Introducing the Vanguard Staff

Myra J. Powell
Senior Partner/CEO

Myra J. Powell, MSW, ACSW, has over 25 years of practice experience, twenty with a local department of social services in both adult and child welfare direct service delivery, supervision, division management, and administration. In addition, she has 5 years in university social work academia, working in public welfare-related training and research, as well as teaching.

Susan G. Boyette
Senior Partner/COO

Susan G. Boyette, MSW, has 25 years experience in social work. She has worked for a county DSS for 23 years in both adult and child welfare. Her practice was in direct service delivery, supervision, and management. For two years, Susan has been a clinical instructor and training coordinator with university schools of social work. She has written training curricula and conducted training in child welfare.

Hobert L. Freeman
NC State Administrator/ Western Area Placement

Hobert L. Freeman, MSW is the State Administrator for North Carolina, and handles placements in the Central District of the state. He brings 32 years of experience with county departments of social services in North Carolina. His varied experience includes direct services in child welfare and supervision. The majority of his career involved serving as agency director in two North Carolina counties. In addition to expertise in all aspects of personnel and personnel management, he taught social services related courses at the community college level for several years.

Debbie Price Longo
Georgia Manager & Special Projects

Debbie P. Longo, BSW, ACBSW is a Georgia Area Manager. She has worked for a county social services for over 24 years as a social worker, supervisor, Child Welfare Program Manager. She has been a trainer and educator since 1998, and trained social workers in child protection for the State of North Carolina. She has worked in protective services with abused children, adopted children, and foster children and their families, as well as family planning, domestic violence, rape and incest counseling. She is a certified MAPPS/GPS trainer.

Debby D. Thompson
Corporate Administrative Officer

Debby D. Thompson has over twenty five years of experience in private business, where she provided administrative management and oversight to a large corporation with multiple office locations.

Betty Lynn Whitley
Accounting Coordinator

Betty Lynn Whitley brings over twenty years of experience working in and managing offices in both private and public settings.