Academic and Professional Background
Years of Experience
President/CEO
Cagle Consulting, Los Angeles, CA
January 2022 - Present
Lead a consulting practice providing customized strategic planning, technical assistance, operational solution development, crisis management, leadership development and coaching to public, private, and non-profit organizations and communities, with specialized expertise in child welfare, human services, early childhood development and education, juvenile and adult corrections, social equity issues, community engagement, and federal/state/local government advocacy.
Director
Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, Los Angeles, CA
December 2017 - January 2022
Board of Supervisors appointee and Chief Executive Officer of the largest child welfare agency in the United States, with 9,300 staff and a budget of $3 billion annually, in a county with a population of 10.3 million.
Directed all operations including personnel, programs, facilities, fiscal operations and services necessary for the administration of protective services, foster care, adoption, and treatment for children in accordance with federal, state and county statutory and regulatory requirements
Established and implemented the Department vision, mission, and program priorities. Formulated departmental policy consistent with the established vision and mission
Provided leadership for integrated child welfare activities for children across federal/state/local governments, community-based nonprofits, and community advocacy groups
Established and communicated desired outcomes, performance indicators, including business analytics, and reported on the priority areas of safety, well-being and permanence, and self-sufficiency. Directed the administration of child welfare services with an emphasis on community-based and family-centered services
Directed decentralized child welfare services and programs through a system of geo-located regional offices and assured uniformity of standards, operations, and decision-making.
Directed the Department’s plan for providing timely permanence for children through reunification, relative care, or adoption
Reported to the Board of Supervisors on the Department’s operational needs, program plans and on the accomplishment of outcomes in the areas of safety, well-being, permanence and self-sufficiency
Represented the Department with federal and state agencies and as a member of national and statewide professional associations and organizations
Created the department’s first public and media relations division to ensure accurate and prompt response to media and other inquiries, and ensured publication of the Department’s plans, initiatives and accomplishments
Directed establishment and monitoring of more than 400 performance-based services contracts
Established the first Office of Equity in Los Angeles County government in 2018 to champion change around issues of race, gender, and sexual orientation/gender identity
DirectorÂ
Georgia Division of Family and Children Services, Atlanta, GA
May 2014 - November 2017
Gubernatorial appointee and Chief Executive Officer of the state agency responsible for child welfare and economic services (SNAP, TANF, CDBG), with $1.6 billion budget and more than 7,700 employees in a state with population of 10.2 million.
Directed all programs in compliance with State and Federal law, as prioritized by the Governor and General Assembly
Directed development and implementation of administrative rules, policy and practice guidelines
Assured development of a budget for the Division that promoted the most efficient and effective services in conjunction with the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget and legislative leadership
Provided oversight and direction for a variety of programmatic services managed through contracts
Directed development of subject matter legislation to improve services to citizens of the state
Developed and implemented major new child welfare safety and permanency initiatives, resulting in significant changes in operations
Represented the organization in situations involving sensitive issues of high media and public interest
Assured public awareness of child welfare safety well-being and permanency issues through publications, presentations and media activities
Created and maintained a work environment that was respectful and accepting of diversity
Commissioner
Bright from the Start – Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, Atlanta, GA
January 2011- June 2014
Gubernatorial appointee and Chief Executive Officer of the state agency responsible for meeting the child care and early education needs of Georgia's children and their families; with a budget of $687 million and approximately 400 employees.
Administered the nationally recognized Georgia's Pre-K Program
Designed, implemented and operated Quality Rated™ – Georgia’s Tiered Quality Rating and Improvement System
Co-wrote winning $51.7 million Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge Grant
Directed licensing and monitoring of all center-based and home-based child care facilities (approximately 6,600)
Directed the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program and the Summer Food Service Program
Directed the Head Start State Collaboration Office; funded and partnered with the resource and referral agencies that provide services and information to families and child care providers at the local level
Directed the federal Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) grant
Administered the federal Maternal, Infant, Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) grant
Directed technical assistance, training, and support to families and child care providers who care for children with special needs
Raised in excess of $18 million from private business and philanthropy to increase agency impact
Georgia Division of Family and Children Services, Atlanta, GA
January 2006 - January 2011
Director, Legislative & External Affairs
Family Services Director
Program Director II, Office of the Deputy Director for Programs and Policy
Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services, Charlotte, NC
August 2004 - January 2006
Deputy Director, Youth and Family Services
Graham County Department of Social Services, Robbinsville, NC
October 2001- August 2004
Director
North Carolina Department of Correction, Murphy, NC
January 1991Â - February 2002
Judicial District Manager
Chief Probation/Parole Officer III
Adult Probation/Parole Officer
Graham County Department of Social Services, Robbinsville, NC
October 1989 - January 1991
Children’s Social Worker
EDUCATION
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Master of Social Work (Management, Planning, & Community Practice), May, 1998
Bachelor of Arts (Political Science and Sociology), May, 1989
HONORS
2021 Distinguished Alumnus – University of North Carolina Graduate School of Social Work
2019 Kate Bornstein Trailblazer Award – Penny Lane Centers
2017 State Alliance Champion – Boys and Girls Clubs of America
2017 Shining Star Award – Multi-Agency Alliance for Children
2016-2017 Children and Families Fellowship – Annie E. Casey Foundation
2015, 2016, and 2017 Notable Georgian – Georgia Trend Magazine
2015 Distinguished Public Sector Social Work Practice Award – NASW Georgia
2015 SafePath Child Advocacy Award
2013 Leadership Award – Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students
2012 Leadership Award – United Way of Greater Atlanta, Women’s Leadership Council
2012 Leadership Award – Georgia Interfaith Children’s Movement
2010 Higher Directions Award – Georgia Empowerment
1997 North Carolina Probation/Parole Officer of the Year