Meet Our New Family Partners Director

We are delighted to welcome Karin Kelley as the new Program Director of PHILLIPS Family Partners.

Karin has more than 20 years of leadership experience working in both the public and nonprofit sectors with a focus on educational equity and family well-being.  

Family Partners, established in 1993, supports children, youth and families in Northern Virginia with mental health and developmental needs, reducing stress and creating safe home environments.

For the past seven years, Karin was Executive Director of Teen Success, Inc., a nonprofit organization supporting the success of teen mothers and their children in California. Using a whole family approach, Teen Success helps young mothers complete high school, pursue post-secondary education, develop life skills, and nurture their children’s positive development.

Previously, she served as the Executive Director of the Vision Action Network, leading cross-sector initiatives focused on health care access, economic security, education, aging and sustainability in Washington County, Oregon. She also created and managed innovative, collaborative initiatives for communities impacted by poverty and inequitable access to education in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Karin has a BA in Psychology from Santa Clara University and a MA in Counseling Psychology from John F. Kennedy University. She lives in Northern Virginia and is the single mother of three amazing children, two of whom have developmental disabilities. 

Join the Family Partners Team

We are seeking dedicated, compassionate Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) to meet a critical community need and gain meaningful career experience, while supplementing their income with late afternoon, evening, and/or weekend hours.

Hourly rates are $20 - $30 depending on credentials.

RBTs provide in-home Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) services to children and youth in Northern Virginia. They implement behavior intervention and skill acquisition plans created by and under the supervision of a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). RBTs will assist clients with day-to-day activities, monitor their behavior, record and collect data on clients' progress, and communicate with clients and BCBA.

To apply, contact BCBA Lisa Kemmler at Lisa.Kemmler@phillipsprograms.org.

PHILLIPS staff members in all departments and roles take pride in their work helping children and families overcome challenges and succeed. Do you have a passion for teaching, counseling, or paraprofessional work? Apply on our website.

The classrooms and hallways of our schools have been filled with displays like these created by students for Black History Month.

Visit our Facebook page to see more.

Spring Gala Season Is Coming

n April 23, we will host our first in-person gala in three years to celebrate the successes of our youth and their families. 

Sign up now to attend or to be a sponsor of this exciting event from 6:00 – 9:30 pm at the Hilton McLean Tysons Corner.

You can register here to be a gala volunteer. It’s a great opportunity to support our mission, gather with your fellow PHILLIPS supporters, and enjoy a delicious dinner for free. Volunteers need to arrive at 4:00 pm (some later) and stay until approximately 10:00 pm.

Get to Know Rose Ann Renteria

A PHILLIPS Staff Profile

Rose Ann Renteria is on a mission to amplify the voices of youth, parents and community members in special education research.

Ever since her days growing up in Mercedes, Texas, as one of nine children in her family, and working as a migrant farm laborer from 6th to 11th grade, she has understood the importance of education as the key to a better life for herself and future generations.

As the Director of Research and Evaluation for PHILLIPS, she develops ways to measure the results of our special education programs and collaborates with others to improve outcomes for children, youth and families.

Her master’s degree research at the University of Texas LBJ School of Public Affairs focused on families, poverty, and access to early childhood education programs. For her doctoral level work at the University of Colorado, she studied low-income Latinas and their educational hopes and dreams in the context of motherhood and personal responsibility.

She still remembers the time a fellow researcher told her, “I don’t do work with students.” Rose Ann’s career has been driven by the opposite approach. She puts the perspectives of students and their families at the forefront of her work because she hasn’t forgotten the lessons she learned long ago in Texas.  

“My parents were very clear: never forget where you come from; education should not be taken for granted; community service is a requirement,” says Rose Ann.

Along with being active in the Knights of Columbus and Jaycees, her father was a member of the local school board. Rose Ann says one of her most prized possessions is the photograph of him presenting her with her high school diploma. 

In addition to raising nine kids, Rose Ann’s mother made time to be a leader of her Girl Scout troop.

Rose Ann served as a leader for a troop at PHILLIPS School ~ Annandale for a while and still uses her Girl Scouts lifetime membership to support the scouts there.

A couple of years ago, she made this video to teach the girls a song that every Brownie, Girl Scout and parent will recognize.

Look how far we’ve come with the expansion of the commercial kitchen at PHILLIPS School ~ Annandale. When it’s finished, this will be the heart of the school’s Culinary Arts program where students earn industry certifications as they prepare for careers in food service. Eventually, it will allow us to launch a small meal service business that provides inclusive employment opportunities for our graduates and others.

The Annandale kitchen is one of the major projects being funded by our recently launched $2 million Capital Campaign. To learn more about supporting the Fund for Tomorrow’s World, please contact PHILLIPS President & CEO Piper Phillips at piper.phillips@phillipsprograms.org

PHILLIPS Programs for Children and Families
7010 Braddock Rd | Annandale, Virginia 22003
703-941-8810 | piper.phillips@phillipsprograms.org

PHILLIPS Programs for Children and Families is a private, non-profit organization serving the complex needs of children and youth living with cognitive, emotional and/or behavioral challenges in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area. Through excellence in specialized education, community programs and individualized support services, we provide our children and families every advantage to ensure they develop to achieve their greatest individual success. Their potential is our commitment.