ISS-USA Welcomes Two New Board Members

At our June 13th Board Meeting, ISS-USA welcomed two new members to our Board of Directors: T’Pring Westbrook and Melissa Kucinski.

T’Pring Westbrook is a Senior Associate for the Annie E. Casey Foundation. As a member of the Research, Evaluation, Evidence, and Data (REED) unit at the foundation, Dr. Westbrook manages a portfolio that encompasses two-generation approaches, community development, economic mobility, child and adult education, and housing. Additionally, Dr. Westbrook has an interest in evidence-based programs (EBPs) and regularly presents and consults on issues related to implementing, evaluating, and communicating about EBPs. Prior to coming to the Foundation, she was a Social Science Research Analyst with the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) within the Administration for Children and Families in the Department of Health and Human Services. While at OPRE, Dr. Westbrook’s portfolio included research and evaluation in early childhood education and development, home visiting, child welfare, and evidence-based policy and practice. Throughout her career, Dr. Westbrook has presented at national conferences, published in and served as editor for refereed journals, and served on numerous committees and advisory groups.

Dr. Westbrook received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Media Arts from Hampton University and a PhD in human development from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Melissa Kucinski is a lawyer and mediator in Washington, D.C. and a member of the law faculty at the George Washington University School of Law. In 2013, Ms. Kucinski served as a legal consultant to the Hague Conference on Private International Law, where she worked on projects related to the 1980 Hague Child Abduction Treaty and the 1996 Hague Child Protection Treaty.

Ms. Kucinski has offered advanced international family mediation trainings in the United States and Tokyo, Japan; has served on delegations to two consecutive Special Commission meetings at the Hague Conference on the Practical Operation of the Child Abduction and Child Protection Treaties; and chaired an international steering committee for International Social Service’s Secretariat that focused on consolidating resources into a global network for family mediation.

ISS-USA is excited to work with both Dr. Westbrook and Ms. Kucinski moving forward.