Staff

Lynn M. Davis has been a valuable and qualified asset to the Dallas Children's Advocacy Center (DCAC) since assuming the role of president and CEO in 2005. As part of this organization, he strives to improve the lives of children who have been abused. In his current position, he leads the executive team, creates the vision and direction of the Center, and manages the organization through change. Under Lynn's leadership, DCAC served more families, educated more professionals and raised more funds than in any other time period in DCAC history.

Prior to joining DCAC, Lynn was the President/CEO of Dallas Challenge, Inc. For 16 years, Lynn coordinated the growth and expansion of this non-profit substance abuse organization, while also directing the company's overall operations. His strategic vision for organizational growth, as well as fund development expertise, helped him create eight new programs and greatly increase annual revenues.

Prior to his promotion as President/CEO, Lynn also served at Dallas Challenge as director of community services and as a counselor. During this time, he provided counseling and assessment services to Dallas-area high schools, promoted services to expand revenue streams, and managed internal and external training programs. His work outside the non-profit sector includes teaching at The University of Texas at Arlington and at The University of North Texas.

In 1999, Lynn completed his MBA at the University of Texas at Dallas. His education also includes an MS from the University of North Texas and a BA from the University of Pittsburgh.

An active member in the community, Lynn currently sits on the statewide board of Children's Advocacy Centers of Texas and has previously participated on the executive committee of the Mesquite ISD Education Foundation and the Sunnyvale ISD Education Foundation, in addition to serving on the Executive Committee of the Statewide Association of Substance Abuse Programs.

Please click here to contact Lynn M. Davis.

Irish Burch began her career in the child abuse field over 23 years ago as a Child Protective Services Investigator with the State of Texas. During this time, she became passionate about protecting and improving the lives of child abuse victims.

Irish joined DCAC in 2003 as a forensic interviewer. Her commitment and passion for interviewing quickly led to her advancement at DCAC, as well as in the forensic interviewing field. As a forensic interviewer, she interviewed over 1000 children before being promoted to the Program Director in 2006. She also served as a contract trainer for the Children's Advocacy Center of Texas where she participated in training forensic interviewers statewide. To date, she has conducted numerous presentations on child abuse topics on a local, state, and national level.

Irish now serves as the Chief Partner Relations Officer for the Dallas Children's Advocacy Center. Her primary responsibilities are to cultivate and coordinate the relationships of DCAC partner agencies. These partners include 27 Dallas County law enforcement agencies, Children's Health, Dallas County District Attorney's Office, Dallas County Southwestern Institute for Forensic Services, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services - Child Protective Services, Child Care Licensing, Adult Protective Services, and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas - Department of Pediatrics.

Irish has an undergraduate degree in Psychology and Counseling from Texas A&M at Commerce.

Please click here to contact Irish Burch.

Sarah Burns serves as Chief Marketing Officer at Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center. In this role she leads and directs marketing, public relations, events and education efforts to illuminate the truth about child abuse and elevate DCAC’s role within the community.

Sarah has worked in nonprofit marketing her entire career. She attended Oklahoma State University and graduated from the Mayborn School of Journalism at the University of North Texas with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism with a focus on Public Relations and a double minor of Marketing and Management.

Sarah joined the team after serving as senior communications director at Dallas Women’s Foundation, the largest regional women’s foundation in the world. During her tenure there she elevated the Foundation’s brand and awareness to surpass fundraising and grantmaking goals. Prior to that she worked in service line marketing and internal communications at Children’s Health and in marketing at Genesis Women’s Shelter.

In her spare time Sarah volunteers with the Junior League of Dallas, where she currently serves on the 95th Anniversary Board of Directors; New Friends New Life; Genesis Women’s Shelter; the Women’s Auxiliary to Children’s Medical Center; and St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School. Sarah is married to Jon, an educator, and they have one son.

Please click here to contact Sarah Burns.

Kristen Howell, MSW, is the Chief Programs Officer at Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center. She leads and directs the Research Institute as well as the teams that provide intensive services to children and families who are healing from abuse, which include the Clinical Services team, the Family Assistance team and the Volunteer Services team.

Kristen has worked in the field of social work and family violence for the last 18 years. She graduated from Baylor University with a Bachelor’s in Social Work and the University of North Carolina with her Master’s in Social Work.

Kristen joined the team after spending three years as Director of Development for Momentous Institute, a large nonprofit that helps at-risk children build and repair social and emotional health. Momentous Institute is powered by Salesmanship Club of Dallas. Kristen led the effort to create the first continuing philanthropy program to grow and diversify revenues for Salesmanship Club and Momentous Institute.

Kristen was previously employed at Genesis Women’s Shelter, where she worked for over 10 years. At Genesis, she served as a women’s therapist, the Director of Clinical and Professional Services, and as Director of Fund Development. She has worked with adult victims of domestic violence in both the shelter setting, as well as in the long term counseling center.

Kristen trains and speaks nationally on the impact of violence and trauma on families.

Please click here to contact Kristen Howell.

Heather Ormand is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in the State of Texas. Heather has over 12 years of experience in public accounting. She was a Director with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, and specialized in providing assurance and business advisory services for Fortune 500 companies. Her clients were, primarily, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) registered pharmaceutical and life sciences companies, as well as several non-public hedge funds and private equity partnerships. She leads and directs the Finance, IT, HR and Crimes Against Children Conference teams.

Heather has a passion for community service and, in particular, working to improve the lives of children. She is a member of the Junior League of Dallas and served on the Board of the Junior League of Greater Princeton, which is where she joined the organization in 2006. She has been actively volunteering in the Dallas Community with organizations such as the Family Place, Austin Street Center and DCAC since she moved to the area in 2009.

Heather holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a double concentration in Accounting and Marketing from the University of Richmond. She graduated cum laude from UR in 2000. She went on to become a licensed CPA in the State of Texas in 2004. During her tenure with PricewaterhouseCoopers, Heather worked in their Washington D.C., New York, and North Texas practices.

Please click here to contact Heather Ormand.