Awards

The Child Welfare Leadership Award recognizes Minnesota Leaders for their outstanding statewide contributions to child welfare practice.

• Suzanne Arntson is the Deputy Director of Public Health & Social Services at Scott County. She has dedicated her career to children and families, and has consistently demonstrated her leadership and commitment, particularly for rural counties, and by driving a variety of pilots and practice models.
• Suzanne has also focused on serving Spanish-speaking families who have resettled in the Scott County area.
• Scott County’s Family Resource Center offers a wide range of services and support and is committed to fostering a sense of community and to reduce stress on county residents.
• Suzanne wants people to see the center as a place that welcomes everybody, no matter what barriers or challenges they may be facing. 

Past Award Winners

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.

• Emma Louise Rodriguez is a Child Protection Investigator for the Indian Child Welfare unit in Hennepin County.
• Emma’s overall passion is serving the Native American community as well as the work that can be done for children and families with collateral and multidisciplinary coordination.
• In 2021, Emma worked on the start up of the MLC drug court program, where a large majority of the population she worked with were Native American.
• Emma’s current work focuses on supporting children and families impacted by the Indian Child Welfare Act and the Minnesota African American Family Preservation and Child Welfare Disproportionality Act.
• Emma also has previous child welfare experience in Mille Lacs County. She is forward-thinking in her efforts, considering the long-term impacts of child welfare work on families and children and approaching her role with an equity lens. Emma supports her colleagues and community with compassion, respect, and dedication. 

Past Award Winners

The Child Welfare Change Maker Award was developed in 2018 in order to recognize the significant work and dedication of child welfare stakeholders whose impact positively affects change in child welfare practice, policy and research across Minnesota. The 2018 inaugural year Child Welfare Change Maker Award was awarded to the Minnesota Office of the Ombudsperson for Families to recognize and honor their critical work with children and families.

• The Sauer Family Foundation’s mission is to invest in strengthening the well-being of children so they thrive in their families and communities.
• They have consistently demonstrated their ability to leverage resources and gather community members to address innovative needs in child welfare.
• They have done incredibly impactful work throughout the state of Minnesota, with priority given to the seven-county metro area.
• They work in settings that serve children who are at-risk or experiencing abuse or neglect, exposed to toxic stress/trauma, or have challenges developing reading, writing and math skills. This includes schools and early childhood settings, non-profit and research organizations, government agencies, collaboratives, and networks.

• Colleen O'Keefe is the Executive Director of the Sauer Family Foundation. Colleen and the Sauer family are committed to improving the lives of disadvantaged children and their families in Minnesota.
• There are two things that Colleen cares about deeply: holding space for others to share their experiences, and using philanthropy to make a difference in people’s lives.
• Colleen knows that grantmaking is done in the context of large systems encompassing nonprofits as well as government agencies. And, she is committed to connecting with people in different parts of the child welfare system to better understand the system as a whole and where the foundation can and has added real value.
• With Colleen’s guidance, the Sauer Family Foundation has been able to look at underlying causes, focus on prevention, and target its support to remove barriers and scale up services that have real potential to change the way children and families are served.

Past Award Winners

The Outstanding Service Partner in Child Welfare Award was developed in 2020 in order to recognize the contributions of the many frontline professionals working in a variety of fields who support and serve child welfare-involved 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.

Nominations examples for this award might include but are not limited to: community social workers, school social workers, Guardians Ad Litem, private agency foster care and adoption workers, and many others.

• Dominiques Perkins is a Parent Advocate at Minnesota One-Stop for Communities.
• Within her current role, Dominiques supports parents involved in the child protection process.
• She is a dedicated community advocate whose lived experiences and authentic relationships allow her to offer critical guidance and resources for many families working towards preservation.
• Dominiques serves on auxiliaries and works closely with child welfare and behavioral health staff, all toward the goal of supporting the well-being of children and families through systemic transformation.

• Katie Bierch is a Parent Support Services Program Manager at FamilyWise, working in partnership with Anoka and Hennepin Counties on several key initiatives.
• Katie leads a team that connects families with vital resources such as child care supplies, health services, and transportation.
• Katie supports families experiencing housing instability, and was instrumental in an initiative that prevented as many as 35 local children from homelessness in 2024.
• Katie stays closely informed and connected with the community she serves, engaging families with relevant action steps and educational training.

Past Award Winners

Nikki Villavicencio is the 2024 winner and is the disability culture and leadership specialist at Advocating Change Together. She is also the chair of the Minnesota Council on Disability, a disability rights advocate, and a Maplewood, Minnesota city council member. Nikki is a leader in her community and is focused on serving the people who usually have never had a voice in rooms of power.

Past Award Winners