Heather O’Keefe
O’Keefe serves is the Deputy Director of Protective Services and directly oversees all Protective Services staff and operations. She has worked in child welfare for over 27 years, working in both the Department of Social Services in Massachusetts and Fairfield County Protective Services in Ohio. O’Keefe has a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice and Political Science from Stonehill College in North Easton, Massachusetts.
Stacey Bergstrom
Bergstrom is a Family Services Manager with Fairfield County Job & Family Services. She previously worked as the Screening Decision Making Supervisor and Ongoing Supervisor and before that, was an ongoing caseworker for about seven years. She has worked in child welfare for about 14 years total. Bergstrom has a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Education from Ohio University. She also trains Caseworker Core through the Ohio Child Welfare Training Center.
Cara Finney
Finney is an Ongoing Supervisor with Fairfield County Protective Services. She currently supervises the EPIC caseworkers and provides support to the Family Peer Mentors working with the program. Finney launched her career 11 years ago with Fairfield County Protective Services and has since worked as an Ongoing Caseworker, Traditional Intake Team Lead, Kinship Caseworker and Ongoing Team Lead. Finney graduated from Ohio University in 2008 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology/Criminology.
Kylie Shaffery
Shaffery is an ongoing caseworker with Fairfield County Protective Services, working specifically on the EPIC program. Shaffery was an EPIC intern for Fairfield County while completing her Master of Social Work program at The Ohio State University. Shaffery completed her undergraduate field placement with the University Partnership Program and completed a child welfare internship with Franklin County Children Services. Shaffery earned both her Bachelor of Science in Social Work and Master of Social Work at The Ohio State University and she is a licensed social worker in the state of Ohio
Sarah Fortner
Fortner obtained her Bachelor of Specialized Studies from Ohio University in 2005. She began her career with Fairfield County Protective Services in 2006. Since joining Protective Services, Fortner has served as an Intake Caseworker, Intake Supervisor, Screening Supervisor, Business Administration Supervisor, Family Preservation Manager and currently as the Assistance Deputy Director. Over the years, Fortner has participated in several collaborative meetings and community groups which are focused on service enhancement for the children and families of Fairfield County.
Lea Fisher
Ms. Fisher is an ongoing caseworker with Fairfield County Protective Services, working primarily with families who are identified with a substance use disorder. Fisher works with families who voluntarily enter into the EPIC program. Prior to becoming an EPIC caseworker, Fisher worked as an intake caseworker for two years. She graduated from Kent State University with a Bachelor of Science in Criminology, with a focus on social work.
Nic Smith
Mr. Nic Smith has been an Ongoing EPIC caseworker with Fairfield County Protective Services for six months. In addition to his current position, Mr. Smith has worked as a traditional Ongoing Caseworker. He graduated from Capital University with a Bachelor’s in Psychology and Criminology.
Jennifer Conrad
Ms. Conrad has been working as a Family Peer Mentor with Fairfield County Protective Services for the past four years. Ms. Conrad is a person in long-term recovery and works with families who have been affected by substance use. Ms. Conrad is currently working towards becoming a Certified Chemical Dependency Counselor Assistant. Along with her work through Protective Services, Ms. Conrad is employed by Integrated Services Behavioral Health as a Community Behavioral Health Worker.
Danica Adams
Mrs. Adams is a family peer mentor with the START and EPIC programs through Fairfield County Protective Services. In addition to her current position, Mrs. Adams has also been a recovery coach at Ohio Guidestone for 3 years and counting. She is certified through Ohio Mental Health and Addiction Services and is a master facilitator for peer support trainings. She has over 6 years of recovery and is passionate about working with families in the community.
Mary Francis Gorsuch
Ms. Gorsuch has worked as a Pee
r Recovery Supporter for The Recovery Center in Lancaster, Ohio since April of 2021. In addition to this role, she provides peer mentorship to families enrolled in the EPIC program. Ms. Gorsuch has a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from the University of Tennessee at Martin.
Tiffany Feisel
Miss Feisel is a Peer Mentor at OhioGuidestone and Fairfield County Protective Services. As an over comer she now has over 3 years clean and full custody of her children.