2026 Child Welfare Professional of the Year Awards
About the Award
The Child Welfare Professional of the Year (CWP) Awards, presented annually by the Florida Institute for Child Welfare, recognize the outstanding contributions of individuals and agencies in Florida’s child welfare field. Since 2020, the Institute has honored leaders and innovators in the child welfare workforce for their vital and often challenging work in helping children and families thrive. The CWP Awards are presented to those who demonstrate dedication to promoting safety, permanency, and well-being among children and families within the child welfare system.
Nomination Process
The Institute is currently accepting nominations from colleagues, supervisors, partner providers, and family members.
Nominees must demonstrate a commitment to improving outcomes for children and families.
Individuals with lived experience in the child welfare system (e.g., former foster youth, parents, caregivers) are strongly encouraged to be nominated and are eligible for all awards.
Nominees can be professionals, advocates, parents/caregivers or community members actively engaged in child welfare work.
Previous winners of the Child Welfare Professional (CWP) of the Year Award are not eligible for nomination.
To be considered, all parts of the application must be submitted by March 2, 2026, at 5:00 pm. Nominators will receive a confirmation email after the application is submitted. Please contact Elizabeth Keating-Mathews at Elizabeth.mathews@fsu.edu if you have any questions.
Winners will be announced by March 16, 2026, and awards will be presented at the Institute’s annual symposium, Prevention in Practice, on May 5–6, 2026. All awardees will receive a travel scholarship to attend the two-day symposium in Tallahassee.
Eligibility
Nominees must be current employees of the Department of Children and Families, a community-based care lead agency, a contracted provider, a university, or individuals with lived experience/expertise.
Awardees
Highlighted below are previous Child Welfare Professional of the Year Awards winners. Congratulations and thank you to all our past honorees for your service on behalf of children and families in Florida!
The 2025 Child Welfare Professional of the Year Awards honored child welfare professionals who exemplify a dedication to supporting the sensitive needs of families experiencing domestic violence.
Elizabeth Davis
Parent Partner (Peer Specialist)
NAMI of Sarasota and Manatee Counties, Parents for Parents Program
Morgan Cooley
Associate Professor
Florida Atlantic University
Sabrina Lugo
Case Management Supervisor
Youth and Family Advocates
Jaynese Perry
Judicial Family Services Counselor
The LJD Jewish Families & Community Services, Inc. (JFCS)
At the FICW’s 2024 Symposium on Supporting Parents and Caregivers, awards were presented to across four categories to child welfare professionals who demonstrate an exceptional ability to partner with and support system-impacted parents and caregivers.
Sonya Johnson
Parents 4 Parents | Program Coordinator
National Alliance on Mental Illness: Sarasota and Manatee Counties
Melissa Radey
Agnes Flaherty Stoops Professor in Child Welfare
Florida State University
Rick Manuel
Program Director
Youth and Family Alternatives
Kandyce Rhoades
Senior Child Protective Investigator
Florida Department of Children and Families
At the FICW’s 2023 Symposium on Transformational Leadership, awards were presented to four child welfare professionals who accomplished organizational change due to their ability to motivate and garner trust, commitment, and loyalty from others. Honorable mentions were also presented within the same categories.
Brittany Lyons
Operations Administrator
Florida Department of Children and Families
Evan Soule
Family Care Manager Supervisor
Youth and Family Alternatives
Irma Harrison
Placement Supervisor
Northwest Florida Health Network
Elizabeth Wynter
Director
Selfless Love Foundation
Honorable Mentions
Leadership
Necia Little, Operations Manager, Florida Department of Children and Families
Case Manager Supervisor
Danielle Brooks, Dependency Case Manager Supervisor, Family Allies
Specialist
Danni Hickey, Anti-trafficking Housing Specialist, International Rescue Committee
Community Leadership
Corey Best, Community Curator, Mining for Gold
The 2022 Child Welfare Professional of the Year Awards honored child welfare professionals who demonstrated the use of innovative, forward-thinking, out of the box approaches to promoting resilience personally and professionally with themselves, co-workers, and families. Honorable mentions were also presented for their work.
Bethany Alexander
Lead Dependency Case Manager Supervisor
Dependency Children’s Home Society
Deanna Warfle
Dependency Family Care Manager
Kids Central Inc.
Kelli Estrada
Registered LCSW Intern Family Reunification Counselor
Gulf Coast Jewish Family & Community Services
Andrew Eicher
Supervising Attorney
Children's Legal Services
Becky Hall
Child Protective Investigator Supervisor
Bay, Gulf, Frankling Counties - Department of Children and Families
Ivana Ruiz
Child Protective Investigator
Manatee Sheriff’s Office
Honorable Mentions
Specialist
Christina Gagum, Indirect Category Management Specialist, L3Harris
Child Protective Investigator
Danielle Brooks, Child Protective Investigator, Jewish Families & Community Services
The 2021 Child Welfare Professional of the Year Awards honored three child welfare professionals who demonstrated dedication to supporting foster youth and young adults in their transition to independent living.
Natalia Sadbury
Caregiver Support Manager
Supervisor with Embrace Families in Osceola
Stacie Padilla
Senior Case Manager
Gulf Coast Jewish Family & Community Services in Hillsborough
Ginger Rockey-Johnson
Guardian ad Litem, Child Advocate Manager and Teen Specialist
Hillsborough County
The 2020 Child Welfare Professional of the Year Awards recognized three child welfare professionals who exemplified commitment to fostering partnerships between the workforce and vulnerable families in our communities.
Katelyn Paschal
Child Protection Investigator Supervisor
Santa Rosa County - Department of Children and Families
JoAnn Trammell
Dependency Case Manager
Anchorage Children’s Home Jackson County
Lindsey Dubreuil
Child Advocate Manager
Guardian Ad Litem Program 1st Circuit Santa Rosa County