Bridging the Gap: The Family Navigator Model as a Catalyst for Trust, Access, and Partnership

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My name is Denise Gonzalez Avila, and I began my career with Juvenile Probation and Court Services as a Family Navigator in August 2023. Prior to this role, I worked in the medical field, so transitioning into this position was a new and exciting challenge. I am deeply grateful to my children’s mentors for thinking of me when this opportunity arose. As a Family Navigator, it has been a privilege to engage with families, share experiences, and provide valuable resources to help them succeed. I am passionate about going above and beyond to support youth and families, and the ability to make a meaningful difference in their lives has been an incredibly rewarding experience. My primary responsibility is to help youth, parents, and families navigate the juvenile justice system, ensuring that their voices are heard and that the process is as understandable and manageable as possible.

Aaliyah Phillips is a Family Navigator with the Cook County Juvenile Probation Department, supporting justice-involved youth and families through advocacy, resource navigation, and relationship-centered engagement. With over 10 years of experience in youth development, community organizing, and restorative justice, she brings both professional and lived experience to her work. Aaliyah is known for her trauma-informed, healing-centered approach and her ability to build strong partnerships across courts, schools, and community organizations. She is passionate about strengthening family systems and advancing more equitable, responsive, and transformative approaches within juvenile justice.

With more than 27 years of experience in Cook County Juvenile Probation and Court Services, Melissa Spooner has built a distinguished career dedicated to advancing effective practices, strengthening juvenile systems, and supporting youth, families, and professionals across all levels of the organization. Throughout her career, she has served in a wide range of roles that have provided extensive experience in direct service, leadership, program development, policy, research, and system transformation. Melissa currently serves as the Interim Chief Probation Officer for Cook County Juvenile Probation and as the statewide Region I Representative to the Illinois Probation and Court Services Association (IPCSA), where she works collaboratively with probation and detention professionals and stakeholders to support innovation, communication, and statewide advancement within the legal system. Her experience includes direct engagement with youth and families in the community, supervision of teams serving adjudicated youth, implementation of specialized programs and alternatives to detention, and leadership in probation transformation initiatives. Melissa has also successfully developed and implemented specialized training curricula designed to equip probation officers and related personnel with practical tools to address the barriers and challenges faced by young people and families.