Carolyn D. Rooker, MSW
Executive Director
(402) 597-3100 Ext. 101
crooker@voicesforchildren.com
Before joining Voices for Children, Carolyn Rooker served as CEO of the Omaha Public Library Foundation, working to increase community support for the Omaha Public Library and its programs. Prior to that, she worked for the Visiting Nurse Association of Omaha for more than ten years as Community Relations/Grant Coordinator, developing fundraising strategies and growing funding for the agency. She is a recipient of the 40 Under 40 award and served on the National Review Board for the SIDS Foundation. Carolyn holds a Bachelor’s in Social Work from Union College and a Master’s in Social Work, specializing in Administration from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
Rachel Boyer
Special Projects Coordinator
(402) 597-3100 Ext. 108
rboyer@voicesforchildren.com
Rachel Boyer holds the position of Executive Assistant & Special Projects Coordinator. Before joining Voices for Children, she developed a passion for children’s policy working in the Nebraska Legislature. Rachel previously held the position of both an administrative and legislative aide for a Nebraska State Senator, and completed an undergraduate internship with a local lobbying firm. Her political experience working at the State level has led her to understand the important advocacy role Voices for Children plays in influencing policy to better the lives of Nebraska families. This understanding equips her to ensure our mission is consistently presented throughout our annual Spotlight Gala and special projects. Rachel graduated with a B.A. from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.
Sarah Forrest
Policy Coordinator – Child Welfare & Juvenile Justice
(402) 597-3100 Ext. 109
sforrest@voicesforchildren.com
Sarah Forrest is our Policy Coordinator for Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice. She is responsible for gathering research and data and leading legislative and advocacy efforts to improve children’s safety and well-being in these systems. Before joining Voices for Children, Sarah has worked with Search for Common Ground, an international conflict resolution non-profit, the University of Pennsylvania’s Think Tanks and Civil Society Project, Georgetown University’s Office of International Programs, and Jumpstart, an Americorps program focusing on early literacy and school readiness. Sarah is a graduate of Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.
Connie Hacker
Accounts Manager
(402) 597-3100 Ext. 102
chacker@voicesforchildren.com
As our accounts manager, Connie Hacker is responsible for the financial activities at Voices. This includes the preparation of monthly financials, grant reports, the annual budget, payment of bills and preparation of payroll. Connie received her Master of Business Administration and BS in Accounting from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. She is also a Certified Management Accountant.
Shannon-Jo Hamilton, JD
Policy Associate – Child Welfare
(402) 597-3100 Ext. 111
shamilton@voicesforchildren.com
Shannon-Jo Hamilton is Voices for Children’s Child Welfare Policy Associate. Prior to relocating to Omaha and joining Voices, Shannon-Jo worked as both a Youth Case Manager for Henderson Behavioral Health and as a Dependency Case Manager for Children’s Home Society of Florida, where she discovered her passion for advocating the rights of abused, abandoned and neglected children. During her final year of law school and after graduation, Shannon-Jo interned with the Children’s Unit of Legal Aid Service of Broward County, Inc. where she developed her advocacy skills by assisting in the litigation of cases involving youth with delinquency and dependency crossover issues. Shannon-Jo holds a Juris Doctorate from Nova Southeastern University and a Bachelor’s of Arts in Political Science with a Minor in Criminology from Florida Atlantic University. She was admitted to the Florida Bar Association in December 2012.
Chrissy Hauschel, MPH
Research Coordinator
(402) 597-3100 Ext. 107
chauschel@voicesforchildren.com
Chrissy Hauschel is the Research Coordinator at Voices for Children in Nebraska. She is responsible for data collection, analysis, and compilation of the Kids Count in Nebraska annual report and development and support of any additional Voices for Children in Nebraska research projects. Chrissy holds a Master’s of Public Health Degree in Biostatistics from the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s College of Public Health. While working towards her master’s, she developed a strong passion for data analysis and research and its importance to advocacy and policy. Prior to joining Voices for Children, Chrissy worked as an advocate for young children and families under Early Head Start. She also has experience in teaching and making statistics accessible to a variety of populations.
Aubrey Mancuso, MSW
Policy Coordinator – Economic Stability & Health
(402) 597-3100 Ext. 112
amancuso@voicesforchildren.com
Aubrey Mancuso currently holds the position of Policy Coordinator for Economic Stability and Health at Voices for Children in Nebraska. She is responsible for overseeing Voices for Children’s policy and research efforts on family economic stability and health issues. Prior to joining Voices for Children, Aubrey worked for a non-profit providing service to chronically homeless adults with mental illness in New York. She also worked for the City of New York’s Food Stamp Program and United States Senator Jeff Bingaman. She holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Columbia University and a B.A. from Creighton University.
Courtnay VanDeVelde
Policy Associate – Economic Stability & Health
(402) 597-3100 Ext. 114
cvandevelde@voicesforchildren.com
Courtnay VanDeVelde is a year-long full-time volunteer with Lutheran Volunteer Corps (LVC). Prior to joining LVC and moving to Omaha, she worked at Partners in Excellence Autism Therapy Center as a Behavioral Therapist, providing one-on-one direct care for children on the Autism spectrum. In addition to her interests in behavioral health care, Courtnay traveled to Tanzania in 2011 and found a passion for advocating for vulnerable children here and around the world. Courtnay attended Minnesota State University, Mankato and majored in Psychology and Women’s Studies.
Jill Westfall, MPA
Communications & Operations Coordinator
(402) 597-3100 Ext. 106
jwestfall@voicesforchildren.com
Jill is a graduate of Creighton University, where she majored in Justice and Society. While at Creighton, Jill spent a year as an AmeriCorps member, working with Lutheran Family Service’s Strong Urban Neighborhoods Program in the Leavenworth Neighborhood of Omaha. Her experience in neighborhood development and working with low-income youth has developed her passion for improving systems that benefit children and help their families out of poverty. Before joining Voices for Children, Jill spent a year in Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN with Catholic Charities Volunteer Corps where she served as Policy Associate in the Office for Social Justice. She recently completed her Master’s in Public Administration at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
