Mary became President and CEO of Advocates for Children of New Jersey at the start of 2023 after becoming the vice president in 2003. She joined the organization in 1993 to head what is now known as ACNJ’s KidLaw Resource Center, which provides information on laws and legal processes affecting New Jersey children.

Mary’s primary policy areas include foster care, kinship care, children’s health, and more recently, juvenile justice. She has authored guides and articles on child welfare-related topics, including the Kinship Legal Guardianship Guide, and has represented ACNJ as amicus curiae before the NJ Supreme Court in several cases. Mary is a member of the New Jersey Children in Court Improvement Committee, the NJ Medical Assistance Advisory Council, the New Jersey Council for Juvenile Justice System Improvement and its School/Justice Partnership Subcommittee. Recently, she was appointed Acting Co-Chair for the NJ Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect. She previously chaired the Child Welfare Section and the Pro Bono Committee of the New Jersey State Bar Association.

Prior to joining ACNJ in 1993, Mary practiced family law in New Jersey. She received both her J.D. and B.A. from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

Christine Norbut Beyer, MSW has been Commissioner of the NJ Department of Children and Families since 2018. She is redefining the agency as a prevention-focused, child and family serving department, with a vision to help keep all New Jerseyans safe, healthy and connected. Some of her initiatives include: preventing maltreatment and promoting strong families; increasing kinship and familiar placements; supporting evidence-based, data-driven contracting; reducing staff safety incidents; evolving the integrated, inclusive system of care for children with behavioral and developmental diagnoses; promoting ACEs prevention, and transforming child welfare.

Years prior to being named Commissioner, Ms. Norbut Beyer was with the NJ Department of Human Services when the child welfare division was elevated to become the first Cabinet-level child-serving state agency. She helped to transition staff and build the new agency’s identity. During that time, she served as Director of the (former) Division of Youth and Family Services, and then as Assistant Commissioner.

During her time away from the Department, Ms. Norbut Beyer served as Senior Director and Strategic Consultant at Casey Family Programs, a national child welfare foundation, during which time she partnered with and supported the efforts of Public Child Welfare Agencies, State Legislatures, the Judiciary and Governors in creating better outcomes for at-risk children. During her tenure at Casey Family Programs, she had the opportunity to delve deeply into the areas of Brain Science, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), and Trauma-Informed Care and their intersection with child welfare. These are policy areas she continues to pursue at NJ DCF.

Commissioner Norbut Beyer earned her Bachelor of Science degree in social work from the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, and her Master of Social Work Administration, Policy and Planning from Rutgers University School of Social Work. She also holds a post-graduate Adoption certificate from Rutgers University Institute for Families, received the 2013 Employee Achievement Award from Casey Family Programs, the 2010 Child Welfare Leadership Award from Rutgers University School of Social Work, and the 2009 Professional Achievement Award from Richard Stockton College, School of Social and Behavioral Sciences. Most recently, in 2021, she was selected as an Aspen Institute Ascend Leadership Fellow.

Kimberly M. Birdsall, MPH, is the Executive Director of the Health Coalition of Passaic County, Inc., a nonprofit coalition of clinical, community, and faith-based partners dedicated to advancing health outcomes and addressing social drivers of health. HCPC also serves as an essential partner to the State of New Jersey working both with New Jersey Department of Human Services and New Jersey Department of Health to advance efforts around Medicaid priorities and Community Health Worker infrastructure.
Under Ms. Birdsall’s leadership, the HCPC has achieved National and State level designations including Community Care Hub, NJ Regional Health Hub, National Office of Aging recognition, and most recently becoming the first and only Nationally Certified Pathways Community Hub organization in the state of New Jersey.
Ms. Birdsall holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Creighton University and a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from Boston University. She has worked in the health profession for over 25 years, including in the private, government, religious, and non-profit sectors. Her extensive experience includes work at the local, county, and state levels of Public Health with a particular focus on Public Health Emergency Preparedness. Ms. Birdsall has also had the honor to serve on multiple Boards and Commissions in New Jersey, as Youth Minister at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church and as Councilwoman and Council President in the Borough of Rutherford from 2008-2015. Her and her husband Chris are the proud parents of three beautiful children.

Rebecca Bryan, DNP, APN, is the Executive Director of the New Jersey Department of Children and Families Office of Resilience. She oversees initiatives that transform New Jersey into a trauma responsive, healing centered state, grounded in positive and adverse childhood experiences science as well as principles of healing centered engagement. Dr. Bryan has decades of experience in nursing, including as a primary care nurse practitioner and in community outreach. She has been an adjunct professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing and Rutgers University Camden and has published research demonstrating how risks generated by ACEs align with risks for wounding and delayed healing. Dr. Bryan earned her DNP from Rutgers University, Camden, her MSN from the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, and her BSN from Gwynedd-Mercy College. She holds the Trauma Competency Certification from Lakeside Global Institute.

Rashad Hayes is an inspirational leader who transforms life’s toughest challenges into a message of hope, strength, and purpose. Rashad is a cancer survivor, author, and dynamic speaker who empowers individuals and organizations to rise above adversity and thrive under pressure. With a background in Community Health and Social Work from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and currently pursuing a PhD in Community Health, Rashad combines lived experience with academic insight to deliver impactful, evidence-based solutions. His work centers on resilience, mental health, and burnout prevention. Rashad is a former collegiate athlete who brings grit, discipline, and authenticity to every stage he steps on. Today, Rashad partners with schools, corporations, and healthcare organizations to cultivate cultures of resilience, equity, and sustainable success. Whether through keynotes, workshops, or strategic consulting, Rashad Hayes is a trusted voice helping others survive the fire and rise in it.

Dr. Deborah Shropshire (Deb) is a pediatrician and human services leader.  As a medical student she was deeply impacted when she interacted with the professionals who work in the child welfare system. Throughout her career, she has championed innovative initiatives that have strengthened support for vulnerable children and families.

Dr. Deb served on faculty with the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine for more than two decades, including serving children and youth in foster care in a shelter clinic, developing the Fostering Hope clinic to provide specialized healthcare for children in foster care, and training young physicians in how to best serve those with complex social needs. 

She joined Oklahoma Human Services in 2014, serving initially as the Deputy Director of Child Welfare Community Partnerships, then as the Division Director of Child Welfare and finally as the Director of Oklahoma Human Services. During her tenure, she guided the organization through significant transformations, enhancing communication, customer service, and collaboration. She also provided leadership through successful progress and exit of federal oversight of the Child Welfare System. 

Deb is currently serving as a Director at Human Services Group (HSG), a consulting firm focused on supporting HHS leaders in system transformation and business process redesign efforts.  Her primary focus remains Child Welfare system improvement.

A firm believer in the Science of HOPE, Deb inspires others with her conviction that the future can be brighter than the present—and that everyone has a role in making that future a reality. Her enduring dedication continues to create meaningful and lasting change in the lives of children and families.

Natalie Williams serves as the Vice President of Community and Social Impact at the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA). In this role, she leads national efforts to strengthen collaboration across systems and communities, advancing strategies that create meaningful impact and long-term success for people and families.

With a strong background in human services, Natalie has worked extensively at both the system and community levels, bringing a unique perspective to the challenges and opportunities facing the field today. Her approach emphasizes well-being for all people, inclusion, and innovation, ensuring that solutions are rooted in community voice while also being scalable and sustainable. She is deeply committed to the idea that challenges can be catalysts for growth when met with strategies designed for lasting success.

Natalie is based in Houston, Texas, where she is an engaged community leader and advocate. Beyond her professional work, she is the proud mother of two amazing children, who inspire her passion for creating systems that allow every child, family, and community to thrive.