Meet the Mission Kids Staff

Abbie began her work with Mission Kids as the founding Executive Director in 2008. As Executive Director, she built the collaborative Multidisciplinary Team into a nationally Accredited CAC which has served nearly 7,000 abused children and their families. As CEO of External and Global Affairs, she brings the leadership of Mission Kids statewide, nationally, and internationally to help victims of child abuse. Some of her work includes spearheading original research projects to inform best practices, and developing collaborative response policies to victims of commercial sexual exploitation. Abbie is the past-President of PennCAC (the Pennsylvania Chapter of CACs), and the current and founding Chair of the External Affairs Committee of PennCAC. Abbie has received bi-partisan gubernatorial appointments to several statewide committees, including the CAC Advisory Committee, charged with establishing and sustaining CACs across Pennsylvania. Ms. Newman works with state and national legislators to strengthen child protection laws, increase funding to agencies serving victims of child abuse and neglect, and to develop and sustain child advocacy centers as a model for child abuse investigation and prevention. She has been elected to the Distinguished Advisory Committee of the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect, where she works on developing collaborative responses to global issues of child abuse.

Susan has a passion for helping children and families and believes that “no concern is too small when it involves a child”. She is very proud to be part of the Mission Kids team, working together to ensure the safety and well-being of all children.

Upon graduating, Pam expanded her experience at the Defenders and became a bi-lingual Social Service Advocate in the Children and Youth Justice Unit. During her three years there, Pam advocated for the legal rights of children and youth by providing support, connecting them with community resources, and helping them navigate court proceedings. Pam's extra-curriculars included being a part of Love Your Melon, an organization whose mission is to support the fight against pediatric cancer.

Clara is a bilingual/bicultural Spanish speaking Forensic Interviewer. She has a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Social Work and is a Licensed Social Worker. Clara began her work with children and families as a therapist in North Carolina. She started her interviewing career in 2014 with the Bucks County Children’s Advocacy Center and has worked in the CAC world since. She was the Forensic Interviewing Program Supervisor, MDT Coordinator, and Bilingual Forensic Interviewer in York County. She is now focusing her career exclusively on interviewing and interviews on a part time and contract basis in several CACs in the surrounding areas.

Cyndi Dougherty received her Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from West Chester University in 2019. Cyndi gained experience in the criminal justice field during an internship at George W. Hill Correctional Facility, where she served as a Case Manager, assisting incarcerated individuals of various classifications. Cyndi appreciated the collaborative approach used within the system, and she served as a liaison between inmates and probation, OCY and the justice system. Later, Cyndi gained experience working directly with children when she worked in an elementary school as a one-on-one support specialist and provided educational assistance to students with special needs. Cyndi enjoys taking on difficult tasks knowing she has the opportunity to make a difference in someone's life. She is so excited to be a Family Advocate here at Mission Kids and assist families who need guidance and a helping hand in navigating the aftermath of trauma and their healing path forward. When Cyndi is not working, she enjoys weight lifting, reading, and spending time with her cat and dog!

Alexis is an alumna of Penn State University with her Bachelors in Human Development & Family Studies and a specialization in Child Maltreatment & Advocacy Studies. Alexis then earned her Master’s in Social Work from Bryn Mawr College and achieved her License in Social Work (LSW) in 2023. She has previous experience as a domestic violence advocate and in school settings, providing counseling to students by teaching kids coping skills and social-emotional learning tools. Outside of Mission Kids, she is also a contracted outpatient therapist for children at Creative Health Services. Alexis is passionate about mental health and helping children and families heal from trauma. She is excited to be a part of a safe and inclusive space like Mission Kids where all children's voices is heard, they are believed, and they can discover healing and resiliency.

After earning her MA, Maureen began working in Human Resource management, where she spent the next 10 years in the nonprofit and for profit sectors. She left her career to raise her children and help run the family business. During this time she coached two Odyssey of the Mind teams and did other volunteer work.

Maureen is thrilled to be part of the Mission Kids team, and to have the opportunity to work with children again.

Liz Evans, External Affairs Support Specialist, joined the Mission Kids team in January 2018. She has advocated on behalf of children in a number of capacities -- as an elementary PTA co-president, secretary of the Abington School District’s Parent Council, and as a contributing member of character education and anti-bullying initiatives. For roughly ten years she volunteered time and expertise to the Abington YMCA Young People’s Theater and US Youth Soccer Region I Olympic Development Program. A former board member of the Willow Grove Branch of Settlement Music School and the board’s Education Committee chairperson, Liz actively worked in partnership with the board, staff and donors on behalf of students, their families and the community, at large.

In 1983, Liz earned a BA in English with a minor in Studio Art from Chestnut Hill College and entered the field of publishing. Earning her PA teacher’s certification in Secondary English from Villanova, she taught briefly before becoming a full-time mother of four. In 2012, after leaving full-time employment as an executive assistant to assist a family member, Liz attended Montgomery County Community College, earning nine of twelve prerequisite credits needed to pursue a graduate degree in social work or counseling. Putting that on hold for practical reasons, Liz earned her PA property and casualty license and worked in the insurance field, before coming across Mission Kids’ job posting on Facebook. Knowing their mom’s lifelong goals and passion for helping others, Liz’s family strongly encouraged her to apply, and she has been providing invaluable support to Mission Kids, ever since.

Michelle launched the organization’s prevention education department and its “ROAR” program. "ROAR" is a child-based education program that teaches children age 4 through 8 about bodily safety and empowers them to speak out if they ever feel they are in an inappropriate situation. Her work was vitally important during the pandemic. When schools switched to virtual learning and children were isolated from mandated reporters like teachers, coaches, and counselors, she ensured that the ROAR program would still be taught virtually. Since its launch in 2019, over 25,000 students have participated in the "ROAR" Program. Michelle also oversees the "Safe Touches" Program for 2nd graders, which is in a pilot research phase in coordination with Penn State's Child Maltreatment Solutions Network, PA Commission on Crime and Delinquency, and researchers from New York University and is expected to reach 10,000 students in Montgomery County over the next 2 years.
Michelle has developed curricula and presented on topics including Human Trafficking, Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC), Child Sexual Abuse Materials (CSAM), The Effects of Child Abuse and Trauma on Students in the Classroom, the Child Advocacy Center Response, and the vulnerabilities of children with special needs that put them at risk to being abused and exploited.
Michelle enjoys presenting to professionals including educators, medical providers, law enforcement, prosecutors, social workers, therapists, and other youth-serving professionals, along with caregivers and other adult community members; but she finds her days especially rewarding when she facilitates trainings for children and helps them identify safe adults and empowers them to speak out against abuse.

Under her leadership, Mission Kids Child Advocacy Center employs six prevention educators. Collectively, they deliver up to 30 trainings per week, and educated 1,800 adults and 8,000 children in 2021 alone. Since the organization launched its prevention education program under McDyre, the organization has provided training to over 30,000 children ages 4-18 and nearly 40,000 individuals since 2018 in Montgomery County alone.
Michelle has received several awards and commendations for her work, including, most recently, PA Family Support Alliance's Blue Ribbon Champion for Safe Kids Award (April 2023), Jefferson University’s first-ever Hope and Healing Award (April 2022) for her outstanding commitment to prevention and awareness and the “MontCo 2021 Millennial Superstar Award.”
Michelle thrives on the opportunity to share the story of Mission Kids’ impact on the lives of children in the community and finding ways to connect community members to the agency’s mission.

Child welfare and victim advocacy have been close to Sarah’s heart since she was a teenager, and she is thrilled to be a part of the Prevention Education team at Mission Kids. Sarah believes that all children deserve support, safety, and justice; and feels that teaching children about body safety is a crucial step toward advancing the societal conversation around sexual abuse and sexual assault. In her spare time, Sarah enjoys cooking, playing video games, and traveling with her husband.

As a graduate level intern, Kaylee provided trauma-based therapy to child victims of abuse. This role opened her eyes to the need for more streamlined, thoughtful and collaborative care for these youth, as well as the disconcerting statistics of child sexual abuse. After receiving her Master’s, Kaylee served as a Family Support Advocate at the Bucks County Children’s Advocacy Center where she was awed by the multidisciplinary team approach and the dedication each person showed to their work. In the years following, Kaylee worked as a therapist in both outpatient and school-based settings. As such, she observed the increasing need for education surrounding child abuse for students, families and professionals alike.

Inspired and impassioned, Kaylee hopes to contribute a unique and valuable perspective to child abuse education and prevention through her role at Mission Kids.

Veronica has always believed in helping children overcome their trauma as early as they can, so that as adults they are able to contribute to society in a positive manner. She appreciates the services Mission Kids provides for families and is grateful to be able to help out as well. At Mission Kids, Veronica works on the ROAR Program that prevents child abuse by giving them the tools they need to help keep their bodies safe. She will be able to provide the program in Spanish and English to help the Latino community understand the importance of preventing child abuse.Apart from helping little ones, she enjoys completing Disney puzzles, reading books, and occasionally has a night out with friends to unwind and live in the moment. Veronica hopes that children and families become comfortable talking about child abuse and ways to avoid it or, ask for help when needed and decrease the abuse rates across the nation.

Paula Jones, CFRE, is the Director of Development for Mission Kids Child Advocacy Center.  She is a passionate development professional who thrives on communicating the story of an organization to foster engagement and investment. At Mission Kids, Paula leads and provides oversight for all planning to raise critical funds, strategic direction and initiatives for donor cultivation, grants, corporate engagement, and volunteers.

Originally from Colorado, Paula earned a Master’s in Speech Language Pathology and worked with children and adults before transitioning to fundraising for healthcare systems, where she gained 30 years of experience. Prior to Mission Kids, Paula was the Development Officer for Einstein Medical Center Montgomery where she was responsible for major gifts, campaign development, and strategic planning.  Paula earned her Certified Fund Raising Executive credentials in 2018.

Paula was first introduced to Mission Kids 7 years ago, and the stories of hope and healing she has heard over the years have left a permanent mark on her heart. Paula was drawn to the agency and ultimately joined the Mission Kids team in July 2021 and is dedicated to fundraising and expanding Mission Kids’ impact to help as many child abuse victims as possible. Paula has been an active member of the Colonial School District PTSO for over 5 years and loves getting involved to support her local community. Paula lives in Plymouth Meeting and enjoys spending time with her kids, family, and friends.

Kaity earned her Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications with a focus in Journalism at Bloomsburg University and her Certification as a Professional Fundraiser through Villanova University’s College of Professional Studies. She began her career at the North Penn School District (NPSD) serving as the Communications and Development Specialist for nearly seven years. Within this role, Kaity sat on the board of trustees for the school district’s 501(c)3 organization, the NPSD Educational Foundation. It was here that Kaity discovered her passion for nonprofit work, specifically that involving children. Throughout her tenure with the NPSD Educational Foundation, Kaity served as chair of both the Marketing and Alumni Relations committees, launching several successful events and campaigns centered around community engagement, fundraising, service and recognition. She took a great deal of pride in leading efforts that provided support and resources for students and families in need. Kaity has earned multiple awards at the state and national level for such programs and related publications.

It has been said that “the meaning of life is to find your gift, the purpose of life is to give it away.” These words are what drive Kaity to continue developing her expertise in the area of marketing and communications to best position Mission Kids to make the greatest and most meaningful impact in the lives of those we serve, and beyond.

Morgan holds a BA in Philosophy, Politics and Law from Binghamton University. As Grants Manager, she is responsible for conducting the full range of activities required to prepare, submit and manage grant proposals to foundation, government and corporate sources. Originally from Westchester, NY, Morgan now resides in Media, PA.

Prior to working at Mission Kids, she worked for the Catholic Foundation of Greater Philadelphia as a Prospect Research Manager and Executive Assistant to the CEO. Ruth also worked for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia as Manager of Data and Research as well as Prospect Research Manager.  Ruth spent over 12 years commuting back and forth to the Diocese of Trenton as a Development Associate where she was the primary agent for prospect research and comprehensive donor profiles.  She was also the principal data administrator, responsible for data integrity of over 235,000 constituent records. Ruth has an extensive background in development, fundraising, marketing, donor events and planned giving.  Ruth received her BA in Geography from Millersville University. Ruth’s compassion and empathy combined with her desire for helping others makes Mission Kids the perfect place for her to make a difference in our community and help victims of abuse in their healing journey.

John graduated from Drexel University in 1986 with a BS in Business Administration. He has worked in the accounting field for an Environmental Engineering firm, a CPA firm, and a Marketing firm. John left the corporate world to open his own Martial Arts school in 1994. He and his wife Liz opened multiple locations in Wayne and Ardmore and ran them until the Covid Pandemic. John’s schools have been awarded Best of the Main Line three times. He is a 7th Degree Black Belt in American Kenpo Karate. His wife Liz created an all girls martial arts program called PinKarate in 2007. John and Liz are passionate about personal safety and empowerment. They are FASTDefense instructors and Armored Assailants.

When Maggie isn't busy holding down the fort at Mission Kids, she enjoys gardening, baking, reading and crafting. Maggie is an avid volunteer with the Shady Grove Elementary School Home and School Association, serving as a board member responsible for communications. She also loves to hike and travel with her husband and daughter.