OUR STAFF
"Parenting is hard work and takes a variety of strategies and methods to ensure we are raising strong, safe and stable children. That's the difference that SafeCare makes."
-SafeCare Provider
NSTRC Leadership
Dr. John R. Lutzker developed SafeCare® and its precedent program Project 12 Ways. Before retiring, Dr. Lutzker was the Director of The Mark Chaffin Center for Healthy Development and Distinguished University Professor of Public Health at Georgia State University, John Lutzker is a leading expert in child neglect and maltreatment prevention. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Kansas in Developmental and Child Psychology and has worked in a variety of settings including academia (Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, University of California, Irvine, Emory University), and the federal government (CDC as Distinguished Consultant and Chief, Prevention, Development and Evaluation Branch). Lutzker has had over 183 published articles, given over 480 presentations nationally and internationally, written 9 books, and given interviews for NPR, ABC’s Good Morning America, and served as a consultant for 60 Minutes.
Dr. Dan Whitaker is Co-Director of NSTRC, Distinguished Professor in the School of Public Health, and Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Affairs. He has a PhD in Social Psychology with concentration in Statistics and Research Design and has been with the Center since 2009.
Dr. Shannon Self-Brown is Co-Director of NSTRC, Professor, and Chair of the Department of Health Policy & Behavioral Sciences in the School of Public Health. She holds a doctorate in Clinical Psychology. Her research interests include adapting the SafeCare curriculum to meet the needs of specific populations.
Dr. JoAnne Bielecki is the Director of Training and Implementation at NSTRC. She holds a PhD in clinical psychology with specializations in developmental disabilities, developmental psychology. Dr. Bielecki has years of experience in behavioral training, guidance and clinical psychology.
Training & Operations Staff
Akilah Thomas, MPH, is the Assistant Director of International Initiatives and a Senior Training Specialist at NSTRC where she works to effectively educate, train, and support health and human services professionals to implement the evidence based SafeCare Parenting Program curriculum. Akilah specializes in SafeCare implementation in Australia and has led support in Australia since 2017. Akilah provides on-going consultation and support to sites implementing SafeCare and contributes to the revision of SafeCare curriculum and training protocols.
Courtney Jones, MPH, is a Senior Training Specialist at NSTRC where she conducts trainings and provides on-going consultation and support to sites implementing SafeCare, and contributes to the revision of SafeCare curriculum and training protocols.
Elizabeth McAdam, MS., is the Accreditation Manager and a Senior Training Specialist at NSTRC, where she conducts trainings and provides on-going consultation and support to sites implementing SafeCare, and contributes to the revision of SafeCare curriculum and training protocols.
Lacell Joseph, MS., is a Trainer Certification Manager and Senior Training Specialist at NSTRC where she conducts trainings and provides on-going consultation and support to sites implementing SafeCare. This includes active revision of the SafeCare curriculum (English and Spanish), accreditation and certification maintenance of sites, and updating training protocols.
Lisa Dickman Jackson, MPH, is the Operations Coordinator at NSTRC where she is responsible for coordinating Provider, Coach, and Trainer workshops and contributing to implementation logistics. In addition, Lisa coordinates the development of program evaluation tools and contributes to curriculum and workshop revisions and marketing efforts.
Roddey Jones, MPA, is a Senior Training Specialist at NSTRC where he conducts trainings and provides on-going consultation and support to sites implementing SafeCare, and contributes to the revision of SafeCare curriculum and training protocols. Roddey also represents NSTRC at national evidence-based parenting program consortiums.
Research Staff
Erin Weeks, MPH, is a Research Coordinator at NSTRC where she works with faculty to coordinate various research studies. She is currently coordinating the adaptation and implementation of the Parent-Child Interaction Module with refugees living in Clarkston, GA.
Juarndai Lei Gagnon is the Director of Grants, Contracts, and Finance for the Mark Chaffin Center for Healthy Development (MCCHD). She has been with the Center since 2011 and has over 20 years of experience in human resources, finance and operations within education, government and corporate sectors. Juarndai Lei holds an MBA in Financial Risk Management and Insurance from the J. Mack Robinson College of Business. She is married with two sons and loves the outdoors, playing basketball and traveling with her family.
Katy Spinks, M.Ed., is a Research Coordinator in the Mark Chaffin Center for Healthy Development (MCCHD) in the School of Public Health at Georgia State University, where she coordinates a grant that uses an app to support mothers of infants who are dealing with maternal depression. She also assists in managing grants and contracts for MCCHD, including NSTRC.
Danielle Rivers is a Research Coordinator in the National SafeCare Training and Research Center (NSTRC), which is housed in the Mark Chaffin Center for Healthy Development in the School of Public Health at Georgia State University. Danielle coordinates a grant focused on strengthening the relationship between DFCS and family treatment courts. Her professional interests include child maltreatment prevention, implementation research, and health disparities.