UW-Milwaukee Child Welfare Scholars Program Presents: Creating Safety Together – A Dialogue on Family Violence

12:30pm-4:00pm

Register here

Supporting families who are facing both domestic violence and child maltreatment is inherently complex. These families are coping with multiple forms of trauma and stress that can affect parents, children, and the family system as a whole. Practitioners often have to balance child safety, caregiver support, and accountability for harm, all while working across systems. Families may also be dealing with poverty, housing issues, or other barriers that make it even harder to find stability. Because of these challenges, effective practice and policies require strong collaboration, trauma-informed approaches, and a focus on building safety and trust for both families and the professionals who support them.

Join us for a dynamic conversation that brings together family members, domestic violence advocates, judges, child welfare professionals, and community partners. This interactive session is designed to highlight diverse perspectives and lived experiences by creating space for honest dialogue and shared learning. Together, we will explore strategies to strengthen our collective response and build more effective supports for families navigating these challenges.

In-Person at UWM Student Union Room E280 or virtually via Zoom (link sent day prior to conference).

• The conference is free of charge for all participants, but registration is required.
• Parking is available in UWM Union structure and will be validated.
• Continuing Education Hours (CEHs) are available for participation in the conference.

Agenda

12:30-12:45pm – Welcome

12:45-1:30pm – Keynote Presentation – Hector Hernandez, Senior Director of Advocacy, Sojourner Family Peace Center

1:30-2:00pm – Community Partner Presentation

2:00-2:15pm – Break

2:15-4:00pm – Community Partner Presentations

Presenters

Hector Hernandez

Senior Director of Advocacy, Sojourner Family Peace Center

Hector Hernandez has worked for Sojourner Family Peace Center for the past 19 years. As Senior Director of Advocacy, and a member of the executive leadership team, he is responsible and supports the successful day-to-day operations of the advocacy programs.

Hector has 24 years of experience working with families and children primarily in Milwaukee, as well as several counties within Southeastern Wisconsin. This experience includes case management services for at-risk teenagers, foster children, and adoptions. Hector has also successfully established committees and conducted trainings for the medical, educational, and social service fields regarding Latino communities and their culture, health care access, and policies. He has utilized his professional experiences to serve on boards within the Milwaukee community focusing on education and families. Hector’s educational background includes receiving a Bachelor of Science Degree in Political Science and Sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He is also a 2018 graduate of the Allstate Foundation Greater Good Leadership Program from the Kellogg School Center for Nonprofit Management at Northwestern University.

Hector was the 2024 Lideramos National Organization-Latino Local Leader Award winner. In the past, he has served as a Field Advisory Board Member for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Helen Bader School of Social Welfare.

Judge Ana M. Berrios

Milwaukee County Court, Branch 13

Judge Ana M. Berrios, Branch 13 Milwaukee County, was born and raised in Milwaukee, with the exception of grades 5 through 7, when she lived in Puerto Rico.

Judge Berrios obtained a bachelor’s degree from Marquette University in criminology, sociology and social philosophy with a minor in theology (1992). She obtained her Juris Doctorate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Law School (1995), and a Master’s Degree in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (1999). After law school she co-founded and managed the Law Office of Berrios, De Toro & Egyes, S.C.  She left private practice to join forces with the Milwaukee County Office of Child Support Services from 1999 through 2001, until ascending to the bench with the Family Court Commissioner’s Office in 2001 as an Assistant Family Court Commissioner.  In 2012,  she was promoted to Deputy Family Court Commissioner and in 2016 she was again promoted to be the head of the Family Court Commissioner’s Office as the Family Court Commissioner. Judge Berrios was elected to the Circuit Court Judiciary in 2023 and currently is assigned to the Criminal Domestic Violence Court.

Judge Berrios is a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin and the Milwaukee Bar Association. She is an avid reader on subjects ranging from legal work to social welfare and spirituality.

Jennifer Adler

Initial CPS Supervisor, Family Services Division, Waukesha County Department of Health & Human Services

Jen Adler is a 2007 graduate of the Helen Bader School of Social Welfare at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. She began her career in child welfare as a case manager for ongoing CPS in Milwaukee County before joining Waukesha County, where she has served for the past 17 years in various roles. Her experience includes work as an Ongoing CPS Social Worker, Services Coordinator for the Children’s Long-Term Support Waiver, Access Social Worker, and Lead Worker for Access/Initial Assessment and Afterhours. For the past four years, Jen has supervised both Access and Initial Assessment units.

Jen was a contributing member of the workgroup that authored the revised DCF Domestic Violence Handbook for Wisconsin Child Welfare Professionals and currently manages Waukesha County’s contract with The Women’s Center, fostering strong collaboration to support families experiencing domestic violence.

Outside of work, Jen is married with two children and proudly serves as the one of the family’s full-time chauffeurs to countless sports practices and games.

Mindy Lohff

Executive Director, Safe Haven of Shawno County

Mindy Lohff serves as the Executive Director of Safe Haven of Shawano County, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting survivors of domestic and sexual violence. With an undergraduate degree in Elementary Education, Mindy began her career as an educator before transitioning into nonprofit leadership, where she has spent the past decade serving rural communities bordered by three tribal nations. Across her work in healthcare, homelessness prevention, and victim services, Mindy has emphasized person-centered, trauma-informed care rooted in cultural respect and ethical practice. Her leadership philosophy reflects a servant leader approach grounded in patience, growth mindset, and accountability. Mindy holds a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification through the Project Management Institute and instructs Leadership and Project Management training through the Center for Training & Economic Development at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in Green Bay.