CWLA Announces New Leadership and Members to Its Board of Directors.

ARLINGTON, Va. -- President and CEO of the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) Christine James-Brown announced the appointment of Julie Sweeney-Springwater, MSW, Executive Director of the New England Association of Child Welfare Commissioners and Directors, as the new chair of CWLA's Board of Directors. Springwater succeeds Ross Wales, Partner at Taft, Stettinius & Hollister, LLP, in this position.

"I am deeply honored to be elected to serve as the chair of the board of CWLA, an organization with a deep and historical commitment to building public will to ensure safety, permanence, and well-being for vulnerable children, youth, and families. CWLA's many members share this goal. As CWLA approaches its 90th anniversary we hope to get closer to achieving it," said Springwater, who is immediate past vice chair and has served on the Board of Directors since 2003.

Springwater has been in her current position with the New England Association of Child Welfare Commissioners and Directors since 1994. As director, she serves as a resource to association member agencies on child welfare policy and practice issues. She has been on the faculty of Boston University's School of Social Work, where she directs the Human Service Management Certificate Program and teaches courses in management and strategic management, since 1996. She is active in the community and currently serves as a member of the New England Foster Care Association and the Massachusetts Alliance for Families.

Other leadership appointments to CWLA's Board of Directors include:

* Vice Chairs: Lucille A. Echohawk, Strategic Advisor, Indian Child Welfare Programs at Casey Family Programs, and Joseph M. Costa, CEO, Sunny Hill Services

* Secretary: Rhett Mabry, Director Child Care Division, The Duke Endowment

* Treasurer: Lowell Kalapa, Executive Director and President, Tax Foundation of Hawaii

New appointees serving their first three-year term on the Board of Directors include:

* Tamar Abrams, Communications Consultant

* Larry Liederman, Controller, OptiSolar

* Brenda Donald, Cabinet Secretary for the Department of Human Resources, State of Maryland

* Calvin L. Smith, Managing Partner, Elon Capital Partners, LLC 

"The new board appointees bring a wealth of additional expertise and talent," said Springwater. "Along with the 18 continuing board members, I look forward to building on the progress we have made under the leadership of Ross Wales."

Since 1920, CWLA has been the nation's preeminent membership-based organization dedicated to ensuring that disadvantaged and vulnerable children are protected from harm and have the tools and resources they need to grow into healthy and happy adults. CWLA is the trusted authority for professionals who work with children and the only national organization with public and private member agencies working across all sectors of the children's services field.