Staff

Heather C. Forkey, MD is the Director of FaCES at UMass Memorial Children’s Medical Center. She is a Professor of Pediatrics at the UMass Chan Medical School. She is a nationally recognized leader in the field of child trauma and foster care medicine, has published and presents nationally on the topic, and her work has been highlighted in the popular press as well, including Forbes, The Boston Globe and The Atlantic. Dr. Forkey provides leadership for the National Child Traumatic Stress Network and American Academy of Pediatrics on issues related to foster care and child trauma. Locally, she works with regional and state programs to address the needs of children who have been abused and neglected and to improve the services and supports for our most vulnerable children.

Lorna Kogon RN, CPNP-PC is a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner at the UMass Memorial Children’s Medical Center providing primary care to children ages infancy to young adulthood. She has a special interest in caring for children who are in foster care and has worked in the FaCES Clinic for over 15 years. Lorna is also a medical provider in the Child Protection Program, evaluating children with history of neglect and abuse. Lorna participated in developing a multidisciplinary response within the city of Worcester for children who are victims of commercial sexual exploitation and works closely with other team members in addressing the medical and mental health care needs of children who are at risk or have been involved with exploitation. Lorna received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Northeastern University and Master of Science in Nursing within the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner program at Emory University.

Diane Lanni is our lead trauma coach and provides peer support to our foster care families. Diane has years of experience fostering children and is currently a kinship foster parent. She is passionate about supporting foster parents as life expert professionals and trains others in the trauma coach role. Diane remains current on resources available to support foster families through her work with the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN). She is considered an expert in parenting children who have experienced trauma, and presents nationally on the topic, participates in podcasts for a variety of audiences, and contributes to print and media parent resources for NCTSN.

Molly Hanson, LCSW has worked with children and families involved in the child welfare system for over 10 years and has been the Trauma Educator at the FaCES clinic since 2021. Additionally, Molly has been a foster parent for the Department of Children and Families since 2016 and is the mother of three teenagers, all of whom were adopted from foster care.   Molly provides caregivers with psychoeducation regarding common trauma reactive behaviors and helps caregivers gain an understanding of attachment-based and trauma-responsive parenting strategies. Molly also provides caregivers with information about various community resources and assists with referrals to community mental health providers. Molly works with caregivers through individual consultation as well as group facilitation of the Resource Parent Curriculum, a workshop for resource parents who are caring for children who have experienced trauma, offered by the FaCES clinic several times per year.

Roshini Senthilkumar is the data manager for the FaCES program. Roshini maintains and improves and data management instruments for the FaCES program. An expert in data and quality improvement, she works closely with the clinical team to review data and provide updated summary information. Roshini’s responsibilities include implementing, testing, and studying new initiatives to improve clinical care and outcomes, which includes researching information, analyzing data and using data tools to compile information to best serve our patients. Roshini is also responsible for maintaining the FaCES website.

Aracely Valencia is the FaCES Coordinator. Prior to working at FaCES, Aracely worked as a Medical Administrative Assistant for the Division of General Pediatrics at UMass Memorial Children’s Hospital. With her knowledge and over 14 years of experience, Aracely continues providing support and assistance to caregivers, social workers from the Department of Children and Families, medical staff and agencies to address their health care needs. Aracely is bilingual (English and Spanish).

Suzanne Remington is our Education Advocate who works to improve education outcomes for foster youth at the state and local levels. She collaborates with state agencies, legislators, school districts, and community partners to advocate that all foster youth in Massachusetts receive the support and services they need to stay in school and succeed. Suzanne’s background as a teacher, as well as her experiences as a court appointed advocate and special education surrogate for foster youth, have drawn her to the intersection of education and foster care.

Breanna Vega is a Birth Parent Trauma Coach at the FaCES program. As someone who was adopted at a young age, Breanna brings a unique perspective to this role, having navigated her own challenges with adoption and the Department of Children and Families (DCF). This personal experience allows offering support grounded understanding. Prior to joining the team, Breanna spent a year working with individuals with Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) at the Department of Developmental Services (DDS), where she gained valuable experience in trauma-informed care and understanding of the long-lasting impact of trauma on individuals and families. Breanna is passionate about guiding birth parents through their healing journeys, helping them process past experiences, and supporting them in building healthier, more connected relationships with their children.