Our staff and consultants lead the work of the Initiative

Stephanie Ball is the Receptionist for the Initiative.  Originally from Arizona, she has several years of experience working in administrative support.  Stephanie was introduced to the Initiative as a temporary employee when she first moved to the St. Louis area.

She received a Bachelors of Music degree from Northern Arizona University, and recently a Master of Music degree from Washington University in St. Louis.  Both degrees are in Vocal Performance.  In addition to working for the Initiative, Stephanie performs locally, teaches voice lessons, and is preparing to begin a professional operatic career.

Dianna Walters joined the Initiative as an Associate after relocating to Missouri in the spring of 2011.  Prior to her relocation, she was involved with the Initiative's work in Maine in various capacities through the Youth and Community Engagement Team at Muskie School of Public Service in Portland.  During the summer of 2009, Dianna interned in Senator John Kerry's Washington, DC office and participated in efforts to raise awareness on Capital Hill about issues facing youth in foster care.  Dianna delivered five workshops at the National CASA conference with her fellow professionals from across the country and has developed training sessions for various state and national child welfare events.

Dianna received a Bachelors of Arts in Social and Behavioral Sciences from the University of Southern Maine and is nearing completion of an Masters of Science in Public Policy and Management with the Muskie School of Public Service.  In her role with the Initiative, Dianna's  focus is on policy work and assisting with evaluation and youth engagement components.  Dianna's passion is improving outcomes for youth in foster care which is directed toward permanency for older you, and she is excited to be able to expand these efforts to a national level with the Initiative.

Leonard D. Burton is the chief operating officer of the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative (Initiative).  The Initiative was created in 2001 by Annie E. Casey Foundation and Casey Family Programs as an ambitious national effort to ensure that young people who experience foster care make successful transitions to adulthood.  The Initiative brings together the public and private sectors to help youth make the connections they need for permanence, employment opportunities, education, personal and community engagement, housing, and health care.

Prior to working for the Initiative, Mr. Burton held several senior management and leadership positions with the Tennessee Department of Children's Services (DCS).  During 1996-2002, Mr. Burton rose through the ranks at DCS to the position of Assistant Commissioner of Child Welfare and Regional Field Services.  He also served as the Director of Policy Development, Title VI Coordinator, Director of Foster Care, and Executive Assistant to the Commissioner assisting in the management of daily operations and a $500 million annual budget.

Mr. Burton was a key leader in laying the foundation for reforming Tennessee's child welfare and juvenile justice systems.  He was directly involved in reducing reliance on congregate care, qualitatively improving engagement with families and instituting a new model of casework practice.

Mr. Burton's career in human services spans two decades.  In 1989, while on active duty in the US Army, he served as a part-time community worker with "at-risk" youth.  In 1991, he received an honorable discharge and returned home from Operation Desert Storm to become the first Program Director of a new community-based, grass roots program for "at-risk" African American youth.  Working to eradicate disparate treatment and disproportionate minority contact has cut across many of Mr. Burton's work experiences.  He was the director of the Daniel Payne Christian Child Care Center, Vice President of Business Development for RCI Holdings Inc., a senior level consultant with M&B Consulting LLC, and supervisor of the quasi governmental Assessment and Care Coordination Team in Tennessee.  These professional experiences have provided him with functional expertise in areas such as organizational management, youth development, family centered practice, operations, and policy analysis.

Mr. Burton possesses a Masters of Education in Administration and Supervision from Tennessee State University.  He also has a diploma in Patient Administration from the U.S. Army - Academy of Health Sciences and a Bachelor of Arts in Public Management from Austin Peay State University.  He is a graduate of the Tennessee Government Executive Institute and holds a certificate from the Center for Creative Leadership.  He has drafted numerous governmental policies and is co-author of the publication Supporting Youth in Transition to Adulthood:  Lessons Learned from Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice.

Mr. Burton has established himself as an effective, high energy, visionary manager with exceptional administrative and leadership skills.  A man of high ideals and integrity, he holds memberships in several organizations, has served on numerous councils and boards and has received a variety of honors and awards.  He has been invited to speak at venues nationally and internationally, including venues in South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Liz Squibb has over ten years of experience working on behalf of children, Families, and communities. Her work at the Initiative includes leading regular technical assistance sessions for Associate Directors, facilitating trainings on the management information system for Individual Development Accounts and on financial literacy as well as workshops for potential co-investors. She project manages large grantee conferences and other Initiative events as well as providing oversight of funding provided to a national advocacy organization focused on children's issues. She also serves as steering committee member for a national collaborative that seeks to ensure that all children and families of color receive fair treatment, support, and achieve good outcomes from the child welfare system.

Prior to coming to Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative, Liz administered a federally-funded project designed to prevent alcohol, tobacco, and drug use, especially among young people. Ms. Squibb has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with an emphasis on women and minority studies from the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

Lynn Tiede is the Senior Associate Director for Policy and Evaluation. She is the lead for the Initiative Self-Evaluation Team, a group that is comprised of staff, consultants, and representatives from each of the demonstration sites. The team comes together regularly to measure and assess progress across the Initiative. Lynn also coordinates the Initiative's public policy work and is the site liaison for the grantee in Maine.

Lynn's career has always focused on improving the well-being of families and children, in the United States and abroad. Her background includes experience in international democracy development, education research, community development and national politics. Lynn has worked in Liberia, Africa promoting democracy through the training of newly elected legislators, through grants and technical assistance to civic organizations, and through the training of citizens around their rights and responsibilities. She has also coordinated the data collection for a W.K. Kellogg Foundation-funded school reform initiative, and was responsible for presenting research findings and their policy implications. Most recently, Lynn led the public policy efforts for a national parent education program. Lynn earned a BA from Millikin University in Political Science and an MA from American University in International Politics.