Chris Ruble

Chief Program Officer

What I do: My role at Childhelp is to lead and support the teams of compassionate professionals working in programs across the country. My desire is to provide programs of exceptional quality for children, families and communities who need them. In the same way I desire to create programs where talented and passionate professionals will enjoy living out their personal mission in alignment with our corporate mission.

Who I am: I am an experienced Behavioral Health Executive. For the last 25 years I have operated Inpatient Acute Psychiatric Hospitals, Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities and specialized treatment programs therein to include Sexual Offender programs, Dual Diagnosis Programs, ID/DD Programs, Sub-Acute Programs and Geriatric Programs. I believe a quality treatment program must support individuals in finding RECOVERY, whether that be from past traumas, psychiatric illness or substance use or abuse disorders, and build RESILIENCE for the challenges that individuals will face after they complete their course of treatment.

Why I am here: Throughout my career I have worked for Public Agencies, Private-for-Profit Companies and Not-for-Profit Companies. I choose to work for Childhelp because the corporate mission to holistically meet the needs of children aligns closely with my personal mission. I am proud to be part of an organization when I can see its mission in action both when I visit its programs and when I review its program financial statements. Childhelp demonstrates its love and commitment to children through the myriad services and resources it provides in its programs. Childhelp Villages are replete with Activity Centers, Equine Programs, Ropes Courses, Hiking Trails, Swimming Pools, Libraries and Chapels. These financial investments pay dividends for young people who leave the Villages with new skills, new interests and a greater understanding of their own remarkable capability.

Daphne Young

Chief Communications Officer

What I do: The Chief Communications Officer has the honor of giving children who have been silenced by abuse and neglect a voice. Through multi-platform media management, donor relations, campaign strategy, PR, community outreach, creative direction, and prevention education initiatives, I seek to tell the stories of the children in our care. In honoring their journey to recovery, my daily charge is to use our research, experience, and resources to get in front of the abuse issue by educating children to speak up, be safe, and find their voices of empowerment.

Who I am: Each career choice in my life has shaped a vision for my current mission with Childhelp. My work as an associate newspaper editor and award-winning investigative journalist helps me understand what media needs to shape a narrative, as a leader of a thriving marketing team I honed brand management and awareness, developing results-driven curricula and leading a team as a Department Head of a K-12 school for at-risk youth taught me how to make an impact at all levels of learning, and instructing at the university level prepared me to shape emerging discussions on the thought-leading side of communications. It is a privilege to combine those skills for the love of a child.

I have a BA in Humanities from the University of Kansas and an MFA from the University of Arizona’s top-ranked writing program. My passion is improving the intervention, promoting the treatment, and expanding the prevention of child abuse.

Why I’m here: Survivors. When the epidemic of abuse seems insurmountable, I think about survivors I’ve connected with through Childhelp, those in my own life, and new friends I have yet to meet. Their stories, pain, trauma, struggle, and eventual healing inspire me every day. There is nothing I can do to give survivors back the childhood they deserved, but I will do everything in my power to work with them to break cycles of abuse and protect the childhoods of a new generation. Our children prove that love and trust can help broken bodies to heal, broken hearts to mend, and broken spirits to soar.

Denise Biben

Chief Administrative Officer

What I do: I’ve dedicated my life and career to improving the lives of children who need us most. As the Chief Administrative Officer I work with our leadership team to enhance our systems to improve efficiencies and effectiveness that prepare us to continue expanding our ability to impact more children and families.

Who I am: During my almost 30-year career, I have had the opportunity to lead within various non-profit organizations both small and large that focus on serving children and families. This experience has included program operations, program design and start-up, transition management, performance management, training, consulting, board recruitment, engagement and development, fund development, corporate compliance, and strategic planning. Most of my experience has been with large, national organizations replicating evidence-based, trauma-informed models that meet the needs of our community’s most vulnerable children. I hold a Master’s degree in Counseling and am a Licensed Professional Counselor in multiple states.

Why I’m here: Every day I wake up and have the opportunity to make the world a better place, especially for those who don’t always have a voice and I cannot imagine a better way to live your life. As the Chief Administrative Officer for Childhelp, I have the privilege of working with talented and committed colleagues and volunteers as we work to meet the physical, emotional, educational, and spiritual needs of abused, neglected, and at-risk children. Secondly, as a leader, I get to invest in our team and build a culture that attracts the very best for those we serve. Our employees change the lives of our children and they deserve the best from us as leaders.

John Hopkins

Chief Information Officer & HIPAA Privacy Officer

What I do: As the Chief Information Officer and HIPAA Privacy and Security Officer, it is my role to ensure that the information we hold in trust is kept secure, while at the same time, structuring and supporting systems to record and share information to make better decisions for clients and the organization. It’s my job to make sure Childhelp’s information systems further our mission to meet the needs of abused, neglected, and at-risk children, while complying with all applicable laws, regulations, and best practices. This means seeking constant improvement and ongoing accountability in service to our mission.

Who I am: I began my technology journey in college and earned my Bachelor’s of Science degree in Management Information Systems from the University of Southern California and a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. In addition, I am a Certified HIPAA Privacy & Security Expert (CHPSE), Certified HIPAA Professional (CHP), and Certified Document Imaging Architect (CDIA).

With more than 25 years in leadership and management roles in information technology, my most recent role before Childhelp was as President of Interaction Information Technology, where I led software product development projects in private, government and non-profit sectors, as well as corporate development projects focused on integrating, streamlining and securing information systems (databases, electronic health records, learning management systems, customer resource management systems, content & document management systems).

I am excited to bring my technological experience working with businesses, government entities and behavioral & human health service providers to Childhelp.

Why I’m here: I have a deep sense of respect for Childhelp’s work, and I’m honored to lend my talent in service to such a rich legacy. It’s inspiring to be a part of the impact Childhelp has in young lives and in families, and I’m always amazed at how much our programs and services provide for the individuals and communities we serve. In the world of information technology and data systems improvement, it is easy to dwell on processes, procedures, protocols and frameworks, but Childhelp always finds a return to the heart.

Michael Medoro

Chief of Staff

What I do: Before joining Childhelp, I served as the Executive Director for Project C.U.R.E. Arizona, with responsibilities expanding into more than 126 countries worldwide. I was responsible for developing corporate and philanthropic relationships to improve operational efficiency, strengthen financial support through fundraising and corporate partners, assess international opportunities and impact, and drive market awareness and growth with an annual budget of more than $40 million. Prior to that, I spent 9 years as the Chief Operating Officer for Easter Seals Arizona, with responsibilities expanding into Utah and New Mexico, where my focus was on donor cultivation and stewardship, program innovation, improved operational efficiency, and execution that led to significant organizational growth totaling more than $70 million in organizational revenue.

Who I am: I have a dual Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Communications from Seattle Pacific University and a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix.  I am a 40 Under Forty Award recipient through the Phoenix Business Journal, and a graduate of Class 32 of Valley Leadership. Married since 2006, the best part of my every day is the time I get with my wife Jessica, and our three children.

Why I’m here: I am a Father. The greatest treasure in my life is the blessing of my family, and the greatest desire of my life is to keep my children safe, happy, and prepared to face every challenge life has to offer them, and accomplish every desire their hearts and minds can dream to achieve. Childhelp has that same desire for every child, everywhere. The grand vision of Childhelp is to protect and educate children everywhere against the dangers of abuse and neglect, and I’m here to leverage my education, experience and skills to help develop the resources Childhelp needs to fulfill that vision.