Management Bios - Alabama Community Healthy Marriage Initiative

Dr. Francesca Adler-Baeder

ACHMI Prinicpal Investigator

Francesca Adler-Baeder, Ph.D. is Associate Professor of Human Development and Family Studies at Auburn University. Her research interests focus on relational dynamics in marriages and stepfamilies and families under stress.

She also serves as State Extension Specialist and the Director of the Center for Children, Youth, and Families, with the primary responsibility of bridging research and practice through applied research projects and curriculum and resource development. She has been involved in building services in Marriage Education in Alabama for the past 5 years and coordinates the Alabama Healthy Marriage Initiative in collaboration with the Alabama Children's Trust Fund.

Dr. Adler-Baeder regularly provides family life and parenting information to national media representatives including Parents Magazine, People Magazine, and has appeared on the Today Show. Dr. Adler-Baeder is a frequent speaker on the state and national levels for both academic and lay audiences on topics related to prevention programming, couples and marriage education, stepfamily dynamics, grant-writing, and the applied research process.

Dr. Adler-Baeder lives with her husband Patrick, and their 4 children in Auburn, Alabama.

Marian Loftin

ACHMI Co-Project Director

Marian Loftin is the Director for the State of Alabama Department of Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention, which oversees the Children’s Trust Fund of Alabama (CTF) funding 200 community-based prevention programs. After 17 years as an elementary classroom teacher, Mrs. Loftin worked in government relations for the University of Alabama for 13 years. Prior to her appointment to the current position with CTF, she was Executive Director for the Dothan Area Chamber of Commerce.

Dr. Scott Ketring

ACHMI Co-Principal Investigator

Scott A. Ketring, Ph. D. is an associate professor of marriage and family therapy at Auburn University. He is a licensed MFT, a Clinical Member and Approved Supervisor of the AAMFT. He has presented at the state, national, and international levels. He maintains a private practice working with couples and families.

Dr. Tom Smith

ACHMI Co-Principal Investigator

Tom Smith, Ph. D. is the Director of the Marriage and Family Therapy Program and an Associate Professor of Human Development and Family Studies at Auburn University. Dr. Smith joined the Auburn faculty in 1985. He is currently serving as the President of the Alabama Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. He is a Co-Principle Investigator and the Assistant Director for the Alabama Community Healthy Marriage Initiative. He has extensive experience with several research initiatives, has published a variety of book chapters and peer-reviewed articles and presented numerous peer- reviewed and invited workshops and papers at international, national, state, and local conferences.

Roberta Jackel

Project Manager

Roberta Jackel is the Project Manager for the Alabama Community Healthy Marriage Initiative. She has a background in social services and grants management and has a J.D. from the University of Georgia. She has been an active advocate for people with disabilities and a leader in her community for numerous environmental and civic issues.

Ami Landers

FRC Site Coordinator

Ami Landers serves as the Family Resource Center Site Coordinator for the ACHMI project. Ami has worked with children and families for over ten years serving as a preschool instructor, home visitor and a parent educator, as well as a Field Director for the State of Alabama Department of Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention, also known as the Children’s Trust Fund. Ami and her husband Stan live in Prattville and have five wonderful children: Abbi, Ashli, Chad, Lauren and Alivia.

Charles Jackson

Community Public Relations Coordinator

Charles Jackson is a Public Relations Coordinator for the Alabama Community Healthy Marriage Initiative (ACHMI) at Auburn University with the responsibility for coalition building and community awareness. He has conducted awareness presentations to various state agencies and numerous community partners. Prior to joining the ACHMI team, Charles served as a program coordinator for the Greater Montgomery Chapter of 100 Black Men of America, Inc. which is an international organization of professional men dedicated to empowering their communities through mentoring, education, economic development, and health and wellness. He currently and proudly serves on their Board of Directors as the Chapter Secretary. Charles has also served five years with the United State Air Force and is currently serving in the Reserves.

Sandy Williams

State Public Awareness Coordinator

Sandy Williams has over 15 years of media/marketing experience and currently serves as the State Public Awareness Coordinator for the Alabama Community Healthy Marriage Initiative (ACHMI). She joined the ACHMI team from the Materials Engineering Department of Auburn University. Prior to this position she was employed by the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn University. Additionally, she has served as the Marketing and Logistics Manager for CV Holdings, LLC, responsible for the marketing and distribution of the Mars M & M product line, Director of Marketing and Public Relations for Surf Side Water Park and Public Relations Specialist for the City of Auburn Parks and Recreation Department.

Teresa Wagoner

Office Administrator

Teresa Wagoner is currently the Office Administrator for the Alabama Community Healthy Marriage Initiative (ACHMI). She graduated from Auburn University in 2003 with a Bachelor of Liberal Arts in Criminology. Prior to this position she served as the Assistant Director at University Daycare LLC. She currently resides in Auburn, Alabama with her husband Burke and their dog Bobo.