Join Mariellen Keely (Virginia DCSE) as she speaks withJennifer McGuire, Program Planner for Sacramento County Child Support Services, about their participation in the NextGeneration Child Support Employment Services Demonstration (NextGen).  Sacramento’s project—called HELP (Holistic Employment, License, and Parenting Time)—focuses on supporting noncustodial parents through enhanced employment services, license reinstatement, and access to parenting time assistance.  Jennifer shares her journey from casework to grant leadership, discusses theimportance of collaboration with local workforce partners and offers an honest look at the challenges of building something new from the ground up. This episode is packed with insight for professionals working on family-centered,grant-funded innovation in the child support space.

(Originally recorded on 6/9/25)

On today’s episode of On Location, Tim Lightner (Courtland Consulting) and David Kilgore (CGI Technologies and Solutions) co-host a special podcast episode for our child support community.  We are privileged to welcome the new Commissioner for the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement (better known as OCSE).  Listen as he shares about how he got started in child support, how his career path grew, and how he became appointed to be the Federal Commissioner for OCSE.     Hear about what his first seven weeks in office were like; any mandates or vision for the Federal Office of Child Support; and one thing that he could say to child support professionals, now coming from his role as the Commissioner.

Today’s On Location episode is brought to you by BrandiGallebo, Social Program Administrator over the Enforcement department at Franklin County Child Support in Columbus, Ohio and Pat O’Donnell of YoungWilliams.  It is an exciting time of the year – a chance to recognize innovation, leadership and contributions throughout the child support program.  To learn more, listen as Connie Chesnik, current NCSEA President,Chris Wood, Executive Director of NCSEA and Wrenn Awbrey, Chair of the NCSEA Awards Committee describe the importance of the scholarships and awards, how to be sure your nomination “stands out” and most importantly their collective pride in recognizing the achievements of child support professions.  Scholarship nominations are open now and there will be an announcement soon to submit your nomination for the NCSEA annual awards.  Awardees will berecognized during the Leadership Symposium in August.

From Oregon to Ohio and down to Georgia, this episode of OnLocation explores a universal truth: a little appreciation goes a long way. Join Brandi Gallebo (Franklin County Child Support, Columbus, OH) as she addresses the challenge of low-cost, high-impact staff appreciation. Whether you’re prepping for Staff Appreciation Day, Administrative Professionals Day orjust want to acknowledge the daily grind, today’s podcast shares creative ways to say "thank you" without breaking the budget. Rounding out the conversation, our guests Alexandra Popescu (Oregon Division of Child Support) and Jay Bland(GreenCourt Legal Technologies, GA) discuss the long-term value of recognition. Together, they highlight the vital importance of honoring the people who show up every day to support children and families.

Note:  If you have not heard Jay Bland on the Greencourt Connections podcast, please check them out anywhereyou get your podcasts, including Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1qortfMHuxSvbKy8PlfetQ?si=cf72190e456142ec)

Join Pat O’Donnell (with YoungWilliams) as she hosts aconversation with Tish Keahna Kruzan, Child Support Attorney with the Lac Courte Oreilles Tribal Child Support Program, and Corri Flores, Sr. Director-Government Affairs with ADP.  Today’s informative session focused on sharing best practices between Tribal IV-D Programs and the employer community.  Tish and Corri share their recommendations to improvecommunications, resources available to assist in educational efforts and the impact on families when processes work as intended as well as when obstacles are encountered.

On today’s episode of On Location, host Tim Lightner sits down with Tom Joseph (Vice President and Managing Partner) and Rachel Mackey (Senior Associate), both of Paragon Government Relations to discuss the vital partnership between Paragon and NCSEA in navigating the landscape of Capitol Hill. The conversation highlights recent legislative milestones, passport denial legislation and ongoing bipartisan efforts surrounding the Parents Act. Our guests also delve into the impact of federal hearings on child supportpolicy, the nuances of funding for employment and training services, and proposed updates to access and visitation grants. Additionally, the episode covers the potential effects of government shutdowns and pending human servicesbudget cuts on state and tribal programs. Join us as we explore the strategic policy work being done to improve the lives of the families served by child support professionals nationwide.

On this episode of On Location, host Scott Eder sits down with Daniel Garcia, a lead child support worker in Salem, Oregon, to discuss the unique challenges and innovations within the state’s child support program. The conversation explores specialized teams for incarcerated parents and students, alongside the grit required to manage complex interstate cases with empathy. Tune in to learn how Oregon caseworkers balance high caseloads with a commitment to mental health and family stability.

Pack your bags—the child support community is headed to the nation's capital! In this episode of On Location, Tim Lightner and Betty Tegegne (Research Associate with the Center for Policy Research) catch up with 2026 Policy Forum Co-Chairs Carla West (North Carolina Division Director ofHuman Services, which includes Child Support, Economic Services, Aging, and Operations) and Dr. Trish Skophammer (Director, Ramsey County Child Support in St. Paul, Minnesota).  Discover what has the chairs most excited this year, from high-level policy discussions to the powerful networking that only happens in D.C. Whether you’re a Policy Forum veteran or still considering your first trip, join us for a preview of the brewing energy behind this year’s event.

If you haven’t registered (for either in-person or virtual attendance), please visit www.ncseapolicyforum.org and secure your spot!

On today’s podcast, Pat O’Donnell of YoungWilliams hosts a conversation with Regina Cruise and Marquese Howard of the Riverside County (California) Department of Child Support Services.  Regina and Marquese represent the Riverside County DCSS outreach and educational initiatives which have been so successful in reaching the diverse communities and families served by their program. Their unique and integrated approach within their agency as well as with their community partner organizations has been recognized by WICSEC as the Platinum Program Awardee for 2025.

 To learn more about Riverside County’s achievements, please visit their website at https://beacons.ai/rivcodcss.

This episode of On Location honors Lisa Skenandore withSystems and Methods, Inc., as the 2025 WICSEC Honorary Lifetime Member Awardee.  Pat O’Donnell of YoungWilliams hosts a conversation with Lisa, where she describes her sources of inspiration and motivation that have contributed to her incredible career journey spanning more than 25 years. Lisa’s commitment to the child support community and her invaluable contributions to WICSEC led to her Honorary Lifetime Member award recognition this year. 

Join Pat O’Donnell of YoungWilliams as she continues the OnLocation podcast series on the 2025 WICSEC awards.  Pat explores the topics of leadership, motivation and sources of inspiration with Kamilah Miller, Director of UIFSA ChildSupport Division, Office of the DeKalb County District, State of Georgia Division of Child Support Services.  Kamilah’s contributions and achievements have been recognized through the WICSEC Leadership Achievement Award in 2025.  We hope you’ll enjoy listening as Kamilah describes herjourney, her team’s success and how they strive to assist families navigating the unique aspects of UIFSA in the child support program.