Volunteers are essential to helping to facilitate FREE classes that provide valuable information to children about body safety. Facilitators make a one-year commitment to teach at least 4-6 classes a month. The next training is Friday, August 16, but get started with onboarding and observations now!
It's a great opportunity for those with free time during the day and a heart for kids. Get to know these people who are making an impact in our community!
For nearly 40 years Meena Bhatia has worked across various government and healthcare agencies, earning much recognition for her work ethic and project management skills. Whether for the Embassy of India, INOVA Urgent Care clinics, Fairfax County Public Schools, or the Fairfax County Government, she has been known for spreading positivity, joy, and compassion throughout her career.
While Meena has always been active in charity and volunteer organizations, she is now focusing even more of her energy with organizations that help the less fortunate. She has volunteered for the police, helped feed the homeless, and worked in orphanages while in India. Now through the Body Safety Program, she is helping children understand the concept of consent and the ways they can ensure their personal safety. In addition to her love for helping others, Meena is known for her bubbly personality and for her cooking and baking talents!
Alice Carlis was born in North Carolina and lived in a quiet, rural area near Charlotte for most of her life. She began her career in social work, then transitioned to the state’s Infant Toddler Program. Alice worked for 22 years as an Infant Toddler and Family Specialist, providing support to families with young children. Alice has always sought out roles in her community to help enhance the lives of children, including serving as Girl Scout leader and Youth Group leader in her church. Alice enjoys spending time with her husband, their five adult children, and granddaughter. She has volunteered with the Fairfax County Body Safety Program since relocating to Northern Virginia in 2022.
As graduate of The University of El Salvador with a BS in elementary education, Yanira Gonzalez worked as a schoolteacher for seven years before starting a new career as the executive director of Women's and Children's Services at the Quelepa Town Hall in El Salvador. In 2019, Yanira moved to the US to live with her family. Currently, Yanira is the Parenting Program educator of HACAN, a nonprofit organization that seeks to strengthen families, empower youth, and prevent child abuse and neglect through culturally competent education, intervention, and community advocacy. As part of this work, she connects families to community resources, and she focuses on early intervention and prevention as a means for families and setting educational goals. Yanira currently lives in Alexandria, Virginia and uses her free time to explore nature, learn new hobbies, and spend time with her family.
Jacqueline Hess retired in 2019, following a 48-year career that often focused on the education and health needs of children. At the Academy for Educational Development (AED) and Family Health International (FHI 360) she served as director of the Disabilities Studies and Services department and the Early Care and Education department. Jackie is a nationally recognized expert on assistive and instructional technologies, having directed the National Demonstration Laboratory at the Smithsonian Institution and the Library of Congress and, later, the Center on Technology and Disability.
In addition to teaching children with the Body Safety Program, Jackie’s volunteer work includes serving as president of George Mason Regional Library Friends and supporting literacy programs throughout Fairfax County. These organizations reflect her concern for the welfare of our community’s most vulnerable members.
Barbara is a retired professional motivational speaker and trainer, training teachers on classroom discipline and then helping adult children supporting their aging parents. She loves helping others and has channeled that into volunteering in a variety of roles during the past 50 years. Barbara volunteers with several Fairfax County programs, and she is new to the Body Safety Program in 2023. Her other passions include traveling with her husband of almost 50 years, and fostering puppies with Lucky Dog Animal Rescue.
Teresa is retired from a 30+ year career working with children and their families. She was employed as a social worker by the City of Alexandria, Department of Social Services and then by Prince William County Schools. Since retirement, Teresa has volunteered with the National Park Service, the National Museum of American History, Fairfax County Park Authority, INOVA Stonebridge Vaccination Center, and Ten Thousand Villages, a non-profit fair trade retail store.
Teresa became very concerned about the impact of the pandemic and online classes on children’s development, health, and safety. In 2022 when Teresa saw that Fairfax County Family Services was recruiting volunteers for the Body Safety Program, she decided it was time to put her MSW degree back to work and return to the schools. Teresa wanted to help support students and teachers in any way she could. She has been delighted to see that students continue to be bright, curious, and eager to share and to learn. Teresa has found teachers to be very supportive of the Body Safety Program and very helpful in connecting it to their students’ prior learning.
Marilyn Bugg is a 70+-year-old grandparent who became a volunteer in the Body Safety program after learning about a local case of child sexual abuse. Marilyn believes that children need to be aware of abuse in all its forms, recognize that it is wrong, and know how to get the help they need to stop it. She enjoys speaking to children in their classrooms where their teachers can participate in the discussion and help to increase the comfort level and participation of their students. The program can also be effective in reminding teachers of the important role they play in preventing abuse.
Before retiring, Marilyn spent 18 years working in administrative positions at The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and at The Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Washington. Marilyn and her husband adopted two daughters, and Marilyn spent the next 12 years concentrating on raising her daughters. She spent the following ten years as a teacher in a preschool that mainstreamed children with disabilities. She and her husband are now enjoying their retirement and time spent volunteering.
Georgia Hubert, a grandmother of four, became a volunteer in the Body Safety program to ensure children learn at an early age about safe adults and not keeping secrets, relating to abuse of any kind. She enjoys encouraging kids to discuss being kind, ways to prevent bullying, and what to do if they are ever in an unsafe encounter. Georgia likes being able to take some of the pressure off teachers, who play a huge part in identifying abuse in their students.
Prior to her retirement, Georgia spent 40 years at the U.S. Department of State as Director, Federal Assistance and traveled extensively to over 150 overseas embassies. She and her late husband raised two daughters and now she spends time volunteering, walking her three dogs and working out.
Sora has been a facilitator with the Body Safety program in Fairfax County since summer 2022. Sora has a passionate interest in using clinical mental health to help individuals lead a more comfortable life. She has experience working with students as an advisor and a teacher. Sora loves to be creative and bring different ideas together when solving a problem. Recently, she graduated from the University of Virginia with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology. She is continuing her studies in pursuit of a Master of Education with a goal of working in the field of mental health counseling.
Karen Lane loves working with children. She was a Sunday School teacher for many years, and now she volunteers as a mindfulness instructor in an elementary school in addition to volunteering with the Body Safety program. Karen believes the Body Safety Program is critically important in helping children identify abusive situations and how to get help as needed. She finds the students in these classes are very engaged and thoughtful about child abuse.
Karen is a Rhode Island native who settled in Northern Virginia with her family when her husband was stationed at the Pentagon. She had a long career with ExxonMobil at its headquarters in Fairfax which gave her the opportunity to travel overseas to many countries. Now retired, Karen spends most of her time volunteering. Her other favorite activities are practicing yoga and kayaking.
Zachary “Zack” Lowe is a recently retired FBI special agent and veteran with extensive experience protecting children online, locating missing children, and working with international partners to stop human trafficking.
He is an award-winning investigator who received the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) Award in 2001. Zack subsequently led FBI online coordination with NCMEC for two years where he had the opportunity to design FBI investigative operations targeting online offenders.
Throughout his 22-year career as a special agent Zack has focused on education and has provided child exploitation investigative training to law enforcement and health care providers. He continues to provide advice on law enforcement topics as a guest lecturer for graduate and undergraduate students but has found his most challenging audience in Fairfax County classrooms!
Zack enjoys his opportunity to help protect children and work with the outstanding Fairfax County staff who serve the community every day through the Body Safety program.
Dr. Dan Otchy, the proud grandfather of 10 great kids, is a retired surgeon who served 21 years in the U.S. Army Medical Corps and 19 years in group practice in Fairfax. He volunteers teaching the Body Safety program because he is very much aware of the prevalence of child abuse in our society, and he wishes to do his part to protect children.
Dr. Otchy also volunteers with the Virginia Medical Reserve Corps administering COVID Vaccines and serves at his church in various ways. He stays active playing softball with the Northern Virginia Senior Softball League.
Karthika was born in Sri Lanka, raised in New Jersey, and came into adulthood right here in Fairfax County. Time away from full-time work has afforded her the wonderful opportunity to volunteer for a number of causes benefiting the health and wellbeing of families and children. As a volunteer with the Body Safety program, Karthika gets to engage with our youngest students to educate and most importantly, empower them to be advocates for themselves and their peers. She finds it an immensely rewarding experience and each time she volunteers, she is awed by the intelligence, curiosity, empathy and humor exhibited by these amazing children. She strives to make a difference in their lives and appreciates the difference they have made in her life.
