Ask5: Supporting Children and Families: From Policy to Practice with Erika Leveillee, '04

We recently welcomed SUNY Empire alumna Erika Leveillee ’04 for a thoughtful career conversation on pathways in human services. Erika, now Managing Director of Healthy Families Implementation with Prevent Child Abuse New York, shared how her SUNY Empire degree shaped her career and opened doors to meaningful work across child welfare, juvenile justice, and family support. She emphasized the importance of trauma-informed and culturally competent care, encouraging those entering the field to actively build these skills early on. Erika also highlighted strategies for career advancement and leadership growth, drawing on her own journey from direct service roles to statewide impact. For students and professionals alike, she offered practical advice on how to get started in human services and make a tangible difference in communities. This conversation inspires you to think about how to align your passion for helping others with a purpose-driven career.

Bio:  Erika Leveillee, MA (she/her) 

Managing Director of Healthy Families Implementation at Prevent Child Abuse New York (PCA-NY)

Erika has 30 years of experience working with children, youth, and families in the child welfare, juvenile justice, and primary prevention arenas. This has been by way of voluntary agencies, local departments of Social Services, as a university partner to the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS), as a Central Administration partner with Healthy Families New York (HFNY) and currently as a Managing Director at PCA-NY (a NYS non-profit organization). She is specialized in areas of evidence-based, culturally competent and trauma-informed care, safety and permanence, and promoting the achievement of positive, measurable outcomes. She earned her Master’s Degree in Social Policy at Empire State University in 2004.