SEATTLE – Casey Family Programs, the nation’s largest foundation dedicated solely to providing and improving—and ultimately preventing the need for—foster care, announced today the promotion and hiring of two managing directors. Chiemi Davis was promoted to direct the child welfare practice improvement team, and Benjamin de Haan was hired to run state strategy. Davis and de Haan round out Casey’s systems’ improvement leadership team, which is dedicated to promoting improvements in child welfare practice and policy.
Chiemi Davis has spent her career working to improve the safety, permanence and well-being of youth in and transitioning from foster care. Since being promoted to senior director of permanency services in 2002, Davis has managed the development and effective use of practice methods, tools, and models to improve outcomes for children, youth, and families impacted by foster care. Davis joined Casey Family Programs in 1995 as social work supervisor. As managing director of the child welfare practice improvement team, Davis will oversee achievement of the team’s overarching goals: to ensure youth have supportive connections to family, home, and community, and to prepare them to make a successful transition into adulthood.
As director of the Criminal Justice Policy Research Institute at Portland State University since 2003 and long time child welfare administrator, Benjamin de Haan, who has a doctorate in social work and social research, has provided research and consulting services to practitioners and policy makers across the nation. De Haan will lead Casey Family Programs’ system improvement efforts focused in Casey’s core seven states: Arizona, Alaska, Californian, Idaho, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. Through positive relationships with child welfare leaders and advocates, state strategy will continue working to improve the lives of youth in care, and will help youth make the transition from foster care to independent living.
“Seasoned leaders such as Benjamin and Chiemi are critical to helping Casey Family Programs improve opportunities for successful adulthoods for youth and children in foster care,” said Carol Boone, executive vice president, systems improvement for Casey Family Programs. “Each year 800,000 young people spend time in foster care in this country, and they deserve accomplished professionals such as Benjamin and Chiemi working on their behalf. Chiemi and Benjamin bring not only passion but deep and expansive education and work experience to our efforts.”
Note to photo editors: photos of Chiemi Davis and Benjamin de Haan are available on request. For photos please contact Tod Steward at 206.694.0005.
About Systems Improvement
The Systems Improvement group at Casey Family Programs draws on expert research and analysis, as well as 40 years of experience providing direct services, to improve outcomes for children and youth in foster care, and increase accountability in the child welfare system. Systems Improvement also works to prevent the need for foster care by helping parents and communities strengthen families.