James Lovra has over 33 years of experience in social services, education, and counseling. He has held roles such as Program Director, Treatment Supervisor, and Social Worker. Lovra oversaw the construction and development of a 365 acre facility in Tennessee that was the first non-traditional school to receive accreditation from SACS. He has reduced incidents of restraint through training and reporting initiatives. Lovra's experience includes working with at-risk youth, the recently incarcerated, and investigating cases of abuse and neglect. He creates programs to enhance social and psychological development for those served.

1. James Lovra
444 Ridgeland Circle Cell (419) 606-5983
Howard, OH 43028 jlovra@hotmail.com
Executive Profile
Professional with 33 years of expertise in Administration, counseling, social and human services,
education, program and project management, staff development, in-services training and community
outreach. 15 years working within the non-traditional educational setting as a Program Director,
Treatment Supervisor, Master Counselor, and Senior Counselor coupled with 10 years in Drug and
Alcohol Counseling, HIV/AIDS Counseling and training management. Proactively created, streamlined
and energized projects and programs to enhance the social, emotional, educational, and psychological
development of abused, neglected, addicted, and delinquent juveniles through partnerships with parents,
coworkers, other professionals and the general public.
Career Achievements
 Oversaw the construction of and program development for 365 acre, multi-million dollar
facility, which became the first non-traditional school to receive accreditation from the
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) in the state of Tennessee.
 Utilized reporting and accountability, as well as, peer review and training initiatives to
address incidents of restraint with emotionally disturbed clientele, resulting in 63%
reduction of staff to client physical altercations.
 1991 Eckerd Youth Alternatives Employee of the Year
Qualification Highlights
 Excellent communicator and team builder, skilled at managing multiple tasks and adjusting
to changing objectives in fast-paced environment.
 Skilled quality assurance professional who can think "outside the box" in resolving
conflicting issues while maintaining high level of program integrity.
 Ability to work with multiple populations and/or customer groups and reach consensus on
various issues related to program performance and intended outcomes.
Professional Background
Knox County Children Services, Mount Vernon, OH 2007-Present
Social Worker II
 Began as an Intake Investigator responsible for gathering information through physical
evidence and direct interviews of child victims, alleged perpetrators and other involved
individuals to determine abuse, neglect, or dependency from reported cases.
 Within 30 day timeline, determine familial needs and assist in establishing support
services where applicable.
 Testify in Court regarding findings and subsequent recommendations.
 Transferred to Ongoing unit to provide more long term Social Work services for families
identified as in need of various counseling services such as mental health, addiction,
parenting, and finance management.

2. Alvis House Community Corrections, Inc., Columbus, OH 2006 - 2007
Program Manager
 Responsible for the day-to-day operation of 52 bed facility addressing the needs of
recently released or pre-release convicted felons.
 Reduced rate of escape/AWOL by 42% in first 6 months of employment.
 Developed means to address client concerns in dignified and caring fashion, allowing for
more relaxed means for problem resolution.
Cornell Abraxas Group, Inc., Shelby, OH 2004 - 2006
Training Manager
 Conferred with management, supervisory personnel and line staff to determine training
needs and develop strategies to meet those needs the on-the-job training, seminars and
program development.
 Taught crisis prevention and intervention strategies to lower incidents of restraint,
Resulting in 66% reduction of physical altercations.
 Organized and developed training manuals, reference library, testing and evaluation
procedures, multi-media visual aides, and other educational materials for the purpose of
staff development.
 Assisted with On-call responsibilities, eventually adopting a dual role as Treatment
Supervisor and Training Manager to assist during staff shortage.
Eckerd Youth Alternatives, Inc., Deerlodge,TN 1998 - 2004
Program Director
 Oversaw the implementation of the day-to-day counseling and activity services for sixty
emotionally disturbed adolescents.
 Executed daily operation of overall therapeutic milieu, ensuring that agency remained in
compliance with all State, federal and licensing guidelines.
 Analyzed counseling and crisis management techniques and procedures to improve and
ensure quality of service while maintaining program integrity within budgetary
constraints.
 Efforts led to program being named facility of the year within Eckerd Youth Alternatives
multi-state continuum of care.
Cornell Abraxas Group, Inc., Marienville, PA 1995 - 1998
Treatment Supervisor
 Responsible for overall operation of thirty bed facility specifically addressing the needs
of drug selling, juvenile delinquent males.
 Participated as a committee member in developing employee training guide and staff
handbook to address intervention and de-escalation techniques and multi-cultural
awareness.
 Certified trainer in Safe Crisis Management, certified HIV/AIDS Counselor and certified
Reality Therapist.
 Assisted in an on-call capacity with overall operation of 174-bed facility.

3. KidsPeace National Centers for Kids in Crisis, Bethlehem, PA 1992 - 1995
Treatment Supervisor
 Wholly designed and implemented specialized programs for re-integrating at-risk youth
back into their home communities following lengthy commitment to the residential
program.
 Improved success rate of graduating clients upon return to their home communities by
46%.
 Utilized skills as team builder to re-train staff to implement more effective programming
based on care and concern for troubled youth.
 Ensured compliance with JCAHO regulations.
Eckerd Youth alternatives, Inc., Deerlodge, TN 1984 – 1992
Program Director
 Began as a counselor in Vermont and moved to New Hampshire as a Master Counselor,
where I assisted in the construction of the facility there. Moved to Tennessee in 1988 as a
Program Director, responsible for the overall operation of the facility.
 Personally oversaw the construction of the 365-acre, multi-million dollar
facility.
 Utilized team building skills and organizational and developmental ability to ensure that
the facility became the first non-traditional educational program to receive full SACS
accreditation in the state of Tennessee.
Education
Bachelor of Arts, Political Science 1982
Thiel College, Greenville, PA - Liberal Arts course work in Political Science with undeclared minors in
Sociology, Psychology and Speech/Speech Therapy.
1981-82 President of Student Government
Member of Society of Collegiate Journalists
Entrant in National Register of Outstanding College Graduates