social services workers across the state. One recent month, for example, included 67 sessions for 920 people who earned 226 continuing education units.

Jillian notes that organizationwide communications help keep her and her team in touch with happenings and changes that in turn might impact SATRI and its training sessions. Through the process, she says, “you have autonomy to do your work; you’re trusted to get that work done.” That has led, in one initiative, to address identified staff challenges to turn them into competencies with new training. She also emphasizes the importance of SATRI training sessions that support new employees in their particular programs. However, SATRI doesn’t stop there. A current initiative is supervisory training for people who want to move into those roles. In all SATRI training, Jillian says, “we support employees to help them be good at what they do.”

• Program Director, Health Home Care Management program, Northern Rivers
• Regional Coordinator, HCBSW, B2H, HHCM Programs (Home- and Community-Based Services Waiver, Bridges to Health, Health Home Care Management), Northern Rivers
• Individualized Care Coordinator Supervisor, HCBSW Program, Parsons, Community Services Division, Parsons

Career Highlights

• With Northern Rivers for more than 14 years, David says, “It’s home for me. I love it.”
• David sees his supervisory role as critical to offer the best program to the children they serve and to help staff do their best work with the children.
• Northern Rivers features great frontline workers, supervisors, encouragement, training, flexibility, and additional opportunities.

David R. says, “I’ve always wanted to help others. Northern Rivers has helped me to do that.” With the organization for more than 14 years, Rowley is one of the program directors for its Health Home Care Management (HHCM) program, which serves children from birth to age 21. In this role, he says, his supervisory responsibilities and his affinity for data collection and analysis make a positive difference for the children, the staff, and the program itself. When asked about the importance of his role, he says. “We ask so much of the people doing the hard work for families. We need to help them do the best work they can do.”

Just a few years after joining Northern Rivers, Rowley had the opportunity to serve on the strategic plan working committee as part of the development of Northern Rivers. That opportunity, he recounts, helped lay the foundation for his own professional growth as well as that of the organization. Along the way, he has had great supervisors, encouragement, training, and additional opportunities. In turn, he believes in helping the other employees in his program thrive and advance. For example, the managers and supervisors have been promoted from within: “There’s room here to grow,” he says.

“It’s home for me. I love it.”

In 2009, Rowley came to Parsons Child & Family Center (now part of Northern Rivers) as an ICC (individualized care coordinator) supervisor for its HCBSW (Home and Community-Based Services Waiver) program. He then became a regional coordinator for HCBSW, B2H (Bridges to Health), and HHCM before moving into his current role in 2018. Rowley, who earned his bachelor’s degree in history, political science, and secondary education, and a master’s degree in history and political science, had previously held positions as case manager, resident services coordinator, associate director, and director in community-based programs. It was natural for him to go for a supervisory role from a hands-on role as it expanded his ability to help others, he says.

For the HHCM program, which serves 1,000 children in 23 counties of New York state, Rowley supports his work with data collection and analysis to examine various aspects of the program. “It’s a challenge to see how what you’re doing impacts the hard work of front-line workers,” he notes. “It does though.” Through studying the data, he can help ensure that the care provided to children is the best possible as well as to support the best work by his staff.

Rowley says that many staff could earn a higher salary somewhere else, but Northern Rivers offers important reasons to stay: trust, job satisfaction, and flexibility. Of the last, he notes that Northern Rivers believes in offering as much flexibility as possible for staffers to balance work and challenges that arise outside work. And while he did not anticipate staying this long at Northern Rivers, he plans to stay: “It’s home for me,” he says, “I love it.”

Career Highlights

• Colleen has had three significant promotions in her years at Northern Rivers, which she feels recognizes her hard work as well as the organization's support, encouragement, and training.
• Great supervisors have made a difference for Colleen, challenging her to think critically and as a result to grow as a leader and as a person.
• Colleen addresses the geographical distance of the seven foster care offices by going to them to meet face to face, pulling groups together for peer support, and encouraging all to bring their different strengths to a situation. 

As senior director of foster care for Northeast Parent & Child Society and Parsons Child & Family Center, Colleen provides oversight for all Northern Rivers foster care services: overnight respite, and therapeutic, kinship, and specialized foster care. She focuses on making sure that her staff have what they need to do the best job possible on behalf of children. "Through my years of experience, I have come to understand that people may not remember what you say, or even what you did, but will not forget how you made them feel," she says, 

Colleen came to the organization after working in her family business and starting a family. Wanting to return to social work, she applied for and became a clinician in the prevention program. A little more than a year later, she had the opportunity to use her business-developed supervisory and leadership skills when she took on a program coordinator role for the Therapeutic Foster Family Program. Of the move to an administrative role, she says, "I felt that I was capable of doing more and having a better reach." She became director of foster parent recruitment in 2010 and retention in 2016 before becoming senior director of foster care in 2021. In all that she does, Colleen leads toward the safety and well-being of children and families as well as permanency—permanent living situations—for children in the program.

The foster care program helps about 220 children each year, and about the same number of families, with a staff of 65 in seven offices throughout the state. Colleen focuses on ensuring that her staff are trained in and use trauma-informed practices in their work, aligning with the organization’s core principles. She also firmly believes in building strong, supportive teams, particularly in the face of their geographical distance.

Colleen notes that she has received support from Northern Rivers and its agencies. "I've been blessed with supportive and experienced supervisors," she says. "They have encouraged me to think critically, which has challenged me to grow not only as a leader, but as a person." She has had opportunities to work on new projects and to serve on different committees, gaining experience that has empowered her in her current position.

"My supervisors have encouraged me to think critically, which has challenged me to grow not only as a leader, but as a person."

Over the last few years, Colleen has dedicated time to honing her skills through training opportunities within the agency. She values Northern Rivers' free continuing education courses and encourages staff to take advantage of sessions offered by SATRI, the Northern Rivers training arm. "I am dedicated to ensuring my staff have the tools they need to develop and improve their own practice in order to feel confident and successful," she says.

Colleen points out that she appreciates the different perspectives and experiences that her staff bring to the program. "It is highly valuable, and I encourage it. Life is about perspective and by sharing one's perspective, we can better understand and help others," she says. She also wants her teams to share their ideas so that they can be discussed and tried. She challenges staff to develop when she sees their potential, interest, and leadership qualities. "I've had support and encouragement through the years," she says, "I want to pass it on."

Career Highlights

• With the organization’s support, Star was able to complete her master’s degree; she encourages others to consider how the agency can offer support through educational opportunities. 
• Star was chosen during the initial development of Northern Rivers to participate in workgroups to determine how to best combine and streamline the foster parent recruitment and retentions efforts of both affiliates. 
  

When Star G. reflects on her responsibilities as director of foster parent recruitment and retention at Northern Rivers, she thinks about collaboration. With 7 foster care offices covering more than 20 counties in New York state, Star and the foster care homefinding team make use of virtual platforms, and in-person meetings to ensure that support and inspiration are always within reach. She shared that she appreciates the ability to collaborate when a need or challenge arises; it allows the dialogue to be enriched by the different perspectives and ideas the team brings to the discussion. 

Star began with the organization as a recruitment coordinator in the therapeutic foster care program. Her responsibilities included the development of foster parent recruitment, certification, and retention; and supervising the team of homefinders, which includes the development of foster parent recruitment, certification, and retention. At the time, Northern Rivers was evolving (which included the affiliates Northeast Parent & Child Society and Parsons Child & Family Center). Foster care was one of the first programs to integrate and work collectively. The homefinding team had the opportunity to offer input on the how to combine the certification and recertification process of foster homes to promote success and efficiency. 

In 2021, Star saw the chance to grow her career and attained her current position. She felt prepared for the opportunity and ready to tackle the new challenges. Star acknowledges and appreciates the consistency and support from her supervisors during her time with the organization. The longevity of program staff, especially supervisors, offers insights and institutional knowledge that encourages development and promotion from within. Along with longevity of program supervisors, the agency offers ongoing training and professional development through SATRI, tuition reimbursement, and flexibility for the workforce. The agency is innovative and creative with regard to using technology, and encourages various perspectives, ideas, and experiences from staff. 

Star acknowledges and appreciates the consistency and support from her supervisors during her time with the organization.

In all that they do, the foster care team continues to meet families when and where they're needed. That includes community involvement, virtual appointments, in-person conversations, and planting seeds to encourage people to learn more about the program and becoming a foster family. Star appreciates the talent and experience of those who work at Northern Rivers and how foster care is an integral part of the Northern Rivers mission. 

Career Highlights

• Chris started at Northern Rivers’ Northeast affiliate as a clinician; he has been promoted more than once, including to his current position as senior clinical director.
• In his time as senior clinical director, Chris has restructured the clinical side of the Neil Hellman School to offer more internal advancement opportunities.
• The intern program has been reinstated under Chris' leadership; he notes that interns gain valuable experience and might one day become staff members. 
  

Chris L. came to Northern Rivers as a clinical intern. “I had a practicum placement,” he says, while he worked on his master’s in mental health counseling, “and I never left.” He credits his Northern Rivers mentors as a crucial part in his staying, plus “every step on the journey here has been positive.” Now, as senior clinical director at the Neil Hellman School, he focuses on sustaining a more inclusive and collaborative culture across the school’s educational and clinical teams. And he also provides clinical services for a small group of students.

In 2009, Chris started at Northeast Parent & Child Society as a clinical intern and then became a clinician for the community living program and child guidance clinic. He then became a school psychologist and chair of the committee on special education for the Neil Hellman School and the School at Northeast for Northern Rivers in 2018. He moved into his current position in 2022. Of his shift away from doing just clinical work, he says he felt that the director role would give him even the ability to impact even more students through helping the school’s clinicians to grow in their skills. 

When he began as senior clinical director, Chris recalls, he needed to fill several clinical positions. Looking past the challenges of the staffing situation, he saw opportunities to restructure the clinical roles in order to provide additional internal advancement and reinstate an intern program. Interns gain important experience, he notes, and they might become full-time staffers one day.

Chris strives to be a mentor for his staff and to be accessible—he has an open-door policy—whenever and wherever he is needed. There is also flexibility, as long as the work gets done, to accommodate life’s needs outside work. When he recently needed to be out for sick family members, he notes, the staff covered for him. Another time, when top educational administrators were out at the same time, he was principal for a day.

“We are professionals working with professionals on behalf of kids. We are mission-driven, professionally focused collaborators.” And the kids are the beneficiaries.

As Chris has been able to grow professionally at Northern Rivers with SATRI training, he encourages the same for his staff, whom he supports and celebrates wherever possible. During his years at Northern Rivers, he also has completed a master’s in educational psychology, a certificate of advanced study in school psychology, and work toward his doctorate. 

“This is a tough job,” Chris says; the students have serious challenges. And while he could make more money elsewhere, he stays. “I’ve been blessed in many ways.”  He summarizes in this way, “we are professionals working with professionals on behalf of kids. We are mission-driven, professionally focused collaborators.” And the kids are the beneficiaries.

Career Highlights

• With Northern Rivers since 2010, Lenear has advanced through two residential counselor positions and assistant resident supervisor to her current role as resident supervisor.
• Lenear is working on her master’s degree in social work with help from tuition reimbursement offered by Northern Rivers. 
• Lenear knows she has helped make an impact on RTF youth when she hears that they’ve gone to college or can live with a lower level of care after leaving the program.
  

At the Northern Rivers Residential Treatment Facility (RTF), a 24/7 live-in option for youth ages 12 to 21 unable to maintain long-term stability due to mental health issues, Lenear C. believes in helping one young person at a time within her larger role as a residential supervisor. “Children matter,” Lenear says. “They are our future.” Lenear, who works with the youth as well as supervises staff, emphasizes the structure, consistency, and predictability that young people at the RTF especially need, and that the RTF team strive to provide. 

Lenear applied to Parsons Child & Family Center in 2010 because she wanted to add residential experience to her social services skills. She joined Parsons as a residential counselor II, working with youth and providing leadership in a care team at RTF, Lenear soon added more administrative responsibilities when she was promoted to residential counselor III, adding further administrative and leadership responsibilities to her work with youth and planning work for other team members. Then, in 2013, she became assistant supervisor, and in 2016, was promoted to her current job. “I fell in love with it, and I’ve been able to move up,” she says.

As residential supervisor, Lenear oversees about two dozen staff members—full-time, part-time, and per diem—including two assistant supervisors who oversee the residential counselors. In addition to her responsibilities on the administrative side of the facility, which is licensed by New York state, she also works directly with up to 14 youth living there. 

Lenear describes her supervisory responsibilities as helping her staff be the best they can be. She says, “I believe in them as others have believed in me. I have had many mentors; their devoted commitment to the work we do every day has paved the way for my growth in the field as they are role models for me and continue to support me to this day." Lenear mentors newer staffers, and the team collaborates, sharing their experience and knowledge to benefit the children. And, she adds, she also benefits from her colleagues’ knowledge and experience in their collaborations.

“I believe in my staff as others have believed in me. I have had many mentors; their devoted commitment to the work we do every day has paved the way for my growth in the field as they are role models for me and continue to support me to this day."

Lenear’s commitment at Northern Rivers doesn’t stop with the RTF youth; she notes that she is ready, willing, and able to help any of the kids on campus. She connects with youth through campuswide activities like open gym sessions, trips to sports games, or one of her favorite events, a kickball game with Albany police intended to foster positive connections with law enforcement. 

Successes by young people who have gone through their program and can then able maintain and sustain themselves with a lower level of care show Lenear the value of the RTF program. She believes in the RTF approach, saying that it helps youth learn lifelong tools to help themselves. She notes that some of their former residents are now in college, which is very gratifying. And more immediately, she and coworkers can see happy expressions on youth’s faces when they arrive at work, ready to provide a listening ear and the structure and predictability that the kids may have never experienced.