Outstanding Front Line Professional Award

This remarkable team – comprised of Jennifer Wheeler, LPC; Katie Greathouse, MSW; Cari Allen; and Nichole Schumann, MS – embodies the highest standards of frontline excellence in child maltreatment response. With a combined 72 years of service, these dedicated professionals have conducted tens of thousands of forensic interviews across Oregon, providing children a safe space to share their experiences and ensuring child-centered, trauma-informed responses to abuse.

 

Oregon’s unique Child Advocacy Center system relies on these four regional leaders to train, mentor, and support forensic interviewers statewide. Their expertise extends beyond the interview room, they are the driving force behind Oregon’s Child Forensic Interviewer Training, authors of the state’s Forensic Interviewing Guidelines, and developers of specialized programs like Project Ability and Advanced Interviewer Training.

Their impact is undeniable. From mentoring new interviewers to elevating statewide standards, this team has helped ensure that Oregon’s children receive the most skilled, compassionate, and evidence-based response possible. Their commitment to collaboration, education, and child safety is a model for the nation.