Program Managers Conference 2026
Welcome to the Program Managers Conference! We are excited to host this year’s event to support you in your roles.
This webpage will be your guide to the conference, including Zoom links, speaker biographies, and answers to frequently asked questions. Information will be populated here soon.
Conference Details
Conference Agenda
Tuesday, June 2
9-9:30 a.m.: Welcomes and Openings
Zoom link: TBD
9:30-10:30 a.m.: Going Beyond Programs and Policy
Zoom link: TBD
Evolving systems is challenging, but the impact is profound. Rebecca Jones Gaston has experienced systems both personally and professionally, working at nearly every level from frontline caseworker to state leader. She was recently appointed Commissioner of the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) for New York City after serving as Commissioner of the Administration on Children, Youth, and Families at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services from 2022 to 2025. She brings a rare and powerful understanding of what children and families need, and how to move systems to meet them.
Rebecca E. Jones Gaston
10:30-11 a.m.: Break
11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Breakouts:
Choose one of the following breakout sessions:
Elf on the Shelf: Leading without Authority
Zoom link: TBD
Program Managers across the State have various responsibilities within their program and regions. These varying responsibilities consistently identify the PM as an internal consultant without direct authority with staff or community stakeholders to ensure next steps are activated. PMs rely on their skill to influence. This workshop will review different influence approaches to increase activation of new initiatives and processes and will include the need for establishing metrics and using political acumen.
Peter Dahlin
Utilizing the Available OIAA Reporting Portal Tools to Support your Data Quality Needs
Zoom link: TBD
A walkthrough of the OIAA portal to support self-service reporting, recommendations, guidelines, tips and tricks. Also a brief overview of some valuable excel tools.
Matt Burrows
Zoom link: TBD
You already use Microsoft 365; but is it actually making your work easier? This session is all about power moves: small, smart shifts that reduce friction, save time and quietly change how your workday feels. No theory. No overwhelm. Just practical, real world tips you can use immediately. We’ll move fast and focus on quick wins across Outlook, Teams, OneNote, OneDrive, and SharePoint. The kinds of things that make you say… ‘wait, that’s a thing?!?’ and then wonder how you ever worked without it. Small changes. Big Relief. Power Moves Unlocked
Sara Games
12:30-1:30 p.m.: Lunch Break
1:30-3:00 p.m. Breakouts:
Choose one of the following breakout sessions:
From Policy to Practice: How the Legislative Landscape is Shaping Child Welfare
Zoom link: TBD
Explore how the state’s evolving policy and funding landscape is shaping the future of child welfare. This session will examine recent legislative efforts, including responses to the rise in critical incidents and the ongoing impact of the fentanyl crisis. We will also highlight new and emerging initiatives designed to better support youth transitioning to adulthood. Participants will have the opportunity to share their experiences and insights on the policy issues affecting their work. Together, we’ll connect the dots between legislative decisions and real-world practice, with a focus on what these changes mean for program implementation and outcomes on the ground.
Kim Justice, Director of Public Policy, Partners for Our Children
Laurie Lippold, Sr. Policy Advisor, Partners for Our Children
Active Efforts Training for Child Welfare
Zoom link: TBD
Active Efforts, efforts to reunify or preserve a family, are one of the most critical protections for Native children under the Federal Indian Child Welfare Act and Washington Indian Child Welfare Act. The Active Efforts Training for Child Welfare includes defining Active Efforts, building foundational knowledge of how to apply Active Efforts and how to effectively document and testify to Active Efforts in a juvenile court setting.
Angela Bay
Rachel Mason
Zoom link: TBD
You already use Microsoft 365; but is it actually making your work easier? This session is all about power moves: small, smart shifts that reduce friction, save time and quietly change how your workday feels. No theory. No overwhelm. Just practical, real world tips you can use immediately. We’ll move fast and focus on quick wins across Outlook, Teams, OneNote, OneDrive, and SharePoint. The kinds of things that make you say… ‘wait, that’s a thing?!?’ and then wonder how you ever worked without it. Small changes. Big Relief. Power Moves Unlocked
Sara Games
Thursday, June 4
9-12:30 p.m.: Breakouts:
This extended breakout block will include a break from 10:30-11:00 a.m. Choose one of the following sessions:
Motivational Interviewing for Program Managers: Supporting Staff Through Change
Zoom link: TBD
This interactive workshop introduces program managers to the principles and practical application of Motivational Interviewing (MI) as a strategy for supporting staff through change. In today’s evolving practice environment, leaders are often tasked with guiding staff to shift mindsets, strengthen engagement, and adopt new approaches to working with families and communities. MI offers a collaborative, strengths-based framework to facilitate these shifts in a respectful and effective way.
Participants will explore how MI can be used to strengthen communication, reduce resistance, and promote staff motivation and accountability. Through a combination of brief instruction, real-world examples, and interactive practice, participants will build foundational MI skills they can immediately apply in their roles.
This session is designed as a deeper dive, allowing time for reflection, discussion, and skill-building activities that connect MI concepts directly to the realities of program management.
Amanda White, MSW, LSWAIC
Lynn Robinson, MSW, LSWAIC
Maribel Welch, MSW
Deep Dive into Trauma Informed Care and Supervision
Zoom link: TBD
Charina Carothers, DSW, LICSW
12:30-1:30 p.m.: Lunch Break
1:30-2:30 p.m.: How to Regain Trust
Zoom link TBD
Trust is the currency of change—and the ability to lead with composure under pressure is the hallmark of every great leader. In this interactive keynote, Program Managers will explore how to maintain clarity and confidence during high-pressure moments while fostering trust and engagement across their teams. Drawing from research-based strategies and practical tools, this session will help leaders influence without relying on authority, lead change efforts, and create a culture where trust accelerates change. Participants will leave with actionable insights and a plan to lead effectively when stakes are high.
Daniel Hallak
2:30-2:45 p.m.: Break
3:30-4:30 p.m.: Collaboration and Empathy Are the Path to Success: A Conversation with Parents and Caregivers
Zoom link TBD
Join us for a change-making panel discussion about how you can support your clients and best show up for parents.
Lisa Johnson, Dana Gibson
Meet the Speakers
Tuesday, June 2
Keynote
Rebecca E. Jones Gaston
Going Beyond Programs and Policy | Rebecca Jones Gaston is a nationally respected systems leader, public policy expert, and keynote speaker whose work has transformed child and family services across the country. Her journey has spanned every level of the child welfare system—from childhood to social worker to technical assistance to state and federal leadership.
Gaston was recently appointed Commissioner of the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) for New York City by Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
Breakouts
Peter Dahlin
Elf on the Shelf: Leading without Authority | Peter Dahlin, MS, is a private consultant, providing coaching, organizational development, training, and curriculum development services to a variety of organizations throughout the country. He is passionate about integrating creativity and fun in solving organizational challenges and has created and taught social worker, supervisor, manager, executive, mentor/coach and trainer courses. He has facilitated the six-part Leadership Series through the Alliance for DCYF for over 10 years. His style is energetic and engaging and he infuses appropriate issues of cultural humility and strong “transfer of learning” opportunities throughout all of his trainings and coaching. His family has volunteered to host high school exchange students for over twelve years, and was a foster family for teenagers several years– adopting their son when he was 15.
Sara Games
Level Up M365 Superpowers | Power Moves Unlocked | DCYF Technology Experience Manager Sara Games began her career with the state of Washington in 2000, but her IT experience goes back to 1997 when she began developing web pages and databases for local businesses in Thurston County. Throughout the years, she has focused on developing and implementing long range IT strategic organizational and technical training plans, SharePoint architecture and practical governance. Driven by a desire to empower inclusive cross organizational teams, Sara’s personal mission is to motivate, educate, and inspire others to seek knowledge, gain efficiencies and find services through accessible technology resources.
Matt Burrows
Utilizing the Available OIAA Reporting Portal Tools to Support your Data Quality Needs | Matt has been working in first regional, now child welfare HQ QACQI since 2023. Prior to that serving in various regional and program positions. Matt has a knack for excel and has been working extensively in FamLink reporting for many years.
Kim Justice
From Policy to Practice: How the Legislative Landscape is Shaping Child Welfare | Kim Justice, director of public policy at Partners for Our Children, advances child welfare, behavioral health, and social policy in Washington State. With over two decades of experience in advocacy and public leadership, she previously held key roles in homelessness prevention, state budgeting, legislative policy, and community organizing.
Laurie Lippold
From Policy to Practice: How the Legislative Landscape is Shaping Child Welfare | Laurie Lippold, Senior Policy Advisor at Partners for Our Children, leads work to strengthen child welfare, behavioral health, and poverty‑reduction policies in Washington State. A longtime children’s advocate, she previously served with Youth Advocate, The Children’s Alliance, The Family Policy Council, and Children’s Home Society of Washington before joining P4C in 2012.
Angela Bay
Active Efforts Training for Child Welfare | Angela Bay is a proud member of the Crow (Apsáalooke) Tribe. Professionally, Angela has a background in teaching at a local technical college in the health & human services department. She’s honored to be part of OTR working together to heal the relationships between Native American Tribes and the government.
Rachel Mason
Active Efforts Training for Child Welfare | Rachel Mason serves as the Training Coordinator for DCYF’s Office of Tribal Relations, providing and creating training related to Indian Child Welfare. Rachel brings direct casework experience from both DCYF as a former ICW caseworker and from non-profit organization(s) supporting immigrant and refugee communities.
Thursday, June 4
Breakouts
Charina Carothers
Deep Dive into Trauma Informed Care and Supervision | Charina is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker with experience in both administrative leadership and clinical practice. For nine years, she held various roles with Children’s Administration before joining the Alliance in 2016 where she currently serves as the Director of Equity and Belonging. In her solo practice, she specializes in counseling children, youth, adults, and individuals with cognitive and developmental disabilities. Her clinical approach is rooted in Systems Theory, which recognizes the interconnectedness of all elements in a person’s life. She integrates this with a Strengths Perspective and frameworks from Cognitive Behavioral and Solution-Focused Theories, allowing her to consider the entire family system in her work. Charina’s academic background includes a Master of Social Work and a Doctoral degree in Social Work with a focus on education and leadership.
Amanda White
Motivational Interviewing for Program Managers: Supporting Staff Through Change | Amanda White, MSW, LSWAIC is Coaching Manager at University of Washington Alliance, leading workforce development using MI, TBRI, and strengths-based, culturally responsive approaches. She is a member of MINT since 2025.
Lynn Robinson
Motivational Interviewing for Program Managers: Supporting Staff Through Change | Lynn Robinson, MSW, LSWAIC is a Development Coach with University of Washington Alliance . She has 20+ years in child welfare and a member of Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT) since 2025.
Maribel Welch
Motivational Interviewing for Program Managers: Supporting Staff Through Change | Maribel Welch, MSW is a Development Coach with the University of Washington Alliance, where she trains Motivational Interviewing and supports skill development for child welfare professionals in DCYF offices.
Keynote
Daniel Hallak
How to Regain Trust | Bio.
Frequently Asked Questions
We will have completions uploaded into The Learning Center within 30 days of the event.
You are required to participate in 75% of sessions to receive completion. This information is taken from Zoom attendance logs.
We will share slides and other materials from all speakers who consent to sharing within seven days of the conference.
Zoom links for each session are posted above on this page.
The agenda is detailed above on this page.
Yes! Reach out to us at acwemar@uw.edu. You will get a reply that the inbox is not monitored but we will be doing so during these events and will reach out to you in a timely manner to help.
After the Conference
Continue learning with the Alliance
The Alliance offers training opportunities for social service professionals statewide. Find training recommendations at RiseWithTheAlliance.org/Programs. To take one of our free courses, create an account and register through Alliance.ExceedLMS.com.
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