UC Davis Human Services Welcomes New Program Leadership
Human Services at UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education is pleased to welcome renowned children-and-family change agents to leadership positions.
Lia Bresciani to Lead High Fidelity Wraparound
Lia Bresciani joins UC Davis Human Services as director of the Center of Excellence for High Fidelity Wraparound. Bresciani will serve as UC Davis' primary liaison to the California Department of Health Care Services and other contract sponsors while also overseeing all required deliverables, reports and compliance documentation.
A licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) with more than 18 years of experience including direct service, program leadership, system design, High Fidelity Wraparound and innovative residential treatment programs, Bresciani will lead the strategic direction, statewide coordination, interagency negotiation, contract and fiscal oversight, and the overall performance of the new Behavioral Health Center of Excellence for High Fidelity Wraparound in meeting its statewide fidelity and training goals.
“I feel honored to be the director of the Center of Excellence for High Fidelity Wraparound,” said Bresciani. “I am thrilled to be a part of impacting change through the innovative and excellent work being done by UC Davis in partnership with California's Department of Health Care Services.”
Joining Bresciani are two new program managers—Daniel Buchanan and Rebekah Cox—who will work closely with UC Davis Human Services’ Center of Excellence for High Fidelity Wraparound leadership to ensure alignment and consistency across teams and initiatives. Buchanan most recently was executive director of Empower Tehama, while Cox served as a Resource Center for Family-Focused Practice (RCFFP) Wraparound specialist prior to being elevated to her new leadership role.
“We are excited for UC Davis Human Services to serve as the home for the Center of Excellence for High Fidelity Wraparound and thrilled to have Lia, Daniel and Rebekah lead our new program team,” said Alison Book, M.S.W., LCSW, UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education’s associate dean of Human Services. “With their excellent leadership and partnership with Wraparound providers across the state, the Center of Excellence will have a vital impact that benefits countless children, youth and families.”
Jill Richard Named Assistant Director of the Resource Center for Family-Focused Practice
As RCFFP’s assistant director, Jill Richard, M.Ed., will help shape RCFFP’s strategic direction, strengthen project management practices, assess program quality and support the professional development of program specialists. She will also serve as a key advisor and partner to RCFFP’s longtime Director Nancy Hafer, M.S., in setting organizational priorities and guiding the center’s overall direction.
“I feel privileged to be a part of such a well-respected and high-performing team and program,” said Richard. “I very much look forward to impacting the work in child welfare and the broader human services system in California.”
Over the course of three decades, Richard has worked in and held many leadership roles in the child protection and anti-violence community, most recently as a program manager at the University of Vermont’s Child Welfare Training Partnership.
“I’m delighted to have Jill on board with the RCFFP as its new assistant director as Nancy steps into a broader role across multiple Human Services programs,” said Book. “Jill brings a wealth of experience that will support the continued great work of our RCFFP team.”
“Lia, Jill, Daniel and Rebekah all bring such extraordinary experience, creativity and passion for this work,” added Hafer, who also serves as Human Services’ senior director. “I’m excited for them to join our already powerful team.”
For 45 years, UC Davis CPE’s Human Services division has advanced the university’s outreach mission by equipping human services professionals and organizations with training, consultation and research. Through workforce development, it strengthens agencies’ ability to support vulnerable communities, improving outcomes for children, adults and families in California and across the U.S.
For more than 65 years, UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education has blended the distinctive academic expertise of UC Davis with practical training designed to improve capability and job performance. With nearly 60,000 annual enrollments, UC Davis CPE serves lifelong learners in the growing Sacramento region, all 50 states, and more than 100 countries.