Kansas Statewide Homeless Coalition’s

2006 Statewide Summit on Homelessness and Housing
The Road Home: “Under Construction in Kansas”

Central Christian Church
2900 North Rock Road
Wichita, Kansas

October 26-27, 2006

Sponsored by the

Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services-Mental Health and the Kansas Housing
Resources Corporation
in Partnership with the Wichita Homeless Services Coalition

Kansas Statewide Homeless Coalition’s Mission & Vision

Mission: To end homelessness in the State of Kansas

Vision: The Kansas Statewide Homeless Coalition links with state and Federal agencies, organizations, and individuals to garner and provide support toward effectively addressing the needs of those experiencing homelessness. The Kansas Coalition respects the choices made by the individuals being served, and builds on their strengths to assist them in moving toward their goals of independence and full citizenship.

Agenda at-a-Glance

8:00—9:00 Registration, Complimentary Continental Breakfast

9:00—9:30 Welcome
Randy Crandall, Kansas Statewide Homeless Coalition, Chair; City of Wichita Mayor Carlos Mayans and Sedgwick County Commissioner Tim Norton

9:30—10:45 Keynote Address
Wambui Bahati

10:45—11:00 Break, Networking, Information Fair, Move to Breakout Session Set One

11:00—12:15 Break Out Session Set One
Choose from five sessions

12:15—1:30 Lunch
Box Lunch will be provided, at no cost, to all attendees. Those who register will be served first

1:30—2:45 Plenary Speaker
Sheila Crowley, National Low-Income Housing Coalition, President

2:45—3:00 Break, Networking, Information Fair

3:00—4:15 Break Out Session Set Two
Choose from five sessions

4:15—4:30 Break, Networking, Information Fair

4:30—6:00 Reception, Central Christian Church
Kansas Statewide Homeless Coalition cordially invites all attendees to an evening reception on Thursday the 26th at Central Christian Church, 2900 N Rock Road. Hors d'oeuvres will be served.

8:00—8:30 Late Registration, Complimentary Continental Breakfast & Information Fair

8:30—9:45 Break Out Session Set Three
Choose from five sessions

9:45—10:00 Break, Networking, Information Fair, Move to Breakout Session Set Four

10:00—11:15 Break Out Session Set Four
Choose from five sessions

11:15—11:30 Break, Networking, Information Fair, Move to Breakout Session Set Five

11:30—12:45 Break Out Session Set Five
Choose from five sessions

12:45—1:00 Summary, Wrap-up and Door prizes (must be present to win)

One Example of the Many Door Prize Donations:

The winner will enjoy one night stay for two. Escape to the quiet country atmosphere of Stone Cottage Farm
Bed & Breakfast, a lovingly restored historic farmhouse. Built in 1895 out of native limestone, the house is
furnished throughout with beautiful antiques located in the heart of post rock country directly off Scenic
Byway 232, 11 miles north of I-70 and 4 miles south of Lucas, the home of the Garden of Eden and the
Grassroots Arts Museum. Wilson Lake is also nearby with hunting, fishing, boating, biking and hiking. Stone
Cottage Farm also has an antique shop and home design store in their historic limestone barn filled with
treasures, new and old.
www.stonecottagefarm.com

Kansas Statewide Homeless Resource Information Fair will be held beginning at 8:00 a.m. on the 26th and throughout the Summit. Vendors will display the latest resources and information about services for those experiencing homeless. Scroll down to see the list of vendors. 

Detailed Breakout Session Descriptions

Thursday, October 26, 2006

9:30-10:30 Keynote Address

Wambui Bahati

Reminding You of Your Magnificence An explosive blend of inspiration, motivation, comedy and storytelling—An inspirational and uplifting journey of self-discovery. The underlying theme is the importance of claiming our own self-power -- and how to do that. Wambui talks about how not to let the obstacles and adversity in our lives become what our lives are about. She shares the importance of being your own cheerleader and how to celebrate yourself--sometimes in spite of life situations. With humor, storytelling, drama, and boundless energy, we travel with Wambui from growing up in Greensboro, North Carolina, during segregation, to becoming a Broadway actress in New York City in the ‘70s. Her theatrical and personal success is cut short because of a mental illness that, for many years, she did not know she had. In a friendly, open way, she shares her journey through homelessness, welfare, public housing, and Section 8 housing -- and dealing with the fact that her doctors told her she would spend the rest of her life in and out of mental institutions. Although the topics may seem grim, Wambui offers a fun-filled presentation that challenges the audience to remember who they really are. Wambui Bahati will be reminding you of your magnificence!

Wichita Area Hotels

Room Blocks at Reduced Rates for Conference Participants
October 25th (Wednesday) & October 26th (Thursday)

Summit location: 2900 N Rock Road – Central Christian Church

Wambui Bahati- Ms. Bahati is an actress, singer, writer, storyteller and inspirational speaker. She began her formal theatrical studies at New York University School of the Arts and made her professional theatrical debut in Godspell at Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C. She went on to perform in the Broadway productions of Godspell and Jesus Christ Superstar.

Wambui's regional and touring credits include starring roles in The Magic Show, Joseph Papp's rock version of Two Gentlemen of Verona, Little Ham, Nunsense, Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope, Gone With the Wind –the musical, The Wiz and Crowns.

Wambui wrote, produced and stars in the one-woman musicals Balancing Act and I Am Domestic Violence. Both of these shows have received national acclaim for the unique way that they provide outstanding entertainment while dealing with important issues in our communities.

Ms. Bahati possesses the uncanny ability to create custom shows and presentations based on a specific theme or topic. She has written and performed these custom presentations for organizations such as NOW (National Organization for Women), Habitat for Humanity, and the Carter Center.

Some of her awards include a Woman of Achievement Award from the Greensboro Commission on the Status of Women, a Belle Ringer Image Award from Bennett College, the Lionel Aldridge Award (a national honor recognizing individuals who provide extraordinary service and courage on behalf of people with mental illnesses), the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, North Carolina's President's Award, and a proclamation from the mayor of the city of Toledo, Ohio.

Named John Ann Washington at birth, Wambui Bahati is her new legal name taken on during the "reinvention of herself." In Swahili Wambui means "singer of songs," Bahati means, "my fortune is good." The native North Carolinian lives in New York City and is the mother of two daughters. She is currently finishing an inspirational self-help book entitled 'You Don't Know Crazy'.

Her passion: "Reminding You of Your Magnificence."

Kari Bedell - Kari Bedell, an Associate from the Center for Capacity Building at the National Alliance to End Homelessness, provides communities around the country with technical assistance through research, analysis, training and direct onsite support of their efforts to develop and implement plans to end homelessness. She has previously been a direct service provider, advocate, Executive Director and board member for mental health, domestic violence and various homeless programs in both rural Michigan and downtown Washington, DC.

Chere’ Bradshaw, CMSW - Regional Housing Facilitator, Region VII, and Creating Homes Initiative (CHI) Ms Bradshaw has been working with persons with chronic mental illness, substance abuse and homelessness issues for the past seven years. She graduated from the University of Memphis with a Bachelor's of Professional Studies in Human Services in 1999 and completed graduate work at the University of Tennessee Knoxville (Memphis Campus) in 2001. Since graduating May 2001, she has been employed by Behavioral Health Initiatives, developing supportive community housing for persons with chronic mental illness. Currently, Ms. Bradshaw is Board Member of NAMI, Memphis Affiliate and a NAMI Visions for Tomorrow State Trainer. She brings her experiences as a consumer of mental health and recovery services.

Mary E. Brooks - Mary E. Brooks has worked as a low-income housing advocate for more than 30 years. The majority of her work has involved policy advocacy advancing affordable housing, land use and zoning, community development, and civil rights issues. She holds a Masters Degree in City and Regional Planning from Ohio State University, where she received the College of Engineering Distinguished Alumna Award. She was awarded the Community Housing Leadership Award by the National Low Income Housing Coalition in 2004.

Currently, she directs the Housing Trust Fund Project of the Center for Community Change. The Center for Community Change is a national nonprofit organization that provides technical assistance and other services to nonprofit organizations working in low income and minority communities throughout the country.

The Housing Trust Fund Project compiles information about the development of housing trust funds throughout the country and promotes the involvement of neighborhood organizations in the creation and implementation of these funds to ensure that they benefit those most in need of housing. Ms. Brooks has prepared several publications on housing trust funds, as well as, publishing a quarterly newsletter that provides current information about the development and implementation of housing trust funds around the country. She devotes most of her time giving technical assistance to nonprofit community organizations and others involved in the creation and implementation of housing trust funds. She is widely recognized as the nation’s expert on these unique funds. She created the Housing Trust Fund Project in the mid-1980’s.

Ms. Brooks has provided consulting services on low-income housing issues; has taught at the Graduate School of Architecture and Urban Planning at University of California at Los Angeles and Columbia University in New York City; and has authored numerous publications and articles on low-income housing issues.

Gypsy Claar - Gypsy Claar co-founded People’s Net (PN) in 1995 in partnership with COMCARE of Sedgwick County-Homeless Program also known as Center City through the ACCESS Demonstration Grant. People’s Net volunteers are a unique resource because they are currently homeless, or have experienced homelessness and offer peer support to help individuals find the information and resources they need to become self-sufficient. PN works year-round in the community through on-going projects such as the Homeless Sleep-Out to raise public awareness, fundraisers and think tanks to explore issues from the homeless point of view, etc. PN also supports the Wichita Continuum of Care annual point-in-time count by partnering with area social providers to outreach to the unsheltered population. Gypsy advocates on behalf of the homeless population in the Wichita community; she has been a guest speaker regarding homelessness, or as she prefers “being houseless”, at the Wichita Library, Wichita State University, and Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas. She serves on Wichita’s Community Council for Homeless Advocacy and the Kansas Statewide Homeless Coalition Board of Directors.

Randy L. Crandall - Randy L. Crandall was a part of a work-group that formed the Kansas Statewide Homeless Coalition in 2000. Mr. Crandall served as the first Chair of KSHC and continues to serve in this capacity. Mr. Crandall started his career with the VA in 1976. Randy was selected to direct homeless services at the Topeka VA in 1996. A successful grant application provided the first national funding for homeless veterans at the Topeka VA in 1999 thus establishing the Health Care for Homeless Veterans program. Randy was appointed to the Governor’s Committee on Housing for the State of Kansas in 2001, he currently serves on the Kansas Interagency Council on Homelessness, and has served on the Governor’s Committee for Mental Health, subcommittee for Homeless and Housing since 2000. He also served as Chair of the Shawnee County Homeless Task Force (HTF) from 1998 to 2001. Randy serves on the Advisory Board for the Homeless, Mentally Ill at the Mental Health Center for several years. Randy served on various HTF committees involved in grant writing that successfully competed for over six million dollars in additional Federal and State funding to serve the Homeless throughout Shawnee County. Grant writing at both the VA and in the community has been a part of Mr. Crandall’s responsibilities for a number of years. Randy and his wife Linda have seven children and are heavily involved in their activities and in their local church.

Sheila Crowley - Sheila Crowley is the president and CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, where she heads a membership organization dedicated solely to ending the affordable housing crisis in America. NLIHC’s annual flagship publication, Out of Reach, analyzes the mismatch between incomes and rents in every jurisdiction in the United States, and produces the frequently cited measure of housing unaffordability, the housing wage. NLIHC’s weekly review of federal housing policy is considered a must-read by all low-income housing advocates. NLIHC leads the National Housing Trust Fund Campaign, which has been endorsed by over 5,500 organizations across the country.

She is a member of the Board of Directors of the National Housing Trust, the Poverty and Race Research Action Council, Enterprise Community Partners, the Technical Assistance Collaborative, the National Housing Conference, and the Alliance for Healthy Homes.

She joined the staff of the National Low Income Housing Coalition in December 1998, after two decades in Richmond, Virginia in organizational leadership, direct service, policy advocacy, and scholarship. She is a social worker with a bachelor’s (1976), master’s (1978), and Ph.D. (1998) from the School of Social Work at Virginia Commonwealth University. She has worked in staff, board, and consulting roles with organizations that focus on family housing, AIDS housing, senior housing, housing for people with disabilities, and homeless services.

She was the 1996-97 Social Work Congressional Fellow, where she served on the Democratic staff of the Housing Subcommittee of the United States Senate Banking Committee. From 1984-1992, she was the Executive Director of The Daily Planet, a multipurpose homeless service and advocacy organization in Richmond. She was the founding director in 1979 of the YWCA Women’s Advocacy Program in Richmond, the shelter and service program for battered women and their children. She is a founding member of the Virginians Against Domestic Violence, the Greater Richmond Coalition for the Homeless, and the Richmond Better Housing Coalition.

She is married to Kent Willis, Executive Director of the ACLU of Virginia. They have two daughters and five grandchildren.

David H. Desmond Sr.-David H. Desmond Sr. is a retired Air Force Master Sergeant after 22 years active service and has worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs for 13 years. He is currently the Homeless Veteran Outreach Coordinator for the Kansas Regional Office; the Elderly Veterans
Outreach Coordinator; Backup Casualty Assistance Officer; and the Regional Office Privacy Officer not to mention the infamous “other duties as assigned.” He has received many commendations and service excellence awards for his work at the Department of Veterans Affairs and has served on many high profile committees throughout his career. Married 35 years with one child.

Anne Duncan - Anne Duncan has a B.S. and M.A. in Criminal Justice from Wichita State University. Anne served as the Executive Director for CASA: A Voice for Children and the Harvey County Citizen Review Board. She began working with for the City of Wichita in the Housing and Community Services department in September as part of the Sedgwick County Reentry team.

Darrell Elliott- Darrell Elliott oversees the Kansas Department on Aging's Senior Medicare Patrol
Project to prevent Medicare and Medicaid fraud and error through outreach and education. The Senior Medicare Patrol is a Statewide Coalition made-up of Law Enforcement, Social Service /Community based organizations, and volunteers designed to educate, identify, and report health care fraud and abuse. The SMP Network serves as a point of entry for referral of complaints to health care agencies and law enforcement for suspected cases of health care error, fraud and abuse issues identified by Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.

Judith Epperson - Graduated from University of Kansas in 1998, with a Master of Social Work degree. Undergraduate degree in Human Services/Psychology, from Friend's University, Wichita, Kansas. Employed by the Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center, Wichita, since 1998. Began career at the VA as an in-patient social worker, and for the past four years have worked as the Homeless Program Coordinator, developing homeless program. Past chair of the Wichita Services Homeless Coalition, of which he is still active, and active with the Community Council for Homeless Advocacy. Prior to entering field of social work, she worked consulting and selling business solutions to the wholesale industry, covering an eleven state territory. Moved to Wichita eleven years ago, from Tampa, Florida and during the last eight years, she lived in Tampa, was Director of a Street Ministry. Married and reside in Wichita, Kansas.
Sally Frey -Sally Frey earned her Bachelor's in Psychology from Wichita State University, and masters in Marriage and Family Therapy from Friends University in Wichita. She has previously worked as Assistant Director of Prevention & Community Services with the Kansas Children's Service League (KCSL). Sally spent thirteen years with KCSL in various positions, where she developed several programs, supervised staff, worked closely with many community partners, and participated in contract programs with corrections agencies in the community. She has been with the Sedgwick County Re-entry Program since January of this year and in her short tenure has hired staff; located space; done various community presentations; and created systems and protocols to the point that after only 6 months of work her and her team have build caseloads to over 25% of total capacity.

Diane Etzel-Wise, MA, CTRS-Diane Etzel-Wise holds a Bachelor of Arts in Recreation with an emphasis in Therapeutic Recreation from Washburn University, Topeka, Kansas and a Master of Arts in Health Services Management from Webster University, Kansas City-St. Louis. Missouri. Diane brings extensive practice experience in mental health service delivery, strengths-based case management, consumer empowerment initiatives, psychosocial rehabilitation, supervision, and program design/development to the table. She has worked at numerous inpatient facilities since 1977 on both sides of the state line (Kansas and Missouri) and three Kansas mental health centers, including Northeast Kansas in Leavenworth, Miami County in Paola, and Johnson County in Merriam/Shawnee. Diane served as an Assistant Professor and Program Coordinator in Therapeutic Recreation at Central Missouri State University from 1997 to 2004. Diane is currently a doctoral student in Social Work and a Graduate Research Assistant at the University of Kansas, School of Social Welfare. She spent three years as a GRA for the Office of Adult Mental Health Research and Training and is currently working as a GRA for the KCK-KU Partnership in community development and truancy prevention. Her primary areas of research include evidence-based practices for persons with psychiatric disabilities, and agency organizational or leadership factors affecting outcomes. A native Kansan, her recreational pursuits include Gardening, Gatherings (social and spiritual in nature) and Gallivanting (traveling). Diane lives with her husband, Pat, in a Lenexa, Kansas earth-bermed home and travels frequently to Topeka, Kansas and Portland, Oregon to be “in community” with family.

Judith Epperson - Graduated from University of Kansas in 1998, with a Master of Social Work degree. Undergraduate degree in Human Services/Psychology, from Friend's University, Wichita, Kansas. Employed by the Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center, Wichita, since 1998. Began career at the VA as an in-patient social worker, and for the past four years have worked as the Homeless Program Coordinator, developing homeless program. Past chair of the Wichita Services Homeless Coalition, of which he is still active, and active with the Community Council for Homeless Advocacy. Prior to entering field of social work, she worked consulting and selling business solutions to the wholesale industry, covering an eleven state territory. Moved to Wichita eleven years ago, from Tampa, Florida and during the last eight years, she lived in Tampa, was Director of a Street Ministry. Married and reside in Wichita, Kansas.
Sally Frey -Sally Frey earned her Bachelor's in Psychology from Wichita State University, and masters in Marriage and Family Therapy from Friends University in Wichita. She has previously worked as Assistant Director of Prevention & Community Services with the Kansas Children's Service League (KCSL). Sally spent thirteen years with KCSL in various positions, where she developed several programs, supervised staff, worked closely with many community partners, and participated in contract programs with corrections agencies in the community. She has been with the Sedgwick County Re-entry Program since January of this year and in her short tenure has hired staff; located space; done various community presentations; and created systems and protocols to the point that after only 6 months of work her and her team have build caseloads to over 25% of total capacity.

Sally Frey -Sally Frey earned her Bachelor's in Psychology from Wichita State University, and masters in Marriage and Family Therapy from Friends University in Wichita. She has previously worked as Assistant Director of Prevention and Community Services with the Kansas Children's Service League (KCSL). Sally spent thirteen years with KCSL in various positions, where she developed several programs, supervised staff, worked closely with many community partners, and participated in contract programs with corrections agencies in the community. She has been with the Sedgwick County Re-entry Program since January of this year and in her short tenure has hired staff; located space; done various community presentations; and created systems and protocols to the point that after only 6 months of work her and her team have build caseloads to over 25% of total capacity.

James M. Glenn, MSW - Currently the Senior Vice President, Housing and Community Services, at The Mental Health Association of the Heartland (located in Kansas City), James Glenn has over fifteen years of experience in the field of mental health and over 10 years experience in researching, designing, and replicating supportive housing programs. Over the last two decades, he has worked in both clinical and administrative positions with adolescents and adults with serious and persistent mental illness, most of whom have experienced homelessness. He began working in 1994 at The Mental Health Association of the Heartland, a grass-roots advocacy organization. Since his arrival, he has designed coordinated, developed, enhanced and supervised seven community-based support programs for persons with mental illness. These include a financial management program for persons receiving Social Security benefits, a mental health consumer-to-consumer listening and support service, two rental assistance programs, two permanent supportive housing programs, and an employment program, which currently uniquely partners eight of Kansas City’s primary social service agencies. Three of his programs have been recognized as national “best practice” programs, won several national and regional awards, and have been replicated in other parts of the country. His housing initiative, the Heartland Housing Initiative, has recently birthed H2H Consulting (Housing to Homes), and is currently the centerpiece of an academic expose written by the UMKC Department of Social Work.

Mr. Glenn has extensive experience in advocating for the mentally ill and for the homeless, both on a systems level as well as on an individual case-by-case basis. In his current position, which includes researching and replicating model housing and support service programs from around the United States, Mr. Glenn has regular interactions with key stakeholders in the community, including government officials, private funders, social service providers, the police force, etc. Mr. Glenn is charged with the task of bringing these key stakeholders to consensus on what housing and support service programs should and will be offered in the Kansas City metropolitan community.

Mr. Glenn currently serves on the Governor’s Mental Health Planning Council-Housing and Homelessness Subcommittee in Kansas and is a member of the Kansas Statewide Homeless Coalition Board of Directors and Finance Committee. Mr. Glenn also serves on the national “Cultural Diversity and the Police (CDAP)” advisory board as the mental health expert and has co-authored a research article on “Policing Persons with Mental Illness”, disbursed to over 300 police chiefs and located at www.policylab.com/div (click on “Project Materials”).

Mr. Glenn’s current responsibilities focus on creating permanent solutions the obstacles faced by individuals who are homeless or at risk of homelessness primarily due to their mental illness and/or other disability. He has become an influential community educator and a strong advocate for fighting myths and stigma that are often associated with disabled homeless individuals. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Kansas State University and a Master’s Degree in Social Welfare from the University of Kansas. James Glenn’s proudest accomplishments to date however are his two children, Colin and Christopher, both of which bring him daily inspiration and hope for a better world.

Stefania Markou Haessig - Stefania Markou Haessig graduated from Wichita State University with a Bachelor degree in Arts ands Sciences and a Masters degree in Public Health. She started working at the SRS 4 years ago as a caseworker for cash assistance / medical and food stamps. She has been a Working Healthy Benefits Specialist for a little over a year with a coverage area including the counties of Harper, Kingman, Sedgwick and Sumner.

Helen P. Hartnett, PhD-Helen Hartnett has been on the board since 2002. She wanted to join in order to be a part of an organizing effort to increase awareness, funding and political will to ease housing and homeless issues in Kansas. She would like to see the KSHC accomplish increased statewide participation and representation, increased housing programs for people experiencing homelessness, and increased research and knowledge about Kansas’s specific issues to educate politicians and the public. She currently teaches courses in community and organizational practice in social welfare. She has a strong interest in and commitment to people experiencing homelessness and has served as the executive director of two housing programs in Ohio, worked for the Ohio Coalition for the Homeless, and conducted research for a Columbus funding agency.

JoAnn Howley- Jo Ann Howley is a native of Kansas who attended Washburn University where she majored in Journalism. She was formerly President of the Sunshine Connection, a consumer-run organization in Topeka. She has helped teach case management training for the KU School of School of Welfare for five years. In this position, she has traveled to many states and many cities in Kansas. She also assists in screening mental health consumers in Nursing Facilities for Mental Health to determine if they would like to reside in the community and are able to do so. Jo Ann has worked part time for NAMI Kansas for four years. In addition, she is an active member of the committees for homelessness and suicide prevention.

Mary C. Jones - Mary C. Jones holds a Masters Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. She has worked with the SPMI population since 1994. She has held the position of Director of Residential Care for the Mental Health Association of South Central Kansas since 1997. In her current position, she oversees three supported housing programs for people with SPMI as well as four permanent housing HUD projects. She is currently overseeing two new housing programs under development. Her housing experience includes development, daily management, and program administration of Section 811 and 202 housing programs.

Gail Lotson - Ms. Lotson has seven years of experience in the housing industry. Her responsibilities include administration of over 2,500 Section 8 rental assistance vouchers and over 100 Shelter Plus Care rental assistance coupons. Ms. Lotson has been with the Wichita Housing Authority for five years and is certified as a Housing Manager, Housing Quality Inspector, Homeownership Coordinator and Family Self Sufficiency Coordinator. She has more than fifteen years experience in variety of public and private sector partnerships with multiple programs within the Wichita community. Her career spans from human resources and computer science to her present position as Section 8 Program Manager for the City of Wichita, Housing and Community Services Department.

Pastor Doug Luginbill- Pastor Doug Luginbill is in his 11th year of pastoral ministry and had served as a church camp director for seven years. He is currently in his fifth year as the pastor of a suburban congregation, Hope Mennonite Church, on the west side of Wichita. Prior to moving to Wichita, he served as an associate pastor in a rural community of 3500 people. Following the visit of a homeless person to his congregation, he decided to learn more about homeless ministries and the reality and causes of homelessness in Wichita. Two years ago, he began attending meetings of an inter-faith group that was discussing ways to end chronic homelessness in Wichita. Since February of 2006, he has been co-chair of Advocates for Ending Chronic Homelessness (AECH). He believes that chronic homelessness is a moral issue that must be addressed by the whole community including elected officials, homeless service providers, faith communities, and business leaders. Doug and his wife Paula have two children ages 15 and 12.

Sharon McDonald - Sharon McDonald joined the National Alliance to End Homelessness in 2001 as an analyst where her primary focus is on policy and program strategies to end family homelessness. Sharon was a direct practitioner in a Richmond, Virginia community-based service center for people who are homeless. She has experience providing services in a service-enriched housing development for low-income families with children and in housing for people living with HIV/AIDS. Sharon served as a Social Work Congressional Fellow in Senator Paul D. Wellstone’s office where she focused on welfare and housing issues. Sharon is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and received an MSW and a Ph.D. in Social Work and Social Policy from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Nicole Opfer - Nicole Opfer is the Midwest Regional Director for the Housing Assistance Council’s office in Kansas City, Missouri. Her responsibilities include maintaining contact with agencies, organizations and state and local officials to provide and receive information on rural housing policy and implementation, organize local and regional support for rural housing efforts in the Midwest, manages and provides technical assistance and training to non-profit organizations, government bodies and others in the Midwest and supervises staff of the Midwest Regional office. Nicole was first employed by HAC as a Housing Specialist in 1999.

Before joining HAC, Ms. Opfer was a Property Manager/Development Coordinator with Blue Hills Homes Corporation, a Community Development Corporation within inner city Kansas City, Missouri. Prior to this Nicole was an Administrative Assistant with the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City, Missouri and a Housing Specialist with the Central Iowa Regional Housing Authority in Des Moines, Iowa. Nicole is no stranger to working and helping people. Throughout her career, she has had many opportunities to work with a wide variety of diverse populations.

Ms. Opfer, a native of Mount Ayr, Iowa received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Housing and the Near Environment from Iowa State University. She currently resides in Kansas City with her husband Dave, son Ryan and dog Tanner.

Margie Phelps - Margie Phelps is the Director of Reentry with the Kansas Department of Corrections. She has worked for KDOC for 16 years, starting as a parole officer, working in risk management, facilities management, human resources and serving as Deputy Warden at Lansing Correctional Facility before assuming the Director position. Ms. Phelps is a graduate of the University of Kansas where she received her Masters in Public Administration, and Washburn University of Topeka, Kansas where she received a Juris Doctorate and undergraduate degree in Corrections & Criminal Justice.

Tim Rogers - Tim is the Housing Program Director for USDA Rural Development in Topeka, Kansas. Tim was a Rural Development Specialist in the Lawrence, Kansas area office prior to his selection as Program Director. Tim also has served as the FSA County Executive Director in Atchison County, an Agricultural Credit Specialist in the FSA State Office in Manhattan, Kansas, an FmHA County Supervisor at Oakley, Kansas and an FmHA Assistant County Supervisor at Washington, Kansas.

Tim was raised on a farm near Mapleton, Kansas and graduated from Uniontown High School, Allen County Community College, and Kansas State University. Tim is married and has two adult children. He enjoys sports and spending time at the ranch near Mapleton

Daryl Rutschmann - Daryl Rutschmann is a disability representative for Reimbursement Support Services, Inc. specializing ins consultation and representation for SSDI/SSI applicants, Daryl has 12 years experience I the adjudication of SSDI/SSI claims at the Kansas Disability Determination Services (DDS), and 12 years private practice experience representing disability clients. In 1991 Daryl was one of only six recipients in the nation awarded the Social Security Administration Commissioner’s Citation, the highest award given by SSA, for implementation of the Kansas DDS Homeless Mentally Ill project. This project successfully provided SSDI/SSI benefits to homeless persons suffering from mental illness. Daryl has 18 years experience working with persons with psychiatric illnesses at the Menninger Foundation in Topeka. He holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Washburn University in Topeka.

Robert Tate Toedman - Tate Toedman is currently the Educational Program Consultant, for the Kansas State Department of Education. He has worked in the Kansas school system since 1994, starting out as a teacher in the Topeka public schools; he moved to a counselor position and in 2004 became the Athletic Director for Wetmore Academic Center. He has a Master’s of Education in Building Leadership from Washburn University and another Master’s of Science in Educational Counseling from Emporia State University, and a Bachelor’s of Education in Elementary Education from Washburn University. He is a Youth Mentor for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Topeka and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Topeka Jazz Workshop.

Lena J. Wagner- Ms. Wagner has been with Housing and Community Services Department/Section 8 Division for 10 years. Her responsibilities include a caseload of approx 450 clients, with over 100 under the Shelter Plus Care Program. Ms Wagner has monitored Shelter Plus Care for 8 years, working side by side with referring agencies, and landlords, monitoring the clients and completing the Annual Program Report to HUD.

Rhonda Walker-Rhonda Walker is a licensed Master Social Worker and certified drug and alcohol counselor with over 17 years experience in the field of chemical dependency and substance abuse recovery. Ms. Walker also has extensive experience in treating women with addictions and addressing co-existing mental health and homeless issues. Walker is the co-founder of Miracles, Inc., in Wichita, Kansas providing inpatient, reintegration, outpatient and housing services for over 300 individuals/families per year. Her contributions to the substance abuse field include prior membership on numerous committees including an appointment on the Kansas Citizens’ Committee for the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services, the Multiple Detoxification Treatment Design Team, HUD Continuum of Care Technical Grant Review Committee, Wichita State University Adjunct Professor/Accreditation Board Member, and member of the City-Wide planning team for African American Churches. She designed the first case management system for addiction treatment providers funded by the City of Wichita tax revenues. She has particular interest in social justice issues.

Doug Wallace - Doug began his work with Valeo Behavioral Health Care in 1994 as a case manager in the homeless program. He has been in his current position of Housing Resource Specialist since 2000. During his tenure at Valeo, Doug has worked closely with Housing & Neighborhood Development to help administer the Shelter plus Care program and is responsible for collaborating with community partners to develop more housing options for Valeo consumers

Matt White - Matt White has been in the housing and homelessness field for fifteen years, specializing in strategic planning and homeless system policy development, research and evaluation, and homeless management information system (HMIS) development. Form 1998 through 2001, Mr. White served as the Associate Director of the Columbus, Ohio Shelter Board (CSB) primarily responsible for continuum of care planning, development, monitoring, and program evaluation. In 2002, Matt White joined HUD’s National HMIS Technical Assistance Team as senior member primarily responsible for the design and delivery of technical assistance tools. His most current work focuses on community planning projects that involve research design, facilitation and drafting, and implementation planning for strategic plans to address homelessness.

Earl Williams- Earl Williams has been a Benefits Specialist for the Working Healthy Program with the State of Kansas Social and Rehabilitative Services (SRS) since February 2005. The Working Healthy Program offers people with disabilities who are working or interested in working the opportunity to get or keep Medicaid coverage. Mr. Williams provides consumers with the information they need on the program and assists them in making the best possible decisions regarding their health care coverage and he provides information on how working and earning income will affect their Social Security benefits. Mr. Williams has a Bachelor of Science from Emporia State University in Marketing and an Associate of Arts from North Iowa Community College. From April 1996 to February 2005, he worked for SRS in EESS for family cases: Temporary Assistance for Families (TAF), food stamps, medical, childcare and employment preparations and Income Maintenance for elderly and disabled case: General Assistance, food stamps and medical benefits.

Lawrence Wilson, LADAC - Lawrence Wilson is a native Memphian and an advocate for people with mental illness in the city. He attended Southwest Community College and received a certificate for substance abuse counseling in 1994. In 1995, he received from the State of Tennessee Department of Health Related Boards, his license as an Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor. His experiences include counseling adults with co-occurring disorders, and working as a Family Service counselor for Whitehaven Southwest Mental Health Center. Lawrence was instrumental in the development and creation of the “No Client Left Behind” project for the indigent and homeless participants serving at CAAP’s Inc. Supportive Housing Program. Lawrence has presented at several conferences from a consumer perspective on the impact of homelessness and having access to housing. These conferences include the 5th Annual Training Institute for Olmstead Coordinators, The Housing Within Reach Housing Academy and the National Association for State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD). Currently, Lawrence is the Region VII Consumer SETH Specialist for Behavioral Health Initiatives in collaboration with TDMHDD. Lawrence also serves on the Board of Directors for the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Planning and Policy Council, and the Tennessee Mental Health Consumer’s Association, while pursuing a BS degree in counseling from the University of Memphis. Lawrence has worked in the Mental Health field for more than fifteen years.

Corrie Wright - Corrie Wright completed her Master’s of Science from KSU in Family Life Education and Consultation and Bachelor’s from WU in Human Services. She has worked in the helping profession for over 14 years. Currently, She is the Program Administrator for the Shelter Plus Care program administered by the City of Topeka and an Adjunct Professor at WU in the Human Service Department. She has a strong dedication to help those in need become more self-sufficient and enjoy life!

Information Fair Vendors

The Kansas Statewide Homeless Coalition invites all attendees to visit the 2006 Summit on Homelessness and Housing Information Fair. Vendors will display the latest resources and information about services and housing options for individuals experiencing homelessness.