Kelly Robbins and David Fyler
Program Director and Therapist
Kelly Robbins and David Fyler co-founded the Western Kansas Child Advocacy Center (WKCAC) in 2004. They are both Licensed Clinical Marriage and Family Therapists. Kelly is the Program Director and prior Executive Director for 18 years.
Kelly’s 20 years of experience with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation including seven years as a Special Agent in western Kansas and David’s mental health background is what prompted them to create an organization that would bring help and healing to hurting children and families.
Kelly is also the Executive Director for ChildFirst, a forensic interviewing protocol that enhances the education of front-line child abuse professionals. Kelly and David have been ChildFirst faculty members since its founding in 2005.
Layla Mumgaard
Executive Director
Layla Mumgaard is a Therapist and the Executive Director at WKCAC. She received her Master’s in Social Work from the University of Kansas. Layla is originally from Garden City but lived in Omaha, Nebraska for 5 years prior to moving back in 2015. She and her husband have three boys who keep them on their toes every minute of the day. Layla enjoys working at the WKCAC because of the impact we have on the children and their families. These kids save the lives of other kids by sharing their stories.
Chandra Hughes
Office Manager - Family and Child Advocate
Chandra is our Office Manager. She is located in our Scott City CAC. As Office Manager she helps out all of the WKCAC staff with paperwork, scheduling and more. Chandra keeps all our offices organized and allows for the WKCAC staff to focus on the families and kiddos we serve.
Remmi Knoll
Family and Child Advocate - Forensic Interviewer
My name is Remmi and I am the Child Advocate/Forensic Interviewer at the WKCAC in Scott City. I have an Associates Degree in Science and currently working on my Bachelors for Child Psychology. I have been working in advocacy since 2019 and wanted to further myself in forensic interviews. I love spending time with my boyfriend and our beautiful daughter. I am so thankful to be apart of the CAC family and be apart of the child's healing process and journey!
Allyssa Kough
Family and Child Advocate
Allyssa Kough is the Child and Family Advocate/ Forensic Interviewer at the Scott City office. I have a minor degree in Psychology that is paired with love for children. The CAC is the perfect place to expand and grow. I love to be creative in my free time which includes painting, running, and drawing. I have three beautiful children and a wonderful husband to keep me on my toes in my free time. I am excited for the opportunity to expand my knowledge and to be apart of the great impact that the WKCAC does to Western Kansas families.
Hailey Knoll
Development Director
Hailey is the Development Director for the WKCAC. She has been working in victim services, since 2003, in various facets. She has a bachelors degree in criminal justice and is thrilled to continue to work to be the voices for those whose voice has been muted. Hailey enjoys time with her children, grandchild and many fur babies.
Melissa Fulton
Family and Child Advocate - Forensic Interviewer
Melissa is a Forensic Interviewer and Child and Family Advocate. She graduated from the University of Kansas with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre & Voice and a Master of Music in Vocal Performance. She performs locally and with the Wichita Grand Opera. Melissa is also a personal trainer who recently held a national boxing title. Melissa loves being part of the CAC team because every child that walks through the doors is special and amazing!
Raquel Perez
Family and Child Advocate - Forensic Interviewer
Raquel is a Family/Child Advocate and Forensic Interviewer. She is in our Garden City Center. Raquel was born and raised in Garden City. She is currently studying to get her degree in social work. She enjoys working with children and families in the community. Her husband and two kids keep her very busy; she enjoys being out in the community with her family and friends. She is dedicated to helping children and families start their healing process of trauma.
Monica Limon
Youth Advocate
Monica is the new Youth Mentor for south west Kansas. After working with students at Garden City Public Schools for 5 years, she pursued a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration & Marketing and graduated with honors. Monica is passionate and committed to helping kids find their place in life. Monica has devoted many years to coaching youth soccer for boys and girls from intermediate to college level. Her greatest accomplishment so far is working alongside other members of the community to create a program in which youth soccer players develop their athletic skills, learn teamwork and respect, build self-esteem, and grow their love for soccer. In addition to helping players become better athletes and young adults, she believes in emphasizing each child’s mental health and awareness in her work. Monica is excited to be a part of the WKCAC.
Zeus
CAC Dog
Zeus is an Aussie-doodle who is always ready to greet kids and families at the door. He is located in the Garden City CAC but also loves to jump on the Mobile CAC and help even more kids on the road!! However, be warned he loves snacks as much as he loves kids, so keep those snacks close and come in and meet our amazing CAC dog, Zeus!
Brenda Serrato
Medical Advocate
Brenda is a medical child and family advocate located in Garden City. She is passionate about families and loves working with children. Her priority is to make sure the children are safe. She has been married for 21 years, she has four wonderful children, six wonderful grandchildren, and one husky. She loves spending time with her family and traveling. She got her CNA and worked as a Home Health Aid for two years. After that, she decided she wanted to open her own in-home daycare and worked that for 5 years until her older sister ended up with an illness. After her passing, she went to work for St Francis as a family support worker in reintegration for 2 years and moved to the adoption department for about 4 months. She decided she needed something where she could do more for children and families.
Marshmello
CAC Dog
Marshmello is a bichon poodle who is ready to greet kids and families with the sweetest smile! Besides hanging out with kids Marshmello loves to run around and around with his best pal Zues in Garden City!
Haley Rutherford
Family and Child Advocate
Haley is a Child and Family Advocate. She graduated from Fort Hays State University in 2017 with her bachelors degree in Social Work. She loves working at the CAC because she gets to help kids and families heal from trauma!
Tracy Kinderknecht
Family and Child Advocate
Hi, My name is Tracy Kinderknecht, I am a child/family advocate with the Western Kansas Child Advocacy Center. I was hired on in January of 2016, and have loved my job ever since! I have been given an opportunity to work with an amazing team here with WKCAC and I have met more awesome kiddos than I ever thought I could. Along with these kids I get to meet and visit/play with, I enjoy spending time with our adult children, and our grandchildren. My husband and I are blessed with a wonderful big family! I also enjoy reading/listening to audio books, quilting, painting and spending time with our dog, Yogi.
“You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”
– A.A. Milne/Christopher Robin
Victoria Brady
Family and Child Advocate - Forensic Interviewer and Case Coordinator
Victoria is a Forensic Interviewer based out of our Hays office but travels wherever a family and kiddo needs services. She is also a Family and Child Advocate, so when she is not doing interviews, she is working with families and kiddos as an advocate. In her spare time, she helps with entering information into our database and keeping up with our grants!
Julie Tschanz
Family and Child Advocate - Forensic Interviewer
My name is Julie Tschanz. I am a Forensic Interviewer and Child & Family Advocate in the Hays office. I graduated from Fort Hays State University with a BS in Psychology. My husband and I have three wonderful children who are active in disc golf and enjoy being outdoors. Providing advocacy for survivors has always been close to my heart. I am passionate about helping families heal after traumatic events in their lives. I am thrilled to be working here with the dedicated team at WKCAC!
Teddy
CAC dog
Teddy is our Hays CAC dog. He is a very energetic toy Poodle. Teddy enjoys being next to people and cuddling in their laps. Snack time and snuggles are his favorites. Teddy naturally reduces stress and anxiety by spreading joy to everyone he meets. Don't be surprised if you see him offering you a toy at the door.
Abigail Hernandez
Family and Child Advocate - Forensic Interviewer
My name is Abigail Hernandez. I am a Forensic Interviewer and a Family & Child Advocate for the WKCAC based out of the Hays Office. I graduated from Fort Hays State University with a BS in Social Work. I enjoy going on long walks, reading, and hanging out with my family. One day, while on a walk, I passed by the WKCAC and stated that I wanted to work for this agency, and now I am a team member for this great organization; I truly believe I spoke it into existence. I look forward to my time at the WKCAC because I honestly believe this position allows me to reach out and help many kids and families while I also continue to grow and learn as a social worker and an individual. "Speak what you seek, until you've seen what you said." -anonymous
I'm Tabitha, a Mental Health Therapist here at the WKCAC! My husband, our two sons, and I are new to Scott City and enjoy meeting new people in the community. After two years of working as a Forensic Interviewer for the WKCAC, I decided to further my education to become a therapist. I graduated from Fort Hays State University with a Master of Social Work degree. I believe that each and every child deserves love and safe spaces while processing through their hardest days.
Meet Our Therapists!
Tabitha Keith
Scott City, Kansas
Dev Helwer
Scott City & Garden City, Kansas
I graduated from KU with my Master's in Social Welfare in May of 2020, and I was looking for a way to expand my horizons. I was previously working as an addiction counselor in three levels of treatment, and in that population, it was apparent abuse and trauma were a part of a client's history. When the opportunity arose for me to apply at WKCAC, it was an eye-opener to me of how I could intervene in the area of abuse at an early age to possibly prevent a person resorting in self-medicating due to trauma they have experienced. What a wonderful door to open for me to be a part of the WKCAC team and implement my life experience along with my education I received to benefit our younger generations. I am a mother of three daughters, and a nana to six beautiful grandchildren who I absolutely love. I love the colleagues I get to work with daily and the willingness they have to share their knowledge and time with me. I look forward to working with my clientele and seeing purpose and hope in their eyes!"
Abby Luebbers
Scott City, Kansas
Abby is a trauma-focused therapist out of Scott City, Kansas! She graduated from Fort Hays State University with a bachelor's in business management and is currently working towards her Masters in Social Work. She loves to paint and draw. She hopes to foster creativity in the communities around her and use art as a way to prompt open communication and connectivity. She wants to help kids find sources to openly communicate through the CAC as well and be there for them to help them express themselves and begin the healing process.
Heather Barney
Hays, Kansas
My name is Heather Barney. I received my master's degree in Community Mental Health Counseling from Fort Hays State University, and am a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and a Registered Play Therapist. I work out of the office in Hays, KS as well as travel in a mobile unit to surrounding counties. I have worked with traumatized children and teens for over 15 years, and have a strong passion to advocate for them. My own children remind me that everyone experiences life differently and we all need someone who cares about us, to listen. The act of "holding space" for someone is sacred. I am honored to partake in these emotional experiences and to assist in the process of healing.
Don Eves
Garden City, Kansas
Don has a Masters of Science in Family Therapy degree from Friends University in Wichita, KS. He provides therapeutic services to individuals and families in the western Kansas area through the Western Kansas Child Advocacy Agency (WKCAC). Don has worked with this agency for nearly four years providing outpatient psychotherapy services primarily for children and teenagers. He finds it extremely rewarding to work with kids which often have come from abusive situations. According to Don, “It is great to work with this organization and share in the vision of helping families. It is rewarding to make a difference.”
Lisa Reed
Hays, Kansas
My name is Lisa Reed and I am a therapist intern and art facilitator at WKCAC. I was born and raised in Nebraska and in my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my family, going hiking, crocheting, and traveling. I received a BS in Psychology and MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of Phoenix. I am passionate about working with children and families as they work towards healing and living life to the fullest. I have worked with children and families in different capacities for the past 6 years and I am excited to further my journey and passion with the WKCAC.
Haydee Rodriguez
Family and Child Advocate
Haydee is an integral part of our Liberal team, she is a Family and Child Advocate out of our Liberal CAC. She is always on the go and ready to help families and kiddos when needed!
Kari Adams
Garden City, Kansas
My name is Kari Adams, and I am a Mental Health Therapist for the WKCAC. I have been fortunate to graduate with a bachelor's degree in Rehabilitation Studies and have just received a master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Services, both from Emporia State University. Though I learned many things throughout my schooling, what I hope to do most is to view children and families holistically so that they can feel safe, heard, and validated throughout the experiences that they encounter. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with friends and family, hanging out with Emersyn (my dog), creating different types of art, listening to music, reading, and long walks on the beach (just kidding).
Cindy Geist
Scott City, Kansas
Cindy is a Licensed Professional Counselor, LPC, who has been a teacher, and school counselor, and works now with both kids and adults. She has experience in counseling for grief, trauma, depression, anxiety, and PTSD. She works part-time for the WKCAC.
Meet our Nurse!
Dr. Viry Dummermuth
Forensic Nurse, DNP, APRN,FNP-BC,CPN
My name is Viry Dummermuth and I am the Forensic Nurse Examiner for the WKCAC. I have lived in Garden City most of my life. I graduated from Washburn University in 2008 with my BSN and have been an RN for 13 years. I received my Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) through the University of Kansas School of Nursing in May of 2022. I have been involved with the WKCAC as a volunteer in the past but joining the team officially is an honor. I have the most incredible son, Oliver (8), and two very sweet pups, Charlie (2) and Marshmellow (1). My hobbies include traveling, spending time with Oliver and fur babies, reading, interior decorating, and spending time with my nephews. I hope to contribute to the mission of the WKCAC by providing safe, empathetic, and compassionate care to every child and family that come through our door.
Meet Our Board Members!
Diane Gentry
Jessica Vanderweide
Brandon Mumgaard
Stephanie Frohlich
Linda Taylor
Jan Huck
Jenny Newberry
David Post
Tiffany Gasseling
Whitney Savolt
Liz Kopfmann
Jennifer Walter
Garret Wright
WKCAC Board meets every third wednesday of the month. Meeting dates are listed below:
February 16, 2022
April 20, 2022 (annual meeting)
June 15, 2022
August 17, 2022
October 19, 2022
December 21, 2022
Renee McCurry
Ashley Jackson
Karma Huck
Vice President
Kansas ChildFirst Course 2022
-September 12-16, 2022 in Wichita, KS - $500 fee FULL
Kansas ChildFirst Course 2023
-March 13-17, 2023 in Lawrence, KS - $500 fee
Other Advanced Training Opportunities:
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Advance Forensic Interviewer Class - To Be Determined
Kansas ChildFirst Program is…
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An intensive five-day course
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Sponsored by Kansas ChildFirst, Inc.
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In conjunction with the National Child Protection Training Center
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An interactive course - lectures, demonstrations, hands-on experience
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Students conducting a 30-minute interview with an actor/actress role-playing an abused child
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The necessary skills to conduct a competent, investigative interview of a child abuse victim
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Using the ChildFirst forensic interview process
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About multidisciplinary teams
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The ideal course for frontline child abuse investigators and prosecutors
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Limited to 40 students
includes:
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Pre-course reading
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Homework assignments
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Final written examination
Offered regionally and taught by Professionals in the field