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Who We Are >> Our Staff
Jacquelyn Boggess, Co-Director | boggess@cffpp.org
Jacquelyn L. Boggess, J.D., has worked with the Center since its inception in 1995. Her work as a policy analyst involves the investigation of the welfare system, the family law courts, and the child support system. Her particular interest lies in the interrelations among these systems, and how the social welfare policy and practice that result from this relationship affect low-income fathers, mothers, and children. Additionally, Ms. Boggess has concentrated on the question of the impact of government initiated “family formation” and father involvement policy on the safety and well-being of women and children. Ms. Boggess has a particular interest in the impact of non-resident father involvement on mothers and children. Her work in this regard has resulted in connections and collaborations with domestic violence organizations and progressive advocacy groups working on poverty reduction, violence prevention, and economic justice for parents and children. Ms. Boggess is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Law School.
Jill Groblewski, Senior Project Manager | jgroblewski@cffpp.org
Jill Groblewski has worked for more than a decade advocating for social and policy changes that benefit low-income families and victims of violence. Her experience includes community organizing around issues related to poverty, welfare reform, and violence against women; providing technical assistance to service providers on policy, practice, and advocacy; and writing a broad array of materials. Ms. Groblewski and the Center share a philosophy of ensuring that people’s lived experiences inform and guide advocacy work. Her work at CFFPP entails promoting the provision of comprehensive social services for all individuals in low-income communities and what this means for providing domestic violence services to low-income communities of color. Ms. Groblewski holds a Master’s degree in Equality Studies from University College Dublin.
Magda Kmiecik, Project Manager | mkmiecik@cffpp.org
Magda Kmiecik brings to CFFPP over twenty-five years of experience in the area of banking and investment management. Ms. Kmiecik holds a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her experience includes working with housing programs for families who are homeless; advocacy for children with disabilities; community outreach in the areas of patient advocacy and reducing healthcare disparities; advocacy for workers’ rights; and working to improve health care access in the Latino community. Her professional and volunteer efforts are focused on social welfare and social justice issues in the community, particularly as they relate to families, communities of color, and immigrants. She is primarily responsible for providing advocacy and research support in the areas of low-income noncustodial fathers, faith-based initiatives, incarceration, and child support policy.
Louisa Medaris, Manager of Operations | lmedaris@cffpp.org
Louisa Medaris joins the organization to manage all aspects of the office. She brings fourteen years of experience working in varied settings ranging from banking and reproductive health care to catering and criminal defense. Ms. Medaris has studied commercial art at Madison Area Technical College and has interests that include camping, hiking, cooking, music, travel, gardening, and hosting parties.
David Pate, Co-Director | dpate@cffpp.org
David Pate founded the Center in 1995 and currently serves as the agency’s Co-Director. Dr. Pate has worked in the field of social work for over twenty-five years. He has experience as a practitioner, administrator, and public policy advocate in the areas of low-income adolescents and adult males, fathers, and families. He has made numerous presentations and written articles on the issues that relate to the provision of service to minority males and the effects of social welfare policy on their day-to-day existence. He is an Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Helen Bader School of Social Welfare. He holds a doctorate in Social Welfare from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He was a W.K. Kellogg fellow in the Kellogg National Leadership Fellowship program.
Nino Rodriguez, Program and Policy Specialist | nrodriguez@cffpp.org
Nino Rodriguez is responsible for developing relationships with fatherhood practitioners to strengthen the Center’s position as a bridge between policy and practice. In particular, his work focuses on comprehensive services for low-income noncustodial parents in fatherhood programs and child support enforcement. Mr. Rodriguez previously provided technical assistance, research, and analysis for re-entry programs at the Vera Institute of Justice; advocated for family-focused services for people on parole at Family Justice in New York; and published and presented on homelessness prevention for people leaving prison. As a volunteer, he co-facilitates youth courts and juvenile justice programs for Youth Services of Southern Wisconsin in Madison. Before transitioning to the nonprofit sector, he was a producer and project manager in the computer game industry. Mr. Rodriguez is furthering his education in social work at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and has taken trainings in motivational interviewing and restorative justice techniques. He holds a Master of Fine Arts in film and television from the University of California, Los Angeles.