Happy family of three having fun outside

Our History

Since 1985, PEI Kids has served the Greater Mercer County community with the mission of promoting and maintaining a safe environment for all children. PEI Kids began as Prevention Education, Inc., when our founders, who worked at a rape crisis center, discovered there were no prevention programs for children in Mercer County regarding child sexual abuse and child assault prevention.

Among our initial successes was implementing one of the first Child Assault Prevention (CAP) projects in New Jersey, which the Governor’s Task Force on Child Abuse & Neglect selected as the first primary prevention program in the state. Since that time, our services have expanded to include programs in the following areas:

Counseling for Child Victims of Sexual Abuse

Cyber-Safety/Preventing Online Exploitation

Support Services for Children in Foster Care

School Safety & Bullying Prevention

Support for Youth Victims of Gang Violence

Managing Aggression & Violence

Delinquency Prevention

Child Abuse Prevention

Teen Dating Safety

Quick Facts

How long has PEI Kids been serving the community?

Serving the Greater Mercer County, NJ community since 1985, PEI Kids has long addressed many of the most pressing issues affecting children, including child assault and sexual abuse, bullying, gang culture, and cyber violence.

How many children does PEI Kids reach?

PEI Kids’ prevention education programs — which focus on child assault and sexual abuse prevention, bullying prevention, and cyber-safety – reach over 10,000 children, parents, and teachers each year.

Is PEI Kids part of the national Enough Abuse Campaign?

In 2011, PEI Kids was designated the lead agency of the Greater Mercer Coalition to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse, which is part of the statewide and national “Enough Abuse” campaign.

How many child sexual abuse cases are reported each year in Mercer County?

On average, over 250 cases of child sexual abuse are reported in Mercer County each year. The County Prosecutor’s Office refers 98% of these cases to PEI Kids for trauma-focused therapy and family-centered support services.

Does PEI Kids help juveniles on probation?

Run in partnership with local law enforcement, including the Mercer County Juvenile Probation Department and Family Court, PEI Kids’ Juvenile Intervention programs for youth on probation and/or with anger management issues have helped more than 1,300 juvenile offenders on probation become less of a danger to themselves and the Mercer County community. These programs offer violence prevention and conflict resolution skills development, gang culture education, tolerance and critical thinking skills, and training in respect for authority.

Does PEI Kids supervise court-mandated visits between children in foster care and their families?

Under contract with the NJ Division of Child Protection and Permanency, PEI Kids supervises more than 1,600 court-mandated visits between children in the foster care system and their biological families each year.

Does PEI Kids offer transportation for children in foster care?

PEI Kids also manages a transportation program for children in foster care and their families who need medical, therapeutic, and other transport services, providing over 34,000 miles of assisted transportation each year.

Mother outside with her two children

Meet Our Team Members

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Roslyn E. Dashiell
Executive Director

Roslyn Dashiell is PEI Kids’ Executive Director with responsibility for overseeing the agency’s programs, development, staff, and community outreach; and executing its strategic initiatives. Roslyn has over 20 years of well-rounded experience in the corporate and non-profit sectors, including spearheading infrastructure initiatives; writing and managing grants; compliance and reporting; institutional marketing; and staff, fiscal, and organizational management. Prior to joining PEI Kids, Roz was Business Manager for Interfaith Caregivers of Greater Mercer County; and Director of Community Relations for Gwynedd-Mercy University. She was also grant writer for the Rutgers University Walter Rand School of Public Policy’s offender re-entry program, Opportunity Reconnect, located in Camden, NJ. Roz has a certification in Criminology, a B.A. from Rutgers University, and an M.B.A from Centenary University. Her background in marketing, development, and management provides a valuable combination of skills for helping PEI Kids strengthen its programs and community outreach and achieve its goals for the future.

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Rachel Ehret
Director, Finance & Institutional Development

Rachel Ehret is PEI Kids’ Director of Finance and Institutional Development where she oversees daily financial operations and institutional grants processes. Rachel has been with PEI Kids since 2014 and is dedicated to serving Mercer County children and youth. Before joining PEI Kids, Rachel earned her B.A. in Leadership Studies from the University or Richmond, where she was a university writing consultant. She has also worked as an Academic Program Assistant with the Danish Institute for Study Abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Rebecca Lee
Business Manager

Rebecca Lee is PEI Kids’ Business Manager responsible for ensuring smooth agency operations, including computer and IT management, office and building operations, personnel, and supporting special projects and events. Rebecca has extensive professional experience in the non-profit sector – including with Catholic Charities, Diocese of Charlotte and Asheville-Buncombe Community Christian Ministry (ABCCM) –where she honed her considerable skills in business operations and financial administration. Rebecca attended Raritan Valley Community College and studied Economics at Rutgers University.

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Juanita Johnson Brooks, Ph.D.
Director of Clinical Services

Dr. Juanita Johnson Brooks has been the Director of Clinical Services at PEI Kids since 1995. She is a licensed social worker and has continued to develop the services offered to clients of the Crisis Intervention for Child Victims of Sexual Abuse program throughout her tenure. Dr. Brooks developed and continues to supervise therapeutic support groups for adolescent girls, non-offending parents and caregivers. In addition, she developed a program to treat abuse-reactive children under 12 who act out in sexually-inappropriate ways.  She earned her BSW from the University of Detroit and her MSW and PhD from Rutgers University. She is certified in the Advanced Studies of Child Maltreatment with a specialization in Child Sexual Abuse. In 2007, she was honored as the “Professional of the Year” by the Mercer County Commission on Abused, Neglected and Missing Children.  Over the years, Dr. Brooks has trained a variety of professionals, including Sexual Assault Support Services Advocates and Domestic Response team members at WomanSpace, the nursing staff of Capital Health, and volunteers for CASA Mercer (Court Appointed Special Advocates). She is a member of the Mercer County Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) and has made a guest appearance on Lynn Doyle’s It’s Your Call show, as well as many other media outlets sharing her expertise in child sexual abuse and trauma.

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Erika Hillman
Director of Prevention Programs

Erika Hillman is PEI Kids’ Director of Prevention Services. She supervises implementation of our school-based prevention programs while maintaining and promoting relationships with Mercer County schools. Erika also supervises the Enough Abuse Campaign in PEI Kids’ role as lead agency of the Greater Mercer Coalition to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse. Prior to becoming Director of Prevention Services, Erika held positions at CJFHC’s Teen Health Initiatives and Womanspace’s Project SAFE, specializing in program development and coordination, as well as training and facilitation. Erika holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from William Paterson University; and is certified in Nonprofit Management, NJ Victim Assistance, and Child Assault Prevention curriculums. She is also a certified Sexual Risk Avoidance Specialist (SARS), and a DVVRT (Domestic Violence Victim Response Team) Specialist.

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Robert Fiorello
Director of Juvenile Intervention Services

With over 21 years’ experience working closely with high-risk, adjudicated youth, Rob is an authority on Mercer County youth gang culture and delinquency prevention. He and his staff are exceptionally
skilled at bringing together disparate groups of young people and cultivating an environment of tolerance and mutual respect. He serves as Chair of the Mercer County Gang Task Force (2007-present) and is a
member of the Mercer County Youth Services Commission and the Disposition sub-committee. Rob’s long standing work facilitating programs and achieving results for at-risk adolescent youth through
PEI Kids’ Comprehensive Juvenile Offenders Outreach Services (CJOOS) program, its Managing Aggression & Violence (MAV) program, school based programs, and the agency’s many other juvenile intervention initiatives over the years, have earned the respect and trust of Mercer County law enforcement, juvenile-justice system personnel and the Family Court. In 2019, Rob was honored by Fathers and Men United For A Better Trenton and by The New Jersey State Senate and General Assembly for his service to the youth of the City of Trenton. Rob has also been honored with the Cherish the Children Professional Award by the Mercer County Commission on Abused, Neglected and Missing Children.

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Audrey Massey
Director of Family Support Services

Audrey has worked as a Supervised Visitation Facilitator for PEI Kids since 2016 and assumed the role of Family Support Services Coordinator in 2019. Since then, she has been promoted to the department Director, serving as an excellent liaison to caseworkers at the Division of Child Protection & Permanency (DCPP). Her responsibilities include supervising visitation facilitators and drivers who provide services to our DCPP clients, scheduling over 30,000 miles of transports and supporting over 1,600 supervised visits annually for children in foster care. Audrey has a Bachelors degree in Psychology from Rutgers University and has varied work experience preparing her for her current role. Audrey’s care and concern for children is evident in her work and in the dedicated service and support she provides for her staff.

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Carmen Alicea
Visitation Supervisor

Carmen has worked at PEI Kids since 1998 and her long term service has provided continuity and great experience for the children, parents, and foster parents in our programs. Carmen is bilingual and is able to share knowledge, information, and comfort to our Spanish-speaking clients. Carmen prides herself on excellent client relations and knowledge of the community. She does a combination of direct service, supervising family visits, in addition to supervising the visitation staff. The remainder of her time includes scheduling client visits, case management, and supervision. Prior to joining PEI Kids, Carmen worked for many years in early childhood care, learning and gaining valued experience with young children and families.

Board of Trustees

PEI Kids’ Board of Trustees has a passion for and a commitment to PEI Kids’ mission and reducing the impact of violence on our community’s children and families.

“Our Board is fully committed to advancing the mission of PEI Kids and supporting the children and families we serve. On a personal note, I continue to be impressed by the talent and dedication of my fellow Board members, and am very grateful for their tireless efforts to ensure that PEI Kids can continue to provide its critical services for our community.”

– Margaret Chipowsky, Esq. | President, Board of Trustees

Contact Us for More Information
Board Photo

PEI Kids’ Board of Trustees at our 2018 spring gala, “Denim & Diamonds at the Boathouse”

Board Members

Margaret Chipowsky, Esq., President
MDAdvantage Insurance Co. of NJ

Lisa Festa Hayden, Vice President 
West Windsor-Plainsboro School District

Craig J. Hubert, Esq., Co-Treasurer
Szaferman Lakind P.C.

Andrew T. Zalescik, Co-Treasurer
Columbia Bank

Jennifer M. Sherman, Secretary
NJM Insurance Group

Carolyn Amrein, Trustee
The LEGO Group

Francesca Bartlett, Trustee
The Bartlett Family Foundation
Former Mayor of Hopewell Township

Nancy R. Fennelly, Trustee
Fennelly Associates, Inc.

Loni Hand, Esq., Trustee

Michael P. Hughes, Trustee
WatchDox, Inc.

Deborah R. Norton, LMHC, FAPA, Trustee
Licensed Clinician, Private Practice

Shelly Punchatz, Trustee
ETS (ret.)

Andrew Lee Ro, Trustee
New Hope-Solebury School District

People Appreciated for Long Service (PALS)

PEI Kids recognizes our PALS (People Appreciated for Long Service) as friends, who have contributed with compassion their time, talent, and resources in order to advance the mission of PEI Kids. Our PALS have made a significant difference to our agency by sharing at least 10 years of their time, expertise, and support with PEI Kids.

Evelyn A. Gill, Founding Director
– We remember

George M. Gill
– We remember

Thomas A. Bartlett

Brig. Gen. Robert Dutko, Sr. USAF (Retired)

Eunice K. Jadlocki

Dolores R. Piacente

Vincent A. Piacente

Vince J. Scozzari, Jr.

Keith Smith

Gloria S. Teti

David B. Thompson

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Timeline of Historic Events

Originally staffed by two people, PEI Kids currently has ten full-time and 36 part-time employees as well as a passionate Board of Trustees. PEI Kids also has strong working relationships with local law enforcement, government agencies, Family Court, schools, universities, and other community-based, youth-serving, and social service organizations.