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.

2023 Service Award Recipients

Jodie Glaspie
Jodie Glaspie2023 Recipient
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 Hauswith
Keith Hauswith2023 Recipient
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.

Past Exemplary Service Award Recipients

Kaylo Brooks, MSW
Kaylo Brooks, MSW2022 Recipient
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.
Angela Obermiller
Angela Obermiller2022 Recipient
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.
Tamra Jokela2020 Recipient
Tamra Jokela dedicated over 35 years to supporting children and families in her social work career. Tamra has worked in multiple capacities supporting children and families, including in both the schools and in county services. Tamra worked for 32 years as an on-going case manager in child protection in Otter Tail County. In 2011, Tamra began working as a supervisor for the Otter Tail County Children and Family Services Unit. Tamra played a significant role in the SELF program for many years working with the young adults aging out of foster care. Tamra was the primary social worker working intensely with the families who participated in this Otter Tail County Family Dependency Courts, modeled after the drug courts/DWI/problem-solving courts. Tamra has been an integral part of the Children’s Justice Intiiaitve as an active member since its inception.
Becky Tripp
Becky Tripp2019 Recipient
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
Betty Woodland2019 Recipient
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
Karlene Kammerud Smith2019 Recipient
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.
2019 Honorable Nominees
Kristen Schroeder
Child Protection Investigator
Pine County

Lacey Smith
Child Protection Supervisor
Stearns County

Libbie Pelletier
Child Protection Supervisor, Family Assessment
Anoka County

Carole Cole
Carole Cole2018 Recipient
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.
Mary Gagnon
Mary Gagnon2018 Recipient
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.
Kari Rude
Kari Rude2018 Recipient
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.
2018 Honorable Nominees
Laurie York
ICW Director
White Earth Indian Child Welfare

Suzi Nerison
Child and Family Supervisor
Rice County Social Service

Sara Crotteau
Sara Crotteau2017 Recipient
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.
Julia Weisz
Julia Weisz2017 Recipient
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.
Helen Martin
Helen Martin2017 Recipient
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.
Jodi Heurung2016 Recipient
Jodi has over 18 years of experience in the field of child welfare. Jodi is a Lead Social Services Supervisor at Sherburne County. Jodi’s approach with families is to meet them where they are at, listen to what they have to say and then respectfully answer and address their concerns. Jodi remains curious and energetic in her work, thereby providing all the families we come in contact with the opportunity to heal and recover safety and stability. Jodi has been instrumental in arranging for AMBIT trauma-informed training and the pilot to help incorporate trauma-focused practices in Minnesota. She is a member of the AMBIT Leadership Team in Central Minnesota. Jodi is the Health & Human Services representative for the Sherburne County Children’s Justice Initiative (CJI) team and is an active participant in those meetings.
Michelle Lesley2016 Recipient
Michelle has over 27 years of experience as a social worker. Michelle is currently a Senior Social Worker at Hennepin County and is a Coordinator in the Family Group Decision Making (FGDM) Unit. In this capacity she applies FGDM values to work with families and youth in developing safe and stable connections in order to build capacity in youth, and to assist families and children in achieving desired outcomes. The values of FGDM are at the heart of Michelle’s social work practice, and they inspire the way that she works with vulnerable children and families. Michelle has worked with the Minnesota DHS Child Welfare Training System as a trainer and curriculum writer.
Heather Rosenthal2015 Recipient
Heather Rosenthal is a licensed social worker with Otter Tail County Human Services. She has worked as a child protection investigator for the past 13 years. She also helps facilitate the independent living skills groups for youth aging out of foster care for Otter Tail County. She facilitates multiple multi-disciplinary child protection teams. She also is involved in her community including being involved in her church and servicing on the Ottertail City Council for the past 7 years. Heather enjoys her job and working with various community agencies including law enforcement and probation to assist her clients with the services they need to address the safety needs of their children.
Mark Wilhelmson2015 Recipient
Mark Wilhelmson is a supervisor in the Child Protection Intake Unit at St. Louis County. Mark assisted in the creation of St. Louis County’s Indian Child Welfare Unit, creating an alliance with local tribal authorities and served as the unit’s first supervisor. Mark later became supervisor of the Initial Intervention Unit (IIU), monitoring the assessment and investigation of child maltreatment reports. Mark’s involvement on the Multi-disciplinary team of the First Witness Child Advocacy Center promotes the well-being of families whose children have experiences sexual abuse. Mark has impacted thousands of parents, children, and staff with his grounded and ethical guidance.