WELCOME TO OHIOKAN
Region 7
Please learn about our region, our partners and services, and all of the resources we have available for you.
REGION 7 STAFF
JoAnn Heichel
DIRECTOR
JoAnn Heichel
Director, Region 7
JoAnn is a dedicated Licensed Social Worker with over 22 years of experience in the field of social work. She has also spent time working with youth and families in education, including a tenure as a preschool teacher and children’s librarian. Most recently, she served as a Licensing Specialist with The Buckeye Ranch, where she completed home studies with kinship and Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC) families. Additionally, she was a Program Coordinator for Big Brothers Big Sisters and has extensive experience in foster care and adoptions. JoAnn holds her bachelor’s degree in Social Work from the Ohio Dominican University and is a certified Adoption Assessor. JoAnn is pursuing her MSW currently with Florida State University. She has been interested in working at Kinnect since she attended the Kinnect convening event in December of 2018, and is so excited to be the Regional Director in Region 7!
Lena Garner
COORDINATOR
Lena Garner
Coordinator, Region 7
Lena joins OhioKAN with seventeen years of administrative experience. Most recently, she was employed by The Buckeye Ranch, where she worked as the Foster Care Billing Specialist for nearly nine years; she also served as a Foster Care Team Lead, supervising two administrative positions. During her tenure at The Buckeye Ranch, Lena was responsible for working collaboratively with case managers, supervisors, and county agencies to provide accurate monthly billing for youth in Foster Care, invoicing foster parent trainings, reconciling payments, and completing dashboard tracking. Lena also oversaw her department’s relationship with a donor organization, assisted in event coordination, and participated in budget planning. In addition to her duties, Lena was a member of The Buckeye Ranch’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council, serving for more than five years; she also helped facilitate the organization’s involvement in several Pride Parades as a Pride Parade Ambassador. Lena also attended The Buckeye Ranch’s Leadership Academy and served as a member of the social media team, creating content for several platforms on behalf of the Foster Care team as well as the entire organization. Lena is excited to be a part of OhioKAN as Region 7’s Coordinator!
Karla Hall
COACH
Karla Hall
Coach, Region 7
Karla began her career with Muskingum County Adult and Child Protective Services as an Assessment Caseworker where she conducted investigations for suspected abuse, neglect, and dependency concerns. She also spent time working with kinship families and children with delinquency concerns. Karla is a graduate of Muskingum University, New Concord, with a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. Karla worked with OhioKAN as a Region 7 Navigator for 2 years and is looking forward to continued growth in her professional experiences within the nonprofit sector.
Emily Phillips
Emily Phillips
Coach, Region 7
Emily is coming to OhioKAN with over seven years of experience supporting children and their families. Emily is a graduate of Ohio University where she studied child development and received her bachelor’s degree in Child and Family Studies. Emily holds certification through The Child Life Council as a Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS). Most recently, Emily was employed by Nationwide Children’s Hospital where she spent two years working as a Child Life Specialist in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Perinatal Palliative Care Team. In this role, Emily helped infants and their families cope with the stress and uncertainty of illness, injury, trauma, and bereavement. Emily also worked at The Buckeye Ranch as a Child Protection Specialist and Kinship Support Specialist. In these roles, Emily worked to promote child safety, strengthen family bonds, and support permanency for youth. Emily’s passion for child development is the basis of her daily work. She strives to achieve the best outcomes for children and their families. Emily is excited to be part of OhioKAN as Region 7’s Coach!
Tyler Monroe
NAVIGATOR
ETSS
Tyler Monroe
Navigator, ETSS (Region 7)
Tyler earned his Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and minor in Psychology at Marshall University. During his time at Marshall, he worked with youth as an intern school social worker for 2 years. During this time, Tyler worked hand and hand with government officials helping advocate for communities, families, and children. After graduating, Tyler started his social work career working at North Community Counseling Center as an Assertive Community Treatment case manager providing health care services to people with severe and persistent mental illness. He then worked for The Buckeye Ranch as a Permanent Family Solutions Network specialist which focused on working with families to insure there was safety and permanency for our youth. Tyler is detail-oriented with an extensive understanding of psychology and child welfare, which is shown in his history of effective support and care for families and children. Tyler is excited to be in his new role at OhioKAN and is eager to help support the families he will be working with!
Yalonda Foust
NAVIGATOR
ETSS
Yalonda Foust
Navigator, ETSS (Region 7)
Yalonda joins OhioKAN with over five years of experience working with families and youth in various roles, including Multi-System team facilitator, Education Specialist, and Case Manager. Yalonda holds her undergraduate degree from Wilberforce University in Business Administration and a Master of Education from Antioch McGregor University. Yalonda is dedicated to working with families and helping them maintain stability. She aims to see families thrive. Yalonda is excited to be a part of the OhioKAN family as a Navigator for Region 7!
Michelle Young
NAVIGATOR
ETSS
Michelle Young
Navigator, ETSS (Region 7)
Michelle Ann Young is coming to OhioKAN with over eleven years of experience supporting children and their families. Michelle Ann is a graduate of The Ohio State University where she studied child development and education and received her Bachelor’s degree in The Science of Education. Michelle Ann went on to further her studies at Ashland University, where she received her teaching certification and went on to teach in both the public and private field of education. Michelle Ann continued her journey with children and families while working for the county boards of development disabilities through The Help Me Grow program. She received her Intervention Specialist credentials and worked with families on the therapy level, then was lucky enough to combine her passions with providing both teaching again and therapy to the families she serviced. Most recently, she worked at The Buckeye Ranch as a Permanent Family Solutions Network Child Protective Specialist. There she worked to promote child safety, strengthen family bonds, and support permanency for youth. Michelle Ann has an overall passion for child development and to support families. She strives and makes it her mission to achieve the best outcomes for children and their families.
Daniel Bush
NAVIGATOR
UMCH Family Services
Daniel Bush
Navigator, UMCH Family Services (Region 7)
Daniel has seven years of experience in social services, including corrections, mental health, substance abuse and child welfare. He began his career at Alvis House, a drug recovery non-profit in Columbus, then transitioned to Franklin County Children Services as a Caseworker before joining OhioKAN. Daniel is a graduate of Central State University with a B.S. in Psychology and is a member of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity. He plans to obtain his master’s degree in Social Work and certify as a licensed social worker. He is passionate about the families he serves through OhioKAN and is excited to serve as the Navigator for Region 7 at UMCH Family Services!
Zachary Mitchell
NAVIGATOR
The Recovery Center
Zachary Mitchell
Navigator, UMCH Family Services (Region 7)
Zachary is coming from a community case management position at Pathways Caring for Children. Before that he worked as a Contact Tracer during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Zachary graduated from Muskingum University with a Bachelor's degree in Public Health, Health Administration, and Health and Fitness. He is currently in pursuit of his Master of Education from Kent State in Community Health Education and Promotion. Zachary looks forward to his new role at OhioKAN!
Ashley Brown
NAVIGATOR
The Recovery Center
Ashley Brown
Navigator, The Recovery Center (Region 7)
Ashley earned her Bachelor of Science in Organizational and Health Communication Studies at Ohio University. She is currently working towards her Master of Science in Yoga Therapy at Maryland University of Integrative Health; a program that is through the lens of trauma informed care and evidenced informed practices. Ashley is a 500-hour registered yoga teacher and is certified in trauma informed yoga. She previously worked as a Regional Studio Manager for multiple GoYoga studio locations in Columbus, Ohio. She is excited to serve her community in a fulfilling and meaningful way as an OhioKAN Navigator by transferring her skills from the for-profit business world to the non-profit social service world. Ashley is passionate about providing inclusive, engaging and genuine support for children, youth and their families.
REGIONAL SITE PARTNERS
