Key Staff

Mary Magalene Black
President and Chief Executive Officer

Ms. Black founded BFCS to meet the needs of under-served children and families in 1984. This community-based agency has grown steadily to become a thriving social service organization. Ms. Black is widely recognized as one of Arizona's leading advocates for improving the lives of children and families in all ethnic groups who survive in under-served conditions. She has envisioned and created many programs through cultivating community resources without reliance on public support. And several of the agency’s services have grown to become important subcontractors to county and state agencies which now rely upon BFCS to provide essential community social and behavioral services.

Since 1984, Ms. Black has developed numerous programs, including: Juvenile Intervention, a pregnancy prevention program for teens; a behavioral health counseling program for children and families; a substance abuse out-patient program for adults; Foster Care and Adoption programs that have placed hundreds of children in nurturing homes; one of the first 25 Charter Schools in the state of Arizona (which was open from 1995 – 2004); provided the vision and leadership, in 1994, to renovate a 27,000 square foot facility with only private sector partnerships; and, most recently, expanded the foster care program to provide Therapeutic Foster Care to some of Arizona’s most emotionally fragile children.

Awards

Featured in a Phoenix Magazine article, “Power . . . Who’s Got It?” (1999)
City of Phoenix Martin Luther King, Jr. “Living the Dream” Award (2002)
Runner-up Arizona State Chamber of Commerce Athena Award (1999)
Clara Hale Humanitarian Award (1994)
Today’s Arizona Woman Top 10 Women in Arizona (1994)

DEPARTMENT HEADS

Tim Martinson, LMSW
Director of Behavioral Health Services

Tim has provided 24 years of behavioral health service to children and families in Maricopa County, starting as a clinician in private practice in 1982. He then joined Florence Crittenton Services in 1984 as a therapist in its outpatient and residential programs. He stayed with Florence Crittenton for 11 years moving from therapist to program coordinator of outpatient services to clinical coordinator of the agency.

Tim joined Black Family and Child Services in 1995 as Clinical Coordinator of the outpatient program. He helped the agency in a variety of capacities as it transitioned its service delivery with the ever-changing needs of children and families. Since 2002, Tim has served Black Family and Child Services as Director of Behavioral Health Services for the outpatient clinic.

He has been licensed by the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners since 1991. Tim’s clients have been primarily children, ages 3 – 17, suffering from depression, ADHD, anxiety and behavioral disorders. He also has extensive experience in working with adults who have substance abuse problems.

Betty Hannah Anderson, B.A.
Home Recruitment Manager

Betty has 14 years experience at Black Family and Child Services in providing foster care and adoption services, with 10 years as Home Recruitment Manager of the Foster Care and Adoption Department.

She graduated from the University of Colorado with honors. She assisted in the development and facilitation of the VO Therapeutic Foster Care program, and Betty is a member of several foster care and adoption boards and committees, including the KIDS Consortium, where she serves as a member on the KIDS Recruitment Committee. Her strength is her expertise in developing good working relationships with the community, the Arizona Department of Economic Security, foster and adoptive parents, staff and co-workers.

Betty has more than 30 years of experience in social services with an extensive background of providing case management services to the elderly, blind, handicapped and disabled, during which time she was successful in increasing services to this minority population by 150 percent.

Betty is a team player and a dedicated, loyal, emphatic and responsible individual. Her goal is a sincere desire to provide every child with a safe, healthy and happy home.

Kamal El Shaarawy
Supervisor of the Family Support/Family Preservation Program

Kamal had been working in the mental health field for more than 20 years before joining Black Family and Child Services in 2001, as Supervisor of the Family Builders Program and then as Supervisor of the agency’s Family Support and Family Preservation Program.

He began his career in the metal health field as a Therapeutic Staff Support (TSS), implementing treatment plans for teens and their families. After earning his masters in psychology, he worked for many years as a Behavior Specialist Consultant in the public school systems and as a Mobile Therapist in a wrap-around program counseling families and their children in their homes.

His passion is to empower families through hope and action to lead successful lives.

Martha S. Childress-Callaway
Director of Special Programs

Martha gained more than 25 years of experience in the field of education before joining Black Family and Child Services as Assistant Director of Education, Director of Education, Director of Youth Services and currently as Director of Special Programs.

Martha’s career in education began as a secondary education teacher and progressed to school counselor and school administrator. This experience led to her interest in social services as a means of addressing problematic issues that impact the total family unit.

In 2001, Martha joined Black Family and Child Services and has served in many areas of the agency. In her present capacity, she supervises contract workers and agency staff providing direct services to families. She also provides the necessary training, documentation and supervision for families to become licensed foster care homes.

Tezerash Bekele
Quality Management / Performance Improvement Manager

Tezerash has 29 years of work experience in the areas of health, human services and socio-economic development initiatives targeted to improve the lives of under-privileged people both nationally and internationally. Using her multi-disciplinary expertise, she has effectively contributed to projects and programs that have made a difference in the lives of disadvantaged communities while working for: Save the Children USA -- Child Family Reunification Program; the United Nations Development Program (UNDP); the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and other government agencies abroad.

Driven by her passion to improve the quality of lives of children and families, adolescents and adults, she joined Black Family and Child Services of Arizona in 2007, as Manager of the Quality Management and Performance Improvement Unit. Prior to joining BFCS, Tezerash had worked for the Arizona Department of Health Services, Arizona Division of Behavioral Health Services to implement a system of continuous quality management and performance improvement initiatives and projects.

At BFCS, she ensures that the quality of care and services provided to BFCS service recipients are at the highest level. She develops effective policies and procedures and continuously monitors and evaluates the services provided by the Behavioral Health Program, the Family Support Program and Therapeutic Foster Care Program. She identifies training, provides technical assistance and performance improvement strategies and monitors implementation.
She has a Master’s Degree in International Development and Social Change from Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts with a strong emphasis on participatory approach. Her education and diverse work experience have provided her with a deep analytical ability to view social and community problems from all aspects of life.