Director Bio
Alice Strickland
Alice L. Strickland is a filmmaker based in Bowie Maryland. Alice works part-time as a documentary, producer and director in Maryland and is also an Army Veteran who works as a Cybersecurity Analyst for the federal government. The idea to film this documentary came from hearing horror stories from her Army peers, who aged out of foster care. Strickland directed the independent film Where’s Foster, to give a bigger voice to those who want to improve the foster care system and to make the public aware that change starts with them. She’s currently planning her next documentary about independent music artists.
Synopsis
In a Nutshell
In Where's Foster, social workers dispel myths about why children are removed from their biological parents, breaking down their overwhelming workload. Lawyers uncover the harsh reality of young children navigating the legal system. Advocacy organizations try to keep children safe and away from predators. An eclectic array of interviews from foster care alumni explore their connections (or lack thereof) with social workers, the fragile bond with each foster home, how trust can fall apart, and how those unable to adapt spent time in group homes. The film concludes with alumni success stories, working to remove the stigma of foster care.
The Cast
meet the people who made it happen
Monroe Martin III
Professional Stand-Up Comedian
Monroe Martin is a rising comedy star who mines his laughs from life experiences, such as growing up in foster care and bouncing around from one dysfunctional family to another. With a very honest, open approach to storytelling and an engaging personality, Martin effortlessly turns his childhood of hard knock experiences into comedy gold.
Judith Schagrin
Retired Social Worker
Judith Schagrin is currently Professor of Social Work at University of Maryland, Baltimore, with over 30 years of experience in the child welfare system as a social worker. She also served as a foster a parent in Maryland, and is the co-author of several academic papers, such as "The ABCs of Foster Care" for Administration in Social Work, and "Knowing That I Wasn’t Alone" for the Children and Youth Services Review.
Shalita O’Neale
CEO - Fostering Change Network
Shalita O’Neale has over 12 years of experience working and advocating for youth in the foster care system and is also a foster alumna of Maryland’s child welfare system. Founder of Hope Forward, Inc. (formerly The Maryland Foster Youth Resource Center), Fostering Change Network LLC, and CEO of GroCharity Events, O'Neale also works as a Community Organizer and Nonprofit Coach.
Hemangi Pai
Senior Trial Attorney
Hemangi Pai is currently a Senior Trial Attorney in the Homicide/Serious Crimes Unit of Brooklyn Defender Services. Prior to her work in this unit, Pai worked as a Senior Trial Attorney on the Brooklyn Adolescent Representation Team, where she exclusively represented youth (ages 14-24), charged with serious felonies. She also serves as an Adjunct Professor at the Borough of Manhattan Community College.
Alice Strickland
Director/Producer
Alice Strickland is a United States Army veteran with over 20 years of cybersecurity experience, with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Capella University. Under the rap moniker "Ally Vyne" she released her debut album American Winter in January of 2022. She is making her directorial debut with Where's Foster?
Matthew David Roe
Editor
Matthew David Roe is a filmmaker and essayist with over 15 years experience in television, video, and online content. He most recently wrote, directed, edited, and narrated the 2021 showbiz documentary Hideaki Anno: A Career Retrospective for the Anime News Network. He was nominated for the 2019 Jean-Luc Godard Award in Experimental Film by Cult Critic Magazine (Chemicals, Like God), and won Best Feature Film at the 2021 Maryland International Film Festival (The Forgiving).
Rob Scheer
Co-Founder/CEO - Comfort Cases
Rob Scheer is an alumni of the foster care system, a proud veteran of the United States Navy, and the Co-Founder of Comfort Cases, an organization dedicated to providing luggage and personal care items for youth entering the foster care system. Rob has over 25 years of leadership experience in the financial industry. and lives in Maryland with his husband Reece and their four children.
Monroe Martin III
Professional Stand-Up Comedian
Monroe Martin is a rising comedy star who mines his laughs from life experiences, such as growing up in foster care and bouncing around from one dysfunctional family to another. With a very honest, open approach to storytelling and an engaging personality, Martin effortlessly turns his childhood of hard knock experiences into comedy gold.
Judith Schagrin
Retired Social Worker
Judith Schagrin is currently Professor of Social Work at University of Maryland, Baltimore, with over 30 years of experience in the child welfare system as a social worker. She also served as a foster a parent in Maryland, and is the co-author of several academic papers, such as "The ABCs of Foster Care" for Administration in Social Work, and "Knowing That I Wasn’t Alone" for the Children and Youth Services Review.
Shalita O’Neale
CEO - Fostering Change Network
Shalita O’Neale has over 12 years of experience working and advocating for youth in the foster care system and is also a foster alumna of Maryland’s child welfare system. Founder of Hope Forward, Inc. (formerly The Maryland Foster Youth Resource Center), Fostering Change Network LLC, and CEO of GroCharity Events, O'Neale also works as a Community Organizer and Nonprofit Coach.
Hemangi Pai
Senior Trial Attorney
Hemangi Pai is currently a Senior Trial Attorney in the Homicide/Serious Crimes Unit of Brooklyn Defender Services. Prior to her work in this unit, Pai worked as a Senior Trial Attorney on the Brooklyn Adolescent Representation Team, where she exclusively represented youth (ages 14-24), charged with serious felonies. She also serves as an Adjunct Professor at the Borough of Manhattan Community College.
Alice Strickland
Director/Producer
Alice Strickland is a United States Army veteran with over 20 years of cybersecurity experience, with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Capella University. Under the rap moniker "Ally Vyne" she released her debut album American Winter in January of 2022. She is making her directorial debut with Where's Foster?
Matthew David Roe
Editor
Matthew David Roe is a filmmaker and essayist with over 15 years experience in television, video, and online content. He most recently wrote, directed, edited, and narrated the 2021 showbiz documentary Hideaki Anno: A Career Retrospective for the Anime News Network. He was nominated for the 2019 Jean-Luc Godard Award in Experimental Film by Cult Critic Magazine (Chemicals, Like God), and won Best Feature Film at the 2021 Maryland International Film Festival (The Forgiving).
Rob Scheer
Co-Founder/CEO - Comfort Cases
Rob Scheer is an alumni of the foster care system, a proud veteran of the United States Navy, and the Co-Founder of Comfort Cases, an organization dedicated to providing luggage and personal care items for youth entering the foster care system. Rob has over 25 years of leadership experience in the financial industry. and lives in Maryland with his husband Reece and their four children.
Monroe Martin III
Professional Stand-Up Comedian
Monroe Martin is a rising comedy star who mines his laughs from life experiences, such as growing up in foster care and bouncing around from one dysfunctional family to another. With a very honest, open approach to storytelling and an engaging personality, Martin effortlessly turns his childhood of hard knock experiences into comedy gold.
