Introducing our 2020 International Child Welfare Exchange Team from Anne and Henry Zarrow School of

Social Work, University of Oklahoma, USA!

Jonathan Kratz, MSW, LCSW Clinical Assistant Professor

Graduate Coordinator

As a faculty member in the Anne and Henry Zarrow School of Social Work I teach across the direct practice curriculum including courses in mental health, group work, client centered direct practice, and the integrative seminar. My research

focus is clinical pedagogy related to Motivational Interviewing, Suicidality, and clinical simulation. I have worked extensively on Motivational Interviewing trainings for the Oklahoma Department of Human Services and have spearheaded the development and implementation of the suicidology unit in the Concentration Year curriculum at OU.

Prior to joining the faculty at OU, I worked as a clinical social worker in a variety of settings including school social work, forensic settings, and outpatient individual and family therapy. I am fluent in Portuguese and Spanish and have primarily worked with Spanish speaking clients in my career.

I am excited to experience the exchange with Haruv.

Christina Filippakos Haruv USA Graduate Assistant

I am so excited to be a part of this student exchange program, it is an amazing opportunity and I can’t wait to learn and expand my perspective.

My family comes from Greece. I was very lucky to learn both Greek and English simultaneously while growing up. I was born and raised in a town called Bethel, Connecticut, a one-hour drive from New York City. For my undergraduate education, I

attended the University of Connecticut. I am a first-generation college student. During my time at UConn, I studied human development and family studies with a concentration in early childhood development and education. I chose to also study music because I wanted to learn how to better communicate and express myself through music. I graduated with two degrees in 2016. Upon graduation, I was recruited by a non-profit called City Year which has sites all around the country.

As graduate research assistant for Haruv USA, I have heard a little bit about the welfare system in Israel and I am very excited for the opportunity to see the original Haruv and to learn about the Israeli approach to child welfare. I think this opportunity will allow me the chance to learn from new perspectives I don’t readily have access to as a student in the United States.

John Bear Graduate Student

My name is John Bear and I am a full time graduate student at the OU School of Social Work Norman campus. I am also a member of the Kiowa Tribe. I worked in child welfare as a case worker for my tribe’s social services department in 2018. I

handled case management in Children Protective Services (CPS), Adult Protection Services (APS), distribution plans, Individual Indian Money (IIM) Supervised Accounts, and adult/minor guardianships. I managed referrals made by law enforcement and courts, current casework, case management, and followed-up on all cases and worked closely with Indian Child Welfare (ICW) and Department of Human Services (DHS) on all cases through investigation. I currently work at the Lawton Indian Hospital which is a part of the Indian Health Service. I do administrate assistant duties at the dental department in the hospital that services American Indian and Alaskan Natives throughout Oklahoma and Texas.

As far as my educational background, I graduated high school in Carnegie, Oklahoma. In 2017 I received my Bachelor of Science degree with double major in psychology and communication from Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma. I am projected to graduate from the OU School of Social Work in the spring of 2021. I am very grateful for the opportunity that the Haruv Institute and the OU School of Social Work has given me - to be a part of the International Child Welfare Course. I hope to use the knowledge, skills, and experiences of this opportunity to the best of my abilities. Thank you and I can’t wait to meet everyone involved with the course.

Jayci Howerton Graduate Student

Hello! My name is Jayci Howerton. I am 42 years old and live in Longdale, Oklahoma. I have lived in this area most of my life. I am married with a 13 year old son, Karson Howerton, a 27 year old step-daughter, Kaycee Olive, a

29 year old step-daughter, Kendra Mount, and an 8 year old grandson, Elijah Mount.

I am currently a Foster Care and Adoption Field Manager for Region 1 Oklahoma Department of Human Services Child Welfare. I have worked for DHS since 2002 and have worked a multitude of jobs within Child Welfare. I began as an assistant and then when I obtained my degree in Social Work, I was a Child Welfare Specialist 1 and worked investigations for 5 counties in CPS. Since then, I have been a CPS Regional Worker, Child Welfare Specialist III for both Permanency Planning and CPS, CPS Supervisor, Foster Care and Adoption Supervisor, and a Continuous Quality Program Field Representative.

I am currently obtaining my Masters of Social Work at the Norman Campus at OU. I am curious regarding placement and treatment of trauma for our children who have suffered abuse or neglect and excited to see what Israel is doing in this regard. I am anticipating a great and informative trip to Israel where I can learn different aspects of child welfare from a different cultural perspective. I am very grateful for this opportunity and cannot wait to see some of the aspects of child welfare that happen outside of Oklahoma.

Harmony Jones Graduate Student

My name is Harmony Jones. I was born on a military base in Georgia. However, I spent the majority of my childhood in Lincoln, Nebraska. After graduating from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, I moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to participate in the Teach for America program. I was placed at

Hamilton Elementary as a third-grade educator. After three years in the classroom, I transitioned into an administrative role within the building. This is my sixth year in education and third year as a school leader. It was this career transition that inspired me to enroll at the University of Oklahoma-Tulsa campus. During my adolescence, government assistance and child welfare organizations helped support my family. This is a core reason why I work in education and am pursuing a social work degree. As an adult, I witness daily how child well-being affects learning, families, and communities as a whole. I am incredibly grateful and excited about this unique opportunity to learn and connect with others who share this passion.

Malorie Magnus Graduate Student

Hello! I was born in Oklahoma and consider it home. I spent six years of my childhood in Minnesota (which was like growing up in a snow globe) and four years living in Arkansas while in college, so they each hold a piece of home for me as well. I currently live in Oklahoma City with my sister and our little pup, May.

After graduating from John Brown University with my Bachelor’s degree in Child and Family Services, I moved back to Oklahoma City to begin my career as an Adoption Specialist at a local adoption agency. For the past four and a half years, I worked directly with women in unplanned pregnancies and adoptive families as we navigated their adoption plan together. I transitioned back to school full time and am a first year Master of Social Work student at the University of Oklahoma Norman campus. I currently serve as a Graduate Research Assistant at the Center for Child Welfare Training & Simulation Center.

I am thrilled to participate in this unique experience to travel to Israel and learn about Child Welfare, as I know it will widen my perspective on child welfare services as a whole. I am excited for the way in which this opportunity will allow us to learn from one another as we each seek to champion the well-being of children in our various communities and corners of the world. I am looking forward to meeting you soon!

Maureen Motte Graduate Student

Hi everyone! I received my undergrad degree from Oklahoma State University in Sociology in May 2009. I am currently a part-time graduate student of Social Work at OU-Tulsa. I have always had a passion for working with children. During my time at OSU, I completed my internship at the Office of Juvenile Affairs in Tulsa, OK and I worked at Stillwater Early Head Start majority of the time I was in school. For the last 4 years, I have been coaching for a competitive girls’ basketball organization in Tulsa in which

my 13-year-old daughter plays. I enjoy being able to share my passion for sports with not only my daughter but all her teammates.

My social work career started in 2009 when I began working for the Oklahoma Department of Human Services. I eventually moved into Permanency Planning so I could work more hands on with the families I served. I currently have the honor of being a Permanency Planning Supervisor in Muskogee, OK since December 2014. I currently have the ability to coach my staff and provide them with guidance to be great workers for their families.

I am excited about the opportunity to travel to Israel and learn more about the social work practices there and also being able to share with the Israeli students our practices. I look forward into learning about the different preference in placements of children in Israel compared to Oklahoma.

Felipe Oyarzo Graduate Student

Hi! My name is Felipe Oyarzo and I am a graduate student at OU Tulsa. My background is in Education. I worked as a research associate for the Ministry of Education of Chile and for the Early Childhood Education Institute

of the University of Oklahoma. I currently write for the Tulsa People magazine.

I have also worked for some social work agencies located in Tulsa Oklahoma such as Family and Children’s Services, Communities in Schools and Tulsa Public School, working with diverse populations of children and their families. I have a passion for child welfare, and a special interest for working with diverse populations. I speak Spanish and I am Jewish.

I also have a passion for martial arts and arts in general. I am a professional filmmaker, currently the director of Levites Studios, a production company that produces television spots and movies.

I volunteer in many social work activities in my city, and I am very excited to be a part of the Haruv Exchange Program. I am looking forward to learning about the Israeli child welfare system and the Israeli social work field. I hope to grow both personally and professionally while spending time with students and faculty during this special trip.

Holli Reherman Graduate Student

My name is Holli Reherman, and I am a first year Master of Social Work student at OU-Tulsa. I received my undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice from Mid-America Christian University. In 2018 I completed Partners in Policymaking and gained a deeper

knowledge and greater passion for disability advocacy. I have always lived in eastern Oklahoma and continue to live there with my husband and our four children.

I am a Parent Educator for the HUGS program at CREOKS and enjoy working with families of young children. Supporting parents from the prenatal stage through the kindergarten years is immensely rewarding. Additionally, I am thankful to have been given the opportunity to serve on the boards of organizations which support my local community, region, and state.

I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to participate in the child welfare exchange program. I am looking forward to the exchange of information and insight that will take place between OU students and Israeli students. It is once in a lifetime opportunity!

Aly Smith Graduate Student

Hello! I am currently a graduate student in the School of Social Work at OU-Norman. I am a Tulsa native and lived there for eighteen years until I began my undergraduate degree at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, where I lived for four years. In May of 2019, I graduated

with a degree in Psychology and Spanish. Now, I live in Oklahoma City and commute to Norman a few times a week.

During the past five summers, I have worked at a summer camp through which I developed a deep passion for children and their development and well-being. My experiences at camp working with children heavily influenced my choice to enter the field of social work, and after graduation I plan to obtain my license and conduct therapy with children and adolescents who have experienced trauma.

I am extremely excited for the opportunity to work with students and faculty both from the University of Oklahoma and the Haruv Institute and collaborate on ways we can adapt and improve the field of child welfare in our communities. When it comes to education, I believe that the most valuable aspect of learning is gaining an understanding of different perspectives and points of view, and I am most looking forward to seeing how child welfare is conducted in a culture that differs from my own and identifying aspects of child welfare that can be implemented in programs here in Oklahoma. Together, I am hopeful that we can benefit the children and families throughout our communities.

Jana Strom Graduate Student

Hello! I am currently in my second semester of the MSW program at the OU Tulsa campus. I was born and raised in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. After high school, I attended John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Arkansas,

earning Bachelor’s degrees in Family & Human Services and Biology. I developed a strong passion for community development and working with families when I was a teenager, however, this desire has been shaped and transformed through many different experiences and learning opportunities during and since my time at JBU. After graduating from college, I served two years as an AmeriCorps member with City Year Tulsa. This opportunity provided a way for me to become familiar with the needs and services in different areas of Tulsa, and to work collaboratively within City Year and with other organizations to provide support to students and families. For my practicum this year, I had the opportunity to shadow a Child Welfare Worker in the Safe Baby Court Unit at the Oklahoma Department of Human Services. I am very much looking forward to comparing the practices I was exposed to at DHS to the functions of the child welfare system in Israel. In general, I am very interested in ways to work with and support biological families in the reunification process. I also have a growing interest in incorporating approaches that are informed by research regarding Adverse Childhood Experiences. Through this exchange program, I am especially eager to learn about how Israel’s child welfare system works with and around cultural differences in creating policy and addressing diverse types of client situations. It will also be so exciting to meet the folks from Israel and get to know everyone! It is such a privilege and an honor to participate in this opportunity.

Sara Ward Graduate Student

I am a graduate student on the University of Oklahoma Norman campus pursing my Master of Social Work degree. I live and work in Alva, a small town in northwest Oklahoma. I am a native of the Oklahoma Panhandle and have lived in rural Oklahoma the majority of my life. I have worked for the Oklahoma Department of Human Services

for 17 years, all of those being in Child Welfare Services. I began my career as a comprehensive Child Welfare Specialist in Woodward County and then later Woods County. I have been in a leadership position with DHS for 13 years, the last 7 serving as District Director.

I am extremely excited about the opportunity to participate in the Child Welfare International Exchange Program. I believe that I can offer my own experiences and expertise regarding the child welfare system in Oklahoma to the visiting students, but more so, I have a great desire and openness to learn about systems elsewhere, particularly in Israel. I believe that learning more about the system in Israel will bring me more perspective, sensitivity, and knowledge that I can share with the staff I supervise and also utilize in my daily practice with children and families in Oklahoma. Additionally, I am excited to find creative solutions to keep families together, assist parents in learning to parent their children safely, work with community partners, and help children achieve permanency.