A lengthy article in the April 13 edition of The Arizona Republic profiles David Berns, the newly appointed director of the Department of Economic Security, Arizona’s largest public agency.

Berns came from the human services department of El Paso County, Colorado, where he was credited with greatly reducing dependency cases and the number of children being placed in foster care or residential treatment centers. If he can do the same thing in Arizona, he’ll be the only person in America to ever do it twice, according to one observer.

What qualifications does Mr. Berns bring to his challenging job? The article notes the following:

• Walking the talk. Example: Serving as a phone counselor for a suicide-prevention hotline
• Investing money up front. Example: Finding $5,000 to give to a woman who could no longer afford to care for 7 nieces and nephews
• Empowering employees. Example: Encouraging employees to design programs, establish protocols, and make decisions.
• Modeling trust and hope. Example: Mr. Berns says, “If we have no hope and don’t believe we can be successful and accomplish great things, how can we convince our clients to be successful and believe they can accomplish great things?”

Mr. Berns sounds like he would be a great boss. He’s making a big difference in the child welfare system.

Maybe you have a boss or colleague who is a lot like David Berns. If so, we’d like to hear about it.

Send a one-page (maximum) description of your “David Berns” to the This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . Please include the person’s name, title, and agency along with examples of how this person is making a difference in the child welfare system.

NFPN will appoint a panel to review all entries and to select a winner and runner-up. The top entries will be posted on our Web site and prizes will be given for first and second place contestants. Don’t delay—here’s your opportunity to provide recognition for some deserving person who can inspire others.

The deadline for entries is Friday, May 28. Please send entries by e-mail to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .