About the Council
Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s Legal Advocacy Agency for Children
Our Story
Our Board
Our Staff
Our Supporters
Council for Children’s Rights is Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s leading advocate for children, providing both direct assistance to children in need today and working for the well-being of all children in the future. Our mission is to lead the community to stand up for every child’s right to be safe, healthy, and well-educated.
We serve some of the most at-risk children in Mecklenburg County. Our advocacy work intersects with the lives of children in the areas of education, abuse and neglect, mental health, custody, domestic violence, and juvenile defense. We actively work toward system reforms and public policies that address the needs and future of all children — not just the children we serve.
Council for Children’s Rights was formed in 2006 through the merger of the Council for Children (founded in 1979) and the Children’s Law Center (founded in 1987). Both groups worked tirelessly to advocate for children in crisis, and in merging they created the largest child advocacy agency in the state.
Our Practice Areas
PRACTICE
AREA
Family Law
The Council is court-appointed to represent the best interests of children caught in the middle of high conflict custody cases.
PRACTICE
AREA
Juvenile Defense
The Council is the court-appointed public defender to represent all children in juvenile delinquency court who have been accused of a crime.
PRACTICE
AREA
Mental Health
The Council provides legal representation for every child who faces civil commitment to a mental health hospital or residential treatment facility in Mecklenburg County.
PRACTICE
AREA
Education
The Council provides expert legal assistance to students who are in the juvenile defense or child welfare systems facing educational challenges, to parents and guardians of students who have special education, Section 504, or discipline-related issues, and to the community at-large through free training sessions.
PRACTICE
AREA
Research & Policy
The Council conducts important research, analysis, and policy advocacy efforts to reform policies, improve systems, and solve complex problems facing children.
“Our children are my heroes, and I am in awe of their courage and resilience.”
Executive Director Heather Johnson, JD, MSW shares the obstacles and victories of the past year and the vision for a better future for our children in crisis.
2021 Vision Statement
Our Work
We defend and champion the rights of children to be supported and treated with fairness, compassion, and respect, regardless of personal obstacles. We work to achieve our mission by:
…providing legal services and advocacy for individual children,
…encouraging our community to use research that informs policies, improves systems, and solves complex problems facing children,
…educating professionals, parents, and caregivers to become more effective advocates,
…and collaborating with community partners by providing expertise, leadership, and support to create solutions that achieve better outcomes for our children.
CFCR BY THE NUMBERS
FY2022Volunteers
supporters
children served
individual cases
A Letter from Our Board Chair
I am so honored this year to serve as the new President of the Board of Directors of the Council for Children’s Rights and to work with such dedicated board members.
Supporting this critically important work is a family commitment for us. For over 30 years, George and I have served as volunteers and contributed financial support for the Council and its predecessor organizations because we believe so strongly in its mission.
have seen CFCR’s small team of passionate attorneys, social workers, and support associates serve thousands of Charlotte’s most vulnerable children. I am extremely proud of the work they have accomplished to address the individualized needs of each child. And I am equally as proud of their efforts to advocate for reform in the systems that serve our children to address barriers and gaps that cause inequality in our community.
We do this work not only because it is the right thing to do, but because there is no other agency that focuses exclusively on ensuring that the legal rights of vulnerable children are protected in the courtroom and in schools, and advocating change in the systems that create challenges to their well-being.
Charlotte’s children are Charlotte’s future and if we invest in them now, I know they will be able to accomplish great things for themselves, our community, and beyond.
Sincerely,
Deb Hanna
CFCR Board Chair 2022-2023
OFFICERS
Deb Hanna, President
Community Leader
Sabrina Clark, President-Elect
Mecklenburg County DSS-YFS
Brian Bonaviri, Past President
Grant Thornton LLP
Andy Barbee, Treasurer (co-chair)
Greer Walker
Emily Costigan, Treasurer (co-chair)
Bank of America
Deb Dilman, Governance Chair
Southpark Family Law
Anika Kim, Advancement Chair
Bank of America
Keith Atkinson
Nuveen, LLC (a TIAA company)
Amanda Christie
Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP
Shawn Cone
Community Volunteer
Tracey Evans
Community Leader
Wendi Fleener
Duke Energy
Lara Greenberg
Nixon Peabody
Deborah Hampton
Duke Energy
Najla Long
Bradley LLP
Mujtaba Mohammed
Mecklenburg County Public Defender’s Office
Sarah Negus
Moore & Van Allen
Windy Oliver
Wells Fargo
Beth Richek
Wells Fargo
Cory Rogers
Ernst & Young
Lindsey Smith
Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP
Jennifer Terry
Atrium Health
Morgan Woods Dennis
Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP
Ruben Veliz
McGuireWoods
ADMINISTRATION
Heather Johnson, MSW, JD
Executive Director
Christopher Brown
Director of Administration
ADVANCEMENT
Amy Vavra, JD
Director of Advancement
Caitlin Forrest
Associate Director of Advancement
Alaina Smith
Associate Director of Institutional Giving
RESEARCH AND POLICY
Heather Johnson, MSW, JD
Executive Director
Robert Pinka
Director, Impact and Policy
CHILDREN’S DEFENSE TEAM (CDT)
Michelle Duprey, JD
Director, Children’s Defense Team
Cathy Ann King, MSW, PhD candidate
Social Worker
Staisha Hamilton, MSW, LCAS
Social Worker
Anthony Masters, JD
Staff Attorney
Breanne Mercer, JD
Staff Attorney
Charles Sexton, JD
Staff Attorney
Billy Vargas, JD
Staff Attorney
Brian Wick, JD
Staff Attorney
Sarah Shearer
Program Assistant
CUSTODY ADVOCACY PROGRAM (CAP)
Patti Tutone, JD
Director, Custody Advocacy Program
Linda Hurlbert, JD
Staff Attorney
Leah Jones, JD
Staff Attorney
Heather McDonough
Legal Support and Database Manager
Emma Wilbur
Program Assistant
EDUCATION LAW PROGRAM (ELP)
Caitlin Whalan Jones, JD
Director, Education Law Program
Stephanie Klitsch, JD
Assistant Director, Education Law Program
Daniel Brown, JD
Staff Attorney
Hayley Lampkin Blyth, JD
Staff Attorney
Aly Martin, JD
Staff Attorney
Emily Mikkelsen
Policy Advocate
Zuri Guzman
Program Assistant