On Friday, November 2nd and Monday, November 5th, the Foster America team traveled to both coasts and completed Finalist Day interviews with fellowship candidates for Cohort 3. Interviewers from a variety of backgrounds, including host agencies across the country, national child welfare experts, and leaders from the business and nonprofit worlds, met with candidates and challenged them to develop visions for executing a better future for child welfare.
In Washington State, candidates also heard remarks by Ross Hunter, head of WA’s Department of Children, Youth, & Families, a new state agency that combines several formerly discrete agencies working on children and families’ issues. In Washington DC, Foster America advisory board member and current Accenture senior manager Molly McGrath Tierney spoke with candidates about child welfare, informed by her extensive experience in the field (most recently as the leader of the Baltimore City Department of Social Services). Molly inspired the potential newcomers to the field of child welfare, saying: “It is a radical act to put children first. Not to say it, but to actually do it. Because doing it disrupts the distribution of power in the field of human services.”
We are excited to consider their performance at Finalist Day and other stages of the interview process as we match our top candidates to fellowship roles starting in January 2019. Stay tuned for announcement of our newest fellows to follow!
