Teen Alliance for Prepared Parenting

Loral Patchen has been a faculty member in the Department of Women’s Services at Washington Hospital Center since 1999. Ms. Patchen currently serves as the executive director of the Teen Alliance for Prepared Parenting (TAPP) Program and the Center for Adolescent Women. She provides bilingual, full-scope midwifery services to women at TAPP’s community-based health center as well as through the hospital’s outpatient Women’s Services clinic. Ms. Patchen’s clinical experience also includes training in providing services for IV drug users, sex workers, and the homeless through mobile health care units. She has a special interest in prevention of sexually transmitted infections, and has published in this area. Ms. Patchen graduated from Brown University in 1990 with an undergraduate degree in Portuguese and Brazilian Studies. She also has a master’s degree in International Economics from the Johns Hopkins University and a master’s degree in Nursing from Yale University.

R. Yerodin Avent has been a youth worker for over 15 years. Mr. Avent has a wealth of experience working with young people in the area of socialization skills and capacity building and works with TAPP participants to develop these areas. He also manages the TAPP Father’s Care Program. Mr. Avent served as program director for the Michael Carrera program in New York City and provided oversight to the program’s evaluation. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts from the City College of New York and a master’s degree in Management and Urban Policy from New School University.

Wayne Marshall helps young mothers and fathers build their social skills through job and life skills activities. He also has worked as a resource specialist in the Los Angeles school district, and has served as a mental health therapist to youth in residential treatment centers, and in the Prince Georges County school system in Maryland. Mr. Marshall holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Oakwood College, and master’s degrees in Clinical Psychology and Human Resource Management from the University of Alabama A&M.

Rebecca Heagy coordinates social services for the TAPP program. She provides bilingual clinical case management and group services to the program’s pregnant and parenting youth, primarily at TAPP’s Upper Cardozo Health Center site. Ms. Heagy’s work with the TAPP program is a natural extension of the work she has done with children and families since the beginning of her career. Previously she worked for a child welfare agency in New York City and in a pediatric emergency room where she cultivated her crisis intervention skills. Ms. Heagy attended Marquette University where she received a bachelor’s degree in History and International Relations. Ms. Heagy received her master’s degree in Social Work from New York University.

Renelle Williams provides case management and counseling services for adolescent participants at Washington Hospital Center. She has a bachelor’s degree. in Sociology from Bowie State University and is currently completing a M.Ed. in Guidance and Counseling. Ms. Williams’ previous experience includes working as a Family Assessment Worker for Healthy Families, an Intake Coordinator /Teen Group Facilitator for the Healthy Babies Project, and an Independent Living Counselor for the Jewish Foundation for Group Homes. Ms. Williams has a passion for working with youth and being apart of their healthy growth and development.

Social Services Worker
Evelyn Rojas has three years of social service experience. In 2005, Ms. Rojas began her career doing foster care prevention work in New York City’s South Bronx community. She worked in two community based agencies, providing intensive case management services to children and families. Her area of specialty is working with families and children.   Ms. Rojas is bicultural and bilingual in English and Spanish.

In 2004 Ms. Rojas received her BA in psychology from Lehman College in New York. She is planning to pursue a master’s degree in social work. Ms. Rojas is a mother of two children.

Social Services Worker
Daynna Dixon is a proud mother of three daughters, a community activist,social service specialist, vocal artist, and life coach. Ms. Dixon has worked with several grassroots organizations to improve the lives of DC residents around affordable housing, affordable child care, section 8 rights, and preserving oral history. She organizes and creates social movements building a base of concerned people, mobilizing community members to act, and develop leadership from and relationships among the people involved.

With a Masters in Communtiy Economic Development from Southern University of New Hampshire her work empowers people to work towards a more equitable society.

Services Coordinator

Davita Mitchell  joined our group in November 2005. She organizes and manages the day-to-day administrative functions for TAPP including the quarterly, TAPP newsletter and website. She also provides database and administrative support for our three sites, Washington Hospital Center (WHC), Upper Cardozo and Congress Heights.   Ms. Mitchell coordinates the bi-monthly teen prenatal classes for the WHC site. Soon she will be working on the completion her Bachelors in Hospital Business Management. Ms Mitchell has one adult son.