About Eric

Eric Nation spent over 20 years in the field of law enforcement where he worked his way up to Lieutenant. As a Lieutenant, he led a large successful drug task force and started a countywide Drug Endangered Children Alliance. Eric came to National DEC to have a greater impact on law enforcement and other professionals by training and educating them on substance misuse and the impact to children. He served as the Director of Training and Development where he helped develop curriculum and materials, worked with agencies across the country to provide trainings and technical assistance to professionals. He is also a national trainer on various topics including substance use, law enforcement, building multidisciplinary teams, capacity building, and drug trends. Eric currently serves as National DEC’s Executive Director impacting change at a different level. He is very passionate about helping children and brings passion to every part of the work he does across the country.

Carrie Jensen is the Director of Operations for the National Alliance for Drug Endangered Children (National DEC). She has over 20 years of experience in child abuse prevention education, curriculum research and development and providing trainings and technical assistance. Prior to joining National DEC she worked for the Utah Attorney General’s Office in the Children’s Justice Center Program (nationally known as Children’s Advocacy Centers) and prior to that worked at Prevent Child Abuse Utah where she spent the majority of her time teaching children in classrooms how to recognize and report child abuse. Carrie has served on many boards, coalitions and Task Forces most recently as a member of the Utah Opioid Task Force and the Utah Trafficking in Persons Task Force. Carrie has a Bachelor’s of Integrated Studies with emphasis in Social Work, Child and Family Studies and English and holds a Social Service Worker License.

Nikki Romer is the Director of Alliance Development for National Alliance for Drug Endangered Children (National DEC), where she is responsible for overseeing and expanding partnerships and relationships at the state, tribal, and local levels. She has served as an adjunct professor teaching courses in the criminal justice department. Prior to joining National DEC, Nikki served as the lead forensic interviewer interviewing children who were victims of maltreatment or witnesses to crimes. She formed a multidisciplinary team (MDT) to help identify, respond to, and serve children who are victims of severe neglect, and she spearheaded efforts to address the commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC). Nikki also worked as a Victim Service
Specialist with the Iowa Attorney General’s Crime Victim Assistance Division and served for six years as a certified peace officer, where she was a patrol officer, hostage negotiator, and field training officer. Nikki earned her master’s degree in social work from the University of Iowa in 2013 and is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) in the state of Iowa. 

Jim is a CPA and financial manager with over 50 years of experience. He has served as National DEC’s financial manager for over 10 years and ensures that National DEC’s finances meet nonprofit GAAP and government agency financial procedure and transparency standards.

• Carlton Hall, Board President
• Tabatha Curtis, Board Member
• Chuck Daugherty, Board Member
• Allison Smith, Board Member
• Janki Patel, Board Member
• Patty McCarthy, Board Member