Alfonso Nicholas

Alfonso Nicholas is the regional administrator for the Administration and Families (ACF) in Region 2. The region includes New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and eight federally recognized Tribal Nations. In this capacity, he leads ACF's strategic initiatives and priorities to promote the economic well-being of children and families in the region.  Previously, he also served as the acting regional administrator for Region 3, which covers Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Prior to joining the Office of Regional Operations, Nicholas served as the ACF Region 2 child welfare regional program manager in Children’s Bureau. In this role, he was responsible for providing oversight and technical assistance to state, tribal and territorial child welfare agencies and was instrumental in reforming the relationships with state and territorial partners.

He aided the State of New York in dealing with challenges related to federal reporting and claims; and helped to establish a training academy for social workers to improve their child welfare workforce. He built relationships with tribes that resulted in the Shinnecock Nation becoming a IV-B agency leading the way for other tribes in the region.  In Puerto Rico, Nicholas maintained strong relationships across three administrations, guiding the agency in establishing a foundation that ensured continuity of work during administration changes, as well as obtaining better resources to sustain the child welfare program. One of his proudest accomplishments was his ability to influence and support the U.S. Virgin Islands with becoming a Title IV-E agency, where he worked closely with agency leadership to complete the process within nine months. Nicholas was recognized by Governor Kenneth Mapp during the state of the territory address for his work and contributions to the territory.

Nicholas' work and strong relationships with both Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have opened the door for other ACF programs to have better communication with the territories. His efforts have also improved collaboration and partnership across the region, as he facilitated connections between states, territories, and organizations to share best practices and promote better service to constituents and stakeholders. Within the regional office, Nicholas has also encouraged collaboration across programs. 

Prior to joining ACF in 2014, Nicholas spent 20 years with the New Jersey Department of Children and Families (DCF), culminating in his leadership of the Department’s Office of Revenue, Financial Reporting, and IV-E Operations. His experience at all levels of DCF has given him insight into the everyday work and challenges that child welfare agencies face, as well a deep understanding of financing of child welfare.   Under his leadership, New Jersey improved from having a 61% error rate in their initial primary Foster Care Eligibility Review, to becoming the first state in the nation to pass a review with no case errors and no payment errors.  The structure and foundation that Nicholas established in New Jersey, combined with his continued support as the regional program manager, has served the state well, as evidenced by their performance in two reviews following his move to ACF.

Nicholas was born in Panama City, Panama to a family of Caribbean descent and came to the United States when his parents were in the U.S. Army and stationed in New Jersey. Nicholas holds a degree in Business Administration, and he is fluent in both Spanish and English languages.