LIZ GALLASPY
Union City
Summary
Extensive Management and Leadership Skills. Exceptional Communicator, Team builder and Motivator. Creative at conflict resolution, organization and strategic planning.
Established Clinician with over 30 years of experience in Child Welfare, Adoption, Foster Care and Acute Psychiatric Treatment.
Exceptional Speaker and Trainer in virtual and or in person. Dynamic individual and group leader.
Overview
29
29
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Instructor Coordinator & TAC Coordinator
Georgia State University School of Social Work
12.2009 - Current
- Coordinator and Lead Facilitator Training Adoption Coordinator since 2015
- Instructor Coordinator/Trainer for licensed professional staff, adoption, foster parents and community partners.
- Train Foster/Adoptive Parents on Childhood Trauma
- Training (s): Recognizing Signs and Symptoms of Trauma, How Trauma Impacts the Functionality of the Brain. Secondary Trauma Stress, Addiction, LGBTQ+, Equity in Foster Care, Psychological Safety, Signs of Bullying, Poverty Informed Care, Family Centered Practice, Interviewing Skills, Family Team Meetings, Legal II, Child Welfare and the Courts,
- Learning Coaches by the Butler Institute
- Collaborated with colleagues to design interdisciplinary lessons, promoting a comprehensive understanding of subject matter.
President & Co-Founder
The Children’s Center Of Metro Atlanta (Adoption & Foster Care Agency)
08.2004 - 01.2009
- Co-Founder of this non-profit Agency geared towards providing permanency through Adoption and Foster care services to infants, children and adolescents
- Oversight of the day to day operations
- Responsible for the program development, implementation of contractual services
- Worked in partnership with state entities, DFCS, DHR
- Developed Training Manuals for Adoption & Foster parents as well as developed training curriculum for staff development and ongoing trainings to improve delivery of services to the customers.
Clinical Social Worker
Anchor Hospital-PRN
09.1994 - Current
- Facilitate Process, Psycho-educational, and Chemical Dependency Groups with adolescents and adults in this acute care facility
- Duties consisted of but not limited to; completion of psychosocial assessments, treatment plans and chemical dependency assessments in a timely manner
- Improved client well-being by conducting comprehensive assessments, developing tailored treatment plans, and providing ongoing support.
- Conduct family therapy, individual and group therapy
- Work primarily with dual diagnosed patients that were civilians as well as military personnel.
- Enhanced patient outcomes by coordinating care with multidisciplinary teams, including physicians, nurses, and therapists.
Lead Trainer- DHR/DFCS
SACWIS/SHINES
08.2006 - 06.2008
- One of a team of 12 Lead Trainers responsible for training over 4000 DFCS/DHR state employees on the federally mandated Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System
- Trained throughout the state of Georgia by addressing, Child Welfare, Child Protection Services, Foster Care, OFI, Relative Care Subsidy, Interstate Compact, Adoptions etc...
- Responsible for learning volumes of the training curriculum as well as learning the database developed by the State of Georgia in a time limited project
- Responsible for refining course development, delivering training, design and writing courses.
Project Manager
Project Hope/FEMA
05.2005 - 02.2007
- Responsible for the day to day supervision/operations of a team of six professional staff that provided field work to survivors of Hurricane Katrina that moved to the Atlanta Metropolitan area
- As part of this FEMA funded program, ensure that evacuees residing in the 14 South Metro counties received needed services
- Streamlined project processes by implementing Agile methodologies, resulting in increased efficiency and reduced costs.
- Trained staff on disaster preparedness, managing crisis, suicide prevention, warning signs of depression in children and adults etc..
- Worked in collaboration with private, state and federal entities
- Ensure monthly reporting and documentation of required services
- Tracking and reviewing research design data and the impact on the recovery process.
Director of State Adoption Contracts
Bethany Christian Services
09.2002 - 08.2005
- Responsible for State Adoption contracts for this national not-for-profit agency
- Managed and work in partnership with Georgia Department of Human Resources; Office of Adoptions
- Increased company revenue by streamlining processes and implementing cost-saving measures.
- Supervises the day-to-day operations of this program
- Responsible for state contracts ranging from meeting the deliverables outlined in the contract to managing the yearly fiscal budget
- Enhanced team collaboration through regular communication, goal setting, and performance evaluations.
- Provides supervision to 15 contractual staff and full time employees
- Monitors this agency compliance with federal and state mandates.
Assistant Director of Adoptions & Kinship Care
ROOTS, Inc.
07.1997 - 07.2003
- Direct supervision of the Adoption Supervisor(s) and Kinship Care Supervisor responsible for 14 full time staff and 5 contractual staff
- Completed administrative duties consisting of monthly reports to the Executive Director, DFCS and DHR
- Provide annual evaluations, weekly case supervision, supervise interns, coordinated activities for independent contractors
- Also, ensured that deliverables for assigned tasks and duties are carried out, in addition to updating and maintaining the placement log and relevant client databases
- Monitor this agency’s compliance with state and federal contracts, i.e
- State Office of Adoptions and DHR, First Placement/Best Placement
- Finally representing the agency in public relations, via TV or radio.
Education
Master's Social Work (MSW) - School of Social Work
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI12.1987
Bachelor's of Social Work (BSW) - School of Social Work
Mississippi Valley State University
Itta Bena, MS05.1986
Associates Degree - Liberal Arts And Sciences
East Center Community College
Decatur, MS05.1983
Skills
- TBRI Practitioner (October 2023)
- TAC (Training Adoption Competency) Coordinator @ Georgia State University
- TAC Trainer for CASE (Center for Adoption Support and Education) since 2015
- Adoption, Trauma and Poverty Informed Expert
- Practice Analyst Member Association of Social Work Board
- Dynamic Speaker, Training Delivery, Program Management, Multicultural Awareness Masterful and Impeccable Trainer/Facilitator
- Past President of GALAA (Georgia Association of Licensed Adoption Agencies)2005-2007
- Member NABSW (National Association of Black Social Workers)
- Member Local Chapter ABSW(Association of Black Social Workers)
Websites
References
REFERENCES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST
Certification
- Licensed Master's Social Worker-State of Georgia-September 1994, State of Mississippi 1988.
- Association of Social Worker Boards, Practice Analyst-Culpeper, VA.
- Trust Based Relational Intervention (TBRI-Practitioner-October 2023)
- Current Board President Barnabas International
- Past Statewide President (Georgia Association of Licensed Adoption Agencies)
- Board Secretary Welcome All Park (community recreational program)
- Member National Association of Black Social Workers
- Chapter Member Atlanta Association of Social Black Workers
- CPR Certified
- Handle with Care Certified (Crisis Intervention)
Timeline
Instructor Coordinator & TAC Coordinator
Georgia State University School of Social Work
12.2009 - Current
Lead Trainer- DHR/DFCS
SACWIS/SHINES
08.2006 - 06.2008
Project Manager
Project Hope/FEMA
05.2005 - 02.2007
President & Co-Founder
The Children’s Center Of Metro Atlanta (Adoption & Foster Care Agency)
08.2004 - 01.2009
Director of State Adoption Contracts
Bethany Christian Services
09.2002 - 08.2005
Assistant Director of Adoptions & Kinship Care
ROOTS, Inc.
07.1997 - 07.2003
Clinical Social Worker
Anchor Hospital-PRN
09.1994 - Current
Master's Social Work (MSW) - School of Social Work
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Bachelor's of Social Work (BSW) - School of Social Work
Mississippi Valley State University
Associates Degree - Liberal Arts And Sciences
East Center Community College
- Licensed Master's Social Worker-State of Georgia-September 1994, State of Mississippi 1988.
- Association of Social Worker Boards, Practice Analyst-Culpeper, VA.
- Trust Based Relational Intervention (TBRI-Practitioner-October 2023)
- Current Board President Barnabas International
- Past Statewide President (Georgia Association of Licensed Adoption Agencies)
- Board Secretary Welcome All Park (community recreational program)
- Member National Association of Black Social Workers
- Chapter Member Atlanta Association of Social Black Workers
- CPR Certified
- Handle with Care Certified (Crisis Intervention)
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