Annual Report 2024

Hello Friends,

As I reflect on the incredible journey of First Witness, one essential truth stands clear and strong: it is people who make our organization flourish. Our center is more than a building or a collection of services; it is a vibrant community driven by compassionate hearts and dedicated spirits. Our staff, the Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) members, the First Witness Board of Directors, and our supporters breathe life into our mission each and every day.  

  

Whether you are conducting forensic interviews with care and dignity, providing comfort and resources to families navigating trauma, collaborating as part of our Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) to coordinate investigations and ensure comprehensive care, or tirelessly working behind the scenes to ensure our operations run smoothly, your contributions make a tangible difference and speak volumes about the power of collective action.   

  

Our donors and partners are invaluable pillars of First Witness, generously investing resources and trusting in our vision. Through your sustained support and belief in our work, we can innovate, expand, and strengthen our programs. Your generosity enables us to extend our reach further, helping more families build resilience and empowering communities to become active participants in preventing and, ultimately, ending child abuse.
 
I am proud to highlight two powerful voices featured in this year’s Annual Report, each reflecting the meaningful contributions that drive First Witness’s mission forward. You’ll hear from a longtime board member and her husband, whose dedicated support and generosity help sustain our work. You’ll also meet one of our experienced forensic interviewers, whose compassionate expertise helps guide children through some of their most challenging moments. Together, their stories reflect the strength, depth, and heart of First Witness’s unwavering commitment to protecting and empowering children. 

  

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being an essential part of the First Witness story. Your energy, commitment, and humanity are the heartbeat of our organization. Together, we will continue our mission, guided by the steadfast belief that it truly is the people who make First Witness thrive. 

  

 Sincerely, 

Tracie Clanaugh 

Executive Director 

Our 2024 Impact

Served 244 children, adolescents, and vulnerable adults who reports physical or sexual abuse or witnessed violence

Through neutral, information-gathering forensic interviews conducted in a safe, age-appropriate setting, demonstrating a 144% increase in the past decade.

 

Supported 483 new children and their caregivers

Through our comprehensive advocacy services, offering ongoing assistance for non-offending caregivers, medical and court advocacy, safety planning, and crisis intervention.

 

Equipped 4,447 students, caregivers, educators, and community members

Through 422 Safe and Strong Child© prevention education sessions with tools to prevent, recognize, and respond to child abuse.

 

Engaged 246 individuals through 13 educational presentations

To local civic groups, churches, and college classrooms, raising awareness and mobilizing communities in the fight against child abuse.

 

Prepared 181 professionals

In foundational and advanced skills in the ChildFirst® Forensic Interview Protocol and other advanced topics, enhancing the quality and integrity of child abuse investigations.

 

Trained 213 advocates and professionals

Through our nationally accredited Training for Advocates Working with a CAC© and additional advanced courses, expanding the reach and impact of best practices among child advocacy centers nationwide.

 

Our 2024 Finances

Total Assests (December 2024): $4,591,563

Total Liabilities (December 2024): $71,688

Net Income: (December 2024): $441,585

FY24 Ending Fund Balance: $4,517,875

Total Liabilities + Fund Balance (December 2024): $73,688

Leslie and Brad Brunfelt: Champions of First Witness

For Leslie Brunfelt, serving on the First Witness Board of Directors is more than a role; it reflects her deep commitment to protecting and uplifting children in our community. Her connection to First Witness began even earlier through her involvement with the Junior League, which shares a deep and long-standing relationship with the organization. With a background in finance, Leslie brings valuable insight and guidance to support First Witness’s fiscal health and long-term sustainability.
 

Leslie and her husband, Brad, have watched First Witness evolve significantly in recent years under the direction of Executive Director Tracie Clanaugh. One major milestone they point to is the purchase of a new building, doubling the space and allowing First Witness to serve two families at a time, significantly expanding its capacity.  They have also seen First Witness grow in other meaningful ways by expanding prevention efforts in schools, strengthening their advocacy services, and building a deeply committed, professional team. They credit much of that progress to Tracie’s steady and thoughtful leadership.
 

The Brunfelts noted that First Witness plays a vital role in the community as a collaborative hub, bringing together law enforcement, social services, and other agencies to provide comprehensive support to children and families during challenging times. Leslie speaks to the heart of what First Witness offers: the chance for families to begin healing, no matter the outcome of a case. “Even if there is no prosecution, what matters is that children and families are heard, believed, and supported every step of the way,” she says. Brad shares her commitment. “We see the staff at First Witness showing up every day to do hard, important work serving the community and making a real difference.”
 

The couple’s support for First Witness extends beyond Leslie’s role on the board—they are also generous donors. When asked what they would say to someone considering a gift to First Witness, they emphasized the real, lasting value of each donation. “We know firsthand that every dollar donated to First Witness makes a tangible impact. Rest assured, your money will be put to good use,” Leslie stated.
 

Through their continued support, the Brunfelts are helping ensure that First Witness remains a trusted, essential resource for children and families across the region. 

Bearing Witness: A Safe Space for Vulnerable Voices

When Jackie Halberg first encountered First Witness, she was working in community organizing and public policy with a background in domestic violence intervention. Her introduction came during a multidisciplinary team meeting in the First Witness conference room. Already deeply familiar with the challenges children and families face, something clicked that day. “I was introduced to the First Witness staff,” she recalls. “And I thought, wow, these people do some really cool stuff.”   

Soon after, Jackie joined First Witness as a full-time staff member in communications and development. It wasn’t long before her path shifted again, this time toward forensic interviewing. “Once I saw how interviewers engaged with kids in that room, I just knew. There was something in my brain that said, ‘Yes. That’s what you’re supposed to be doing.'”  

Jackie’s passion for forensic interviewing stems from its unique approach. “It’s such a different way of communicating with kids. You need to be completely present, completely purposeful. And it turns out it’s my niche.” Now a contracted forensic interviewer and trainer, she combines her technical skills with deep compassion, striking a careful balance between neutrality and empathy. Through tone, body language, patience, and pacing, she creates space for children to share their experiences without influence or suggestion.   

Sustaining this work, Jackie says, requires more than personal coping; it demands intentional and ongoing support. “You can’t hear what we hear and not carry it,” she reflects. Bearing witness to children’s most vulnerable disclosures is emotionally exacting, and without the right environment, it can take a deep toll. At First Witness, she has found an organizational culture that prioritizes self-care, peer support, and emotional safety, something she has learned is rare in the field. “There’s a recognition here,” Jackie adds, “that taking care of the people doing the work is part of taking care of the kids.”  

Jackie has worn many hats: organizer, forensic interviewer, trainer, deputy medical examiner, and expert witness in criminal child abuse cases. Through it all, her approach has remained the same: completely present, completely purposeful.