Coffee & Conversations Speaker Series
March 19, 2025 12pm - 1pm Online
Speakers:
Kayana Bradley, Peer Support Specialist
and Kathy Cook, JD, CWLS
About the guest speakers:
Kayana Bradley, Peer Support Specialist, Southeast Louisiana Legal Services; Louisiana Elite Advocacy Force: Kayana Keedy Bradley, a lived experience stakeholder, and advocate utilizes her professional and personal experience to enhance the foster care system. She highlights the importance of teamwork throughout the Louisiana system. Kayana has worked with the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and the Chafee Independent Living Skills providers, speaking directly with current foster kids and preparing them to age out. She has been a part of the HCR 168 Taskforce on Youth Aging Out of Foster Care, and SCR10 Taskforce on Extending The Age of Foster Care. For Kayana’s work on behalf of other youth, she was recognized with one of the first Louisiana Angels awards from the Louisiana Institute for Children in Families. Kayana has been recognized for her commitment to excellence towards the state and community development receiving the Young Adult Achievement Award. She has been able to partner with the Casey Family Programs to publicize across the nation why youth engagement is important in 3 youth engagement briefs. She is the President of Louisiana Elite Advocacy Force (LEAF), Technology and Transitioning Age Youth with Foster Together Network, and a Pelican Center Board Fellow. She happily pushes for change in policy to encourage permanent placements and family stability while increasing youth voice and supportive resources to benefit current and former families that face adversity in Louisiana’s system. Kayana believes it takes a village to raise children and keep families stable, so as citizens, we all bare a responsibility for children in our community, parish, state, and nation.
Kathy Lynn Cook, J.D., M.A., C.W.L.S.,* Deputy General Counsel, Mental Health, Advocacy Service/Child Advocacy Program: Ms. Cook has been a Mental Health attorney for juveniles and adults for 28 years, spending the last 18 years as a CINC attorney for children. Her agency responsibilities include legislation writing and monitoring, training and data management, and she works on child welfare policy and quality indicators development at both the state and national levels. Ms. Cook has A.S., B.S., M.A. and J.D. degrees, and is NACC certified as a Child Welfare Law Specialist.
Sign up today! You must be present for over 50% of the presentation for us to award credits.
CLE HOURS SPONSOR: CEU HOURS SPONSOR:
Questions? Registrations, Connectivity and Credits can be supported by contacting Team Dynamics (985-624-3514).
LCTF Program Support Questions can be directed to Michele Rabalais (225-342-2245).
