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DCF Executive Management
View DCF's Table of Organization (pdf) John A. Ducoff, Esq. Laurie Hodian Christine Mozes Erin O'Leary, Esq. Nadezhda Robinson Robert Sabreen Kara Wood Director, Communications and Legislation Mary Helen Cervantes comes to the Department of Children and Families with more than 12 years’ experience in the area of communications, media relations and community outreach. Most recently Ms. Cervantes served for four years as Assistant Commissioner for Communications and Legislation at the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) where she oversaw all the department’s communications, press and legislative programs. In her work with DEP and eight years managing communications programs for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – both in Washington, D.C. and the agency’s New York City-based regional office – Ms. Cervantes placed particular emphasis on expanding and developing outreach programs targeting low-income and minority communities. Prior to joining DEP, Ms. Cervantes worked eight years at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) where she managed the communications office and oversaw media relations and public outreach programs for the New York City based office. She began her tenure with EPA working for Administrator Carol Browner in Washington, D.C., developing communications strategies to support the Agency’s regional and national environmental initiatives and legislative priorities. Before joining EPA, Ms. Cervantes served as an Assistant to U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Ronald H. Brown, also coordinating media outreach events throughout the country and internationally. Ms. Cervantes also managed message events as a member of the White House advance staff for President Clinton and Vice President Gore. Ms. Cervantes received her Bachelor of Science degree in political science and economics from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 1989 and completed graduate course work at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and University of California-Berkeley’s Graduate School of Public Policy.
John A. Ducoff, Esq. serves as DCF's Deputy Commissioner. In that capacity, John oversees all of the Department's litigation, legal compliance, regulatory processes (including the licensing of child care centers, youth residential facilities, and resource family homes), Office of Information Technology & Reporting, Quality Analysis and Information and Policy. Before joining DCF, Mr. Ducoff served as a Deputy Commissioner in the Department of Human Services. In that capacity, John oversaw Legal, Policy, and Legislative Affairs and the Department's Disability Services divisions, including the Division of Developmental Disabilities, the Division of Disability Services, the Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, and the Division for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Prior to his tenure at the Department of Human Services, Mr. Ducoff served as Chief Counsel and Director of Litigation for the New Jersey Office of the Child Advocate and practiced law in the Newark office of Latham & Watkins LLP, where he focused on complex litigation and internal investigations. Mr. Ducoff received his undergraduate degree from Rutgers College and his law degree from Rutgers University School of Law - Camden. After graduation, he clerked for the Honorable Erminie L. Conley, P.J.A.D, and the Honorable James R. Zazzali, Associate Justice, New Jersey Supreme Court. Mr. Ducoff is a member in good standing of the Bar of the State of New Jersey, the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, and the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.
Laurie M. Hodian is the Director of Administration for the Department of Children and Families, overseeing Human Resources, the Office of Cooperative Labor Relations, the EEO/AA Unit, the Training Academy, Facilities, and Emergency Management Services. Prior to coming to DCF, Ms. Hodian was a Senior Deputy Attorney General at the New Jersey Department of Law & Public Safety’s Division of Law, where she was the Chief of the Employment Counseling Section. During her career at L&PS, she also headed up the Employment Litigation and Counseling Section, the EEO/AA Unit, was a lead deputy for civil rights litigation, and represented the State in tort matters. Ms. Hodian has conducted training for cabinet members and their executive staffs throughout State government on various employment and management issues, and has appeared as a speaker at continuing legal education seminars. Prior to commencing her legal career, Ms. Hodian was a case worker in a public child welfare agency in Chester, Pennsylvania and in Philadelphia, providing services to children, who had been abused or neglected, and their families. She holds a Bachelor of Social Welfare degree from Temple University’s School of Social Administration. She received her Juris Doctor with honors, from Temple University School of Law and is a member of the New Jersey Bar as well as the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court.
Christine M. Mozes, LSW is the director of DCF’s Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS), the state’s child welfare agency. Christine recently served as deputy director of DYFS for the past two years - most notably serving as the lead in the statewide implementation of DCF's Case Practice Model, one of the most important and ambitious aspects of our state's child welfare reform efforts. Christine's previous DYFS experience is as a Regional Assistant Director with oversight of seven counties in New Jersey's southern region, as well as a DYFS Area Director with complete management responsibilities over Mercer and Burlington counties. Prior to joining DYFS, Christine worked for over ten years with Catholic Charities, Diocese of Metuchen, ultimately serving as an Assistant Director for Youth Services and Director of Behavioral Health. She received her Master of Social Work Administration, Policy and Planning from Rutgers University School of Social Work and received her Bachelor of Social Work from Stockton State College. Additionally, Christine also has a Clinical Certificate in Adoption Practice from Rutgers University School of Social Work, Institute for Families.
Erin O'Leary is the Director of Legal Affairs and Licensing for the Department of Children and Families. In addition to her duties as liaison to the Administrative Office of the Courts and the Office of the Attorney General, Ms. O'Leary oversees the following units: Office of Legal & Regulatory Liaison, the Administrative Hearings Unit, the State and Federal Legislation Unit, the HIPAA/OPRA Unit, the Interstate Services Unit and the Office of Licensing. Before coming to DYFS, Ms. O'Leary was a Deputy Attorney General initially assigned to represent DYFS in abuse and neglect matters. During this assignment, she appeared in numerous bench trials and several appellate matters. Ms. O'Leary was later assigned to represent the Department of Health and Senior Services and Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services, which included several administrative, civil and appellate matters. After graduating from Rugters School of Law - Camden, Ms. O'Leary clerked for the Honorable Stephen Skillman during the court year of 1998-1999. She is a member of the New Jersey and Pennsylvania Bars.
Nadezhda Robinson is the Director of the Division of Child Behavioral Health Services (DCBHS) which administers the mental health benefits of more than 25,000 New Jersey youth each year. DCBHS statewide component services include Care Management Organizations, statewide Youth Case Management Services, Family Support Organizations (FSO), Mobile Response Services and out of home treatment providers. Additionally, DCBHS contracts with outpatient and partial care providers, designates nine child and adolescents crisis units across the state and regulates the use of in-home services. Dr. Robinson, with a Ph.D. in Child Clinical Psychology from Seton Hall University, joined the Department as the first clinical administrator for DCBHS. Previously, she was a member of the leadership team at the Arthur Brisbane Child Treatment Center and worked successfully to safely close the hospital, redeploy staff and participate in the development of alternative community options for youth requiring intensive psychiatric intervention. Dr. Robinson’s work as an expert witness for the Division of Youth and Family Services, conducting bonding and fitness evaluations in Hudson County, honed her understanding and appreciation for challenges facing families, the courts, and child welfare in the endeavor to provide youth safe and permanent families. She has also worked as a Mental Health Consultant to the Head Start programs, a classroom teacher for developmentally disabled toddlers, an outpatient clinician for children and adults, and an administrator of children’s acute services at St. Mary Hospital in Hoboken.
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