Melissa Van Dyke, PhD, is an Implementation Scientist-Practitioner and the Director of the Active Implementation Research Network (AIRN). In 2005, Melissa joined Karen and Dean at the National Implementation Research Network (NIRN) and provided implementation science expertise while leading and coordinating community, state, and federal initiatives to support effective practices in mental health, child welfare, education, criminal justice, and early childhood. In 2015, Melissa was recruited to serve as the International Expert Advisor on Implementation at the Centre of Excellence for Children’s Care and Protection (CELCIS) at the University of Strathclyde in Scotland. Melissa continues to provide leadership on grants and contracts to build capacity in governmental and NGO organizations, communities, and systems, within the United States and internationally, to support effective implementation of evidence-based and evidence-informed programs and policies.

Fiona Mitchell comes to AIRN with more than 20 years of experience working in evidence translation, implementation support, and evaluation expertise in the United Kingdom. She is a trained Implementation Practitioner who is experienced at guiding individuals, teams, and organizations to integrate knowledge and skills in applying evidence to practice development, building implementation capacity, and in the collection and use of data to evaluate progress. From 2015 to 2021, Fiona worked at the Centre of Excellence for Children’s Care and Protection (CELCIS) at the University of Strathclyde. During this time, she led and contributed to strengthening evidence-informed practices in child welfare and protection and was part of implementation capacity building efforts across Scotland. In 2018 – 2019, Fiona was co-chair of the program planning committee for the 2019 Global Implementation Conference, hosted in Glasgow, Scotland.

Cara Thompson, PhD, is an implementation specialist for the Active Implementation Research Network.  Cara holds a Ph.D. in Criminal Justice from the University of Cincinnati, where she previously served as the EPICS Project Director for the University of Cincinnati Corrections Institute.  As EPICS Project Director, Cara assisted institutional and community supervision agencies with the implementation, training, coaching, and sustainability of the EPICS model.  Her previous work for the Corrections Institute also included assisting agencies in the implementation of risk assessments, case planning, cognitive-behavioral curricula, core correctional practices, and program evaluation. In 2015, Cara joined the Department of Community Justice (DCJ) in Multnomah County, Oregon to act as an Evidence-Based Practices Analyst, responsible for implementing and overseeing evidence-based initiatives for adult and juvenile probation and parole.  Cara’s previous work also includes working with PPSO during the training and coaching of the Criminogenic Need and Violence Curriculum (CNVC).  She worked to train initial users, coaches, and trainers during the CNVC process. 

Dayna Albitz is an implementation specialist for the Active Implementation Research Network.  Dayna previously worked for the State of Wisconsin in Community Corrections.  She began her career as a Probation and Parole Agent and Corrections Field Supervisor before transitioning into an Implementation and Fidelity Coach.  In this role, Dayna supported administration and line staff to implement the use of evidence-based techniques into their supervision strategy.  During this process, Dayna supported field supervisors to incorporate coaching into their role which allowed for officers to be supported in their use of these techniques.  Dayna was able to assess fidelity on a unit, region, and statewide level, allowing for administration to make data-informed decisions.  Prior to beginning her work with AIRN, Dayna worked as an Assistant Regional Chief in Community Corrections which allowed her the opportunity to have a leadership role of supporting agents and supervisors in the field, as well as continuing to support the implementation of supervision practices.

Dani Schenk joined AIRN as an Implementation Specialist in July 2023. She began her career as a Health Educator in Guatemala where she facilitated a train-the-trainer model with community health educators. After completing the Peace Corps, she received her Master’s in Public Health from UNC Chapel Hill. For the past eight years she has specialized in the evaluation of implementation science-based programming across a variety of fields. This has included supporting 32 counties in North Carolina with the implementation of a behavioral health coaching program, supporting non-profit agencies across the state with implementation of parenting programs, and working with hospital systems across the nation to build capacity to implement evidenced-based practices. She is excited to bring her background and experience in the evaluation of capacity-related interventions to the work of AIRN.

Kimberly Ingram before joining AIRN, had the opportunity, as the Director of Implementation Support for Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina, and applied the Active Implementation Frameworks to the guide the development of Implementation Teams who developed and strengthened the Implementation Drivers within their own organization and within various agencies implementing evidence-based parenting programs across the state. In addition, Kimberly was certified by NC State University in Business Coaching, further strengthening her skills and ability to provide coaching for competence.

Liz Schepel brings nearly 20 years of leadership advancing immigrant and human rights across the U.S. and Latin America. She specializes in strategy development, MERL, and quality improvement, with extensive experience in cross-sector initiatives for children and youth affected by violence, displacement, and trauma. Most recently, she led regional strategy for International Justice Mission’s Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC) programs in six Latin American countries, driving integrated systems for measurement, learning, and adaptive decision-making. Previously, she held executive roles in a national program for immigrant children funded by the Office of Refugee Resettlement, leading quality improvements, compliance, and systems transformation. She has supported trauma and grief intervention implementation for youth in Puerto Rico with the Boys and Girls Club with (Texas-based) Trauma and Grief Center and led community coalition building against sexual violence in La Paz, Bolivia. Liz excels at building data-driven frameworks that strengthen accountability, inform strategy, and improve outcomes across complex service systems.

Mandy Bley, LISW-S, brings 15 years of experience working with the University of Cincinnati Corrections Institute (UCCI), where she provided training, coaching, and technical assistance to corrections agencies in implementing evidence-based practice. During her time with UCCI, she also served as a project manager and supported the development of various cognitive-behavioral curricula. Mandy began her career working at Hamilton County Juvenile Court, where she facilitated multiple groups, served as a probation officer, and led a treatment team. From there, she worked for several years in the neuro-oncology department at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, supporting children and their families throughout their treatment journeys, and served as a therapist at Beech Acres Parenting Center. Her passion is finding ways to provide meaningful support to people, whether through micro or macro practices.