CornerHouse Staff A-L

JENNIFER ANDERSON, MSW, LISW, Assistant Executive Director

In her role as Assistant Executive Director, Jennifer has primary responsibility for the management of training service delivery, including planning, evaluation and supervision of the Training Team Members. Since coming to CornerHouse, Jennifer has co-authored three professional articles and provided leadership in the creation of a teaching video and study guide entitled, Give Them a Voice: Forensic Interviews of Child Victims and Witnesses. Jennifer represents CornerHouse on the advisory committee for Finding Words, a collaborative effort of CornerHouse and the National District Attorney’s Association. Jennifer is a member of the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC) and was invited to participate in their 2003 Forensic Interview Think Tank.

BARBARA BETTELYOUN, Ph.D., Forensic Interviewer

Barbara is a Doctor of Child Psychology who earned her Doctorate and Master’s degrees in Child Clinical Psychology from the University of Minnesota. In 1993, she graduated with honors from the University of Michigan, earning a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology. Prior to coming to CornerHouse, Barbara directed a multi-state, multi-institutional, health education collaborative based at the University of Minnesota, which focused on links between nutrition and health in the Native American population. She also developed and directed a Native wellness center in North Minneapolis. Currently, in addition to conducting forensic interviews at CornerHouse two days a week, Barbara provides professional research and clinical consultation to organizations and agencies across the Midwest through her South Dakota-based nonprofit, Buffalo Star People. Her areas of expertise include resilience; program evaluation; cultural competence; culture-based research, and issues of Native American health and wellness.

SARA BRUSLETTEN, MSW, LGSW, Forensic Interviewer and Trainer

Since joining CornerHouse staff in 2003, Sara has completed numerous forensic interviews of children as well as provided forensic interviewing training through CornerHouse and NDAA Finding Words. Sara collaborates with the University of Minnesota on a research project evaluating the use of anatomical dolls in a forensic setting. Sara’s past social work experiences include child protection work in Dane County, Wisconsin, Pinellas County, Florida, and Hennepin County, Minnesota.

JULIE ELLEFSON, BA, MPH, Program Director

Julie joined CornerHouse in 2003 as Program Director. Her administrative role ensuring program integrity for child focused services is complimented by experience and passion for interviewing children and training investigative professionals at CornerHouse. Focus areas of program development have included Family/Caregiver support services, team building, program evaluation, and research. Julie participates in system change initiatives to benefit children and families impacted by abuse, including the Hennepin County Violence Coordinating Council, and Domestic Violence Fatality Review Team. Her professional history includes; service to developmentally and emotionally challenged children, volunteer and training with Peace Corps Ecuador, HIV AIDS prevention, and Legal Advocacy for victims of domestic violence.

THOMAS H. FROST, Executive Director

Tom is a graduate of Macalester College (B.A.), William Mitchell College of Law (J.D.), and the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University (M.P.A.). He has been the head of the Criminal and Child Protection Divisions in the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office and the head of the Prosecution Division in the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office. He has trained on behalf of the National District Attorneys Association since the 1980s. After retiring from the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office in 2005, he served as the interim executive director of the Minnesota County Attorneys Association. One of the founders of CornerHouse in the late 1980s, he was a member of the Board of Directors when appointed interim executive director in 2006.

SANDY HEITKAMP, Program Assistant - Training

Sandy coordinates the trainings that occur at CornerHouse and throughout the United States. As part of the CornerHouse Support Team her other responsibilities include video taping, assisting with medical exams, and working with the children, families and professionals who are clients at CornerHouse. Sandy graduated from University of Minnesota – Waseca with an associate’s degree in Services for the Rural Elderly and Persons with Disabilities. Sandy has many years of experience working at a day treatment elementary school, serving children with multiple mental health diagnoses. Sandy joined the CornerHouse staff in March of 2004.

KRISTA KEMP, BA, Program Assistant - Intake

Krista joined our team in November of 2006. As the Forensic Services Administrative Assistant, her main objective is to create an atmosphere where the children and families feel welcome and comfortable. Krista has worked with children throughout her life, including tutoring ELL students during college, and reading and math at Sylvan Learning Center. She graduated with honors from Concordia College, Moorhead with a BA in elementary education and a music minor.

JODI LASHLEY, MSW, LGSW, Training Coordinator

As the Training Coordinator at CornerHouse, Jodi works to develop, implement, and evaluate training services. She conducts training at the local, regional, and national level, conducts forensic interviews, and facilitates the multidisciplinary Case Review Team. Jodi is a licensed social worker with a Masters of Social Work degree and an undergraduate degree in Sociology. Prior to joining the CornerHouse team, Jodi worked as a consultant for Children’s Advocacy Centers of Georgia, as the program director at a child advocacy center, and as a crisis specialist at a rape crisis center.

SHAO LEE, Program Assistant - Video Technician

Shao joined CornerHouse in January 2008 as a Program Assistant/Video Technician and works under the supervision of the Program Director and Executive Director. Being a part of the CornerHouse Support Team, he is responsible for videotaping interviews, dubbing tapes, and the video records library. Shao holds an Associates Degree in Computer Applications from Minneapolis Business College and is working toward a Bachelor’s Degree in screen writing at Metropolitan State University.

ANNE M. LUKAS MILLER, LSW, Forensic Interviewer and Trainer

Anne graduated with honors in 1982 from Southwest State University, located in Marshall, Minnesota, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology with a social work emphasis and a minor in psychology. Her experience includes working in residential services for adolescents and four years in Child Protection/Child Welfare Services, as well as five years supervising Children and Family Services in Chippewa County, Minnesota. Anne has extensive experience speaking on behalf of children’s rights and as a member on various councils, boards and task forces. She was the project leader in developing a child friendly interview facility in Chippewa County before coming to CornerHouse in 1993. Since she joined the CornerHouse staff, Anne has conducted over two thousand interviews with children, resulting in a career total of more than 2500 interviews. She has trained multidisciplinary professionals throughout the country in basic and advanced forensic interviewing skills, and presents at national and local conferences. Anne is also the co-developer and an ongoing facilitator of a training program for mandated reporters, addressing the issues of child sexual abuse.