I have worked for the past 17 years for the Independence Mo School District. During that time I have provided direct, strengths-based services to families and students as well as developing and coordinating various programs. For more than 9 years I served as the District’s Homeless Case Manager, coordinating services and assuring all students identified as homeless in the district were able to fully participate in school. For the past 4 years I have been the McKinney-Vento Liaison for the district. I have attended, as well as presented at, multiple regional and national conferences focusing on providing services and support to students challenged by homelessness.