Champions For Children Conference

Join us in Georgetown, TX April 3rd-4th, 2024 for the Champions For Children Conference.

Conference attendance is focused on professionals currently working in Child Abuse / Domestic Violence Field & Strategic Partners like Law Enforcement, CPS/DFPS, Medical Personnel, Trauma Therapists, Victim Services, Prosecutors, & Child Advocacy Center Staff.

April 3rd & 4th 2024
8am to 5pm, Both Days
WCCAC (1811 SE Inner Loop Georgetown, TX 78626) & Wilco Georgetown Annex (100 Wilco Way, Georgeown, TX 78626)
WCCAC (1811 SE Inner Loop Georgetown, TX 78626) & Wilco Georgetown Annex (100 Wilco Way, Georgeown, TX 78626)

Please Note: Early Bird Registration ($75) begins February 1st and closes February 29th. General Registration ($100) opens March 1st and will close March 27th. Both days include a light breakfast & lunch.

Check back here for updates. The calendar is being updated as schedules are confirmed.

Time	Topic/Presentation	Speaker(s)	Location
April 3rd	April 3rd	April 3rd	April 3rd
8:00 - 8:30	Breakfast (provided)	Breakfast (provided)	TBA
8:30-8:45	Welcome Remarks	Kerrie Stannell (WCCAC CEO), Shawn Dick (District Attorney of Williamson County), Sheriff Gleason (Williamson County Sheriff)
8:45 - 10:00	Opening session for all attendees: 'Look How Far We've Come, What is on the Horizon'	Jennifer Newman, Shawn Dick, Dr. Jeff Wherry, & Lindsay Dula	TBA
10:00 - 10:15	Break	Break	Break
10:15 - 11:45 Concurrent Breakout Sessions	Break Out Session #1A: 'Munchausen: A Copycat Case of Brittany Phillips Investigation' Break Out Session #1B: Incorporating Caregivers in TF-CBT	Speaker #1A: Det. Michael Weber Speaker #1B: Dr. Doskey	Break Out Session #1A: TBA Break Out Session #1B: TBA
11:45 - 1:00	Lunch (provided)	Lunch (provided)	TBA
1:00 - 2:00 Concurrent Breakout Sessions	Break Out Session #1A Continued: 'Munchausen: A Copycat Case of Brittany Phillips Investigation' Break Out Session #2B: Cognitive Processing in TF-CBT	Speaker #1A: Det. Michael Weber Speaker #2B: Dr. Doskey	Break Out Session #1A: TBA Break Out Session #2B: TBA
2:00 - 2:15	Break	Break	Break
2:15 - 3:15 Concurrent Breakout Sessions	Break Out Session #3A: When They Take It Back: Recantation Break Out Session #3B: Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury	Speaker #3A: Lindsey Dula Speaker #3B: Dr. Diaz	Break Out Session #3A: TBA Break Out Session #3B: TBA
3:15 - 3:30	Break	Break	Break
3:30 - 4:30 Concurrent Breakout Sessions	Break Out Session #4A: Dissecting Family-Facilitated Child Sex Trafficking Trends Break Out Session #4B: Psychoeducation in EBTs: Supporting Non-Offending Families in the Treatment of Child Sexual Abuse	Speaker #4A: Ada McCloud & Brian Weber Speaker #4B: Dr. Jeff Wherry	Break Out Session #4A: TBA Break Out Session #4B: TBA
April 4th	April 4th	April 4th	April 4th
8:00 - 8:30	Breakfast (provided)	Breakfast (provided)	TBA
8:30 - 10:00 Concurrent Breakout Sessions	Break Out Session #5A: Aquatic Investigations Break Out Session #5B: Domestic Violence Presentation	Speaker #5A: Andrea Zafres Speaker #5B: Hope Alliance	Break Out Session #5A: TBA Break Out Session #5B: TBA
10:00 - 10:15	Break	Break	Break
10:15 - 11:45	Break Out Session #6A: Aquatic Investigations Continued Break Out Session #6B: JJC Presentations on Trends	Speaker #6A: Andrea Zafres Speaker #6B: Wilco Juvenile Justice	Break Out Session #6A: TBA Break Out Session #6B: TBA
11:45 - 1:00	Lunch	Lunch	TBA
1:00 - 2:00 Concurrent Breakout Sessions	Break Out Session #7A: Internet Crimes Aganist Children (The Dangers of Social Media) Break Out Session #7B: Secondary Trauma	Speaker #7A: Amy Gonzalez Speaker: #7B: Jaclyn Roberts	Break Out Session #7A: TBA Break Out Session #7B: TBA
2:00 - 2:15	Break	Break	Break
2:15 - 3:15 Concurrent Break Out Sessions	Break Out Session #8A: What Every MDT Should Know About NECMEC Break Out Session #8B: TBA	Speaker #8A: Sofia Lapray Speaker #8B: Deb Kleypas	Break Out Session #8A: TBA Break Out Session #8B: TBA
3:15 - 3:30	Break	Break	Break
3:30 - 4:30	Closing session for all attendees: TBA	Speaker: Jenna Quinn	TBA

Check back here for updates. The speaker list is updated as schedules are confirmed.

Andrea Zaferes

Andrea Zaferes, a medicolegal death investigator, is familiar with the handling of aquatic cases from the scene to the courtroom. She trains law enforcement, medical examiners/coroners, dive teams, domestic violence workers, medical personnel, and jurisprudence members to recognize, document, and investigate aquatic and asphyxiation homicide, death, assault, and abuse cases. She assists in analyzing and building such cases in the U.S. and abroad, and has developed standards for their investigation with such organizations as the National Center for Fatality Review and Prevention, and heads up the OSAC Scene Investigation/Reconstruction subcommittee Aquatic Scene Investigation Task Group. She has been teaching dive teams around the world for more than 30 years to recover submerged evidence and bodies, is an author, and frequent public speaker on aquatic forensics. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, and an affiliate member of the National Assoc. of Medical Examiners. She is a probono consultant for such organizations as NCMEC and the NYS DCJS Missing Person Cold Case Review Panel, and works with Lifeguard Systems, Dutchess County Medical Examiners Office, and Respond Against Violence.

Presentation(s): Aquatic Investigations

Detective Weber

Detective Weber has 39 years law enforcement experience, including 15 years as a crimes against children investigator. Detective Weber has investigated over 50 reports of Medical Child Abuse that have led to 13 convictions, 3 cases pending trial, and 2 cases currently under investigation. Detective Weber has consulted with numerous police agencies and district attorney’s offices nationally on cases of medical child abuse. Detective Weber co-authored the APSAC best practice guidelines on Medical Child Abuse titled Munchausen by Proxy: Clinical and Case Management (APSAC Advisor journal March 2018). Weber also authored a separate article in the same issue of the Advisor titled Investigation of Factitious Disorder Imposed on Another and Medical Child Abuse. Detective Weber authored Investigating Medical Child Abuse for the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin journal (August 2018). Detective Weber was awarded the 2016 NCMEC Texas Hero for Children Award for the investigation of Geronimo Aguilar and Medical Child Abuse Cases. Weber is currently assigned to investigate crimes against children for the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office and handles all reports of medical child abuse in Tarrant County. Detective Weber is a collaborator on the true crime/educational podcast “Nobody Should Believe Me,” which examines medical child abuse through previous cases.

Presentation(s): A Copycat Case of Brittany Phillips Investigation

Elena M. Doskey de Lobon, Ph.D

Elena M. Doskey de Lobón, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist in Texas and the Director of Clinical Training at Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center (DCAC) responsible for the APA-accredited Doctoral Psychology Internship Program. She completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the Center on Child Abuse and Neglect at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City, OK. A licensed psychologist in Texas, she is nationally certified in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), is a Within Agency Trainer in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), and has training in Problematic Sexual Behavior-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (PSB-CBT). She has also completed all of the training components to provide Child and Family Traumatic Stress Intervention (CFTSI). Dr. Doskey de Lobón is the within-agency trainer for Components for Enhancing Career Experience and Reducing Trauma (CE-CERT) at DCAC and provides expert testimony on child abuse cases in Dallas County. She is bilingual in English and Spanish.

Presentation(s): Incorporating Caregivers in TF-CBT & Cognitive Processing in TF-CBT

Ada McCloud

Ada McCloud has worked in the child abuse field since 2000, beginning as an investigator in a sexual abuse unit for Child Protective Services. She went on to be a forensic interviewer. Currently Ada is the Prevention Practitioner for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services’ Human Trafficking division. Ada is a subject matter expert in child sex trafficking and provides technical assistance, aids in policy development, and provides training to DFPS staff and stakeholders. Ada is the facilitator for the Administration for Children and Families Region VI Human Trafficking Workgroup, Shared Hope Research to Action Expert Working Group, Tex-TRAC Advisory Board, and an Associate with the National Criminal Justice Training Center at Fox Valley Technical College. Ada is an Honorable Mention recipient for the DFPS Light the Way End Human Trafficking 2022 Award. Ada has her Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy from Abilene Christian University.

Presentation(s): Dissecting Family-Facilitated Child Sex Trafficking Trends

Deborah Kleypas, RN, CA-CP, SANE, SANE-A, SANE-P,GFN-C

Deborah Kleypas is currently the Forensic Nurse Coordinator at Williamson County Children’s Advocacy Center and a Forensic Coach with Texas A&M University Center for Excellence in Forensic Nursing. She has over twenty years of forensic nurse experience. She is a certified Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner to care for Adult, Adolescent and Pediatric patients by the Texas Office of Attorney General (CA-CP SANE) and board certified by the International Association of Forensic Nurses (SANE-A, SANE-P). She is also a Certified Generalist Forensic Nurse (GFN-C) by the Academy of Forensic Nursing. She is a member of the Multidisciplinary Team and SART in Williamson County, Texas. She provides many hours of education for Healthcare, Law Enforcement, Judicial System, Child and Adult Protective Service professionals and members of the community regarding abuse and family violence. She testifies in civil and criminal cases as an expert regarding Abuse, Neglect, Domestic Violence, Family Violence and Strangulation for all ages.

Presentation(s): Child Physical Abuse Case Study: “I Can’t Say My Daddy’s Name”

Lindsey Dula

Lindsey Dula began her career in 2000 as an investigator with CPS, working in a specialized child sexual abuse unit. She then became an investigator at the Alliance For Children, the Children’s Advocacy Center for Tarrant County, where she investigated the most severe allegations regarding sexual abuse, physical abuse, neglect, and child death. In 2005, she promoted to become the supervisor of that CPS unit. In 2007, she transitioned to the world of Children's Advocacy Centers in a position as a Forensic Interviewer, and has interviewed over 7500 children in her career regarding allegations of child sexual abuse, physical abuse, medical child abuse, witnesses to violent crime, trafficking, drug endangered children, and homicides. For over 10 years she has overseen various CAC programs, including establishing the MDT Coordination Program, and oversight for the Client Relations Specialist, Family Advocate, and Forensic Interviewing Programs. She is a proud TCU Alumna with a Bachelor of Science in Social Work and Psychology and has her Master degree in Social Work from University of Texas in Arlington.

Presentation(s): When They Take It Back: Recantations

Jennifer Newman

Jennifer Newman is an Executive Director at NCMEC, overseeing NCMEC’s Austin, Texas branch office and, operationally, focused on international engagement and special projects in the Exploited Children Division (ECD). Newman has spent the past 22 years working cases, helping build programs, and engaging in the issues in the fight against the sexual exploitation of children.  For Texas, Ms. Newman directs the administration and management of the office, working closely with NCMEC senior leadership on advancing, growing and raising awareness of local programs and initiatives. For over 20 years, Jennifer has presented at various national, local and international trainings and conferences related to the sexual exploitation of children.

Presentation(s): Look How Far We’ve Come, What Is On The Horizon

Sofia Montes Lapray

Sofia Montes Lapray serves as an Outreach Manager with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) from the Texas Regional Office in Austin, TX. Prior to joining NCMEC in 2023, she served as a Paralegal for the Unaccompanied Minors Program at the St. Frances Cabrini Center for Immigrant Legal Assistance in Houston, TX. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies with a concentration on Politics and Diplomacy from Texas A&M University. Sofia has centered her career around supporting and advocating for vulnerable populations, and currently collaborates with child-serving professionals, law enforcement, and communities to identify, tackle, and proactively address all matters aligned with NCMEC’s mission of providing a safe childhood for all children.

Presentation(s): What Every MDT Should Know About NCMEC

Amy Gonzales

I began my career in law enforcement after completing a 2 year police cadet program with the Taylor Police Department in 2000. While at the Taylor Police Department I was assigned to the patrol division until I was promoted to Detective in 2008. While working in the Criminal Investigations Division, I primarily investigated major crimes, and crimes against persons, and cold cases. While at the Taylor Police Department, I was a 3 time inductee into the Williamson County Victim’s Advocate Hall of Fame, received a Life Saving Award, and a Meritorious Service Award for solving a cold case homicide. In 2014 I left the Taylor Police Department to accept a position as a Sgt. Investigator with the Williamson County District Attorney’s Office. I began working with the Office of the Attorney General in 2017 and am currently assigned to the Child Exploitation Unit/ Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. I am a TCOLE certified Field Training Officer and Instructor.

Presentation(s): Internet Crimes Aganist Children (The Dangers of Social Media)

Brian Webb

Brian Webb is a DFPS Human Trafficking Program Specialist. Within the DFPS Human Trafficking Team he focuses on youth missing from care and case and trend analysis. Prior to joining the HT division in 2022, Brian was a Management Analyst for DFPS Worker Safety Support for 4 years and in the field for DFPS for 10 years. He served as Program Director for Alternative Response and Investigations for over two years. Before that, he supervised both Investigations and Conservatorship and was a case worker in both stages. Brian served on the Board of Directors for the Bastrop Children’s Advocacy Center, as well as Scotty’s House, and Roxanne’s House. Brian received a Bachelor’s in Political Science from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, and Master’s in Public Administration from Texas State University.

Presentation(s): Dissecting Family-Facilitated Child Sex Trafficking Trends

Jeffrey N. Wherry, Ph.D., ABPP

Jeff completed his Ph.D. at the University of Southern Mississippi, and he earned the Diplomate in Clinical Psychology awarded by the American Board of Professional Psychology. He has worked with residential populations, foster children, and with outpatients. Jeff was the CEO of Children’s Advocacy Services of Greater St. Louis, where he also was involved in training, outpatient work with sexually abused children, and research. He has been a tenured professor at four universities. He directed the Research Institute of the Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center. He currently serves as the Director of Clinical Services for the Williamson County Children’s Advocacy Center and has been a Co-PI on a NCTSN Category II grant (ending in the fall of 2023). Jeff has published over 45 journal articles; has made over 250 presentations; and has received foundation and grant support in excess of $8.0 million. He and his wife of 46 years are proud parents of a daughter and two marvelous granddaughters. Jeff is a bladesmith and a bluegrass fan.

Presentation(s): Psychoeducation in EBTs: Supporting Non-Offending Families in the Treatment of Child Sexual Abuse