As a proud graduate of Eastern Michigan University, Travia holds a master’s degree in social work. Her educational foundation, combined with over 15 years of dedicated service, serves as a cornerstone for the comprehensive and compassionate approach she brings to her work.

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Travia brings a robust background, having worked in the criminal justice system. Her experience spans diverse age groups, including children, young adults, and adults, addressing the complex interplay of mental health and substance use disorders. Navigating the complexities of these issues with expertise, compassion, and a proven track record, Travia makes a positive impact.

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Guided by unwavering spiritual principles, Travia finds purpose and meaning in supporting individuals on their mental health journey. Beyond her professional endeavors, her heart lies in spending cherished moments with her family, creating a harmonious balance that fuels her passion for both personal and professional fulfillment.

Jong has her Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting from Grand Valley State University and has worked as an accountant in the last 10 years in non-profit, marketing, and the automotive industry.

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Having worked with the youth in her church for many years, Jong cares about young people and is excited to offer her work skills to help The New Foster Care in their mission to impact the lives of those with foster care experience.

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Outside of work, Jong enjoys being outdoors, trying new recipes, traveling, and spending time with friends and family. One of her joys is being “Auntie Ong” to 19 nieces and nephews!

Shannon currently serves as the Director of Law and Policy for The New Foster Care. Shannon served as the Executive Director of TNFC for over three years beginning in 2021. In her current role, Ms. Urbon advises the Executive Team and Board of Directors on child protection law and policy and, in partnership with the Founder, leads TNFC’s efforts to advocate for a transformative change in the child protection system. Shannon also serves as an advocate for TNFC’s Participants counseling them on legal issues and connecting them to appropriate community resources. 

 

Shannon obtained her Bachelors in Organizational Behavior from the University of Michigan and her Juris Doctorate from Michigan State University College of Law. She has focused her legal career in public interest law, specializing in child abuse and neglect cases. As a young lawyer, Shannon pursued private practice while working as a volunteer attorney with the Washtenaw County Office of the Public Defender Juvenile Abuse and Neglect division. In 2013, she accepted a staff attorney position with the Detroit Center for Family Advocacy. In this role, and later as Executive Director of the Center, Shannon advocated on behalf of parents and caregivers facing legal challenges relating to the child protection system. Ms. Urbon continues this mission in her current position with TNFC. She is a zealous and passionate advocate for those facing the uncertainty that is the child protection system and works tirelessly to improve this system from within.    

Esther F. Flowers, Esq, serves as the Legal Director at The New Foster Care. She earned her Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Detroit Mercy, her Master of Social Work from Wayne State University, and her Juris Doctorate from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. Over the past 12 years, Esther has dedicated her career to child welfare, first as a Children’s Protective Services Specialist and later as a Lawyer-Guardian ad Litem in Wayne County, advocating for children in foster care. 

 

In her current role, she works to identify, preserve, and protect the legal rights and interests that shape the lives of youth. With dual backgrounds in social work and law, Esther brings a holistic perspective to child welfare reform, combining her courtroom experience with her passion for systemic change. Her work is guided by her faith and her biblical namesake, Queen Esther, who reminds her daily of the calling to stand in the gap “for such a time as this.”

Elizabeth holds a bachelors in Psychology from Central Michigan University, a masters in Counseling from Oakland University, a Post-masters Certificate in Business Leadership from Oakland University, and is pursuing a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision at Oakland University. 

 

In the clinical realm, Elizabeth has achieved several specializations as a trauma practitioner and is trained in methodologies such as EMDR. As a leader, Elizabeth embraces authentic and situational leadership to move through the complexities of human work. 

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Outside of her role with TNFC, Elizabeth serves on several professional organization’s boards, provides clinical supervision and consultation, and engages in research focused on social justice and leadership. 

 

When not working, Elizabeth finds the most meaning in time with her family, usually at an ice rink. 

Meet Stephanie, a young woman with a passion for design and social media management. Stephanie’s experience in the design industry began during her time in college, where she majored in Media and Communication Arts. She then went on to work as a freelance designer, creating visual content for various clients in different industries.

 

In addition to her design work, Stephanie also has experience in social media management. She has managed social media accounts for small businesses, helping them to increase their online presence and engagement.

 

While Stephanie enjoys creating visually appealing designs and managing social media, she has always felt a strong desire to use her skills to make a difference in the lives of underprivileged populations. She believes that design and social media can be powerful tools for creating positive change.

Christian Layfield has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Eastern Michigan University. Her professional career has included working with at risk teenagers and young adults. She has spent over 6 years in child welfare assisting these young adults with enhancing their independent living skills to ultimately be self-sufficient once they have aged out of the system. 

 

The most rewarding part of working in this field is witnessing the individuals personal grow from the beginning to end of being in the program, as well as when they finally see how Great they truly are for themselves! 

 

Outside of work, Ms. Layfield enjoys spending quality time with her son, family and friends.

Emily obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Ferris State University. Her professional career has consisted of over three years working in child welfare, with most of her time spent working with teens and young adults in foster care. She supported and assisted these youth with building and strengthening the skills needed to become successful and independent adults. 

 

Emily believes that the most rewarding part of working in this field is when she can witness the youth obtain goals that they once thought were unobtainable. 

 

Outside of work, Emily can be found spending time with her friends, family, and golden retriever Bella! 

 

Fun Fact: Emily loves lacrosse, she played in high school and college and now coaches!

Jodee obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Ferris State University and her Masters of Science in Criminal Justice and a Masters of Science in Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysis from Michigan State University. 

 

Jodee has previous experience working with at-risk youth and has worked with teenagers and young adults who are working to gain their independence. Jodee has also worked with youth who have aged out of the system. She has experience teaching youth life skills and obtaining the needed skills to reach their goals. 

 

Jodee has a passion for working in the field. She loves to see youth and young adults reach their goals and watch them grow as an individual. In her free time, she loves to spend time with her family and dogs.

Jalen Fergerson obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies from Michigan State University. Passionate about understanding the complexities of human growth, relationships, and societal influences, Jalen’s academic journey equipped him with a deep understanding of human behavior, lifespan development, and family dynamics.

 

Jalen is a passionate educator, climate advocate, and youth empowerment specialist with combined experience in the fields of education, climate change, and adolescent development. Jalen expertise spans a diverse range of sectors, including school management, adolescent behavioral control, and youth employment development. With a strong foundation in teaching and a deep commitment to fostering climate-conscious future leaders, Jalen is dedicated to empowering young people to navigate the challenges of both personal growth and the changing world around them. Jalen believes that young people are not just the leaders of tomorrow, but the changemakers of today. By equipping them with the tools, knowledge, and opportunities they need to succeed, Jalen is committed to building a future where empowered youth are at the forefront of social, environmental, and economic change.

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Outside of work, Jalen enjoys traveling, sports, and volunteering with local community organizations. Music is another integral part of his life. He loves discovering new artists and genres, attending concerts and music festivals.

Tiffany McNeil obtained her associate degree from ITT- Technical Institute in Criminal Justice in 2013. She also obtained her bachelor’s in psychology from the University of Arizona Global Campus, (formerly Ashford University ) in 2020. In her professional career she worked with at risk youth at Spectrum Juvenile Justice Services from 2015-2017, providing mentorship and trauma related therapy services to teenage boys with an effort to help reduce recidivism. She recently worked for an independent living program (ILP) for 5 1/2 years, helping teenage girls transition into and independent lifestyles by providing resources and a multitude of services to help enhance their life skills. As an advocate for youth who are in the Foster Care system as well as those who have aged out, she is passionate about making a difference in the lives of youth and young adults. 

 

Tiffany believes that the most rewarding part about working with our youth is helping them thrive to be successful. The youth are our future by providing them with direction, support and motivation will help them to transition into the lives they want to live. 

 

Outside of work, Tiffany has a love for cats, and she enjoys spending time family and friends as well as with her cat "Storm" who is 7 years old. She also enjoys doing DIY projects at home, playing board and trivia games, writing poetry and plays about things she never experienced and creating her own animated stories.

 

One of the quotes that she lives by is a two letter, ten-word phrase, " If it is to be, it is up to me.

Gabriella Mallory has been an Advocate and Ambassador with The New Foster Care for several years. Her Professional aspiration is to graduate from Wayne State University School of Social Work with a Master’s Degree in Social Work, and a concentration on Policy and Legislation.

 

Gabriella has skills in mentoring, advocacy, and public speaking from both personal and professional experiences.

 

Gabriella also is a board member with the Michigan Board of Education Policy Action Network. 

 

She describes her current role with The New Foster Care as rewarding; this work allows her to provide assistance and support to young adults while establishing connections with Bridge Participants.

Mia received her Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Western Michigan University in 2025 and is currently pursuing her Master of Social Work at Tulane University. She is deeply committed to fostering equity and empowerment in all her interactions and is passionate about creating spaces where individuals feel seen, heard, and valued. 

                                      

Mia has experience working alongside individuals impacted by the foster care system, with a focus on family reunification. She has also supported survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault through her volunteer work at the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA). She leads with empathy, authenticity, and respect for everyone’s journey, and prioritizes maintaining an individualized approach to care and support.

 

In her free time, Mia enjoys spending time with her cat, thrifting, and doing puzzles. She believes in the power of meaningful connection both within her community and in everyday moments.

Josh is a graduate of Oakland University with a Bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in public health with a goal of making healthcare more accessible to everyone.  During his time in undergrad, Josh enjoyed mentoring young adults from underserved communities working for Oakland’s Center for Multicultural Initiatives office. He also spent a lot of time volunteering around different parts of Southeast Michigan. 

 

Josh is excited to work with TNFC because he feels that this job allows the opportunity to be a change in the lives of people who just needed someone to help them take that first step to a better future.

 

Josh enjoys listening to music and watches a lot of anime. He also is an avid baker/cook and loves to experiment with different recipes.

Joy is an accomplished professional with a passion for assisting and supporting others in reaching their goals. She graduated from Northern Michigan University in 2007, earning a bachelor’s degree in English Studies. Since then, Joy has accumulated over 15 years of valuable experience in administration and property management, providing crucial support to industry leaders across various sectors.

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Joy has a strong desire to make a positive impact on the lives of young adults that have experienced the challenges of the foster care system. As a prior ward herself she understands the obstacles they face firsthand. She believes assisting them navigate their circumstances creates hope for a better future. 

 

In her spare time, Joy enjoys exploring her creative side through writing and reading. She believes that literature and storytelling have the power to inspire and connect people on a deeper level. She also loves spending time with her two children and spouse in nature, enjoying art and roller skating. She can usually be found in the local library’s Manga section appreciating all things Anime.

Sharneisha Morris is a dedicated Peer Support Specialist with a passion for helping people. With a BA in Mathematical Economics from Wayne State University, she has always been drawn to roles where she can make a difference in the lives of others. During her college years, she worked as a peer mentor for foster care youth for two years, a role that deeply resonated with her and steered her towards her current position with TNFC as a peer support specialist.

 

She's passionate about volunteering and has spent considerable time assisting at food and clothing pantries. Her dedication to community service extends to advocating for safety equipment, ensuring that everyone has the means to lead a healthy and secure life. She believes in the power of individual actions to create a better world, one person at a time. Currently, Sharneisha is focused on expanding her knowledge in mental health to better serve those in need. In her personal time, she enjoys indulging in anime and gaming, and cherishes the moments spent with her beloved fur baby, Sheba.