Advisory Board

In July 2002, the Archdiocese of Washington established a Child Protection Advisory Board that reports directly to the archbishop. This Advisory Board has a broad mandate to:

• review Archdiocesan policies and procedures and recommend ways in which they can be strengthened, improved or modified
• oversee the implementation of the policies throughout the Archdiocese and its ministries
• assist in developing appropriate mechanisms to ensure compliance with the policies
• assess the effectiveness of victim assistance efforts by the Archdiocese and make recommendations for improvement
• review and advise on standards of conduct for those in positions of trust and on education, training and outreach programs for clergy, staff, educators and others, as well as safe environment programs for children

The five volunteer members all have particular knowledge, insight or expertise in the protection of minors, and serve three-year terms. The Board meets several times each year, has updated the Archdiocesan Child Protection Policy and publishes an annual report on Archdiocesan efforts in the area of child protection. The Advisory Board is in addition to the Archdiocesan Case Review Board, established in 1993 to assist the archbishop in assessing allegations and fitness for ministry.

Chairman:

Eileen Dombo, PhD, LICSW, assistant professor, National Catholic School of Social Work, The Catholic University of America. She is former director of counseling services for the DC Rape Crisis Center and consultant for a number of victim assistance organizations. Dr. Dombo has extensive experience in counseling survivors of sexual violence and abuse, and has a private psychotherapy practice.

Additional Members:

Anne Hoffman, LCSW-C, a licensed clinical social worker and retired supervisor for the sexual abuse unit of the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services Child Welfare Services. Since 1996, she has worked as a sex abuse investigator for the county HHS. She has been honored by the Child Welfare League of America (2000 National Child Welfare Worker Merit Award) and has given dozens of presentations and talks nationally on sexual abuse investigations, child maltreatment and sexual abuse, etc.

J. Thomas Manger, Montgomery County police chief. He joined law enforcement in 1977 and served for 27 years with the Fairfax County (Virginia) Police Department, eventually rising to the rank of chief of police in 1998. In 2004, he was appointed chief of police for Montgomery County (Maryland). Chief Manger has received numerous awards throughout his career, including the Silver Medal of Valor and is widely recognized for his commitment to high ethical standards for policing and enacting new policies to increase departmental accountability.

Father Evelio Menjivar

Michael Nugent, Chairman of the Board of Rubber Research Elastomerics, Inc. He is retired international representative for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW). He is a parishioner at Holy Trinity parish in Georgetown, married and the father of two.

Chandrai Jackson-Sanders, M.Ed

Judge Karla Smith