Policy & Practice | Fall 2023

staff spotlight

Name: Marcus Robinson Title: Senior Project Associate, National Electronic Interstate Compact Enterprise (NEICE) Time at APHSA: I joined APHSA in January 2023.

Administrators of the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (AAICPC). These include the Data, Voting, NEICE, and Compliance Committees. I have served as Co-Chairman for the Training Committee with the AAICPC’s Annual National Conference. I also served two non-consecutive terms on the AAICPC Executive Committee. During this time, I also worked with the local ABC affiliate in Mississippi as a Production Assistant. I served in the capacity of a camera operator, graphics development, and handled multiple projects under tight deadlines during local newscasts. What I Can Do for Our Members: My lived experience helps me assist our partners with understanding the process for interstate placements of children. My strengths as a Learner and Relator help me to connect with people on a personal level while learning to work through issues for a positive outcome. I love helping people to meet their goals. When working with me, we will laugh, explore solutions, we might even complain, but in the end, we will get the job done, as a team. Best Way to Reach Me: I can be reached via email at mrobinson@aphsa.org. When Not Working: I am somewhat of a homebody, so I love doing home improvement projects. I believe your home should be your place to go for peace and relaxation. I like traveling, reading, listening to music, cooking, and watching movies. I am a musician and I play the piano for two churches; I also teach piano from a lived experience approach. Motto to Live By: Your job is to fill your own cup, so it overflows. Then you can serve others, joyfully, from your saucer. – Lisa Nichols What I Can Do for Our Members: I can help foster deep and wide connection to APHSA’s affinity groups, communities of practice, and other supports to maximize benefit to our members. Best Way to Reach Me: I can be reached via email at spoole@aphsa.org. When Not Working: I enjoy time spent at the ocean and with family. Motto to Live By: “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”

Priorities at APHSA: My goal is to help strengthen the human services sector by supporting our partners and the systems they use in order to move forward. I want to advance human services through technological advances and by exploring and improving interstate placements. I do this by coordinating training webinars, improving e-learning modules, and using my lived experience to help people navigate the process for interstate placements in a growing technological world. I want to use my communi cation background and skills to build our human services partners by keeping them abreast of NEICE’s accomplish ments. I want to connect with our members and partners to help accelerate our learning together. At APHSA, I want to be a part of change by participating and exploring areas dealing with equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging so that we can all move toward a positive path of well-being. Life Before APHSA: My previous work has focused on processing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) , Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and Medicaid cases for the Mississippi (MS) Department of Human Services. I then moved to work with the MS Department of Child Protection Services in the Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children Division as a Program Specialist and later as the Deputy Compact Administrator. I worked with various committees with the Association of

Name: Sheila Poole Title: Vice President, External Relations Time at APHSA: I joined APHSA in January 2023. Priorities at APHSA: I aim to

provide ongoing support and serve as a liaison with our members, national partners, and philanthropic investors in the human services sector. Life Before APHSA: I was commissioner, New York State Office of Children & Family Services

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