Meet Our Staff

Rex Smith
President/CEO
Rex Smith was appointed President/CEO of Hearts & Homes for Youth, on December 13, 2006. He returns to lead the agency after a 40 year hiatus. Rex was a founder and the first Executive Director of the agency, then named the Boys’ Home of Montgomery County, while holding a position with the D.C. Lorton Youth Center. With the opening of the first girls’ group home, the agency became the Boys’ and Girls’ Homes of Montgomery County. These group homes for troubled kids were among the first in the nation to serve delinquent youth and the very first of such programs in Maryland.

Rex comes to Hearts & Homes having spent over 46 years as a professional in the field of juvenile and criminal justice. He began his career as a probation officer in the juvenile court of Montgomery County under the mentorship of Judge Alfred D. Noyes, the original founder of Hearts & Homes for Youth, which was incorporated in April 1964. He has been engaged as a line counselor, supervisor and manager of juvenile and criminal justice program operations in both the private and public sectors. He founded and operated many new initiatives, programs and services, such as the Maryland Center for Missing and Exploited Children and a new Department of Addictions, Mental Health and Victim Services for Montgomery County. Rex has consulted with a myriad of programs and services for youth in Maryland, around the nation and in other countries. He has taught at the American University Institute of Criminal Justice Studies and the National College of Judges, lectured and been the Keynote Speaker at a host of professional conferences, and has held executive positions with the state, regional and national juvenile and criminal justice associations.

Prior to founding the American Justice Institute, Inc., an advocacy and counseling agency, in 1986, Rex served for over 20 years with the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services, and was appointed as Secretary of the Department by Governors Martin Mandel and Harry Hughes (1967-1986).

Rex’s mantra has always been, “We treat troubled children and youth as if they were our own.”

Tammy O’ Rourke, LCSW-C
Vice President/COO, Program operations
Ms. O' Rourke has worked with Hearts & Homes since 1998, beginning as a Social Worker before becoming the Rehabilitation Coordinator (1999), Director of Clinical Services (2002), the Director of Therapeutic Programs (2004) and more recently moving to her current position as Vice President/COO of Program Operations at the end of 2006.  Her roles have included clinical and operational supervision of staff and programs, including therapeutic group homes, specialized foster care and independent living.  She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and before her career with HHY she worked as an independent contractor, as a Social Worker, and as a Clinical Case Manager since 1992.

Stephanie McCabe
Vice President, Community Relations & Resources
Mrs. McCabe has worked in the non-profit sector serving children for over 20 years. She joined Hearts & Homes for Youth in June, 2006. As Vice President, Community Relations & Resources, her responsibilities include the development of community resources and partnerships, foundation research, grant writing and fundraising.

Stephen Liggett-Creel, LCSW-C
Director of Therapeutic Programs
Mr. Liggett-Creel became the Director of Therapeutic Programs last year, after serving HHY as both the Assistant Director of Therapeutic Programs and the Program Coordinator for Therapeutic Foster Care.   Before coming to HHY, his work included over 7 years in Social Work positions where he provided clinical case management services to children and youth (through age 21) with chronic medical illness, developmental delays, and/or emotional disturbances, and developed and implemented therapeutic service plans focused on specific child needs.  His work also included running support groups, home based individual and family therapy to adults and children, and conducting psychosocial assessments.

Michelle Sewell, LGSW
Director of Residential Services
Michelle Sewell is a 16 year veteran at Hearts & Homes For Youth.  Over her career she has developed a deep understanding of the needs of the youth and families that we serve. Her experience in both residential and community-based services is bolstered by the knowledge she gained while earning her masters in social work at Howard University (class of 1996). This combination of education and experience makes her a valuable member of the Hearts & Homes for Youth family.