Patty Orona - po5@uw.edu

Patty began her experience providing direct services to families through the Division of Developmental Disabilities and then licensing as a foster parent in the early 1980s. In the 20 years she was licensed as a foster parent, Patty sat on the Executive Board for FPAWS (Foster Parent Association of Washington State) and the Advisory Board for the Children and Family Ombudsman from the inception of the office until 2015.

Patty began co-training as a foster parent co-trainer in the early 90’s and became certified as a Grief Recovery Specialist in May of 2000. Prior to joining the Alliance, Patty worked in Special Education Services for the Yakima School District beginning in fall of 2000 and was the Right Response Trainer from March of 2003 until she left the district in 2015.

Deanna Morrison - arabian@uw.edu

Deanna Morrison is a Development and Facilitation Specialist for the Alliance. Her focus is working with foster parents and relative caregivers in coaching on key strategies in working through Trauma, understanding Family Time and other premiere educational curriculums. She also extends her expertise in working with licensed families who are working through compliance agreements. It has always been a career goal for her to work for UW Alliance as Deanna prides herself in helping the caregiver community navigate the DCYF system as well as provides support. She makes it her number one goal to let them know how valued they are for the jobs they do for our children in the Child Welfare system.

She started her career in 1994 with Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration as a Residential Counselor. Then in 2002, she joined Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) as a caseworker. Deanna’s case management experience is extensive, she has held positions in Child Protective Services, Child Welfare Services, Intake, Placement Coordinator, Unified Home Studies, and Foster Care Rate Assessments and Adoption/Guardianship Program Consultant 3. In 2018, Deanna accepted a position at DCYF HQ in Constituent Relations and a year later moved into the Program Managers position over Family Time.

Deanna enjoys learning, being challenged and is always broadening her horizons. Outside of her career, she shows Arabian and Half Arabian horses nationally and has done so since she was young. She enjoys this hobby with her parents, and she has many Regional and National titles with her horses.