Mary became President and CEO of Advocates for Children of New Jersey at the start of 2023 after becoming the vice president in 2003. She joined the organization in 1993 to head what is now known as ACNJ’s KidLaw Resource Center, which provides information on laws and legal processes affecting New Jersey children.

Mary’s primary policy areas include foster care, kinship care, children’s health, and more recently, juvenile justice. She has authored guides and articles on child welfare-related topics, including the Kinship Legal Guardianship Guide, and has represented ACNJ as amicus curiae before the NJ Supreme Court in several cases. Mary is a member of the New Jersey Children in Court Improvement Committee, the NJ Medical Assistance Advisory Council, the New Jersey Council for Juvenile Justice System Improvement and its School/Justice Partnership Subcommittee. Recently, she was appointed Acting Co-Chair for the NJ Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect. She previously chaired the Child Welfare Section and the Pro Bono Committee of the New Jersey State Bar Association.

Prior to joining ACNJ in 1993, Mary practiced family law in New Jersey. She received both her J.D. and B.A. from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

Christine Norbut Beyer, MSW has been Commissioner of the NJ Department of Children and Families since 2018. She is redefining the agency as a prevention-focused, child and family serving department, with a vision to help keep all New Jerseyans safe, healthy and connected. Some of her initiatives include: preventing maltreatment and promoting strong families; increasing kinship and familiar placements; supporting evidence-based, data-driven contracting; reducing staff safety incidents; evolving the integrated, inclusive system of care for children with behavioral and developmental diagnoses; promoting ACEs prevention, and transforming child welfare.

Years prior to being named Commissioner, Ms. Norbut Beyer was with the NJ Department of Human Services when the child welfare division was elevated to become the first Cabinet-level child-serving state agency. She helped to transition staff and build the new agency’s identity. During that time, she served as Director of the (former) Division of Youth and Family Services, and then as Assistant Commissioner.

During her time away from the Department, Ms. Norbut Beyer served as Senior Director and Strategic Consultant at Casey Family Programs, a national child welfare foundation, during which time she partnered with and supported the efforts of Public Child Welfare Agencies, State Legislatures, the Judiciary and Governors in creating better outcomes for at-risk children. During her tenure at Casey Family Programs, she had the opportunity to delve deeply into the areas of Brain Science, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), and Trauma-Informed Care and their intersection with child welfare. These are policy areas she continues to pursue at NJ DCF.

Commissioner Norbut Beyer earned her Bachelor of Science degree in social work from the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, and her Master of Social Work Administration, Policy and Planning from Rutgers University School of Social Work. She also holds a post-graduate Adoption certificate from Rutgers University Institute for Families, received the 2013 Employee Achievement Award from Casey Family Programs, the 2010 Child Welfare Leadership Award from Rutgers University School of Social Work, and the 2009 Professional Achievement Award from Richard Stockton College, School of Social and Behavioral Sciences. Most recently, in 2021, she was selected as an Aspen Institute Ascend Leadership Fellow.