Celebrating 50 Years of NCSEA

The NCSEA Leadership Symposium provides a key platform for collaboration with child support professionals. For 50 years, child support professionals have gathered at the symposium to collaborate and innovate, leading to stronger programs that better serve families. Public Knowledge® (PK) is honored to be part of this conference, which enhances our ability to support our clients and the growth of child support workers.

This year’s conference theme is Leading with Heart and Soul. We understand the importance of child support on family stability and well-being. NCSEA encourages us to dig deeper for heartfelt listening, equity, inclusion, advocacy, and understanding. Together, we build a strong community of practice among child support professionals.

Our Child Support Experts

Matt Sautter, Child Support Industry Director

• Over 16 years of experience in child support, program modernization, and analyzing child support processes.
• Excels in leading projects and managing effective communications between clients, internal teams, and executive leadership.

Linda Rhyne-McKinley, Management Consultant

• Over 24 years of experience in child support services, including quality and training management, strategic initiatives, and performance improvement.
• Experienced in adult learning theories, instructional design, leadership development, and relationship intelligence.

Conference Sessions

Employment & Training Programs: It’s All About Heart and Soul 

Monday, August 5 | 3:45 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET 

Presented by Chad Edinger, Dana Huckabee, Michael Ginns, Konitra Jack, and Sabrina Montoya. Moderated by Matt Sautter and curated by Kathy Sokolik.

The session aims to explore operational flexibility, engaging diverse perspectives, emphasizing equity and inclusion, and empowering parents from various backgrounds to potentially transform the lives of the people being served.

Track: Partnering for Success

Empowering Leadership: Mastering Influence Without Authority in Human Services 

Monday, August 5 | 3:45 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET 

Moderated by Linda Rhyne-McKinley. Presented by Sheree Reddick and Courtney Heneghan.

This session will discuss influential leadership techniques, non-authoritative communication styles, and active listening skills to transform conflict into positive change. Panelists will also explore applying these concepts to mentoring, coaching, guiding leaders, and leveraging influential leadership to support teams in achieving organizational goals.

Track: Cultivating Inclusive Leadership

Behavioral Economics and Customer Service: Tools for Meeting People Where They Are 

Tuesday, August 6 | 10:45am – 12:00pm ET

Presented by Matt Sautter, Amelia English, Cindy Little, and Andrea Cooley. Moderated by Barbara Lacina.

This session will discuss the importance of understanding behavioral economics for effective leadership and customer engagement and how it is essential to recognize diverse skills and unseen factors that influence decision-making. It will also explore how behavioral economics can enhance customer service and foster better collaboration with customers.

Track: Developing Equity in Policy

Learning Lab – Getting to the Heart of the Matter: Navigating Difficult Conversations 

Tuesday, August 6 | 10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. ET 

Presented by Kathie Bohacek, Tanya Glenn, and Kirsten Thompson. Curated by Kristen Mindus and Linda Rhyne-McKinley.

The workshop focuses on navigating difficult conversations and aims to help participants identify their communication style and triggers, apply techniques for fostering genuine dialogue and connection, and utilize tips for clarifying goals and desired outcomes.

Track: Developing Equity in Policy

A Soulful Shift: AI’s Transformation of Government Customer Service 

Wednesday, August 7 | 10:45 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET 

Presented by Rob Wells, Fred Miskawi, and Shayla Ware. Planned by Jonell Sullivan.

This session will explore how AI revolutionizes government-customer service delivery, particularly in child support, by improving efficiency, accessibility, and quality. AI technologies like chatbots and predictive analytics are reshaping services to be more inclusive and accessible to everyone.

Plenary