Our Team

Elisa Cafferata is a fourth-generation Nevadan and an unrepentant #nightowl.  She is a champion of change and an experienced advocate. During the pandemic, she served as the Director of the Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR), supporting hundreds of thousands of Nevadans with unemployment and workforce development services.  She also served as a Deputy Administrator of the state’s Welfare Division where she directed Child Support Enforcement, Child Care, Fraud Prevention, and Quality Control.

She has decades of experience in government relations and policy work for women and children including public health, women’s equity, and earned paid sick leave. She was recognized as the Public Health Advocate of the Year by the Nevada Public Health Association in 2017 and the Voice of Action by Advocates Mar Monte in 2015.  Elisa has a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from Mills College in Oakland, California and a Master’s of Business Administration from the University of Nevada, Reno.

Elisa thinks social networking is not quite as good as catching up over coffee, but close.

Annette Dawson Owens, M.A. is a lifelong education advocate who believes in equity and access to an excellent education for all students. She has worked in both district and charter schools and has studied high performing schools and leaders across the country. She has seen first hand, quality outcomes that are possible with effective school design.  Annette attended K-12 in the Clark County School District and went on to earn an undergraduate degree in Zoology, a Masters in Education from UNLV, and a Masters in Administration from Sierra Nevada College. 

Annette has been appointed by the last 3 mayors to serve on Henderson's Community Education Advisory Board since its inception and serves on two Charter School Boards. She completed Georgetown's Executive Leadership through the Public Education Foundation, Henderson Leadership and is grateful to be a Jameson Fellow and serve on Compassionate Las Vegas' Steering Committee.  Annette recently was Nevada's first White-Riley-Peterson Fellow studying out of school time with peers across the country. In her free time she enjoys exploring the great outdoors. Annette looks forward to working together with the community and improving outcomes for all students and families in the great state of Nevada.

Dr. Jamelle Nance enthusiastically joins the Children’s Advocacy Alliance Nevada team to serve as the Director of Strong Start Initiatives. Jamelle brings vast experiences in the field of Human Services, Education, and Organizational Leadership. Her personal and professional experiences are centered around public service to empower, educate, and provide opportunities for families to thrive not just in her community, but across the nation. She has led similar initiatives in her home state of Maryland to provide equitable educational opportunities to those who need it most. Jamelle earned a bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Science with a concentration in Child Advocacy Studies and a master’s degree in Administration of Human Services both from Wilmington University in New Castle, Delaware. Jamelle is passionate about providing access to essential resources and opportunities that strengthen families and level the playing field. She wholeheartedly believes that a strong start provides children and families with a solid foundation to build a strong and promising future.