LATOSHA FOWLKES, LCSW

CHAIR

Ms. Fowlkes is the President and CEO of The Core Collective at Saint Vincent, formerly St. Vincent Home for Children, an organization serving youth, families, and community members since 1850. Ms. Fowlkes is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 17 years of service and leadership experience focused on child welfare, housing, and mental health. Ms. Fowlkes joined the agency in December 2020 and has since led the transformation of its new mission, vision, and brand in response to the community’s growing need for housing, healthcare, and supportive services.

To contact Latosha: LFowlkes@theccstl.org or 314.261.6011


Miriam Seidenfeld

vice Chair

Ms. Seidenfeld brings passion, energy and dedication to improving lives, and thrives on working with JFS staff leadership to create positive change throughout the community. She has more than 25 years of experience working with children and families in nonprofit settings, and more than 15 years of nonprofit executive leadership experience in New York City and in Minneapolis.


Dawn Couser, ma, lpc

SECRETARY


Dana Silverblatt

Treasurer

Ms. Silverblatt is the Director of Community Programs at Behavioral Health Network of Greater St. Louis, where she oversees regional initiatives that improve behavioral health systems for youth, adolescents, emerging adults, and older adults.  She brings extensive knowledge of safety net populations, having worked for Community Mental Health Centers and Federally Qualified Health Centers for more than 15 years.  She holds a Masters of Arts in Social Service Administration from University of Chicago and a Bachelors in Psychology from University of Michigan.


Committees

Advocacy committee

This position is currently open.


Education and Collaboration

Ramona Conrad-Cooper, MSW, ACSW, LCSW

Vice president, MBCH Children and Family Ministries

Ms. Conrad-Cooper is a licensed clinical social worker with 31 years of experience in child welfare.  MBCH Children and Family Ministries is the client services affiliate of Missouri Baptist Children’s Home, serving children/youth in state custody due to abuse/neglect; the agency is passionate about providing trauma-informed services to these children and their families. 


Cheryl D. Latham

Chief program Officer, CASA of St. Louis

Ms. Latham has worked in child welfare for more than 25, joining CASA of St. Louis in 2007 as a child advocacy specialist.  Latham leads the delivery of CASA’s best interest advocacy in both the 21st and 22nd judicial circuits, assuring the legal and socio-emotional needs of the children represented by CASA of St. Louis are met.   


MEMBERSHIP AND MARKETING

Dennis O’Brien, MA, LCSW

Marketing/Membership Committee Chair

Dennis O’Brien is a licensed clinical social work, experienced educator and therapist. He has led five nonprofits, including Logos School which he founded. He has written educational materials used by Washington University School of Medicine Dept. of Psychiatry, weekly columns on parenting for and numerous articles for a variety of magazines and newsletter. He was honored by the Missouri Dept. of Mental Health for outstanding reporting on suicide in 2010. He has played leadership roles in various groups serving nonprofits and is currently active with the Better Business Bureau, CHARACTERplus and Community Service Public Relations Council.