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Our Team

Executive Director 

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Jennifer Boehm

Jennifer Boehm is an accomplished leader with twenty years of healthcare administration experience where she has worked in outpatient clinic and correctional managed care settings at organizations like the University of Texas Medical Branch and Ochsner Health.  As a Director of Operations, Jennifer was responsible for the delivery of quality medical and behavioral health services to adult and pediatric patients.  She holds a bachelor’s degree in business management and is also a trained professional leadership coach and project management professional.

 

As the Executive Director of Hope Haven Children’s Advocacy Center, Jennifer is responsible for oversight of the center’s daily operations.  She also develops and maintains strong working relationships with community partners to include Law Enforcement Agencies, Child Protective Services, Youth Court and Prosecutors.  It is through these collaborative relationships that Jennifer can carry out the center’s mission of being a haven of recovery and a path to justice for children and their families. 

Lorraine Werner

Lorraine Werner is Hope Haven's Administrative Assistant and program manager for the Darkness to Light, Stewards of Children Prevention program.  She became a facilitator for the program in February of 2013, and along with six volunteer facilitators have trained over 600 adults on how to protect, react and respond to child sexual abuse.

 

Lorraine was recently awarded the Biloxi Regional Medical Center 2014 Caring Women distinction for her promotion of the Stewards of Children training throughout the three coastal counties. 

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Assistant Executive Director

Victim Advocate Coordinator 

Debra Foster

Family Advocate Supervisor

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Ms. Foster is a graduate from The University of Southern Mississippi with a Bachelor's Degree in Social Work and a Minor in Psychology with an emphasis in Family and Child Development. Ms. Foster has also completed Family Advocacy/MDT training required by the state. 

 

Ms. Foster has several years of experience involving Advocacy for neglected/abused children and high-risk populations in the community. In addition to counseling each family before and after a Forensic Interview, Ms. Foster is responsible for guiding each family through the investigative and legal process, connecting families with resources in the community, and maintaining contact with the families to ensure healing and empowerment.

 

Ms. Foster is working to  develop the Family Advocacy program by implementing classes and prevention programs that will best serve families and their particular needs.

Kaitlin Jewell

Forensic Interviewer

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Kaitlin Jewell is a forensic interviewer and has been serving the children of Hancock and Pearl River Counties since 2017. Kaitlin is a gulf coast native and is passionate about giving back to her community. 

 

Ms. Jewell holds a B.S. from William Carey University in Psychology with a minor in Biology (2016) and has been trained in ChildFirst Protocol, certifying her to conduct forensic interviews. She is also trained in presenting evidence and conducting expanded interviews. Kaitlin is certified as an expert witness in the court system, allowing her to provide expert testimony during court cases.

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Jayne Riley

MDT Facilitator

Jayne Riley joins the Hope Haven team as the MDT Facilitator. Before joining Hope Haven, Jayne worked
for 25 years in the State of Mississippi employment, and the past 9 years as a Social Work Consultant in
Mississippi and Arkansas. This past year, Jayne worked on a team in Arkansas, working with Child
Protection Staff with focused work on family-centered work, and the development of partnerships
between Child Protection Services and families. Jayne provided training for family-centered work and
increased the development of resources for families with Child Protection Staff and stakeholders. The
training provided helped to increase awareness of the impacts of childhood trauma. Time was spent
training Child Protection Staff on the inclusion of the family’s voice through family integrity meetings
and the importance of advocacy for families. Jayne has an extensive history working with children,
families, and communities. Jayne is a Licensed Master Social Worker. She earned a Bachelor of Arts
from Mississippi State University and a Master of Social Work from the University of Southern
Mississippi.

Ronny De Felicibus

Forensic Interviewer

Ronny DeFelicibus joins the Hope Haven staff as a forensic interviewer and handler for our CAC’s therapy dog in training, Bean. Ronny has been serving the children of Hancock and Pearl River Counties since 2023. Ronny holds a B.A. from Millsaps College in Communication Studies with a minor in Government and Politics.  She has been trained in ChildFirst Protocol and expanded interviews, certifying her to conduct forensic interviews. 

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Bean

Therapy Dog in training

Meet Bean! Bean is Hope Haven’s therapy dog in training. Bean has been donated to provide support and comfort to all the pawsome children that come through our CAC’s doors. Bean is under the care of Hope Haven’s forensic interviewers and is currently in training to become officially certified in 2024 and has successfully gone through obedience training. She was generously donated to Hope Haven by CDR Chris and Michelle Daniel with support from Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem, Grand Priory of America, Commandery of the South.

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