About the Award
The Child Welfare Exemplary Service Award was developed in early 2015 by the Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare (CASCW) in order to recognize Minnesota county and tribal child welfare supervisors and frontline workers for exemplary service to children and families.
Outstanding nominees will demonstrate a commitment to engaging families, engagement in strengths-based work with families, a focus on reducing disparities in the child welfare system, and utilization of research-supported practice.
2024 Service Award Recipients
Michelle Buysse
Michelle Buysse started her career with Lincoln, Lyon and Murray Human Services (which would eventually become Southwest Health and Human Services [SWHHS]) in May 2000 as a Child Welfare Social Worker. She was passionate about working with adolescents and stayed in that position until taking the Social Services Supervisor position in May 2008. Since then, she has supervised across several areas within SWHHS. Michelle is part of the child protection team, the children’s justice initiative team, the restorative practices stakeholder group, and many other children focused groups. She is the on-call supervisor on a rotating basis providing guidance to not only her own unit, but also children’s mental health and child protection units as well. She collaborates constantly with others within the agency and outside of the agency to find the best resources and services for families. One of her biggest accomplishments is implementing the Circle Program for SWHHS in 2011. She is a strong advocate for families and remains strengths-based in her work trying to prevent placements or shorten them in order to keep families unified. In her free time, Michelle enjoys spending time in Montana and with her husband, their two sons, and their families–especially their five grandchildren.
Allyssa Mashak
Allyssa Mashak is a supervisor with Hennepin County Child Protection’s 24-Hour Response Team. She holds her BSW from the University of St. Thomas, and she received her MSW/MBA from Augsburg University. She started with Hennepin County in 2016 as a Child Protection Screener, later transitioned to Child Protection Investigations, and has now spent the last four years in her current position. Prior to coming to the county, Allyssa held several positions with the YMCA’s Youth Intervention Services area doing work with youth via mentoring, probation, and violence prevention. She is passionate about serving families and supporting children. She is always looking for areas where she can work to reduce disparities for BIPOC families involved in the child welfare system. Allyssa’s nomination for this award stemmed from her leadership in coordinating a pilot that became a program in the fall of 2023 called The Prior TPR/TLC Support Program. The voluntary program supports expecting mothers with a prior loss of rights through Child Protection due to substance use and/or mental health concerns. The program allows Child Protection workers to engage with expecting mothers on a voluntary basis prior to the birth of their newborn, in efforts to ease anxieties about what will happen once the new baby is born. The program has goals of assessing the mother’s capacity to care for the newborn, preventing unnecessary removals, and planning for family/kin to care for the baby should the mother not be able to do this on her own.
Past Exemplary Service Award Recipients
Jodie has a Bachelor of Science in Social Work from St. Catherine University where her passion for child welfare began during the completion of an internship at Ramsey County in Child Protection Investigations. Jodie then obtained a Master’s of Social Work from the University of Minnesota, where she was a Title IV-E Scholar. Immediately after graduating, Jodie began her career in child welfare as a Child Specific Adoption Recruiter at Children’s Home Society where she worked for two months. She then worked at Anoka County as a Child Protection Case Manager for one and a half years before spending the same amount of time working at Ramsey County as a Child Protection Investigator. For the last 5 years, Jodie has worked at Hennepin County, where she was a Child Protection Investigator before being promoted to her current role as a Supervisor of a Child Protection Investigations unit. Additionally, Jodie was a Field Instructor in the part time MSW Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She taught seminar for MSW students enrolled in the Social Work Practice in Child and Family Welfare track for four years. Presently, Jodie is putting her LICSW to use, working part-time at Ellie Mental Health with a focus on providing trauma informed therapy to BIPOC youth.
Keith Hauswirth currently serves as a child protection case worker who carries his own case load and on occasion conducts co-case management activities with the Fond du Lac, Mille Lacs, Grand Portage, White Earth, Bois Forte, and Leech Lake Bands of Chippewa Indians. He is a veteran worker at Carlton County Public Health & Human Services and has been there for 23 years. Keith began his work in child welfare and child protection after switching careers in midlife. Since then, he has gone above and beyond in his work helping to develop a highly successful group home program in northeastern Minnesota (95% of whom did not return to the same or higher level of care). Keith’s impact has been long-lasting as youth have continually reached out to him decades after they completed his program. He went on to develop the Street Outreach Program with LSS before he started with Carlton County Public Health & Human Services. In his 23 years in Carlton County and prior work, Keith has collaborated extensively with other stakeholders to advocate for children and families, going above and beyond to make sure that the needs of kids were always in the forefront.
Angela Obermiller has worked for Nicollet County Health and Human Services for 13 years. During her time there, Angie has held multiple roles in their child welfare programs including children’s mental health case management, child protection case management and currently as supervisor of child protection, foster care licensing and child care licensing.
Angie consistently remains passionate about her work in child welfare, challenging everyone to do what is in the best interest of those we serve and remembering the “why” in the most difficult of times. She has a collaborative focus and works to establish close relationships between our agency, school social workers, law enforcement, and other community partners. Angie is also a strong advocate for the strengths-based perspective and utilizes it to prioritize the family’s voice in decision-making and planning. She helps families and case workers to build the tools they need to keep families intact whenever safely possible.
Additionally, Angie is a member of the Juvenile Screening Team (JST) which meets prior to children entering placement for mental health treatment. This position allows her to continue her dedication to making sure that all Nicollet County children are raised in stable and healthy homes with families who have what they need to care for them.
Outside of work, Angie has 3 adult children making their way in the world and enjoys the simple pleasures of nature, good food and laughter. She is involved with her community as a board member of Connecting Nicollet County (a community leadership development program) and as an election judge for the City of Saint Peter.
Angie consistently remains passionate about her work in child welfare, challenging everyone to do what is in the best interest of those we serve and remembering the “why” in the most difficult of times. She has a collaborative focus and works to establish close relationships between our agency, school social workers, law enforcement, and other community partners. Angie is also a strong advocate for the strengths-based perspective and utilizes it to prioritize the family’s voice in decision-making and planning. She helps families and case workers to build the tools they need to keep families intact whenever safely possible.
Additionally, Angie is a member of the Juvenile Screening Team (JST) which meets prior to children entering placement for mental health treatment. This position allows her to continue her dedication to making sure that all Nicollet County children are raised in stable and healthy homes with families who have what they need to care for them.
Outside of work, Angie has 3 adult children making their way in the world and enjoys the simple pleasures of nature, good food and laughter. She is involved with her community as a board member of Connecting Nicollet County (a community leadership development program) and as an election judge for the City of Saint Peter.
Kaylo has worked in social services for 25 years and spent the last 15 of those with Crow Wing County. There, Kaylo maintains a full caseload primarily made up of young parents from 14 to 25. She does all their minor parent assessments and works to prevent deeper involvement with the system such as CHIPS. Working with parents, especially those dealing with substance use, has been of particular interest to Kaylo. Before coming to Crow Wing County, Kaylo worked with Lutheran Social Service for 5 years as a youth and family mentor and facilitated a sobriety support group for youth. She currently runs a weekly skills group for young moms using the Positive Power Parenting curriculum and has worked with many moms experiencing chemical use addictions. Having some lived experience with this, Kaylo connects with clients in meaningful goals, and supports them in their quest for sobriety with much success.
One of Kaylo’s most salient gifts is the uncanny ability she has to establish a positive rapport with clients. She comes alongside each family and works hard to help them develop the skills they need to be healthy and successful. Kaylo works directly with her clients by modeling skills with real examples and practicing with them. Kaylo works with each family to develop meaningful goals and she holds them accountable in a firm yet supportive manner.
On a macro level, Kaylo also speaks to community groups about the effects of poverty, chemical use, and mental illness within our county-wide community and beyond.
One of Kaylo’s most salient gifts is the uncanny ability she has to establish a positive rapport with clients. She comes alongside each family and works hard to help them develop the skills they need to be healthy and successful. Kaylo works directly with her clients by modeling skills with real examples and practicing with them. Kaylo works with each family to develop meaningful goals and she holds them accountable in a firm yet supportive manner.
On a macro level, Kaylo also speaks to community groups about the effects of poverty, chemical use, and mental illness within our county-wide community and beyond.
Becky Tripp is a Social Services Supervisor with the Wilkin County Family Service Agency has passionately served children and their families over the past thirteen years. She has engaged families by advocating for the implementation of the Intensive Adolescent Chemical Dependency/Substance Use Disorder Outpatient Treatment Program. She has also practiced strengths-based principles with families by researching and implementing the Family Community Support Services Program in Wilkin County. Her role as supervisor over multiple areas allows her to provide Child Welfare staff with guidance on engaging families from a systems perspective to address underlying concerns that contribute to child safety issues. Becky received her Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from the University of Minnesota-Moorhead and her Master’s Degree in Social Work as an IV-E Child Welfare Scholar from the University of Minnesota-Saint Paul. She is currently working toward her Doctorate in Social Work. Becky supervises Child Welfare/Child Protection Programs, Children’s Mental Health, Adult Mental Health, Adult Protection, Substance Use Disorder, Developmental Disabilities, and Waiver Programs. Prior to working for Wilkin County, Becky worked in Child Welfare with the State of New Mexico and Richland County, North Dakota. In addition, she advocated for children exposed to domestic violence and individuals with developmental disabilities. She also provided intensive residential services to youth at the Circle of Nations, Native American Boarding School in Wahpeton, North Dakota.
Betty Woodland is currently employed as an Adoption Resource Worker at Hennepin County Health and Human Services Department. She has worked as a Senior Social Worker for the Department since June 1989 in a variety of positions, most of which have been in Adoption. Her assignments have been as a Family Services Intake Worker, a Guardianship Worker, an Adoption Home Study Worker and Trainer through a loaned position with the African American Adoption Agency, a Child Specific Adoption Recruiter, a Foster Care Licensor, a Kinship Worker, and her current assignment. Betty and her husband, David, have four children who are now adults, three of whom were adopted, and are the blessed and proud grandparents of eleven unique and amazing grandchildren. Her children and grandchildren have taught her much and bring her great joy. Betty’s undergraduate degree was in Elementary Education, with specializations in Early Childhood and Special Education from West Virginia University. After adopting their fourth child, Betty and David realized his developmental and educational needs could not be met in Mississippi at that time and moved to Minnesota to seek better resources. Betty enrolled in the Social Work program at the University of Minnesota and graduated with her MSW in 1989. Betty is passionate in her commitment to find and support loving, committed adoptive families for each of her clients, who vary in age from infancy to adolescence and have all come through the Child Protection system. She is in awe of the courage and resilience of the brave children and youth with whom she works, as well as the passion, creativity, and commitment of the families who adopt them.
Karlene Kammerud Smith has worked in and around Chisago County for the past 29 years. Karlene has worked as a Guardian ad Litem, Family Court Case Manager, intake worker, alternative response worker, children’s services planner, and child protection investigator. In 2014, Karlene became the Children’s Services Supervisor at Chisago County. Currently Karlene supervises intake, investigation, family assessment and parent support outreach. Karlene participated in the Domestic Violence Workgroup through the MN Department of Human Services to help create guidelines for maltreatment of children when there is domestic violence present in the home. Karlene has provided workshops at the annual MSSA conference and the St. Louis County Health & Human Services conference. These workshops were on Shared Family Care, Intensive Family Court and Truancy. Karlene has focused her practice on believing in families and their innate ability to find their way back using their strengths as a guiding force. Karlene has looked beyond the immediate picture to see what could be developed, strengthened and achieved with just some time and patience. This practice has shown successful outcomes when other professionals were skeptical. When she is not working, Karlene enjoys spending time with her family, friends and her dog Winchester.
Carole Cole, M.A., has been an investigative child protection social worker for 26 years with the last 25 years working for Carver County Health and Human Services. After being introduced to Dr. Andrew Turnell and the Signs of Safety Approach to handling child protection back in 2005, Carole adopted this innovative, strengths based, safety organized approach in her practice as an investigator. She has since become a trainer for DHS, and licensed trainer for Resolutions Consultancy, spreading the Signs of Safety approach around the state of MN and around the world. Wrapping safety around children by pulling in a network of their family and safe people to create a plan with the parents, utilizing strengths and “signs of safety” that already exist, has been the most rewarding and meaningful aspect of Carole’s career. Carole is extremely proud of her four children, Matthew, John, Adrienne and Alexander, raised in Jordan, MN where Carole still resides.
Kari Rude graduated in 1999 from Minnesota State University. Kari worked at Clay County Social Services for 10 years in the child protection unit. Kari is currently a Child Protection Supervisor employed at Grant County Social Services and has served in that capacity for over 5 years. Grant County is unique in that there is a supervisor sharing agreement with Pope County and Traverse County. Kari supervises child protection
programs in all three counties. Kari serves on a multitude of interdisciplinary committees related to child protection, with the most recent team being a peer reviewer for near fatality cases with the Department of Human Services.
programs in all three counties. Kari serves on a multitude of interdisciplinary committees related to child protection, with the most recent team being a peer reviewer for near fatality cases with the Department of Human Services.
Mary Gagnon lives with her family and spouse of 22 years, in Mahnomen, MN. She enjoys nature and attending traditional ceremonies. Mary has worked for White Earth Indian Child Welfare for ten years in several positions. Most recently, she was the Cultural Coordinator and managed the Gizhawaaso Program. Gizhawaaso was the Anishinaabe name, given by the late Joe Fairbanks, to the Indian Child Welfare Program. It translates to the protectors of the young. The Gizhawaaso program is a culturally specific program that prevents out of home placement. The workers develop a culturally specific case plan that is developed with the family. The Gizhawaaso Program was Mary’s favorite endeavor in her years at Indian Child Welfare.
Sara Crotteau, MSW, LGSW, received her bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Social Work with a minor in Native American Social Work from the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point in 2010 and went on to obtain her master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Minnesota in 2012. She’s currently employed by Hennepin County Child Protection in the ICWA section, where she works to preserve American Indian families involved in the child welfare system that qualify under the Indian Child Welfare Act.
Helen Martin, MSW, began her career with Hennepin County in 1989 as a clerk in Housing Court where she worked for five years before transferring to Juvenile Court. Her work in the courts led Helen to the decision that she wanted to work in Social Services and she was accepted into Augsburg College’s weekend program where she received a BSW in the fall of 1999. Helen worked as a Child Services Social Worker for seven years, ensuring the well-being of children who were in out of home placement due to maltreatment. Helen earned her MSW from the University of MN, and was a IV-E Child Welfare Scholar. Following her graduation, Helen worked as a Child Protection Case Manager for 5 years. Helen is currently a Child Protection Investigation Unit Supervisor.
Julia Weisz, LSW, a licensing specialist and adoption case manager in Morrison County. Julia worked as a licensor for child care, child foster care and adult foster care for Morrison County earlier in her career. In 2002, Julia became a case manager for state wards and since that time has finalized the adoptions of 83 children. Julia earned her Master of Social Work degree from Moorhead State University.