Amy G. Boney, MSW

CEO

Amy Boney serves as the Chief Executive Officer for Children’s Advocacy Centers of Georgia (CACGA). She provides oversight and direction to the planning, development, and management of the daily operation of the state Chapter and oversees all CACGA services and activities. Amy graduated from the University of Georgia and Valdosta State University respectively where she completed her Bachelor and Masters of Social Work respectively. She has over 20 years’ experience working within Children’s Advocacy Centers in Georgia and is the previous Director of the CSEC Response Team of CACGA.

Nancy Chandler, MSW

Consultant, CACGA

Nancy serves as a consultant to the Children’s’ Advocacy Centers of Georgia beginning in 2013. Prior to her consultancy, Nancy graciously stepped in as our Interim CEO. In December, 2015 she retired as the CEO of the Georgia Center for Child Advocacy, having served in that position for eight years. Prior to this service, she served for 14 years as the founding Executive Director of National Children’s Alliance. Prior to this position Ms. Chandler served as the founding Executive Director of the Memphis Child Advocacy Center. She currently serves as a member of the Children’s Justice Act Task Force and the Advisory Board for Prevent Child Abuse Georgia.

Heidi Reese-Anderson, M. Ed

Director of Program Services

Heidi Reese-Anderson is currently serving as the Director of Program Services for the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Georgia (CACGA). She is responsible for assisting the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in managing the CAC membership program from membership application through the approval process, maintaining effective programs, and providing technical assistance and training opportunities for member centers, multidisciplinary team members, and partnering agencies.  Ms. Reese-Anderson graduated from Florida A&M University (1994-2000) where she completed both her Bachelor and Master’s degrees in Psychology and Secondary Education with a specialization in Mental Health Counseling.

Tracy Lewis-Martin

Director of Grants and Statewide MDT Coordinator

Tracy Lewis-Martin is the CACGA Director or Grants and Operations.  She is responsible for managing and implementing incoming grant awards, contracting, required reporting, and other administrative functions.  This includes developing strategies to optimize the grant and contract management process in order to support CACGA’s evolving needs, particularly in light of increased grant volume and complexity.  Tracy previously was the first-ever Executive Director of the Carroll County Children’s Advocacy Centers in Carrollton, Georgia before coming to CACGA.

Naeshia McDowell

Director of the Commercial Sexual Exploitation (CSEC) Response Team

Naeshia McDowell is the Director of the Commercial Sexual Exploitation (CSEC) Response Team, a program of the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Georgia. Naeshia leads a multidisciplinary team of professionals who provide assessment and crisis intervention services to children and youth impacted by commercial sexual exploitation. Naeshia earned her Master of Public Health degree from Georgia State University and has been immersed in anti-trafficking efforts since 2016. Naeshia is an active member of the Georgia Statewide Human Trafficking Taskforce. Her contributions to the Task Force include; serving as editor of Georgia’s Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Technical Assistance Resource Guide and chairing the ‘Keeping At-Risk Youth Safe’ workgroup. She is also an active member of the Georgia Coalition to Combat Human Trafficking, Victim Services Workgroup.

Ami Denney, CPC

Marketing and Operations Coordinator, CACGA, Intake Specialist, CSEC Response Team

Ami Denney, CPC is the Marketing and Operations Coordinator for the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Georgia and Intake Specialist for the Commercial Sexual Exploitation Response Team a project of the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Georgia. With over a decade of successful experience in data management and marketing, Ami Creates innovative marketing campaigns, presentations, and outreach material based on robust data collected via our internal tracking database. Ami is also a member of CJCC’s Statewide Human Trafficking Task Force. A strong believer in living life to the fullest, Ami regularly rides motorcycles on and off-road with her two girls, scuba dives in the world’s vast oceans, and is a local skydiving coach.

Kathleen Cleveland-Kennedy

Statewide Care Coordinator, CSEC Response Team

Kathleen Cleveland-Kennedy is the Statewide Care Coordinator for the CACGA CSEC Response Team. Kathleen has been with the CSEC response team since October 2020. In her current role, Kathleen helps provides oversight of CSEC assessments and delivery of CSEC services provided to child trafficking victims. Prior to being with the CSEC response team, Kathleen spent seven years with the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS). During her time with the DFCS, Kathleen served in several roles including as a CPS Investigator and as a Field Program Specialist. Kathleen received her Bachelors of Arts in Psychology for Augusta University in 2012.

Kacey Long

North Regional Coordinator, CSEC Response Team

Kacey Long (she/her) is the Regional Coordinator for North Georgia on the CSEC Response Team within Children’s Advocacy Centers of Georgia. She has a Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan and has been working with survivors of CSEC since 2012 within sexual assault centers, children’s advocacy centers, research institutions, and within the child welfare system. Kacey has worked alongside global trafficking researchers at the Human Trafficking and Social Justice Institute where she specialized her research in vulnerable populations and trafficking prevention. Kacey serves as a member of CJCC’s Statewide Human Trafficking Task Force, co-chair of the North Georgia Sex Trafficking Awareness and Response (STAR) Task Force and chairs the Survivor Advocacy committee, and is a Board Member of DIVAS Who Win Freedom Center. Her background consists of community education and outreach, conducting research to create federal, state, and local policies, and working within the intersections of LGBTQ populations who have experienced sexual violence and human trafficking.

Leslie O. Lamb, MSM, CPM, BSCJ

South Regional Coordinator, CSEC Response Team

Leslie O. Lamb is the CSEC Response Team Regional Coordinator for the southern part of Georgia. She serves as the central point of contact for agencies and victims for a coordinated and effective response as well as provide direct services for victims; additionally she will facilitate training and outreach. Ms. Lamb graduated from Troy State University with a Master’s Degree in Management and from the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute as a Certified Public Manager. Leslie retired from 37 years as a certified law enforcement officer including 31 years where she served as Chief Parole Officer for the State of Georgia’s Board of Pardons and Paroles. She spent five years with the Governor’s Office of Transition, Support and Reentry.

Caitlin (Wiggins) Brooks, M.A.

West Regional Coordinator, CSEC Response Team

Caitlin (Wiggins) Brooks, M.A. graduated from the University of West Georgia in 2018 with an undergraduate degree in Psychology. In 2020, Caitlin (Wiggins) Brooks, M.A. graduated from the University of The Cumberlands with a Master’s of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Prior to becoming the West Regional Coordinator for the CACGA CSEC Response Team, Caitlin was a Forensic Interviewer, MDT Coordinator, and Part-Time Therapist for the Carroll County Child Advocacy Center. Caitlin is currently attending Liberty University to pursue a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology with a concentration in CSEC. As the West Regional Coordinator for the CSEC Response Team, Caitlin provides case management services and serves as a liaison with law enforcement partners, judicial partners, and victim service partners in DFCS Regions 3, 4, and 6; as well as supports and improves the multi-disciplinary response to child and youth trafficking. She is one of the central points of contact for agencies and victims and assists with a more coordinated and effective system response to provide direct services for victims in the form of assessment, case management, and advocacy.

 

Sharmel Grimball, M.A.

Metro Regional Coordinator, CSEC Response Team

Sharmel Grimball is currently the Metro Regional Coordinator for the CSEC Response Team with CACGA. She is responsible for coordinating, completing assessments, and confirming/non-confirming youth for CSEC. Sharmel graduated from Liberty University with a Master Degree in Child Development. Sharmel also holds a Child First Certification and has a background as a forensic interviewer.

Janie Bullard, MSW

Hotline Coordinator, Consultant, CSEC Response Team

Prior to joining the CSEC response team in October 2020, she graduated from the College of Coastal Georgia with a Bachelor Degree in Psychology and went on to the University of Georgia to complete her Master Degree in Social Work. During her time at the University of Georgia, she had the opportunity to work with researchers for the African Programming and Research Initiative to End Slavery (APRIES).  As the Hotline Coordinator for the CSEC Response Team she ensures the hotline is answered 24/7 and works to find placement and additional resources for CSEC youth.

Amy Shipp, LCSW

Director of Advocacy Services, Consultant, CSEC Response Team

Amy Shipp (she/her) serves as a consultant to Children’s Advocacy Centers of Georgia and their statewide child sex trafficking response team, where she provides training and peer support for family advocates throughout the state. Amy is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 20 years of experience serving children and families, with a particular focus on children who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation. She is currently the Director of Advocacy Services at the Georgia Center for Child Advocacy. In this capacity, she oversees and directs advocacy functions of the Center and collaborates with Forensic and Clinical Services to ensure provision of quality services for children and their families. Amy received her BA in Psychology from Auburn University and MS in Social Work from the University of Texas at Austin.

Mary Beth Nelson

Director of Response Training, Consultant, CSEC Response Team

Mary Beth Nelson is the Director of Response Training at the Georgia Center for Child Advocacy.  She provides training, supervision and support services to forensic interviewers and multidisciplinary team members around the state.  Mary Beth also offers expert testimony in court proceedings throughout Georgia.  Mary Beth earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Social Work from the University of Alabama.  She has been a forensic interviewer for 18 years and specializes in forensic interviewing of suspected CSEC Victims.  Mary Beth is a member of the Georgia Statewide Human Trafficking Task Force and the Georgia Coalition to Combat Human Trafficking.  She is also a member of the Child First Georgia faculty.