Anahí Salazar Angulo is the Policy Coordinator at Voices for Children in Nebraska. She is committed to making the state of Nebraska the best place for kids to grow up in and live full healthy lives. She believes in the impact of community collaboration and advocacy, at any age. With a background in education and non-profit work, Anahí strives to be a support for community leaders who are helping bring justice and equity to Nebraska.
Ronette Steffes is the Finance Director at Voices for Children. Ronette has worked in Non-Profit Accounting and Administration for the past 20 years. Ronette holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from Bellevue University. In her free time Ronette enjoys camping and spending time with her family, which includes her husband Paul, their three daughters, three grandsons, and three grand pups.
Juliet is passionate about equity, justice, and getting our systems right for kids. She has been an elementary school teacher, a public defender, and previously served as the Policy Coordinator for Voices for Children for six years. Most recently she utilized her legal skills defending youth as the staff attorney at the Creighton Law School Juvenile Justice Legal Clinic and a contracting attorney with the nonprofit Education Rights Counsel. She is excited to be returning to system-advocacy work and the Voices for Children team. Juliet, her husband Matt, and their three kids like to spend their time out and about at baseball games and theater performances or lounging at home with their sweet old dog and bossy three-legged cat.
Josh Shirk is the Research Coordinator at Voices for Children in Nebraska. Josh recently graduated from UNO with a Ph.D. in public administration. His research has appeared in Administration & Society and Community Development. His primary role with Voices for Children is the yearly publication Kids Count. In his free time, Josh enjoys spending time with his wife and two children, playing pick-up basketball, and reading continental philosophy.
LaKeisha Phelps is the Youth and Family Engagement Coordinator at Voices for Children in Nebraska. She is committed to helping young people develop stronger relationships and collective identities while living a healthy lifestyle. Prior to Joining Voices for Children Lakeisha worked as a Youth Advocate, where she used a positive youth development framework to build and facilitate a program curriculum rooted in juvenile justice. A quote LaKeisha lives by: “If my life were a map, it would be safe to say my compass would be pointing north, towards a better future for myself, my family, and Nebraska.”
Michael Watkins is the Fund Development and Marketing Manager at Voices for Children in Nebraska. He is a University of Iowa graduate (BA and MA) and has more than 25 years of experience in marketing, communications and development – that past 10 years with nonprofits. He is an award-winning local, regional and national writer and communicator. When he’s not working, he enjoys playing tennis, watching movies, working in his yard and on his house and spending time with family and friends.
