Safe Baby Court could not do the work that we do without the amazing members of our team. We pride ourselves on having a diverse team of professionals to meet the needs of every family. Team members include case managers from the Department of Children’s Services, attorneys, Infant Mental Health professionals, addiction counselors, daycare providers, therapists, and many many more. In the coming months we will spotlight team members so our stakeholders and partners can get to know the extraordinary people that help us do the work that we do.

This month, we’re spotlighting Josh Mayor. Josh is a DCS Case Manager who has been with the Department of Children’s Services for two and a half years. Kaki and Josh met at court and talked through his professional history and the life experiences that help make him such an amazing advocate for children and families. Josh was born in the Philippines and immigrated here with his family in 1997. He’s lived in Knox County for over 20 years.

Kaki: Tell us a little bit about yourself and your career with the Department and how you came to find yourself doing this work.
Josh: I’ve been with DCS for two and a half years. I came over from Corporate Sales. I actually have a lawyer friend who works with DCS in Union County. He is a team mate and fellow coach of Ultimate Frisbee. He saw how I enjoyed working with children and suggested I might be a good DCS employee. He recommended I go for the job in Knox. I was burnt out with corporate sales and ready for a change. I have been working in foster care the whole time. I don’t know if I would do anything else within the Department, I love my team and the work I do in foster care.

Kaki: What motivates you to do this work when things get tough?
Josh: Oh gosh! Honestly, one of the main reasons I came into this work was to actually see the change that you are trying to help people achieve. Being able to see that change first hand helps me get through the tough times; it’s the successes that keep me motivated.

Kaki: What’s your favorite thing about your job?
Josh: The permanency part of it – when a child ends up in a much better place than when they started, it’s pretty amazing. When parents get their act together, it’s awesome.

Kaki: Why do you like working SBC cases and what do you see are the differences between these cases and your typical foster care cases?
Josh: Honestly, the additional help from SBC is awesome. Sometimes, families having only one point of contact with DCS isn’t always going to meet each families need. The monthly court hearings, although they are really short, help move things along and keep families motivated.

Kaki: What’s something unique about you and how does that impact your work?
Josh: I’m not born in this country, and because of that sometimes I can be more empathetic to families needs. I think that can help make a big impact on families. My patience also definitely plays a factor too. It takes a long time for me to get fed up with a situation. I’m all about second, third and fourth chances. If there’s a chance for a parent to be successful, I want to give it to them.

Kaki: In Zoom meetings, you’ve mentioned that you play the ukulele… Where’d did you learn this unique skill and what’s the best song you can play on it? Would you be willing to share this in court?
Josh: Before I got a big boy job, I used to travel around and play music with my brother and a band that we had. We did mini tours around the US and even did a week-long tour in Canada. I’ve played music forever. I was in the Pride of the Southland at UT. Music is a big part of my life. My favorite songs to play are “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” or “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”