As 2025 draws to a close, the Children’s Services Fund team has taken time to reflect — not just on milestones, but on what it meant to serve children, families, and partners through another year of change. Their reflections reveal a story of resilience, growth, and the kind of collaboration that keeps Jackson County moving toward better outcomes for kids.
This year’s accomplishments weren’t isolated moments. They were connected: convenings, systems improvements, reimbursement changes during a funding crisis, and the first steps toward implementing the Children’s Services Assessment findings. Taken together, they paint a picture of a team and community working with intention.
Russell Anderson, Director of Health Equity
What I’m proud of from 2025:
“This year I have been able to support the development of our team and I was able to facilitate a partner convening on supporting mental health equity in collaboration with the CSF team. We had great turnout, participants walked away feeling heard and hopeful.”
What I’m excited about in 2026:
“Reality is that 2025 was a very rough year for many of our partners and equity-focused work in the community. I am looking forward to collaborating with our partners as we work towards achieving mental health equity for children and their families in Jackson County.”
Kia Cannon, Operations Manager
What I’m proud of from 2025:
“I’m most proud of the relationships we’ve built with our partners and seeing the impact of their work in the community. With my background in social work and direct service, it’s especially meaningful to know our efforts help more children and families access the support they need.”
What I’m excited about in 2026:
“I’m looking forward to expanding my skills and learning even more about the partners we serve. I hope to bring more of my experience and knowledge into my role and continue finding ways to support the incredible agencies making a difference in our county.”
Shannon Dupree, Accounting Specialist
What I’m proud of from 2025:
“I am proud of our team as a whole and how we are improving our communication, expectations, and overall team health.”
What I’m excited about in 2026:
“I am looking forward to finding ways to become more involved in CSF and our partners. I would like to become someone our internal and external partners can rely on for consistent and correct information.”
Dr. Jane Mosley, Director of Impact
What I’m proud of from 2025:
“I’m most proud of the fact that CSF has started to take what we learned from the Children’s Services Assessment and put it into action.”
What I’m excited about in 2026:
“Continuing the implementation of the CSA and expanding the ways we talk about the impact of our partners and their work. I’m also excited to have core funding rounds in 2026 to support key services to youth.”
Celeste Ortiz, Contacts Administrator
What I’m proud of from 2025:
“I’m most proud of implementing our Fluxx system to strengthen how CSF manages and tracks funding for Jackson County children and families.”
What I’m excited about in 2026:
“I look forward to expanding these improvements to make funding processes even more efficient and impactful for our partners and community.”
Katherine Rivard, Program Officer
What I’m proud of from 2025:
“Convening partners to get their input on critical and timely issues so that CSF can assist them better.”
What I’m excited about in 2026:
“Taking action to address critical and timely issues affecting the ability of CSF partners to serve youth in Jackson County.”
Dr. Jovanna Rohs, Chief Program Officer
What I’m proud of from 2025:
“Launching convenings.”
What I’m excited about in 2026:
“Seeing the ideas gathered from the convenings come to fruition.”
Moji Shogbamimu, Chief Financial Officer
What I’m proud of from 2025:
“CSF Children’s Services Assessment and the partner convenings where we were able to hear directly from our partners.”
What I’m excited about in 2026:
“Increased funding opportunities for our partners.”
Bernadette Spooner Thompson, Program Officer
What I’m proud of from 2025:
“The fund responding to the current funding crisis many of our partners have been navigating their way through by offering them the option to bill for actual expenses so they could have some measure of financial stability.”
What I’m excited about in 2026:
“CSF taking a more active role in helping to assist clinicians with obtaining full licensure.”
Rob Whitten, Chief Executive Officer
What I’m proud of from 2025:
“We had a lot of accomplishments in 2025, but if I have to pick just one it has to be the completion of our Children’s Services Assessment, and the way we have already begun making changes based on lessons learned.”
What I’m excited about in 2026:
“Our strategic agenda for 2026 is robust and aggressive, but I’m looking forward to how that will channel our energy as a team while also creating impact for Jackson County kids and our partners who serve them.”
Moving Into a New Year Together
The story these reflections tell is simple: 2025 was a year of listening and building. 2026 will be a year of action.
Every convening, every system upgrade, every conversation with partners, and every internal improvement point to a shared goal — ensuring that all children in Jackson County have access to the supports they need to thrive.
And with a team aligned around clarity, collaboration, and real-world impact, CSF is ready for what comes next. Visit our website to see what the Children’s Services Fund of Jackson County is up to next.
