Social Work Advisory Council

Gladys Alvarez

Gladys Noll Alvarez MSW, LISW, IMH-E ® is the Trauma Informed Care (TIC) Project Coordinator at Orchard Place/ Child Guidance Center.  She has worked with children and families since 1976 when she was a counselor with the Upward Bound program at Coe College. She earned her BA at Luther College in Social Work and Psychology, her Masters in Social Work at the University of Iowa and has been engaged in two separate year-long learning collaborative activities through the National Child Traumatic Stress Network. She is trained in Trauma Focused-Cognitive Behavior Therapy (TF-CBT) and Child Parent Psychotherapy (CPP). In June 2018 she received the Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health Endorsement as an Infant Mental Health Mentor-Clinical and is the first Level IV IMH-E ® in Iowa. 

Ms. Alvarez was a member of the C.A.N. Prevention Council, chairs the Steering Committee for the Regional Child Protection Center, is a member of the Model Court Team in Polk County, was part of the Court Improvement Task Force in 2005/2006, is a member of the Zero to Three Safe Babies Court Team in Polk County, Charter Board Member of Shalom Zone Ministries from 1997-2005, a member of the Iowa Association of Infant & Young Children’s Mental Health, and an active member of her church focusing on children’s issues. 

She has provided clinical therapeutic services for children and families who have experience trauma for over 30 years. In her role as the TIC Project Coordinator, she coordinates the networking of the TIC Project Stakeholder’s group and provides trainings on trauma informed care throughout the state and nationally. Ms. Alvarez coordinates the annual Psychological Trauma & Juvenile Justice conference, bringing national speakers on trauma to educate professionals and promote systemic change.

Ms. Alvarez is the recipient of many awards: the AL Schulte Award in 2000 for professionalism, dedication and personal commitment to providing services for children and their families; the “Voice of the Children” award in 2008, presented by Orchard Place in recognition of exceptional commitment and service to the children of receiving services from that agency; and in 2011 she received the Michele A. Moore Award of Distinction for work in child advocacy.

Her passion is providing education and trainings which promote a trauma-informed care approach to interactions with children, families and in the work environment.

Sharaine Conner

Sharaine Conner, LISW, IADC is currently working as a mental health and addictions therapist in private practice at Serenity Counseling and an adjunct instructor for multiple schools at the collegiate level. She completed her undergraduate degree in Social Work with an emphasis in education at the University of Iowa and received her master's degree in Clinical Social Work from the University of New England. She is certified International Alcohol and Drug Counselor who has been in the field since 2010. She continues to work with all sorts of diverse cultures and populations of individuals. Her specialties include anger management, addictions, domestic violence, reentry offenders, sexual dysfunction, sexual health and wellness, and relationship counseling. She is certified to use the addiction screening tool, the SASSI, and provide premarital counseling using the SYMBIS assessment. 

Sharaine has researched and developed several evidenced-based curriculums for adolescents and adults as well as provided trainings in the community on topics such as diversity, microaggressions, vicarious trauma, human sexuality, addiction, LGBTQIA+. She has also provided training on clinical skills such as assessment, evaluation, ASAMs, treatment planning and documentation to other helping professionals. She hopes to one day to create a human sexuality and wellness program and be published. 

When she is not providing therapy services, teaching, or training, she volunteers as a member of the Iowa Board of Certification’s Training and Ethics committees, is the IT/Webmaster and board member for the Iowa Club of Des Moines and is a member of the Iowa Chapter of NASW. Or you may find her with a good book, and spending time with her partner and three dogs. 

Amy Ostrander Croll

Amy Ostrander Croll brings more than twenty years of experience working directly with youth and in youth development program and policy development. She has served as a trainer in best practices and organizational and program development for youth-serving professionals locally and nationally since 2001. Amy served as a field consultant for the David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality/Forum for Youth Investment, currently serves as a lead Iowa trainer for the Wyman Center’s Teen Outreach Program, and serves as a trainer and coach for the Iowa Department of Public Health Bureau of Substance Abuse Prevention. Amy’s style is grounded in experience, working as a youth worker and supervisor in child welfare/juvenile justice settings, developing community-based prevention programming, coordinating a state-level collaborative body that aligned state and local level policies and practices, and growing a non-profit from the ground up. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from Luther College, a Master’s of Social Work from the University of Iowa, and is certified as a Certified Prevention Specialist and a Licensed Social Worker. Email Amy at amy @ cyconcepts.org.

Julie Fugenschuh

Julie Fugenschuh, LMSW, is the Executive Director for Project IOWA and has served in this capacity since March 2011. Her educational background and experience is in guiding the work and research around employment and systematic barriers for marginalized populations. She has experience and knowledge about community-driven initiatives and collaborations. Julie has worked in the educational system and managed large community initiatives in the Des Moines area. She was also a primary founder of the Urbandale Food Pantry. Julie is the mother of seven children and has experience as a foster/adoptive mother. She holds a Master of Social Work from the University of Iowa and is licensed in the State of Iowa.

Janee Harvey

Janee C. Harvey was employed as a social worker in New York City for more than a decade before transplanting to Des Moines in 2015. She is a graduate of Hunter College with an MSW and is credentialed as an LCSW and LISW. She has worked with runaway and homeless teens, LGBTQ youth, and families, and children and youth involved with the child welfare system for the past 16 years. She currently serves as the Bureau Chief for Child Welfare and Community Services at the Iowa Department of Human Services.

 Kylee Hoffman

Janice Lane

Janice Lane is the CEO of Children & Families of Iowa (CFI), a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of Iowa’s children and families that are system involved and families that have experienced life of trauma. She joined the CFI team in 1998 serving as the Program Director of the Ankeny Site for 10 years. In 2008, she was promoted to the role of Chief Operations Officer for eight years, where she managed five divisions within CFI, including Mental Health, Substance Abuse, Domestic Violence Services, Teen Programs and Family Support Services. In 2015, she was promoted to her current role as CEO.

She serves on several community committees throughout Iowa, including Iowa Children’s Justice Advisory Board, co-chair of the DHS: Cultural and Equity Alliance Committee, Grand View University Social Work Advisory Board, Des Moines Symphony Board of Trustees. Most recently, she was invited to serve as a member of the Iowa Team Results Count initiative through the Annie E. Casey Foundation. She received her Master’s Degree in Rehabilitative Counseling from the University of Iowa. Her achievements include the YWCA Women of Achievement in 1998, University of Iowa Phi Alpha Honor Society in the School of Social Work in 2012.

Jaime McClure

Jaime McClure is Executive Director and a therapist at LifeWorks, Inc., with offices in Ankeny and Des Moines. She is a Licensed Independent Social Worker working primarily with adolescents and adults, specializing in divorce, co-parenting, substance abuse, adult ADHD, anxiety and mood disorders. Jaime is a proud Grand View alum, class of 1999.

Denise Rathman

Denise Rathman, MSW, has been the executive director of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), Iowa Chapter since December 2013. This position allows her to utilize the variety of skills she has obtained during her career such as workforce development; public policy, including lobbying and government relations; community and political organizing; and campaign and election compliance. Prior to working for NASW Iowa, she facilitated the Advanced Manufacturing Workforce Partnership for Central Iowa Works, served as the Executive Director of the Iowa Innovation Gateway and was the project manager for the Siouxland Tri-State Regional Innovation Grant. Her campaign experience includes working on US Senator Tom Harkin’s 1990 re-election campaign, his 1992 presidential campaign and during the 1994 cycle for the national fundraising office of the Committee to Re-Elect Senator Edward M. Kennedy.

In 2000 Denise earned her Masters in Social Work from the National Catholic School of Social Service. Her undergraduate degree is from Drake University, where she majored in international relations. When considering a response to the question, Why social work? she explains, “I made a very conscious decision to earn an MSW because I wanted to do graduate level studies that somehow combined what I then described as ‘psychology and politics,’ now known as ‘human behavior in the social environment.’ My goal was to help create public and social policies that actually take into account the way that people behave. As a macro social worker, I can call upon all of my peers, colleagues, and NASW members to help inform social policy at the state and federal level.”

Jenn Stalder

Jenn Stalder supervises the SUCCESS Program for Des Moines Public Schools. SUCCESS provides intensive case management support to high risk elementary and middle school students and their families and reengages high school students who have disengaged from school back into the appropriate educational pathway. The program’s goal is to have ALL students experience school success and graduate from high school.

Haley Stoll

My name is Haley Stoll, and I am an alumni representative on the advisory council. I am a Des Moines native who graduated from Grand View University in 2017 with my Bachelors in Social Work (BSW). My first career stop after graduation was working in Family, Safety, Risk, and Permanency (FSRP) services for Boys Town of Iowa, and I am transitioning into a different Boys Town position, with Des Moines Public Schools as an In-Home Family Consultant. My goal is to serve the next generation in our community and inspire other professionals in being the change in others’ lives.

Joe Wernau

I am a senior student representative of the Grand View Social Work Advisory Council. I am thankful for this opportunity to play a small role in shaping the GVU social work program, as well as the chance to network with local leaders in the field. I am extremely passionate about social work, specifically macro/advocacy work. I hope to apply what I learn during my time on the council in my future career in macro social work.

Ilima Young-Dunn

Ilima Young-Dunn is the Program Chairperson for the Human Services Program at DMACC coordinating the Human Service program on 5 different campuses. She has been a full-time Professor at DMACC since 2005 specializing in teaching in the areas of diversity, equity, and social justice. Ilima is the Advisor for the Urban Campus Genders Sexualities Alliance (GSA). She received her Bachelor’s and Master’s in Social Work from the University of Iowa. She is also a Darkness to Light facilitator for the Stewards of Children Program, training community members and students on how to prevent child sexual abuse and keep children safe. She is also a Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) trainer for central Iowa and newly appointed member of the Foster Care Review Board for Polk County. 

Ilima received the 2015 Social Worker of the Year award from the National Association of Social Workers Iowa Chapter and serves on several different Boards and committees in the community. In her free time, she leads the only halau (hula school) in Iowa. She enjoys spending time with her family, dancing hula, playing drums in an all-female band called Feminine Hyjinx, and working on converting an old church shuttle bus into a camper to roam the country with her family.