Agenda
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Agenda
March 24, 2025 09:00 am
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Families Will Do Well if They Can; If They Can’t We Need to Figure Out Why, so We Can Help: Strengthening Family Relationships by Redesigning Family Time When Children Are in Out-Of-Home Care
Quality family time, commonly called family contact or visitation, is highly valued by children and families separated by the out-of-home care system. Research shows that families and children want and need to spend fun, relaxed, and natural time together to maintain and strengthen their relationships and that they find conventional supervision difficult. Family and child participation in child protection processes, including family time, is also linked to better outcomes in the research literature. Frequent and high-quality family time is linked to reunification. However, day-to-day practice often delivers surveillance-oriented family time processes lacking in participation opportunities, which may not feel safe, may be infrequent and rigid, and may not aid reunification.
Tracey Ashton
Life Without Barriers
Tracey Ashton is a senior project officer in service design, research, and innovation at Life Without Barriers. She works with diverse stakeholders to design, trial, and evaluate child, youth, and family services, and led the design of this new approach to family time. Tracey has over 20 years experience across government and non-government sectors, including schools, child protection, and out-of-home care services. She specialises in family inclusion, participation, and family-led decision-making.
Rachael Dean
Life Without Barriers
Rachael Dean is the chairperson of the Family Inclusion Network of South Australia, a role she has held for 11 years. She is a parent mentor and owns Family Matters Consultancy, a lived experience consultancy. Rachael participated in designing and implementing Family Time Coaching and works as a lived experience peer worker in Life Without Barriers' Family Reunification Service. She also advises the Minister for Child Protection in South Australia as part of the Direct Experience Group.
Julie Wood
Life Without Barriers
Julie Wood is currently a Child Family Practitioner specialising in reunification at Life Without Barriers, a position she has held since August 2021. In this role, she works directly with families to build parental capacity and enable reunification. Her experience includes over seven years as a Child Family Practitioner supporting therapeutic foster carers and children in care. Julie's background also encompasses mental health support and employment services. Julie is certified as a facilitator for Therapeutic Crisis Intervention and Child Safe Environment training and is a Marte Meo Practitioner in foster care.
March 24, 2025 09:00 am
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Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders and Adolescence
We are seeing high rates of children who have been prenatally exposed to alcohol, drugs and high levels of in-utero stress which can have a significant impact on the individual’s brain development. Although Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) are twice as common as autism, this disorder often goes undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. Children, adolescents and adults with an FASD have invisible brain injuries and typical parenting, teaching and therapeutic strategies are often ineffective. Current research shows that one out of twenty children in the United States have a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder but the majority of children living with FASD are misdiagnosed or undiagnosed. Missing this diagnosis can be very serious as many interventions will not work with this individuals with this brain injury. Many children with an undiagnosed and/or unsupported FASD diagnosis, are the ones sleeping in offices, being bounced around from placement to placement, and experiencing further trauma. It is vital that our systems of care start to recognize, diagnosis and properly treat and support these young people so they are able to find permanency and stability.
Barb Clark
Families Rising
Barb Clark is the Director of training at Families Rising (FKA NACAC) and is a parent to five adult children. She is passionate about learning from her many mistakes, and sharing them with others so they can avoid the same mistakes. She uses humor and real-life experiences to help professionals and caregivers challenge the use of traditional strategies and push them to think outside of the box. She graduated from the University of Minnesota in Youth Development but has learned more from her kids than she ever did in college. Barb is parenting children who were prenatally exposed to alcohol, drugs and trauma. She is committed to improving the education & lives of individuals who were prenatally exposed to drugs & alcohol and has done this by training RTC’s, doctors, caregivers, therapists, social workers, law enforcement and many others.
March 24, 2025 09:00 am
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Child and youth in Care New Holistic Outcome Measure Evaluation Tool
Grounded in 5 theories and models of holistic interventions such as (1) Biopsychosocial model, (2) Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, (3) Circle of Courage, (4) Trauma informed Care practice and CARE model, and (5) Indigenous Medicine Wheel,and much more, the Shema’s Outcome Measure & Evaluation (SOME-CY®) [‘some-see-why’] biopsychosocial metric was created in order to help professionals and caregivers involved with children and youth in residential care or alike, to holistically respond to young people’s needs.
Claude Shema
Psych Clinics
Dr. Claude R. Shema is a Canadian clinician, and his educational background and experience include general and tropical medicine, psychiatry, psychology, public health, and neurosurgery. For over 2 decades, he has been working in in child and adolescents mental health, and provides services in private and public clinical settings. He is a consultant in various clinical interventions, and he has deep experiences in indigenous intergenerational trauma healing as well.
March 24, 2025 09:00 am
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Adoption Competency: An Essential Element in Meeting Mental Health Needs
Adopted children and youth have consistently been found to be overrepresented in residential treatment populations. The most recent study found they represented about 30 percent of the population and, although similar to their non-adopted peers in a range of clinical symptoms (e.g., anxiety, depression, mood swings), they are more likely to exhibit attention problems, impulsivity, and oppositional behaviors. They are also more likely to manifest trauma symptoms, emotional insecurity, identity issues, fear of rejection, and problems with empathy. The elevated and complex needs of this population are not surprising given the fact that most adoptions in the U.S. are currently from foster care.
As residential treatment programs have shifted focus to concern with longer-term support for parent-child attachment and strengthening the development of personality and identity, there is some evidence that clinical staff are receiving training in adoption-related topics and are becoming more likely to ask about adoptive history and to focus more on trauma and attachment. The establishment of a residential treatment program in Utah exclusively for adopted teens is noteworthy. While these are all trends in the right direction, meeting the needs requires program staff to have a more comprehensive foundational understanding of a broad range of issues associated with adoption – to become adoption competent.
Leslie Wright, LCSW
CASE
Leslie Wright has over 30 years of experience as a mental health professional. She currently works for the Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.) as the TAC Manager and Curriculum Specialist. Leslie has been involved in curriculum development and training for over 10 years.
Anne Johnson Atkinson
Policy Works, Ltd.
Dr. Atkinson, President and CEO of PolicyWorks, Ltd., an independent program evaluation and policy research firm, has extensive experience in providing program evaluation and related services highly tailored to meet client needs. Areas of expertise include child welfare, adoption and kinship care, school safety and school-law enforcement partnerships, and prevention.
In-Person poster presentations will be Monday, March 24 from 5-7pm. Posters can also be viewed virtually in the poster hall.
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Fostering Wellness: Improving the quality of life for Child Welfare Professionals by addressing the causation, effects and impact of workplace burnout
Meagan Washington-Sims, EdD
Governors State University
Meagan Sims is a dedicated professional and administrator in the Human Services sector. Her background includes advocacy, program management, content development, training facilitation and community engagement in the areas of child welfare, youth development, workforce development, affordable housing, crisis intervention and behavioral medicine. As a veteran of the United States Army, Meagan has selflessly served her country and in her community with vigor and passion. Meagan is a proud alumnus of Englewood High School in Chicago and holds a Bachelor of Human Services from Wayland Baptist University and a Master in Non-Profit Management from Spertus College. She is a Candidate for the Doctor of Education in Interdisciplinary Leadership at Governors State University and is actively working on her capstone project, the study of burnout amongst Child Welfare Professionals.
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A Community-Based Research Approach to Develop Interventions for Direct Service Provider Burn Out
Megan Quarmley, PhD
Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health
Megan Quarmley, PhD is a postdoctoral psychology fellow at Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health involved in systems-level fidelity monitoring and implementation at a child and adolescent psychiatric residential treatment facility and inpatient hospital. Additionally, Megan Quarmley serves as a consultant working with TC Consulting aimed at bridging the gap between research and practice for healthcare and pharmaceutical organizations.
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From Trauma to Triumph: Dissolving Trauma Blocker Preventing Growth
Olivia West Al-Mahdi, PhD, LPC
Out of Box Counseling, Coaching and Consulting
Dr. Olivia West, also known as Dr. O, is an International Psychologist, Licensed Professional Counselor, Coach, Diversity Equity and Inclusion advocate and consultant, and Author of From Dyslexia to Doctorate, a guide to achieving success despite life’s obstacles. She has traveled the world immersing herself in various countries and cultures, gaining a profound expertise in identifying unresolved trauma and uncovering negative beliefs that impede personal and professional growth.
With over 15 years of experience, Dr. O has dedicated her career to social justice, educating and empowering individuals, families, leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals to unlock their full potential by addressing the deep-seated emotional barriers through mental health therapy and mindset shift coaching.
Dr. O specializes in trauma resolution rooted in her belief that unresolved trauma can significantly impact one’s ability to thrive. She believes the process of transformation achieved by confronting and resolving past traumas can unlock potential and lead more fulfilling lives. However, one must trust the Power of the Process, despite what obstacles may arise. Outside of her professional pursuits, Dr. O is a foodie, and enjoys dancing, and spending quality time with her family.
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Got OT?
Taylor Clark
Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch
Taylor is the co-founder and current lead Occupational Therapist (OTP) at Yellowstone Girls and Boys Ranch (YBGR). She has a dual bachelor’s in foreign languages and classical literature, and a clinical doctorate in occupational therapy (OT) from Rocky Mountain College, the first Montana-made occupational therapy program. She fostered a dream to open an experiential ranching program for client with physical and mental health diagnoses. Fondly known as Dr. Chip by clients and staff, she provides OT at YBGR, having found half of her dream already in practice.
Taylor Mayer, PhD, LCPC
Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch
Taylor Mayer is currently the Executive Director of Psychiatric Operations at Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch (YBGR) in Billings MT. He began his career at YBGR in 1993 as a Mental Health Worker and has held positions of Clinical Program Therapist, Psychological Assistant, and Regional Area Clinical Supervisor prior to his current role. He has a PhD in Clinical Psychology and holds an active LCPC (MT # 660). He is a strong advocate of Therapeutic Foster Care and Adoption.
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Integrating Trauma-Informed Care into Residential Programs: Lessons Learned from Using TIOA and ARTIC Assessments to Better Support High-Risk Youth
Ana Maria Ortiz
Sycamores
Ana Maria, B.A., is a Research Assistant with the Research and Continuous Improvement department at Sycamores. She plays an essential role in evaluating the agency’s Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Program (STRTP), including developing, collecting, and analyzing data that captures youths’ voice and is used to continue to improve the program.
Andreina Cordova, MDP
Sycamores
Andreina Cordova, MDP, is a Senior Research Analyst with the Research and Continuous Improvement Department at Sycamores. Her primary focus is program evaluation and streamlining data collection processes including management and analysis, identifying performance trends and patterns, and designing formative and summative evaluation reports. She is passionate about using data creatively to create awareness, empower change, and make informed decisions.
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A Journey Driven by Youth for Individualized Treatment in Care
Avery Schweitzer
Tanager
Avery has been with Tanager as an agency for a bit over two years and have served as both a direct floor staff and as a counselor. As an inpatient counselor, she regularly meets with all clients and their families to provide counseling services to them. she also creates an individual RISE plan for all clients upon their arrival to Tanager. She is also currently graduate level student to become a licensed mental health counselor and am a part of ACRC's programming committee.
Aaron Woodwick
Tanager
Aaron has been with Tanager as an agency for a bit over a year now and served as a assistant supervisor and now as a cottage coordinator. As an inpatient cottage coordinator, he spends his time working with staff making sure that we are working to provide an excellent work atmosphere and being supportive to our clients. Just a little snippet of what he is working on is getting scheduling done for the months to come, making sure incident reports are completed and my most favorite part is working on Rec calendars that consume of what the clients get to do during the month.
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Mission Driven Data: Looking at Data to Evaluate Efficacy and Quality
Juletta Gilge, LCPC
Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch
Juletta Gilge is a licensed in the state of Montana as an LCPC. She currently works as the Director of PRTF at Yellowstone Boys and Girls ranch and has been working at the agency for over 5 years. Juletta has a passion for mental health work and is a fierce advocate for mental health services.
Tra Williams, M.Ed., MSN, RN
Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch
Tra is a lifetime learner who believes people all have the same value, only different roles. Tra’s approach is based on his education in nursing, administration, and conflict resolution. As a result, he has crossed traditional organizational boundaries and has collaborated with most of the teams in his organization at all levels. He has recruited and led multiple diverse teams to successful outcomes.
Taylor Mayer, PhD, LCPC
Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch
Taylor Mayer is currently the Executive Director of Psychiatric Operations at Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch (YBGR) in Billings MT. He began his career at YBGR in 1993 as a Mental Health Worker and has held positions of Clinical Program Therapist, Psychological Assistant, and Regional Area Clinical Supervisor prior to his current role. He has a PhD in Clinical Psychology and holds an active LCPC (MT # 660). He is a strong advocate of Therapeutic Foster Care and Adoption.
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Utilizing a Treatment Progress Checklist to Improve Youth Treatment Outcomes in Residential Care
Alison Howard, LIMHP
Boys Town
Alison Howard has had a variety of professional experiences during her 20 years at Boys Town. She began in direct care and was promoted quickly to a Shift Manager. She attended school while working and earned her master's degree in counseling as well as her clinical license. She became a Clinical Therapist at the Residential Treatment Center (RTC) and later a Regulatory and Accreditation Specialist where she monitored and developed policy and ensured adherence to regulations and standards dictated by the Joint Commision, CMS, and other regulatory bodies. She is currently the Program Director at the RTC, an 80-bed unit for children ages 5-17 years of age.
Lori Scharff, LICSW
Boys Town
Lori Scharff, LICSW, is the Director of Behavioral Health Access and Administration at the Boys Town Residential Treatment Center where she works to build and cultivate a culture based on proven outcomes that impact and influence residential program progress and success. She has worked in various levels of care at Boys Town including residential psychiatric for children and adolescents, treatment group home and group home. Lori also worked at Union Pacific Railroad as a Director of Safety where she had the opportunity to develop a national model for Peer Support in the transportation industry. Lori enjoys advocacy, staff development and providing life-changing care that helps youth make positive change for their future.
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Model Implementation and Sustainability: Merging Innovative Practice into Established Culture
Mike Kaelin, MS
Pressley Ridge
Michael S. Kaelin, MS has worked in the field of children’s services for 38 years. He led the learning and development function at Pressley Ridge for 8 years and has been the Director of External Training and Consultation and primary trainer for the Evidence-Based PR-TFC Pre-Service Curriculum for the last 10 years.
Jennifer Benner, LCSW-C
Pressley Ridge
Mrs. Jennifer Benner, LCSW-C has worked in the field of children’s services for 24 years and has served in a training capacity for over 14 years. She has presented at a variety of national conferences on working with children and families in out-of-home care. Mrs. Benner is a lead trainer of the nationally recognized Pressley Ridge Evidence-Based PR-TFC Pre-Service Curriculum.
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Mitigating Burnout and Building Resilience Among Staff in High Needs Educational Settings
Cheryl White, MSM, EdS
The League School for Austism
Cheryl A. White currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer at the League School for Autism, bringing over two decades of expertise in nonprofit management and special education. She has researched teacher retention and student voice in programming. Cheryl has led several organizational improvement initiatives and consultations. Cheryl is a licensed Special Education Administrator and is a doctoral student at Bay Path University, Educational Leadership program.
Stephanie Steen, LICSW
The League School for Autism
Director Clinical and Behavioral Services at the League School for Autism. Stephanie holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Developmental Psychology from Emmanuel College and a Masters of Social Work from Simmons College. Stephanie is a Graduate Faculty member in the School of Social Work Graduate Program at Bridgewater State University and owns a Private Practice. She has been qualified in Massachusetts District Court for testimony on more than 100 occasions as an Expert Witness regarding mental illness, dangerousness, need for hospitalization and need for strict security.
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Optimizing the Implementation and Sustainability of Evidence-Based Practices in Residential and Community-Based Settings: Enhancing Training and Evaluation Mechanisms
Melanie Grace Albright, PhD
Think:Kids - MA General Hospital
Grace Albright, Ph.D., is a Research Associate at Think:Kids. She is responsible for supporting the development and execution of Think:Kids’ research initiatives. Her her research focuses primarily on social-emotional learning programming on mental health among underserved youth. She has worked on the evaluation and implementation of the evidence-based Collaborative Problem Solving method in both school and residential treatment facilities.
Elizabeth Buchholz, MSN
Think:Kids - MA General Hospital
Elizabeth Buchholz, MNS is a Certified Trainer and Consultant at Think:Kids at Mass General Hospital. She provides training and coaching for organizations, provides implementation consultation sessions, and facilitates learning through the Certification program.
Elizabeth has extensive experience working directly with youth and families in residential treatment, private day schools, and treatment foster care. Elizabeth has also led the direct care team in a large residential facility using the Collaborative Problem Solving approach as both a human resources management approach and as the guiding philosophy for interacting with and treating clients and families.
Elizabeth received a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Philosophy and a master’s degree in Nonprofit Studies with a concentration in Implementation Science and Trauma Informed Care from the University of Richmond.
Hallie Carpenter, EdS
Think:Kids - MA General Hospital
Hallie Carpenter, EdS (she/her) is the Manager of Implementation and a Clinical Trainer and Consultant at Think:Kids. As Manager of Implementation, Hallie works to integrate implementation science best practices into the services that Think:Kids provides for organizations. She develops and continues to refine implementation support services; and works to simplify and make actionable implementation science concepts to help organizations implement Collaborative Problem Solving sustainably and deeply, leading to positive outcomes for children and families.
March 24, 2025 10:00 am
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06:00 pm
The Transformative Power of Restorative Circles
In-Person ONLY Session
Dive into Restorative Circle practice, which has existed in Indigenous communities around the globe for centuries. Circle practice has grown in popularity within school settings, the criminal legal system, and human services to empower youth voice and find healing responses to harm. The Home for Little Wanderers has incorporated Circle practice within staffing teams, with youth in out-home-home placement, and with families at all levels of community-based care. Circle practice can help youth who have experienced powerlessness in the context of trauma to find their voice, to support staff in developing deeper connections, and to review critical incidents that occur within the community. It allows us to see each other’s full humanity, as complex human beings, not just as co-workers or client/staff. Circle practice can be a key component in supporting trauma informed care.
This training will take place in Circle. Through storytelling, participants will experience the transformative power of being deeply listened to, and co-creating spaces for learning across difference, healing past harm and preventing future harm. Participants will leave with greater familiarity with Circle practice and with tools to incorporate Circle practice within their own organizations.
Elizabeth Woodruff, LICSW
The Home
In her work in child welfare in Boston, MA, Elizabeth Woodruff has poured her energy into practices that embrace transformative responses to harm, keep families together, and reduce out-of-home mental health treatment. Over the last 13 years, Elizabeth has kept Circles with youth, caregivers, employees, and her own family. Elizabeth is a tireless advocate for aligning mental health service delivery with the values of Circle practice, Power Literacy, and Restorative Justice.
Romeissa Selmane, MS, OTR/L
The Home
Romeissa Selmane, MS, OTR/L is an occupational therapist at the Home for Little Wanderers, Boston MA. As the first group home OT, she created the foundations for the current OT department, using an evidence-based, trauma- and attachment-informed, occupation-focused, client-centered framework. Romeissa keeps peacemaking circles with youth, parents and staff, along with promoting principles of restorative practice in meetings, conflict mediations, group therapy and individual sessions.
Naomi Thompson, JD
The Home
As a former practicing criminal and civil law attorney and higher education executive, Thompson brings over 20 years of DEI experience and passion for social justice to nonprofit work. Thompson earned a BA from Colgate U and a JD from Suffolk Law School. Currently, Naomi serves as the Director of DEIB for the Home for Little Wanderers, where she incorporates Circle practices to build community and resolve conflict. Naomi is the proud mother of her son, Benjamin.
Blanca Valentin, LMHC
The Home
Blanca is a Latina, licensed clinician, trainer/teacher, healer, circle keeper, and coach. Blanca founded Vida Wellness and Counseling in 2022, an organization committed to the healing, wellness, and liberation of historically marginalized communities. Blanca’s work for over 25 years has been centered in social justice and anti-oppressive practices that are centered in uplifting voices, holistic healing, and in the well-being of individuals, communities, and organizations, using circle practice to engage in courageous conversations to transform conflict into healing, hope and connection.
March 24, 2025 01:00 pm
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05:00 pm
The Role of Thinking and Feeling in Solving Social Problems
In-Person ONLY Session
Helping youth solve problems with each other provides the perfect opportunity to practice and build critical social emotional skills. Interpersonal problem solving requires both thinking and feeling to be successful. Emotion skills help us recognize and understand our own and others’ emotions and to strategize accordingly. Our thinking skills help us to plan and solve difficult problems. Unfortunately, thinking and feeling are often seen as being in opposition to each other. But in reality, they work hand-in-hand. In this workshop, Dr. Marc Brackett (Founder and Director of the Yale Center Emotional Intelligence and Professor in the Child Study Center at Yale University) and Dr. J. Stuart Ablon (Founder and Director of Think:Kids in the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital and the Thomas G. Stemberg Endowed Chair in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School) will show how their combined approaches to thinking and feeling work together to enhance problem solving and decision making
Stuart Ablon, PhD
Think:Kids
Founding Director of Think:Kids in the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital, Dr. Ablon has dedicated his efforts to transforming the way we comprehend and respond to concerning behavior. He is the author of four books including Changeable which was hand-picked by Malcolm Gladwell, Adam Grant, Dan Pink and Susan Cain for their Next Big Idea Club. Dr. Ablon has inspired audiences at conferences around the world such as SXSW, TedX, and NATCON. He imparts a revolutionary, yet practical, approach to better understanding and resolving challenging behavior while building the skills needed to protect mental health.
Marc Brackett, PhD
Think:Kids
Marc Brackett, Ph.D., is the founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and a professor in the Yale Child Study Center. His research focuses on the role of emotional intelligence in learning, decision making, creativity, relationships, health, and performance. Marc has published 175 scholarly articles, received numerous awards, and serves on board of directors of the Collaborative for Academic and Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL), the Mental Health Coalition’s program board, and the Rare Beauty Mental Health Council, founded by Selena Gomez. Marc is the lead developer of RULER, an evidence-based approach to social and emotional learning that has been adopted by 5000 schools across the globe. With Pinterest co-founder Ben Silbermann, Marc co-created HowWeFeel, a free award-winning app designed to enhance well-being. Marc is the author of the bestselling book, Permission to Feel, now in 25 languages. In February 2024, Marc launched the YouTube webcast, Dealing With Feelings, where he interviews prominent scientists, actors, authors, musicians, sports figures, and other notable personalities to discover the strategies they use to attain goals, build healthy relationships, and have a sense of well-being. He is featured regularly in popular media outlets such as the New York Times, Washington Post, Today Show, and Good Morning America.
March 24, 2025 01:00 pm
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05:00 pm
Working as a Family Peer Support Specialist; the Voice of Lived Experience
In-Person ONLY Session
Increasing numbers of residential programs are hiring family peer support specialists, known by various titles (Family Peer Advocate, Family Partner, etc.). For the past two years ACRC has hosted a preconference workshop on hiring family members with the lived experience of having been a parent or caregiver of a youth who was in a residential program. Over the same period, the Building Bridges Initiative has delivered a Family Partner Project through which eight residential programs have been supported in taking the transformational step of hiring a family partner, with another project planned for this year having attracted eight agency applicants in the first few days after its announcement. Research into family engagement highly prioritizes parent peer support to bridge the gap between families and the program. The practice, while still definitively innovative in implementation, is taking hold.
This preconference four hour workshop will go deeper than those of the previous two years.
Bob Lieberman, MA, LPC
Lieberman Group Inc.
Robert E. (Bob) Lieberman has over four decades working with young people and families facing serious challenges, in a variety of capacities, including 28 years as CEO of Kairos Northwest. He has written extensively and is lead or co- author, and editor, of ACRC’s “Redefining Residential” papers, as well as co-editor of two books on transforming residential interventions. He chairs the Outcomes Workgroup of the Building Bridges Initiative, is certified by Massachusetts General Hospital as a trainer in Collaborative Problem Solving and is a certified Master Trainer in the NEAR sciences. He is currently President of Lieberman Group, Inc. and trains and consults across the country and internationally.
Nancy Pierce-Craig
ACRC Consultant
Like a lot of parents, Nancy started her “career” learning to navigate the child serving systems for her children. Little did she realize that her personal experiences would lead her on professional quest to ensure every family, no matter the challenges they face have access to a family peer helping and supporting to teach, coach and mentor parents /caregivers as they journey towards their personal strength and empowerment.
March 24, 2025 12:00 pm
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01:00 pm
Public Policy Town Hall
In-Person ONLY Session
ACRC’s Chief Policy & Practice Advisor and ACRC’s Public Policy Committee Chairs will guide us through the current, yet ever changing, public policy landscape and how it intersects and affects the work you do. This will be an interactive event where we will share critical information, learn from each other, answer questions, and discuss opportunities for policy solutions to support access to the right care at the right time for children, youth, and families. Enter with curiosity and leave inspired to take action.
Lisette Burton, JD
ACRC
Lisette joined ACRC in 2020 after serving on the board of directors as the Public Policy Committee Chair for several years. In addition to leading ACRC’s advocacy efforts, Lisette builds coalitions and strategic partnerships and she utilizes her experience and skills to provide expert-level guidance, policy analysis, practice support, facilitation, strategic planning, and consultation services to ACRC’s membership and non-member systems, agencies, and associations.
Previously, Lisette was the Vice President of National Advocacy and Public Policy for the national nonprofit Boys Town, where she advocated for effective federal and state policies related to child welfare, juvenile justice, education, and health. Lisette’s foundational experiences are in direct care, and she joined Boys Town in 2007 as a Family Teacher caring for girls in foster care and boys committed to the juvenile justice system in a family-style, community-based, therapeutic residential program. Prior to Boys Town, Lisette worked in North Carolina as a program director at a therapeutic residential wilderness program and later as a community organizer focused on quality early childhood education and parental involvement in schools.
Lisette serves on several national policy committees, coalitions, and working groups. She is a mayoral appointee to the Washington, DC Juvenile Justice Advisory Group and an Associate Editor for the Journal of Child and Adolescent Trauma. Lisette regularly facilitates conversations and shares policy and practice insight and expertise with local, state, national, and international audiences.
Lisette received her B.S. in Science from the Eberly College of Science at Penn State University. She earned her J.D. at the University of Maryland Carey School of Law, where she was a Leadership Scholar and Schweitzer Fellow, a pro bono law clerk representing children with special needs, a student attorney at the National Association of the Deaf, and a legislative intern with the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee.
March 24, 2025 05:00 pm
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07:00 pm
Poster Session
For details, please click on the Posters tab at the top of the agenda.
March 25, 2025 09:00 am
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11:30 am
Shared Family Care: A Wholistic Approach to Keeping Families Together
Shared Family Care places whole families together in supportive out-of-home settings, including foster families and residential cottages or campuses. By keeping the family together, the trauma of separation is avoided, and the family unit can benefit from building on their strengths. This session will introduce you to programs around the world that are using this innovative model to support children and families. We will describe the who, what, when, and how, as well as some preliminary outcomes that suggest this approach has promise in effectively working with children and families.
March 25, 2025 09:00 am
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11:30 am
Walking Together
Brenda's journey from being part of the stolen generation to becoming an Author, Speaker, Film Director and Indigenous Director of Learning Circle Australia is an inspiring testament to the power of healing and reconciliation.
From the moment Brenda was reunited with her birth family, she embarked on a mission to bridge the gap between her two families and her Aboriginal heritage. Her remarkable story, as eloquently portrayed in her debut book and Netflix documentary feature film, "The Last Daughter," encapsulates heartbreak, love, forgiveness, hope and bringing the Country together.
Brenda believes that healing is hidden in the past. She unlocks these secrets and brings Indigenous wisdom to today's modern world.
Brenda's path is not just Australian—it resonates internationally. Her empathetic and genuine voice unites people across colour, race, and origin, embodying her belief that healed individuals foster healing in others. Brenda's journey stands as a testament that the teacher comes when the pupil is ready—and this is the inspiring story the world has been waiting for.
Aunty Brenda Matthews
March 25, 2025 12:00 pm
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01:00 pm
Issues Lunch
To view all Issues Lunches, go to the Issues Lunches tab at the top of the agenda.
March 25, 2025 01:30 pm
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03:00 pm
Creating a Workforce with Compassion Resilience and Well-being
An estimated 50% of workers experience burnout or warning signs of future burnout and compassion fatigue. often falling victim to the myth that it’s simply part of the job. All leaders need a working knowledge of burnout and secondary trauma, and a framework of well-being and resilience to guide organizational practices during onboarding, supervision, team management, and even crisis.
Jennie Null, LMFT
Tanager
Jennie Null serves as Vice President of Development and as a therapist at Tanager. Jennie is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Registered Play Therapy Supervisor. Throughout Jennie's career she has specialized in Family Therapy, Play Therapy, impact and treatment of trauma, compassion resilience, Clinical Supervision, and Leadership.
Emma Harding, LMFT
Tanager
Emma Harding is a licensed Marriage and serves as Director of the Meraki Institute of Learning. Her background includes providing therapeutic services in school-based settings ranging from early education through college. Emma is trained in advanced play therapy techniques and EMDR. She has experience and is passionate about working with families and children with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities, in addition to years of experience in providing and working with various after-school and summer programming for youth. Emma is passionate about spreading awareness and education regarding trauma-informed care and resiliency-based models.
March 25, 2025 01:30 pm
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03:00 pm
Vision to Practice: Transformative Leadership
Three experienced leaders share strategies to build vibrant organizations through innovation, creativity, and quality outcomes. This workshop focuses on fostering cultures and practices that prioritize the well-being of children, families, and staff for lasting impact.
George Dermody
Children's Home of Wyoming Conference
George is the President and CEO of a Child and Family Serving Agency in New York State. George has over 30 years of experience in program design program implementation, and community engagement. His life's work has been creating strength based solutions for children and families with complex needs.
Matthew Madaus, LCSW
Behavioral Health Collaborative of Almeda County
Matthew Madaus has over 35 years of experience in behavioral health, holding multiple C-level roles in non-profit agencies. He has led residential treatment and community-based services, founded a clinical software company, and provided consultation throughout the US and internationally. Mr. Madaus is an expert witness on the behavioral health standard of care in the US and Canada. A licensed clinical social worker, he holds an MSW from San Diego State University and a post-graduate certificate in family systems therapy.
Bill Powers
Retired CEO
Bill has forty years of experience in residential treatment centers as a live-in house parent, recreation supervisor, director of residential services, executive director, and finally as a CEO. He has always practiced servant leadership and has had very positive outcomes with this approach.
March 25, 2025 01:30 pm
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“We Cried Together”: Exploring Turnover Decisions, Retention Decisions, and Other Lived Experiences of the Majority-Female Child Welfare Workforce
We’ll critically examine the challenges confronting the predominantly female child welfare workforce. Participants will engage with qualitative research on burnout and vicarious trauma in this professional group, emphasizing the role of camaraderie amongst women in influencing turnover and retention. Let’s further explore strategies for enhancing well-being and calling for systemic change for improved outcomes.
Courtney Rovere, PhD, LCSW, LICSW
Children's Home of Poughkeepsie
Courtney E. Rovere, PhD, MSW, LCSW(NY), LICSW(MA) is a practicing social worker with over a decade of experience in the field. She currently works as the Assistant Executive Director for Clinical Program Development at Children’s Home of Poughkeepsie and as Part-Time Faculty at Marist College, both in Poughkeepsie, NY. Along with her expertise in child welfare and children’s behavioral health, Courtney has worked in community mental health, mobile crisis and in diverse medical and mental healthcare settings. Courtney has experience teaching at the bachelor and master levels where she has taught courses in child and adolescent assessment and diagnosis, social policy and social work with communities and organizations, social work research, and introduction to sociology. Courtney’s scholarly research focuses on workforce stress and well-being, specifically secondary traumatic stress, vicarious trauma, and burnout. Within this area, her interests look closely at the lived experiences of women. Her aim is to better understand the experiences of the workforce related to turnover and retention. This includes elevating the voices of women at the organizational level to reduce burnout and turnover in child welfare and similar professional groups.
March 25, 2025 01:30 pm
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Families Supporting Teens (FaST): Keeping Teens in Homes Longer!
Why do many teens bounce from placement to placement at exactly the time when they are most in need of stability and support? FaST is an intervention helping to improve the well-being of foster youth by creating a stable home environment.
Jenisette Perez
Children's Village
Jenisette Perez, Master in Social Science from Binghamton University. Currently the Director of Youth Services at the Children’s Village. Overseeing the FaST Program since 2014 and working with Teens at risk since over 23 year.
Rose McCray, MSW
Children's Village
Rose McCray, Licensed Masters in Social Work from Hunter College. Currently Sociotherapist Supervisor at The Children’s Village. Working directly with youth in Child Welfare since 2016.
March 25, 2025 01:30 pm
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Aligning Innovation and Expertise - Innovation and Consilience: Rethinking What We Have Always Known
If we interpret 'behaviour' as a 'signal' instead of a 'symptom' where does it lead us in terms of underlying the holistic needs of children. This interactive workshop will provid e us with a space to explore the question, 'what are the universal truths that emerge when we consider our contemporary thinking and the knowledge and wisdom that has prevailed through the ages'?
John M Digney, PhD
TUSLA Child and Family Agency
Dr John Digney has been working with children and families for over 30 years. He has professional qualifications in Psychology, Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis, Management, Coaching and Adult Educations and a PhD in the therapeutic and purposeful uses of humour in child and youth care. John has written, edited and contributed to several books, dozens of articles and online columns. He is currently the National Coordinator of Learning & Development with Tusla, Ireland Children and Family Agency.
March 25, 2025 01:30 pm
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A Multidisciplinary Approach to Meeting the Distinct Needs and Challenges of Special Populations in Our Communities: Migrant Children
The U.S. is home to 3.3 million child migrants, including nearly 130,000 unaccompanied children arrived in 2022 alone. In this session, ACRC members will hear from Endeavors’ leadership about improving outcomes for the care of migrant children and strategies to enhance cultural competence and family-focused treatment through practical insights and partnerships for migrant children.
Emily Gray, LCSW
Endeavors
Emily Gray is the National Director for Migrant Services Training and Compliance. Emily joined Endeavors in March 2021 after serving as Senior Vice President at World Relief, one of nine refugee resettlement organizations with 50 locations across the United States serving refugees and immigrants.
Emily is a missionary by vocation and a social worker by profession. In 1982, she moved to Central America and has since worked continually in various social and ministry efforts in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Venezuela, Panama, and Honduras. She is a founding board member of Mission Lazarus, where she has served for 20 years in Honduras and Haiti. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 40 years of experience across a broad range of human services, including mental health, medical care, hospice services, and immigrant and refugee services.
Alejandro Martinez, LMSW
Endeavors
Alejandro Martinez is the National Director for Migrant Children’s Services, which covers all projects and programs directly related to serving migrant children.
Prior to joining Endeavors in May of 2021, Alejandro was the Division Director for ORR Programs at Morrison Child & Family Services, a non-profit mental health organization serving vulnerable children and families in Oregon. In his 13 years at Morrison, Alejandro primarily worked with the Office of Refugee Settlement (ORR) and Unaccompanied Children (UC) programs. His focus with the UC programs included managing relationships with federal stakeholders, federal and state monitoring, assisting in agency accreditation with The Joint Commission, and directly supporting program leadership and staff.
Prior to Morrison, Alejandro worked as a school social worker for seven years at Prince William County School District in Virginia, completing psycho-social assessments for special education evaluations. Alejandro is an Adelphi University (NY) alumni with a Master’s degree in Social Work.
Ileana Rodriguez
Endeavors
Ms. Rodriguez has dedicated the past seven years to collaborating with the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) and working closely with unaccompanied migrant children. During this time, she partnered with professionals at Pecos Children's Center, presenting on crucial topics such as behavioral health skills, mental health services, and clinical counseling. Her presentations focused on providing practical strategies to enhance the capabilities of Pecos Children's Center employees and mental health staff, addressing the unique challenges faced by unaccompanied migrant children. Ms. Rodriguez is committed to sharing her knowledge and collaborating with professionals dedicated to the welfare of unaccompanied migrant children, contributing to a comprehensive approach to support their well-being.
March 25, 2025 01:30 pm
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From Treating the “Too Acute” to Supporting Independence: Using an internal continuum of care with Adolescent Girls in Residential Care
This workshop will follow one agency’s experience creating an internal continuum of care to address the varying levels of acuity student’s experience during treatment. The role of suicide/self harm risk assessment and safety planning, use of gender-responsive and trauma-informed practices, and individualized community readiness skill development will be discussed.
Melissa Orazio, LMHC
Hillcrest Educational Centers
Melissa Orazio is the Program Director at the Brookside Intensive Treatment Unit of Hillcrest Educational Centers. Melissa obtained her BA in Psychology from Western New England College, her MSEd in Counseling from the College of Saint Rose, and is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Massachusetts. Melissa has 20 years of experience in the field of Mental Health Counseling, including public school, college, and community mental health settings. In 2007, Melissa joined Hillcrest as a clinician and has since held positions as a clinical supervisor, campus administrator, and senior manager within the organization. Since 2010, Melissa has focused on the development and implementation of clinical and program interventions for adolescent girls at Hillcrest.
Valerie Williams, LICSW
Hillcrest Educational Centers
Valerie Williams, LICSW, is the Clinical Director for Hillcrest Educational Centers, a residential facility located in Berkshire County in Massachusetts. She earned her MS in Social Work from Westfield State University and her BA in Psychology from Southern New Hampshire University. She has worked in several mental health settings including group home, crisis, outpatient, and residential. Valerie has previously presented at the Through Her Eyes conference through CHD and the New England Psychology Association conference; having worked with Dr. Robert Frost on a false memory study during her undergraduate studies.
March 25, 2025 01:30 pm
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Translating Youth and Family Values into Meaningful Outcome Measures
Pressley Ridge is in the midst of re-designing what are communicated as core organizational outcomes to more closely reflect the core values of the youth and families that we serve. We share how data was collected and synthesized across multiple service-types to ultimately arrive at youth and family-led outcome measures.
April Wall-Parker
Pressley Ridge
April Wall-Parker, M.S., is a Research Coordinator in the Organizational Performance Department at Pressley Ridge. As a Research Coordinator with Pressley Ridge, she supports the research, program evaluation, and quality improvement efforts within the organization which includes analyzing data, creating annual outcomes reports, selecting evidence-based models, presenting at conferences, and publishing research articles. She has over 15 years of social science research experience and earned her Master’s degree in Criminal Justice from Fairmont State University. Her current research interests are rooted in developing equitable research practices and ensuring that the voices of vulnerable populations are heard and prioritized.
Michael Valenti, PhD
Pressley Ridge
Michael W. Valenti has a doctorate in Applied Developmental Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh. He is currently employed as the Director of the Organizational Performance Department at Pressley Ridge. His tasks include program evaluation, monitoring quality improvement activities and metrics, and coordinating research activities. His recent research activities include exploring relational health and exploring social networks in community-based behavioral health organizations.
March 25, 2025 01:30 pm
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Improving Safety and Quality by Supportively Learning from Serious Incidents with the Safe Systems Improvement Tool
Residential settings are high-risk, high-consequence, interdependent, complex care settings. A Safety Culture is a team-based workplace culture orienting professionals toward psychologically safe practices focused on learning and systems improvement, fostering a robust system that adopts practices consistent with safety science and implementation science to achieve its goals and help systems to better contain risk and maximize client safety.
Tiffany Lindsey, EdD, LPC/MHSP
University of Kentucky
Tiffany Lindsey is an assistant professor at the Center for Innovation in Population Health at the University of Kentucky. Her work focuses on quality improvement and system reform efforts in public and private helping agencies. Lindsey has specific expertise in applying safety science to improve the safety, reliability, and effectiveness of organizations. Lindsey is co-author of two tools within the Transformational Collaborative Outcomes Management (TCOM) framework — the Safe Systems Improvement Tool (SSIT) and TeamFirst: A Field Guide for Safe, Reliable, and Effective Child Welfare Teams. Lindsey supports to the National Partnership for Child Safety — a member-led, member-owned quality improvement collaborative of 38 public child welfare agencies. She was also the lead designer and curator for a recently launched website of safety culture resources, the WisconsinWell.
Scott Fairhurst, PhD
Pacific Clinics
Dr. Fairhurst has presented at numerous conferences on topics including creating a safety culture, using the SSIT in behavioral health settings, and promoting data-driven decision making. Prior to his current administrative role, Scott - for 20 years - directed a clinic that worked with children and teenagers at risk for hospitalization or residential care and he was the agency’s primary in-service provider for de-escalation. His direct client-care experience in a residential setting was for only 5 years, in the 1990s.
Margaret McGladrey, PhD
University of Kentucky
March 25, 2025 01:30 pm
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Caregivers’ Voices on Juvenile Justice in Zimbabwe
The presentation exposes participants to experiences of children in conflict with the law in Zimbabwe, as depicted by their caregivers’ voices. To do so, the presenters will discuss study findings from their research titled, ‘An exploration of the phenomenon of children in conflict with the law in Highfield, Harare, Zimbabwe.’
Isheanotida Makosa
Midlands State University
Isheanotida Makosa is registered social worker currently pursuing his Masters in Clinical Social Work with Midlands State University (MSU), Zimbabwe. He holds a Bachelor’s in Social Work Honours Degree from MSU (2022), where he was awarded the MSU Book Prize, graduating as the top student in his class. His undergraduate dissertation on juvenile justice earned him the Doctor Madembo Inspire Award for a first-class project.
Noel Garikai Muridzo
Midlands State University
Doctor Muridzo is a social worker with over 20 years of practicing experience. His illustrious presence in research boasts over 30 publications that speak on different social justice phenomena including rights of persons with disabilities and child rights. Doctor Muridzo is the current Director of the Midlands State University School of Social Work, Zimbabwe. He previously served as the IFSW Global Vice President (2016-2020).
March 25, 2025 01:30 pm
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A Fireside Chat with the Elders: Lessons Learned in Caring for Vulnerable Children and Families
Seasoned child care professionals with extensive experience in therapeutic residential care will discuss significant changes during their careers that have impacted the field. With participants we will collectively explore key success factors for the future of this critical work. We extend a special invitation to other ‘Elders’ to join us.
Martha J Holden
Cornell University
Floyd Alwon, EdD
Retired
Frank Delano, LMSW
Professional Package Consulting
Frank Delano, LMSW is the President of Professional Package Consulting. He previously worked at a large New York Residential Center for 25 years beginning as a Child Care Worker He taught for 25 years in the Fordham University Graduate Social Work program and teaches Child Welfare for the University of Oklahoma for the last 18 years. He is on the Board of ACYCP and was on the Committee that revised the last CWLA Standards of Excellence for Children’s Residential Care.
Jack C Holden, PhD
Cornell University
Jack C. Holden, Ph.D., has been an instructor and project consultant with Cornell University’s RCCP for over 40 years. Dr. Holden earned a Ph.D. in Education, specializing in Adult Learning and has presented workshops and research nationally and internationally and has authored, Developing Competent Crisis Intervention Training, and co-authored a chapter, Preventive Responses to Disruptive and High-Risk Behaviors, in the book International Perspectives on Inclusive Education. Dr. Holden has co-authored several training manuals including Therapeutic Crisis Intervention for Schools, (TCIS), TCIS Post Crisis Response, CARE Supervisor Workshops, and published in the Journal of Child and Youth Care Work, and Journal of National Staff Development and Training Association. Dr. Holden has worked as a children’s residential direct child and youth care professional, supervisor, and program coordinator during his career.
Okpara Rice
Tanager
Okpara Rice joined Tanager Place of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, as executive director in July 2013, and assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer July 2015. Okpara is the first African American to hold executive office at Tanager Place in its more than 140 year history. He brings leadership experience to Tanager from his work at the Jewish Child Care Association in Pleasantville, New York, the Mercy Home for Boys and Girls in Chicago, the Youth Campus in Park Ridge, Ill and Starr Columbus in Columbus, Ohio.
Okpara is active in the field and his community and currently serves on a wide number of boards and advisory committees locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. The issues that fuel his passion and involvement include juvenile justice, access to services, health equity, education and leadership development. Most recently he served on Governor Kim Reynolds’ Children’s System State Board, formed to innovatively create solutions for youth in Iowa. Okpara also led the more than 60-year old Association of Children’s Residential Centers as its first African American Board President. Okpara was named a 2020 History Maker by the African American Museum of Iowa. He serves as a Board of Directors member for Cedar Rapids Bank and Trust, as well as a Trustee of Coe College.
Okpara has presented internationally in Europe and Canada on issues that affect children. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Social Work from Loyola University, Chicago, Illinois, and a Master of Social Work from Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, where he was named a Distinguished Alumnus of the Brown School in 2018. He also holds an Executive Management certification from Georgetown University, Washington DC, and an Executive Scholar Certificate from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.
Okpara lives in Marion, Iowa with his wife Julie and sons Malcolm and Dylan.
March 25, 2025 01:30 pm
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Building and Sustaining a Family Peer Support Specialist Program on Your Campus: Induction through Sustainable Supervision
LaSalle School and Building Bridges FPSS’s will come together, discussing how to begin, establish and sustain a Family Peer Support Program on campus. Our focus will be on building blocks to create the program as well as the necessary steps and supervision to sustain the program on your campuses.
Erin Flood, LCSW
LaSalle School
Erin Flood began working for LaSalle in June 2020, learning to navigate a new position during the depths of the pandemic. Prior to joining LaSalle she held positions as a direct care staff; case manager; and therapist in both residential treatment and outpatient care. She has a passion for residential care and the change it can make with children and their families. At LaSalle she is a member of our Therapeutic Crisis Intervention training team and has developed other trainings for staff on best practices with youth and families and most recently presented at ACRC about youth running from out of home placements.
Michelle Smith-Carrigan, FPA
LaSalle School
I began working for LaSalle in April 2024. In the past I’ve held positions as a direct care worker and a supervisor with Developmentally Disabled Individuals. I have taught and worked with children and families as a performer and teaching artist for over 30 years. As a former foster and now adoptive parent of 3 children with severe mental health issues, I am thrilled to have an opportunity to support other parents to become the driving force in their child’s treatment.
Paulette Mader, MSN
Rutgers University
Paulette Mader, MSN is a parent with lived experience who also happens to be a Senior Training and Consultation Specialist with Rutgers Behavioral Health Care, Behavioral Research and Training Institute (BRTI) for the New Jersey Children’s System of Care (CSOC). She received her Master’s Degree in Advanced Psychiatric Nursing from Rutgers University and has held a variety of a nursing positions including acute care, psychiatric rehabilitation, administration and staff development. Paulette was the Executive Director for Mercer County Family Support Organization. Paulette’s expertise includes Children’s System of Care, neurobiology of trauma, Wraparound and family and youth engagement. She holds a Certificate in Traumatic Stress Studies through The Trauma Center and Trauma Research Foundation. Paulette has years of experience as a national and state conference presenter.
Sandy Heine
Southwestern Oregon Workforce Investment Board
Sandy Heine is a parent of a young adult who was in a residential program following a serious mental health episode. She was the first peer delivered services staff of Kairos NW, having been hired as a Family Support Specialist in 2009 and becoming the Peer Delivered Services Manager of 22 Family and Youth Peer Support staff until 2019. Sandy is currently a consultant for the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), working with residential programs on organizational transformation with a focus on strengthening family engagement and is a Traditional Health Worker (THW) Advisor for Southwestern Oregon Workforce Investment Board. Sandy served on the Children’s System Advisory Committee for the Oregon Health Authority, and served as a committee member, bringing family voice, for the System of Care in several rural counties in Southern Oregon and the Rogue Valley Wraparound Initiative. Ms. Heine has presented locally and nationally on incorporating Family Voice and Peer Delivered Services into residential and community-based services.
Shannon Crossbear
Strongheart Resource Development
Shannon Crossbear is a senior consultant/trainer/facilitator with experience in the provision of technical assistance within communities, and at State, Tribal and Federal levels. She has twenty-five plus years’ experience in systems change efforts with a history of contributing to the building and strengthening of national organizations serving children and families across multiple systems. Her expertise includes assisting systems in addressing inclusion of individuals, families, and youth, addressing health disparities, integration of behavioral health into physical health care settings, cultural and linguistic competence, trauma-informed care, parent professional partnerships.
March 25, 2025 01:30 pm
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A Solution in Every Story: Proactive Change through Adaptive Challenges
Using prepared vignettes and incorporating participant contributions, this workshop will begin by conducting an abridged root cause analysis to explore several complex issues organizations commonly experience (e.g. funding shortages, staffing challenges, complex service coordination, etc.). We will brainstorm potential sources of data, as well as data collection methods, and a list of individuals whose expertise and experience would be beneficial to our efforts addressing the complex issue in question.
Zachary McElgunn
Proven Quality Practices
Zach McElgunn has spent the past 9 years working with associations and community organizations in the healthcare and behavioral health spaces to more precisely define “quality,” and understand the mechanisms that bring quality improvement goals to fruition. This includes work to achieve both individual and organizational accreditations and certifications; the development of continuing education programming; the implementation of well-defined models of care (i.e. EBPs); and the reduction of variability in service delivery. Currently, his work sits at the intersection of implementation science, organizational culture, and third-party evaluation of systems of practice.
March 25, 2025 03:30 pm
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Neurodiversity: The Value of Leadership and Organizational Culture
Consistent with conventional views of disability as an impairment, leadership discussions tend to approach neurodiverse clients and employees as special cases rather than as a population that supports organizational growth. Join us for practical evidence and strategies surrounding the value of creating a neuroinclusive organizational culture.
Lindsay Wanger, MOT, OTR
League School for Autism
Lindsay Wagner, MOT, OTR/L is an occupational therapist who has been practicing in the field of autism for 19 years. She's currently the Director of Neurodiversity and Community Inclusion at the League School for Autism. Since joining the League School in 2007, Lindsay has led the program’s implementation of the SCERTS® Model, an educational framework that engages the involvement of the multidisciplinary team to coordinate programming targeting social, emotional and educational needs of each individual student. Lindsay holds a Master’s of Occupational Therapy degree from the University of Pittsburgh, is a doctoral candidate in the Health Sciences Department at Bay Path University, and is certified as an Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Specialist.
March 25, 2025 03:30 pm
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Learning from the Lived-Experience of Care-Experienced Social Workers
The development of Independent Living Skills (ILS) during the transition from Out-of-Home Care (OOHC) is of great importance to support post-OOHC outcomes. This session explores learning from care-experienced social workers, providing unique insights about the care system and its priorities, particularly in relation to the concepts of independence and interdependence.
Michael Starr
Northumbria University
Michael Starr is a practicing social work manager from the UK. Michael started his PhD in 2021 and is due to submit his thesis in March 2025. Michael’s PhD is focussed on how young people leaving and having left out-of-home care develop and acquire independent living skills to help them in adulthood.
As care-experienced researcher, Michael brings this positionality to his work. Michael is a PGR co-rep for the UK and Ireland chapter of INTRAC (the peak body of researchers exploring transitions from care).
March 25, 2025 03:30 pm
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New Perspectives on Sustaining Helping Professionals
No doubt vicarious trauma can influence the treater’s world view, sense of safety and hope, and energy and enthusiasm for our work. Discussing myths of VT, skills to enhance and bring joy into our work, and developing radical compassion, we’ll also explore the assumption that trauma encounters are inherently fatiguing, rather the cure for exhaustion may not be rest, but wholeheartedness.
Patricia Wilcox, MSW, LCSW
Klingberg Family Centers
Patricia D. Wilcox, LCSW, Vice President of Strategic Development, Klingberg Family Centers, New Britain, Connecticut specializes in treatment of traumatized children and their families. She created the Restorative Approach™ , a trauma- and relationship-based treatment method. She is a Faculty Trainer for Risking Connection® and an Adjunct Faculty at the University of CT School of Social Work. She has presented at many national conferences including NASW; the American Association of Children’s Residential Centers; the Alliance for Children and Families; CWLA; the Black Administrators of Child Welfare, ATTACh, She is the author of Trauma Informed Care: The Restorative Approach published by Levellers Press.
Peggy Kelly, MS, LPC
Youth Home Inc.
Peggy Kelly has worked in the field of Mental Health and Substance Abuse since 1990 and has practiced in Alabama, Georgia, Michigan and Arkansas. Providing employee health services and developing policies in the workplace regarding substance abuse, violence and other behavioral health topics had been her passion. In her role of Cheif Clinical Officer she oversees all clinical services for the residential, QRTP, outpatient and school based programs. She has diversified the payer mix, developed new programming and initiated a culture change by implementing the Risking Connections Trauma Informed Care model. Peggy is currently serving as Chief Executive Officer in addition to her clinical position and is striving to help the agency plan to set a path for the future.
March 25, 2025 03:30 pm
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Opportunities for Supporting Justice Involved Youth in Community
OJJDP, through a Continuum of Care in Community, is supporting communities in identifying strengths and gaps in their continuum to help ensure comprehensive supports for vulnerable and high-risk children. This presentation will focus primarily on the opportunities to support young people returning from an out of home placement back home, and the strategies for wholistic support of children.
March 25, 2025 03:30 pm
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Building Resilient Communities: Addressing the Social Determinants of Youth Well-Being
Addressing social determinants of health such as economic stability, education, and healthcare access can improve the well-being of young people, especially in vulnerable communities. This session will focus on community-driven, cross-sector strategies that involve youth voices and promote equity to build resilient environments that support the development of all young people.
Tekoah Boatner, HS-BCP, CNP
Youth Oasis
Tekoah's an experienced nonprofit executive and consultant with a knack for stabilizing organizations and growing program capacity and adapting to what clients need. A Southern girl with northern roots, she's all about turning ideas into real-world business strategies. Specializing in human services, she loves solving complex problems of the human variety, blending policy smarts with people skills. Outside work, Tekoah's all about human rights and connecting with folks to have engaging conversations. Living in Louisiana, she's a traveler at heart and always looking for a new adventure.
March 25, 2025 03:30 pm
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Adoption after 16?: Collaborative Approaches to Permanency for Transitional Aged Youth and Young Adults (TAYA)
Young people who age out of the foster care system without a safe and secure parenting relationship face an array of challenges that significantly affect all areas of their lives as they emerge into young adulthood. This session will highlight how agencies from Kansas and Massachusetts have identified creative solutions to common permanency barriers for TAYA.
Rachel Marsh, JD, MSW
Sellers Dorsey
Rachel Y Marsh holds a law degree and master of social work from Washington University in St. Louis. Rachel has served as a child welfare adoption case manager; a family law attorney, and a child in need of care and adoption attorney. Rachel transitioned in 2016 to state legislative advocacy for improved child welfare systems, and was the Chief Executive Officer at the Children's Alliance of Kansas for four years. Today, Rachel serves as Associate Director, Child Welfare Division, at Sellers Dorsey, where she works to improve health care access for youth with complex needs involved in the child and family wellbeing system.
Domina DiBiase, LICSW
Plummer Youth Promise
Domina began her career working for the Community Health Center Association of Connecticut in 2015, where she spent 4 years serving in a variety of roles, including Operations Manager and Emergency Preparedness Program Manager. Domina then began her transition into social work, completed her Master’s in Social Work at Quinnipiac University in 2020, and is now a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) in Connecticut and Massachusetts. Domina spent over 4 years working at Love146, growing from a social work intern to a clinical supervisor during her time with the organization. As a social worker, Domina is experienced in working with youth at risk for sex trafficking, struggling with substance use, and working through histories of complex trauma. She also has experience helping youth and families to navigate juvenile justice, law enforcement, educational and child welfare systems.
Deborah Noah, LICSW
Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange
March 25, 2025 03:30 pm
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Mapping the Caregiver Journey: Experiences of Caregivers with Accessing and Receiving Residential Care for their Children with High-Level Needs
Findings are presented from a study of 30 caregivers who share their experiences with accessing therapeutic residential care (TRC) for their children. Specifically, caregivers describe precursors to seeking out TRC and their experiences with navigating the system, their child’s transition into TRC, and their preparation for their children’s discharge.
Shamra Boel-Studt, PhD, MSW
Florida State University
Dr. Boel-Studt has 20 years of combined experience in practice, training and technical assistance, research, and evaluation spanning the child welfare, children’s mental health, and juvenile justice systems. Her research focuses on the quality and effectiveness of services for children and youth served in out-of-home care settings. Dr. Boel-Studt has extensive experience collaborating with public and private agencies to promote quality services across child service systems
Robynn Baker, AND
Florida State University
Robynn Baker, ADN, is the Parent Advisor and Researcher at the Institute for Quality Children's Services at the Florida State University. Her professional experiences include working as part of an inter-disciplinary treatment in adult corrections. She also have lived experience as a parent of a high-needs children in residential care.
Daji Dvalishvili, PhD, MD, MSW
Florida State University
Darejan (Daji) Dvalishvili is a postdoctoral fellow in the College of Social Work at Florida State University with a Ph.D. in Social Work and 10+ years of experience in research, monitoring, and evaluation services in systems-level initiatives in community, school, and child welfare settings. She is interested in both basic and applied research perspectives and is skilled in various research methods to produce actionable evidence.
March 25, 2025 03:30 pm
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Unlearning What We've Learned: Making CSEC Services More Accessible and Responsive
CSEC/CSEY need authentic engagement stemming from a nuanced understanding of this form of trauma. Hear lessons learned from seasoned providers, grounded in input from young survivors. With a lens of power and positionality, examine best practices around professional boundaries, authentic use of self, structuring service delivery, and how we talk to and about the young people we serve.
Ashley Guevara, LICSW
My Life My Choice, JRI
Ashley Guevara, LICSW (she/her) is the Assistant Clinical Director at My Life My Choice, where she provides program coordination and clinical supervision to Survivor Mentors and therapy to several young mentees. She is also a member of the My Life My Choice training, providing both virtual and in-person trainings across multiple settings as well as clinical consultation. She has more than 18 years of experience working with trauma-impacted youth.
Tina Valila, LICSW
My Life My Choice, JRI
Christina (Tina) Valila, LICSW is the Senior Clinical Director for My Life My Choice, A Program of the Justice Resource Institute, based in Massachusetts. Joining My Life My Choice in 2014 as the organization’s first Assessment Coordinator, Ms. Valila has since helped lead the program to grow to serve more than 275 young people in Massachusetts each year. In her current role as Senior Clinical Director, Ms. Valila oversees My Life My Choice's Survivor Empowerment Program, which consists of a team of 20 Survivor Leaders and allies who provide a unique continuum of survivor-led services, including survivor-led mentoring, intensive case management, job readiness and leadership development, mental health services, prevention education, and consultation. Prior to joining My Life My Choice, Ms. Valila worked as a Clinical Social Worker in various settings, including working with male-identified people in the prison system, returning citizens, individuals in substance use treatment programs, people living with HIV/AIDS, and other populations pushed to the margins. Ms. Valila is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker with a master’s degree from Boston University. She is currently in the process of earning a Doctorate Degree in Social Work from Simmons University.
March 25, 2025 03:30 pm
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That Trust Thing: Exploring Intervention Responses with Young Survivors of Violence, Exploitation, Abuse, and Neglect
Residential staff caring for children and young people are on the frontline when referring them to therapeutic services. This workshop summarises research conducted with young survivors in Australia about their experiences of professional intervention. It will invite participants to critically reflect on how they position young survivors when referring them to them, as this often determines the form of intervention.
Mary Jo McVeigh
Cara House
Mary Jo McVeigh is the founder and CEO of Cara Consultancy. She is a proud Belfast Irish woman, radical social worker and activist, dedicated family member, and friend. She is acknowledged as a committed supporter of young citizens who have faced traumatic experiences through advocacy and rights-informed intervention. She has written many training packages and is widely published within the profession.
March 25, 2025 03:30 pm
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05:00 pm
Delivering Best Practice and Achieving Cost Neutrality
In this workshop we draw on learning from the US (Sycamores) and the UK about how we can deliver best practice to youth and their families while achieving good value for money. We will examine different data that can be used to build value for money discussions and will also explore differences and similarities between the US and the UK.
Lisa Holmes, PhD, BSc
University of Sussex
Lisa joined the School of Education and Social Work at the University of Sussex in January 2022 as Professor of Applied Social Science. Prior to this she was an Associate Professor and Deputy Director of Research in the Department of Education, University of Oxford. Lisa started her academic career in 2000, as a research assistant, based in the Centre for Child and Family Research at Loughborough University. Between 2013 and 2017 she was the Director of the research centre and led a large portfolio of research and evaluation projects focused on children’s social care.
Over the past twenty years Lisa has carried out a range of research and evaluation projects, with a particular focus on the relationship between needs, costs and outcomes of services and support provided to children and families. This has included the development of the Cost Calculator for Children’s Services. Lisa has also carried out responsive studies for various government departments, including the Department for Education and Ministry of Justice. These responsive studies were carried out to address specific policy issues. In 2005 Lisa was seconded into the English Government Department for Children, Schools and Families to disseminate research findings and produce a practice guide and resource pack to assist children’s services department with the strategic development and planning of services to best meet the needs of vulnerable children. Lisa has published a range of books, journal articles and project evaluation reports.
Along with her colleagues, Professor James Whittaker and Professor Jorge F del Valle, Lisa is co-chair of the International Work Group for Therapeutic Residential Care and is a board member of the European Scientific Association on Residential And Family Care For Children And Adolescents. In late 2017, along with colleagues at UCL and the University of Oxford, Lisa established the Children’s Social Care Data User Group (https://cscdug.co.uk/). The group provides a forum to share expertise and learning between all users and potential users (academic, practice and policy) of children’s social care data.
Lisa first started her career in children’s social care as an outreach worker in the early 1990s, followed by three years working as a residential social worker in a local authority children’s home in England.
Joe Ford
Sycamores
Sycamores Chief Program Officer Joe Ford is an award-winning youth advocate with 34 years of experience working with young people. At Sycamores, he oversees the Residential, Community Mental Health, and Transitional Independent Living programs. Beginning his career as a crisis management and recreation specialist at Pacific Clinics, he concurrently worked at Five Acres in Altadena, where he served for 17 years as a residential treatment child caregiver, crisis intervention specialist, and director of multiple programs. Later, he worked at the Boys & Girls Club of Pasadena for over 16 years and served on its Board of Directors for over 10 years.
He also sits on the Board of Directors of the Association of Children’s Residential & Community Centers where he served as Board President, and currently sits on the City of Pasadena’s Human Services Commission. Mr. Ford has been recognized for his outstanding work with the 2010 Professional of the Year award from Los Angeles County for dedication and advocacy for children and families, and the 2014 NAACP-Pasadena Branch President’s Award.
March 25, 2025 03:30 pm
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05:00 pm
From Farm To (Board) Table: Young Adult Change Agent’s Journeys From Residential Placements To Decision-Making Tables Begins With Youth-Driven Care
All youth can be change agents through partnership at the decision-making table. Hear from youth with lived experience who found their voices through advocacy and system reform. This roadmap will demonstrate how services should be youth and family driven, highlighting how youth-driven services foster self-advocacy and leadership skills, and how systems can and should promote youth voice.
Kyle Reece
University of North Carolina Greensboro
After being diagnosed with Autism at 13, and spending his adolescent years transitioning through various residential placements, Kyle Reece got involved with various youth-serving mental health organizations in his hometown of Durham, North Carolina. After serving as president of multiple youth advocacy organizations, including Youth M.O.V.E North Carolina, Kyle transitioned into his role as Youth Training Coordinator at a UNCG. With his position, Kyle utilizes his lived experience expertise, as well as his passion to affect change for youth in his community and across the state, by providing technical assistance and training to, youth-serving organizations, community collaboratives, and residential placements across the state.
Celeste Walley
The Catalyst Center - CA Alliance
Celeste Walley is currently the Permanency and Youth Engagement Specialist at CA Alliance’s Catalyst Center. She earned her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of California Merced while simultaneously serving youth in wraparound programs in the Bay Area. Her lived experience is the foundation of her passion. That experience led her to be a co-founder of Seneca Family of Agency’s Youth Advisory Board and has landed her seats on several national and local youth advisory/advocacy boards. Her passion for youth voice has had a tremendous impact and she hopes to continuously grow her impact and drive positive change in the foster, mental, and medical health systems.
March 25, 2025 03:30 pm
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05:00 pm
Cross-System Solutions: Strategies to Address the Unmet Complex Needs of Youth and Families
The National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services (NASDDS) is urgently working to support states in the development of positive support models for individuals with dual diagnosis, medical complexity, multi-system involvement (including juvenile justice and child welfare), and other populations with complex support needs. Learn about themes, resources, and emerging promising approaches revealed through a NASDDDS’ specialized subgroup focused on children and youth and about The Link Center, a national repository of trainings, resources, and information to improve supports available to children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), brain injuries, and other cognitive disabilities with co-occurring mental health conditions.
Stacy Nonnemacher, PhD
National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services
Dr. Nonnemacher received her Ph.D. from Lehigh University and most recently served as the Clinical Director for Pennsylvania’s Bureau of Supports for Autism and Special Populations in the Department of Human Services’ Office of Developmental Programs. In this role, Stacy influenced and informed policy and programmatic decisions related to state Medicaid programs focusing on clinical practices and behavioral science to affect change and create best practices in supporting people, their families, and other supporters. With over twenty-five years of experience in the field supporting children, adolescents, and adults in home, community, and school settings, Dr. Nonnemacher also conducted applied research and capacity building efforts embracing the application and replication of positive approaches. Stacy was Editor in Chief of the Positive Approaches Journal for the past five years.
March 25, 2025 12:00 pm
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01:00 pm
Building the Workforce of Tomorrow
In-Person ONLY Session
What smart strategies and screening tools can help determine if candidates see this work as a career? How can we elevate their WHY?
March 25, 2025 12:00 pm
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01:00 pm
Framing an Equitable Future
In-Person ONLY Session
What smart strategies and screening tools can help determine if candidates see this work as a career? How can we elevate their WHY?
March 25, 2025 12:00 pm
to
01:00 pm
Harnessing Artificial Intelligence
In-Person ONLY Session
AI has infiltrated all aspects of our lives, with our field being no exception. Can we embrace it in a meaningful, proactive way?
March 25, 2025 12:00 pm
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01:00 pm
Retaining the Workforce We Need
In-Person ONLY Session
Explore employee-led retention strategies, including cultivating positive workforce culture and workplace well-being. Let’s ensure everyone knows how much they matter at work and beyond!
March 25, 2025 12:00 pm
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01:00 pm
Addressing Unmet Complex Needs
In-Person ONLY Session
Leadership of NASDDDS and ACRC will share problem-solving strategies and resources to address cross-sector challenges. Discuss what's working to ensure young people with unique complexities don’t fall through the cracks.
March 25, 2025 12:00 pm
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01:00 pm
Mergers, Acquisitions and Partnerships, Oh My!
In-Person ONLY Session
How can we think differently about collaborative approaches to meet the changing needs in our field? Let’s explore creative, unexpected partnerships that enhance community impact.
March 25, 2025 12:00 pm
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01:00 pm
Connecting Residential Directors
In-Person ONLY Session
The nuanced role of residential director has few peers with the same level of responsibility. Access the collective expertise of skilled residential directors as we elevate this pivotal position.
March 25, 2025 12:00 pm
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01:00 pm
New and Expanded Use of PRTFs
In-Person ONLY Session
As jurisdictions invest in Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities, what are the challenges, successes, and lessons learned?
March 25, 2025 12:00 pm
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01:00 pm
Building Restraint-Free Cultures of Care
In-Person ONLY Session
Walk together on the journey to replace coercive strategies with trauma responsive interventions.
March 25, 2025 12:00 pm
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01:00 pm
Recognizing Dangers Online
In-Person ONLY Session
The U.S. Kids Online Safety Act is just one example of global efforts to address the impact of screens and social media on youth mental health. How are we balancing inherent risk, known brain science, and children’s rights?
March 25, 2025 12:00 pm
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01:00 pm
Investing in Co-Design
In-Person ONLY Session
True youth and family engagement is advanced when we design systems, programs, and research in lock step with those who have lived experience. Share examples and learn from peers.
March 25, 2025 12:00 pm
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01:00 pm
Stabilizing the Crisis
In-Person ONLY Session
As the number of youth experiencing mental health crises continues to rise, what works in crisis prevention? What does best practice look like in safe, child-friendly, short-term stabilizing environments that keep young people out of offices, hotels, and emergency rooms?
March 26, 2025 09:00 am
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11:00 am
From Crisis to Community: Practical Solutions for Holistic Child and Family Care
Children and families need more than empathy—they need tangible support systems to survive and thrive in today’s world. Drawing from years of experience in human services and youth programming, I’ll explore how human-centered, community-based interventions can break cycles of poverty, trauma, and instability. This talk illuminates the interconnected experiences of trauma in supervised care settings for youth experiencing crisis and dives into practical solutions we can create to build a future where every child has the resources to flourish, and every family feels empowered and supported.
Tekoah Boatner, HS-BCP, CNP
Youth Oasis
Tekoah's an experienced nonprofit executive and consultant with a knack for stabilizing organizations and growing program capacity and adapting to what clients need. A Southern girl with northern roots, she's all about turning ideas into real-world business strategies. Specializing in human services, she loves solving complex problems of the human variety, blending policy smarts with people skills. Outside work, Tekoah's all about human rights and connecting with folks to have engaging conversations. Living in Louisiana, she's a traveler at heart and always looking for a new adventure.
March 26, 2025 09:00 am
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11:00 am
Health is not the Absence of Symptoms
While common strategies to manage the emotional and behavioral challenges of youth focus on reducing & eliminating symptoms, this discussion will highlight the need to cultivate strengths and resiliency to create long-term, durable change.
Bob Foltz, PsyD
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology
March 26, 2025 09:00 am
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11:00 am
Bridging Connections: Addressing the Needs of Children and Families
This dynamic presentation aims to inspire and challenge attendees to rethink their approaches to serving children and families. Themes will include: Connections to Communities, Authentic Relationships, and using the metaphor of a puzzle to illustrate how various supports come together to create a complete picture of wellbeing.
Justin Black
Redefining Normal
March 26, 2025 09:00 am
to
11:00 am
Examining Systemic Barriers in the Educational System
Children’s educational experiences are not equal and often systems can exacerbate the barriers producing lopsided outcomes. This talk highlights systemic barriers such as anti-Black racism from the early years through to secondary school while underscoring the resistance strategies of Black families and community members.
Janelle Brady
School of Early Childhood Studies, Toronto Metropolitan University
March 26, 2025 09:00 am
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11:00 am
More Than A Home: The Implications of Safe, Stable, Affordable Housing for Youth and Families
Undoubtedly, housing instability can lead to negative short- and long-term affects for children and families. The unpredictable nature of this hardship can cause disruption in school performance, relationship building, and overall well-being. How can we address, avoid, and eliminate this stress-inducing situation in our communities?
Ruth Anne White
Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Wilmington
Ruth White is one of the nation’s leading experts on the nexus between housing policy and child welfare. She is co-founder and Executive Director of the National Center for Housing and Child Welfare and former director of Housing and Homelessness for the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA). At the Child Welfare League, she co-edited the landmark issue of the League’s journal, Child Welfare, documenting the extent to which children are needlessly held in foster care because their parents lack decent housing. Through Ruth’s advocacy, over $100 million in new funding for the Family Unification Program has been made available for families and youth in child welfare since 2009. Ruth worked directly with current and former foster youth to design the concept of "on demand" vouchers for youth for HUD's new Foster Youth to Independence Initiative. Having achieved the milestone of getting FUP vouchers codified into law, Ruth has now taken her expertise to serve as the Executive Director of Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Wilmington. Ruth has a degree in social work from Ohio State University, a master’s degree in social administration from Case Western Reserve University and is a doctoral candidate, National School of Social Service at Catholic University of America.
March 26, 2025 11:30 am
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01:00 pm
Fostering a Positive Program Culture to Attract and Retain High Quality Staff
Retaining quality staff is one of the most crucial issues for agencies across the country. This highly interactive workshop will create a forum to discuss creative strategies to develop a positive program culture that will set a tone for high quality employees to want to work for, and stay, in an agency.
Noor Almaoui, LCSW
Sycamores
Noor Almaoui, LCSW is a Clinical Supervisor at Sycamores in Los Angeles. She is a tri-lingual professional who has also worked providing a variety of services to adolescents at Casa Pacifica, Homeless Heath Care, and as owner of Universal Ethos, Inc. Noor has presented at a variety of agencies in California, New York and Dublin as well as presenting at Child and Youth Care Conferences in the USA Canada and Ireland, including the 2024 ACRC Conference.
Frank Delano, LMSW
Professional Package Consulting
Frank Delano, LMSW is the President of Professional Package Consulting. He previously worked at a large New York Residential Center for 25 years beginning as a Child Care Worker He taught for 25 years in the Fordham University Graduate Social Work program and teaches Child Welfare for the University of Oklahoma for the last 18 years. He is on the Board of ACYCP and was on the Committee that revised the last CWLA Standards of Excellence for Children’s Residential Care.
March 26, 2025 11:30 am
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01:00 pm
A Closer Look at Shared Family Care
Take a closer look at SFC, exploring the structure and design of each program, including referral pathways, staffing, and other considerations for administering these programs. We’ll discuss outcomes, challenges, and areas for future improvement, highlighting how these models are impacting families in different cultural and social settings. Hear practical considerations for implementing SFC in the US context.
Christopher Bellonci, MD
Harvard Medical School
Lysbert Zeinstra
Erasmus University Rotterdam
Giorgia Olezzi
University of Bologna
Chiara Monti
University of Bologna
Bethany Lee, PhD, MSW
University of Maryland Baltimore
Dr. Bethany Lee, PhD MSW, is the Richard P. Barth Professor of Children’s Services at the University of Maryland School of Social Work. As a former residential care staff member, she continues to pursue research that improves the quality and outcomes of services provided to youth and families. She currently serves as the Editor-in-Chief of ACRC's peer-reviewed journal, Residential Treatment for Children & Youth.
Laura Palareti, PhD
University of Bologna
Rick Barth, PhD, MSW
University of Maryland Balitmore
March 26, 2025 11:30 am
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01:00 pm
Turbocharging Supervision to Support Staff and Children in High-Stress Environments: A Framework For Trauma-Informed Coaching
This 2-part workshop explores the principles of how supervisors, and leaders can utilize trauma-informed coaching strategies and principles that can help empower staff to develop the competencies needed to support the whole child and transform agency culture. Through real-world insights from multiple perspectives and roles, participants will gain practical tools to help turbocharge and transform their supervision strategies and organizational culture.
Zachary Barry, MSW
Cornell University
Zachary Barry, MSW, is an Extension Associate for the Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research (BCTR) at Cornell University. Zac facilitates courses for the Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) and CARE models across the United States, Canada and Australia. He also provides technical assistance and coaching to assist organizations using the TCI model sustain best practice principles and achieve positive outcomes. In addition, Zac assists in curriculum development for TCI and coordinates the TCI professional certified trainer program.
Andrea Turnbull, LMHC
Cornell University
Andrea Turnbull is an Extension Associate with the Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research and Co-Director of the Residential Child Care Project at Cornell University where she provides day-to-day project leadership, program direction and co-ordination to a team of faculty and staff in developing state-of-the-art program and training curricula on a variety of topics along with technical assistance and training evaluation worldwide.
Daniel Pectol, MSW
ACH Child and Family Services
Danny Pectol started his child welfare career as a childcare staff at the Emergency Shelter/Assessment Center of the Children’s Home of Lubbock in May of 1996. Over the next 11 years he honed his on the floor skills working with high acuity clients through various roles at the Children’s Home of Lubbock and Texas Boys Ranch. Danny developed a reputation for effectively working with the highest acuity clients by building high performing teams with innovative programming. In 2007 after completing his Masters in Social Work at the University of Texas in Arlington Danny moved through various Director and Administrator roles in therapeutic programs in West Texas until 2016. Danny relocated to Fort Worth to work at ACH Child and Family Services and currently serves as the director for their Wedgwood Campus Wedgewood Campus.
Kaitlyn Smith
ACH Child and Family Services
March 26, 2025 11:30 am
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01:00 pm
Linking Services to Provide Flexible and Effective Support for Children and Families
Panelists will discuss effective ways to empower children and families so that they develop the skills to become advocates for their wellbeing and success. Expertise will be shared on how different services can be flexibly linked to meet the individualized needs of children and families based on common theoretical principles.
Patrick Tyler, PhD, LIMHP, LPC
Boys Town
Rashain Carriere, MSW, MHP
Boys Town
John Etzell, BA
Boys Town
Angie Powers, MS, LIMHP
Boys Town
As Vice President of Nebraska, Angie has vast program experience and model knowledge in Family Home, Intervention and Assessment, Care Coordination, On the Way Home, Aftercare, and Education programs.
Angie began work at Boys Town in 1996 as an Assistant Family Teacher before becoming a Family-Teacher with her husband for six years. She has held various management positions across multiple programs as well as national leadership positions including Director of Pastoral Affairs and Senior Director of Administrative Services. In these roles, she supported the Executive Vice President of Youth Care, managed data services, and implemented special projects nationally throughout the Youth Care Programs. In July of 2019, she took on her current role as Executive Director of Home Campus. This has given her the opportunity to run large programs in an efficient and successful manner.
Angie is a passionate advocate for children and families. She is active in building relationships with local and national agencies aiding in this effort. She is a representative for Boys Town providing training, collaboration, and networking with groups such as Association of Children’s Residential Centers (ACRC), Alliance for Children and Families, and the Teaching Family Association (TFA).
Angie actively volunteers in her church, school district, and local athletic groups. In her free time, Angie enjoys spending time with her husband, four daughters, and grandson. She also enjoys sports, being outdoors, and traveling with friends and family.
March 26, 2025 11:30 am
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01:00 pm
Re-envisioning Shelter Services: A Comprehensive Approach
Discover how one youth emergency shelter has re-envisioned how to care for homeless youth with complex trauma, mental health, and substance use concerns. Attendees will leave with concrete tools and innovative strategies to engage youth, families, partners, and funders in providing more comprehensive care that improves outcomes for youth.
Kim Scorza, LMSW, MSW
Crittenton Center
Kim Scorza, LMSW, Kim Scorza, President/CEO for Crittenton Center, has been working in the human services field in Iowa for the past 35 years. Her leadership experience includes overseeing operating budgets of over $10 million dollars and leading a staff of nearly 200 employees. Ms. Scorza has developed and promoted working relationships with key stakeholders and partners representing county, regional, and state agencies, and was directly responsible for re-opening and re-envisioning emergency shelter services for youth following the COVID-19 pandemic. Crittenton Center is now the largest emergency shelter for youth in the state of Iowa.
March 26, 2025 11:30 am
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01:00 pm
HillsidesCares: Service Expansion to Reach New Populations
Meet the team at HillsidesCares who transformed a long-standing STRTP program into an effective behavioral health program for families with commercial insurance, providing three levels of trauma-informed care. You will learn about how the program was launched, clinical approaches, and client outcomes.
Casey Meinster, LMFT
Hillsides
Casey Meinster has devoted her professional journey to infusing hope and promise into the lives of those in need of intensive behavioral healthcare and support. Driven by personal experiences with the profound impact of suicide, Casey channels her passion into her role as the Division Chief of Campus-Based Services. In this capacity, she nurtures and oversees the Hillsides Residential Program, HillsidesCares, providing essential support to at-risk youth aged 6 to 17.
Andrew Hernandez, MPA
Hillsides
Andrew Hernandez serves as the Director of Campus Based Services at Hillsides’ Residential Programs. In this role, Andrew provides oversight to the direct care teams that support Hillsides Residential Programs. Andrew has over 12 years of experience providing direct care services and leadership in programs in South Dakota and in California.
Lucia Garcia, MPH
Hillsides
Lucy Garcia joined Hillsides in 2021 as a Business Development Manager, leading innovation initiatives and supporting new business opportunities for the organization. She oversees health plan contracting and relationship management for multiple service lines, including residential and intensive outpatient behavioral treatment programs.
March 26, 2025 11:30 am
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01:00 pm
Family and Community Engagement: Crosswalking Promising Practices From Head Start to Residential Care
Cross walking promising practices from ACF Head Start family and community engagement principles– which are founded to improve child outcomes, we actively seek out and respond to community voices, strengths, and needs. Collaborating with families, community members, and other local agencies we identify common goals, align resources, and share data for continuous improvement and effective partnerships.
Nila Rinehart
Community Development Institute
Nila has built a 40-year career impacting the world of early childhood education. Her decades of Head Start management experience at all levels of responsibility include work at the national, state, and local levels. Nila’s most recent experience includes management and oversight of the RPFI Task under the National Interim Management contract (NIM). In this capacity she led the expansion of this initiative in partnership with the University of Massachusetts – Donahue Institute. Her primary work experience has centered on contract management, program management, governance, program design, and fiscal operations – including oversight of a substantial real estate portfolio. Her experience also includes managing migrant and seasonal, and American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) programs. She has been a director of a nationally recognized AI/AN Head Start program for 10 years. In 2007, at the request of OHS, Nila provided management support to the American Indian/Alaska Native Regional Office. Promoting indigenous cultures and languages is a passion for Nila, and she knows firsthand how to work with deficient programs and improve their practices. Nila joined CDI in 2003 and successfully assisted in developing projects in place today.
Kathi Boyer-Edwards
Community Development Institute
Kathi brings over 30 years of experience in program development and design as an administrator for
early childhood projects. Early on, Kathi gained valuable hands-on experience, directing various pieces
of Head Start administration of a large, urban, non-profit agency. She grew that experience into her
own small business, where she crafted customized improvement plans for Head Start grantees who had
recently undergone federal reviews revealing areas of non-compliance. This shoulder-to-shoulder
approach in T/TA lent itself to Kathi’s managerial style in working as a CDI Lead Site Manager for
interim programs, many of whom experienced similar deficiency findings under their previous grantee.
Kathi’s influence extends beyond direct services and reaches the program’s childcare, family childcare,
and delegate partners to ensure compliance program-wide. Kathi has also contributed to the success of
program transitions between incumbents and awardees as part of the Transition Works team, where her
skills in planning and implementation have flourished. In her current role as Senior Project Manager,
Kathi has worked internally and externally to build a network of child welfare providers focused on
best practices in shelter care environments.
March 26, 2025 11:30 am
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01:00 pm
Hope and The Winds of Grief: Supporting clients and ourselves after loss
Grief and Loss can shatter all of us. Especially in our field, we may encounter grief and loss vicariously, so let’s explore experiences and resources, with special care taken to discuss suicide loss. Using both practical application and case study, discover how bibliotherapy, creative activities, and play can support the youth we serve and our precious workforce.
Dana Wyss, PhD, LMFT, ATR-BC, RPT
Stars Behavioral Health Group
March 26, 2025 11:30 am
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01:00 pm
The Transformative Power of Partnership with and for LGBTQ+ Youth in Foster Care
This presentation invites participants to enhance their services for LGBTQ+ youth in out-of-home care settings. Leveraging perspectives from three organizations dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ youth in care, it highlights the importance of partnering with youth, family focused trauma-informed services, and identity-affirming mentorship practices that support positive outcomes for our LGBTQ+ young people.
Vida Khavar, LMFT
Family Builders
Vida Khavar, LMFT has 25+ years’ experience in child welfare. She has assisted many organizations in developing programs that serve children and families, and her expertise lies in permanency and out-of-home care. Vida was a consultant for the federal project: RISE, which aimed at improving the lives of LGBTQ+ youth in foster care in Los Angeles County. She is currently the Clinical Director at Family Builders. As such, she collaborates with the California Department of Social Services in developing and implementing affirming policies and practices for LGBTQ+ children in foster care. Vida also leads the Youth Acceptance Project and provides her clinical expertise to several jurisdictions throughout the country.
Leah Harrigan
Silver Lining Mentoring
Leah Harrigan (she/her) is the Assistant Director of Education and Training at Silver Lining Mentoring, where she supports educational opportunities for child welfare practitioners and mentors matched with youth impacted by foster care. With a background in classroom teaching, clinical social work, and social service leadership, Leah focuses her work on expanding trauma-informed mentorship practices for young people in care. Leah holds an M.A. in Child Study and Human Development from Tufts University and a certificate in Social Impact Management and Leadership from the Institute for Nonprofit Practice.
Jackie Surdan, LMHC
Waltham House - The Home
Jackie Surdan (she/her) is a clinician at Waltham House, a 1:4 specialty group home placement for LGBTQ+ adolescents. She specializes in trauma therapy and providing holistic, gender-affirming care for trans, nonbinary, and queer youth. Jackie also provides training and support to the Waltham House multidisciplinary team, drawing on her background in congregate care to apply principles of trauma-informed treatment to milieu work. Jackie has a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from William James College.
March 26, 2025 11:30 am
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01:00 pm
Examining Systemic Barriers in the Educational System: From pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12
Building off the morning Ted Talk, in this interactive workshop we will expand the conversation to explore prevalent systemic issues impacting children in schools and early learning settings, understand their unique role in addressing such systemic factors, and collaborate on ways to create and sustain systemic change while sharing promising practices.
Janelle Brady
School of Early Childhood Studies, Toronto Metropolitan University
March 26, 2025 11:30 am
to
01:00 pm
Bridging Connections: Addressing the Needs of Children and Families
This interactive workshop will focus on the impact of generational trauma on children and families. By the end of the workshop, participants will leave with actionable strategies to support healing and resilience in the children and families they serve.
Justin Black
Redefining Normal
March 26, 2025 11:30 am
to
01:00 pm
No Method to the Madness: Making Sense of the Psychiatric Treatment of our Youth.
We are seeing some of the highest rates of youth presenting at ERs for depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. A primary treatment is antidepressant medication, but do our youth deserve better? Explore No Method to the Madness: Making Sense of the Psychiatric Treatment of our Youth, and the science behind depressive conditions in and primary treatments for adolescents.
Bob Foltz, PsyD
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology
March 26, 2025 01:30 pm
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03:00 pm
March 26, 2025 03:30 pm
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05:00 pm
The Coach Approach: Changing the Culture for Engaging Conversations Supporting families, provider organizations, children, youth and young adults
Join us as we take you through a slice of an uplifting journey through The Coach Approach. An approach using coaching practices for better engagements- consisting of mindsets and skill-based coaching practices that strengthen and develop positive engagements, enhance leadership performance, and support families, youth and children to “show up” as their best selves.
Monica McCall, PhD
Coach Approach Partners
Dr. Monica McCall is the Founder and Former Chief Executive Officer of Creative Options, a Maryland’s premier community -based provider organization supporting adults, youth and children with intellectual and developmental disabilities with co-ocurring mental illness. For over 32 years Dr. McCall has been able to combine her non- profit leadership talents with her executive and leadership coaching. She is now the managing partner of Coach Approach Partners.
Lloyd Bullard, M. ED
ACRC Consultant
Lloyd Bullard has over 40 years of experience working in the human services field. Lloyd is the Association of Children's Residential &Community Services (ACRC)/Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) Administrator of Equity, Diversity, Belonging, and Inclusion, as well as a Senior Consultant. He is responsible for staffing and leading the Leaders of Color Project.
March 26, 2025 03:30 pm
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05:00 pm
Staff ACEs and Professional Quality of Life- Does our history make the work harder or more fulfilling?
Assessing an expanded version of the ACEs study and the relationship between childhood trauma and worker professional quality of life and burnout, we will look at the prevalence of ACEs amongst staff, paying special attention to gender identity, race, ethnicity, age, and years of services. We'll discuss best practices for supporting staff given the results of the study.
Camela Hughes, PhD
University of Albany | LaSalle School
Dr. Camela Hughes is a Visiting Assistant Professor at the University at Albany. Her research interests include evidence-based practice, trauma informed care, and the linkages between client characteristics, treatment interventions, and outcomes for youth. Dr. Hughes was the Co-Principal Investigator of Service Outcomes Action Research (SOAR), a University/agency partnership designed to aid LaSalle School in the development and testing of a theory of change to help determine what methods work best with which clients. She is also a member of the Association of Children’s Residential Centers Research Committee.
Jess Linick, PhD, SEP
The Lionheart Foundation
Jessica Linick, Ph.D., SEP, (Columbia University) is the Director of Youth Services for the Lionheart Foundation. Prior to joining Lionheart, she was the Senior Psychologist with the Bellevue/NYU Juvenile Justice Mental Health Service and a Clinical Assistant Professor with NYU School of Medicine, working to expand trauma-informed care within the NYC secure and non-secure juvenile detention sites. Prior to that, she was a Clinical Supervisor at Rikers Island, New York City’s largest jail complex, serving adults with severe mental illness. She is an author, consultant, trainer, speaker, and teacher, presenting nationally and internationally on topics related to attachment, Trauma Informed Care, criminal justice reform, and the use of mindfulness as an intervention within residential and forensic settings. Jess is also a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP); SE is a resiliency based, body-oriented approach to the healing of trauma and other stress disorders.
Carly Baetz, JD, PhD
Purdue University Northwest
Carly L. Baetz is an Associate Professor at Purdue University Northwest. Her current work focuses on treating justice-involved youth with histories of trauma exposure, conducting research on the implementation of trauma-informed practices in the juvenile justice system, and providing trauma-informed training and consultation to juvenile justice professionals.
March 26, 2025 03:30 pm
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05:00 pm
Learned Lessons in Multi-System Collaboration in an Integrated Continuum of Care World
A child welfare goal is to identify the best treatment options for youth engaged in multi-system services during their continuum of care. Stressors that trigger the need for mental health services vary. To address these stressors, different placement options and services may be needed to ensure positive outcomes for children and families. Data from a national survey confirms youth removed from the home have fewer changes in placement when the child welfare and mental health providers are part of the same agency. (Does Formal Integration Between Child Welfare and Behavioral Health Agencies Result in Improved Placement Stability For Adolescents Engaged With Both Systems? Wells, Chuang, PhD, 2012).
Holly Jones, MA, LPCC-S
The Buckeye Ranch
Holly Jones has worked as an independently licensed clinical counselor and supervisor in multiple clinical settings. She has served youth and families Buckeye Ranch for the last 17 years and manages 2 community-based programs that provide intensive mental health services to children and families. She provides training to clinical employees across multiple programs as well as managing the administrative side. Holly is passionate about providing high quality evidence-based services to children and their families in their own communities, while making sure clinical staff have the skills and support to accomplish these goals.
Josh Stewart, MSW, LISW-S, LICDC
The Buckeye Ranch
Joshua Stewart has been working as a clinical practitioner for over 20 years and has served within a director role for the past 11 years within a Residential program. Joshua employs a strength based and relational care approach within an individual/family/systems centered viewpoint as well as within a collaborative supervisory approach. He has encompassed NMT, Collaborative Problem Solving and EQ2 within the practices. His special focus has been working within complex problems including acute trauma, crisis management, and conceptualizing problems from a strategic, solution focused, strength based, developmental and cultural perspective.
Jessica Thomspon, MSW, LISW-S
The Buckeye Ranch
With 17 years of experience in the foster care system, Jessica Thompson brings a wealth of knowledge and real-world experience to her training sessions. Jessica is committed to improving the lives of children and families through her commitment to advocacy, education, and collaboration between systems of care. Jessica was recently developed one of the training courses that is utilized to train adoption assessors across the state of Ohio.
Anton Smith
Oak Hill Ranch
Anton is currently the Executive Director for Oak Hill Ranch, located near Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He has worked at Oak Hill for twenty (20) years, and in the area Child and Youth Care for over 35 years in variety children’s services domains. In addition, he is a Children And Residential Care (CARE) Consultant and an Instructor for Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) with the Residential Child Care Project (RCCP) at Cornell University. Anton has completed a Masters in Social Work (2005) through Dalhousie University in Child and Family Practice and a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Victoria. Anton has presented at international, national and regional conferences on topics related to Child and Youth Care.
Emily Wang
Oak Hill Ranch
Dr. Wang is a Senior Director of Clinical Advancement at Hull Services. She has 30+ years of experience in clinical practice and 25 years in organizational leadership. She was instrumental in bringing the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics into Hull in 2010, and in developing Hull Services as Alberta’s first Touchpoints Training Site. She is the 202 recipient of the UCDavis CPE PICI “Bruce D. Perry Spirit of the Child Award” and the 2023 recipient of the Psychologist of the Year award from Psychologist’s Association of Alberta.
Michelle Basarab
Oak Hill Ranch
Beginning her career in campus-based care in 1990, Michelle held a variety of roles with Children and Family Services before accepting her current role as Executive Director for Child Intervention in 2004. Michelle has had the privilege of leading the development of a dedicated provincial campus-based care branch over the past year, bringing her career full circle in an area she is most passionate about.
Shawn O'Grady
Oak Hill Ranch
Shawn O’Grady, MSW RSW Shawn brings a great deal of expertise in designing and overseeing treatment programs for children and families, as he draws from his experience in child and family treatment programs within the mental health field over the past 25 years. Shawn is currently working as an individual and family therapist, trainer and instructor in Calgary, Alberta and surrounding area. He has trained extensively with Dr. Bruce Perry and the Child Trauma Academy in the Neurosequential Model (NM) in the area of early childhood trauma and the ways that can impact children and even adults later in life. Shawn has also been an instructor for Therapeutic Crisis Intervention with Cornell University since 2001. Shawn has a specialty in parental capacity and family systems, with a particular focus with families struggling as a result of domestic violence, parent/child conflict, high-risk child behaviour, and complex needs children. He has considerable skill and expertise in the area of crisis intervention and in family counseling, and he draws heavily on his understanding of other treatment and assistance programs to create plans that will help families. Shawn received both his Bachelors and Masters of Social Work with a Clinical Specialization from the University of Calgary and is a registered social worker with the Alberta College of Social Workers.
March 26, 2025 03:30 pm
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From Hopelessness to Hope: The Powerful Impact of the Science of Hope
Hope can be taught, lent, and nurtured! In this session, we will learn simple strategies that increase hopeful thinking among youth in care and improve essential outcomes. We will look at practical, realistic ways to begin to build a hope-centered culture in your agency.
Mindy Kiser
Omni Family Institute
Mindy Kiser serves as the Omni Family Institute President/Executive Director. Mindy comes to OFI with
more than twenty years of experience working with the child welfare sector. Mindy has been a Together
Facing the Challenge trainer and consultant and a TBRI practitioner for the past 6 years and worked as
the national director of quality assurance with The Bair Foundation, previously.
Mindy has a Master of Arts in Counseling from Liberty University and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology
from Slippery Rock University in PA.
Michelle Wingate, MS
Omni Family Institute
Michelle Wingate serves as the Omni Family Institute Learning Ambassador. She comes from Together
Facing the Challenge, where she spent more than five years as a certified trainer and consultant.
Michelle is a mom of six. Four of her children came to her family through foster care and adoption.
Michelle and her husband, Chase, have been foster parents for over six years, serving over twenty
children in multiple capacities.
Michelle studied Human Development at Azusa Pacific University and completed her Masters in Family
Studies at Texas Woman’s University.
Amy Savage, MS
Omni Family Institute
Amy Savage serves as Omni Family Institute’s Hope Ambassador. She brings twenty-plus years of
experience in child welfare, including four years of prevention and over seven years as a foster care team
leader. Most recently, Amy served as the Program Director over continuous quality improvement at the
Tennessee Department of Children’s Services.
Amy holds a Master of Science in Counseling and a Bachelor of Science in Human Services/Educational
Interpreting for the deaf, both from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
March 26, 2025 03:30 pm
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The Impact of Creative Partnerships on Youth Health and Wellness
Two ACRC member programs are collaborating on this presentation to highlight work with and around culinary and farm projects with the overall goal of holistic health and wellness. Hear about the RI Harvest Kitchen Project, s a 20-week culinary job skills training program serving youth involved with DCYF and the Genessee Lake School’s operational Homegrown Farms, a vital addition to the school for education, vocation, and therapeutic services.
Erika Boettcher
Genesee Lake School
I am your quintessential Midwestern, farm girl. I was raised on a small dairy farm in Ixonia, WI. My parents were two of the hardest working, most dedicated humans I’ve ever met, role modeling for me a true commitment to the things you are passionate about. I accidently stumbled into human services working with people with developmental and other disabilities, but I knew immediately this would be my life’s work. I’ve worked with both adults and children with a variety of disabilities, neuro-developmental disorders, mental health diagnosis, and a variety of other barriers ranging in intensity. The work ethic role-modeled for me from childhood has been the foundation to my successful career in advocating for a population that often cannot advocate for themselves. I absolutely love my job and wake up every day looking forward to going to work.
Anna Balmer
Genesee Lake School
Anna Blamer is the Nutrition Services Coordinator at Genesee Lake School (GLS). She is a Registered Dietitian with a background in program development, sustainable food systems, and foodservice management. During her time at GLS, she has morphed the dining program into a farm-to-cafeteria model. She is currently in the process of developing clinical nutrition policies to address behavioral feeding concerns of adolescents.
Larome Myrick, PhD
Dept. of Children, Youth and Families: Division of Youth Development
Dr. Larome Myrick is a highly accomplished professional in the field of criminal justice, who served as the Executive Director of Juvenile Justice for the State of Rhode Island from May 2018 to present. With an extensive educational background and a wealth of experience, Dr. Myrick has made significant contributions to the field throughout his career.
Dr. Myrick obtained his undergraduate degree in Healthcare Administration from the esteemed University of Toledo in 2003. Recognizing the importance of continued education, he pursued a master's degree in Organizational Leadership from Lourdes University in 2009. Driven by a thirst for knowledge and a desire to make a lasting impact, he went on to complete his PhD in Criminal Justice.
John Scott
Dept. of Children, Youth and Families: Division of Youth Development
John R. Scott, Senior Community Development Training Specialist at the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), brings over three decades of experience to his role. He oversees trainings and policy implementations at the Rhode Island Training School, ensuring staff's professional growth. John collaborates with management and frontline teams to identify improvement areas and spearhead training initiatives. Additionally, he fosters partnerships with local institutions to recruit talent and provides career enrichment opportunities like certified instructor trainings. Notable achievements include expanding recruitment efforts and advocating for staff advancement. John holds a Bachelor's in Criminal Justice, and a Master's in Criminal Justice Administration, reflecting his dedication to youth development and juvenile justice. He was honored with the John R. Manson/Carl Robinson Award for Significant Contributions to the Field of Criminal Justice by the New England Council on Crime and Delinquency in 2008. Key accomplishments include co-creating and managing the Urban Garden Project and the Harvest Kitchen Project, both providing therapeutic and vocational opportunities for youth under DCYF's care.
March 26, 2025 03:30 pm
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The Lessons we are Learning from Youth who go Missing from Care
Hear the journeys of a lived experience expert, a national child-serving agency, a state child welfare agency, a local provider, and a residential community who have aligned to meet the holistic needs of kids who go missing from care. We’ll delve into individual agency transformations needed to prevent youth from going missing and cross-system alignment needed to successfully serve youth.
Sheelah Gobar, MSCJ
Children's Advocacy Center of Suffolk County, SEEN Program
As the Support to End Exploitation Now (SEEN) Program Manager at the Children’s Advocacy Center of Suffolk County, Sheelah Gobar coordinates multidisciplinary interventions for commercially sexually exploited and high-risk youth (CSEC). Sheelah provides guidance and leadership to the SEEN team to ensure prompt communication among multidisciplinary team members, and victim-centered responses for youth and families. She provides training and consultation locally, nationally, and internationally on CSEC identification and response. Sheelah came to the CAC after completing her MS in Crime and Justice Studies at Suffolk University with a concentration in Victim Advocacy. Sheelah previously served as a rape crisis counselor where she provided medical advocacy to sexual assault survivors. Prior, Sheelah received her BS in Political Science at Northeastern University with a concentration in International and Comparative Politics and worked in international urban development supporting research and capacity-building.
Sophie Jordan
Children's Advocacy Center of Suffolk County, SEEN Program
Sophie is the CSEC Prevention and Intervention Specialist at the Children’s Advocacy Center of Suffolk County. In this role, Sophie works with CAC partners to coordinate and facilitate person-centered, trauma-informed, and comprehensive services for youth survivors, as well as provide tailored training and outreach to community partners on CSEC prevention and response. Prior to joining the CAC, Sophie worked as a Montessori Educator at Children’s House Montessori School in Burlington, North Carolina and interned as a Client Advocate at the New Hampshire domestic violence and sexual assault crisis center, HAVEN. These experiences have helped her develop a strong understanding of child development, best-practice when working with survivors, and micro, mezzo, and macro social systems. Sophie is committed to a strengths-based approach when working with survivors.
Kim Parks-Bourn, LCSW-C
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
Kim Parks-Bourn is the Program Manager for Children Missing from Care at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. She is responsible for working with all 50 states to implement federal policy requiring child welfare to report missing children and youth to NCMEC. Her work entails identifying and problem-solving cross-system pain points to improve serving children missing from care. She joined NCMEC in July, 2023 and brings with her over 28 years of experience as a frontline social worker, clinician, trainer, clinical supervisor as well as an administrator in the child welfare and mental health systems in the State of Maryland. Kim has served numerous children, adolescents, and families throughout her career ranging in these capacities. She also has experience in developing and monitoring legislation as well as assessing needs and strategic planning.
Hannah Taverna, LCSW
MA Dept. of Child and Family Services
Hannah Taverna, MSW, PhD, currently serves as the Program Manager for the Missing or Absent Child Program at the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families, where she oversees teams of supervisors and social workers dedicated to locating, engaging, and ensuring the safe return of missing or absent children. Hannah earned her PhD in Global Inclusion and Social Development from the University of Massachusetts Boston, where her research focused on the wellbeing of unaccompanied refugee minors transitioning into adulthood in the United States. She also holds a Master of Social Work degree from Bridgewater State University. She is a licensed certified social worker (LCSW) with a deep commitment to promoting social justice, inclusion, and equity in all aspects of her work.
Erin Flood, LCSW
LaSalle School
Erin Flood began working for LaSalle in June 2020, learning to navigate a new position during the depths of the pandemic. Prior to joining LaSalle she held positions as a direct care staff; case manager; and therapist in both residential treatment and outpatient care. She has a passion for residential care and the change it can make with children and their families. At LaSalle she is a member of our Therapeutic Crisis Intervention training team and has developed other trainings for staff on best practices with youth and families and most recently presented at ACRC about youth running from out of home placements.
March 26, 2025 03:30 pm
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05:00 pm
Using the BBI Theory of Change for Quality Improvement; Aligning Innovation and Measurement
The BBI Theory of Change for Residential Interventions is a quality improvement that is being tested in a five- program public private demonstration project. This presentation will review project development and design, summarize the improvement initiatives occurring at the program level, and present data and learnings thus far.
Nancy Pierce-Craig
ACRC Consultant
Like a lot of parents, Nancy started her “career” learning to navigate the child serving systems for her children. Little did she realize that her personal experiences would lead her on professional quest to ensure every family, no matter the challenges they face have access to a family peer helping and supporting to teach, coach and mentor parents /caregivers as they journey towards their personal strength and empowerment.
Paula Minske
Nexus
Charley Downing
Northwest Outward Bound School
Margaret McGladrey, PhD
University of Kentucky
Bob Lieberman, MA, LPC
Lieberman Group Inc.
Robert E. (Bob) Lieberman has over four decades working with young people and families facing serious challenges, in a variety of capacities, including 28 years as CEO of Kairos Northwest. He has written extensively and is lead or co- author, and editor, of ACRC’s “Redefining Residential” papers, as well as co-editor of two books on transforming residential interventions. He chairs the Outcomes Workgroup of the Building Bridges Initiative, is certified by Massachusetts General Hospital as a trainer in Collaborative Problem Solving and is a certified Master Trainer in the NEAR sciences. He is currently President of Lieberman Group, Inc. and trains and consults across the country and internationally.
March 26, 2025 03:30 pm
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05:00 pm
Revolutionizing Youth Care: 10 Innovative AI Solutions in Residential Treatment
This presentation highlights quick and easy ways to integrate AI into residential treatment settings. It covers practical applications like automating emails, improving policy development, streamlining compliance, and enhancing treatment planning. Demonstrations using ChatGPT show how these tools save time and boost efficiency.
Christian Whooley, MA, LPC
Bonnie Brae
Chris has been Chief Operating Officer at Bonnie Brae since October 2018, bringing over 20 years of experience in supporting underserved children, adolescents, and families. His passion for this work was sparked during his studies in Psychology at The College of Staten Island, where the legacy of Willowbrook State School inspired him to advocate for vulnerable populations. Chris holds a Master’s in Counseling from Rider University and is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). He has held leadership roles in various residential treatment settings and continues to drive impactful change at Bonnie Brae through collaboration and empowerment.
March 26, 2025 03:30 pm
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Strengthening Residential Care Through Parent Peer Support (PPS): A Collaborative Approach
This workshop explores a collaborative approach between family-run organizations (FROs) and residential programs in providing PPS for families involved in residential care, improving family engagement and outcomes for youth. The cross-organizational effort highlights strategies for partnering with FROs to implement PPS, overcome common barriers and access technical assistance and training.
Millie Sweeney, MS
FREDLA
Millie Sweeney, M.S., Director of Learning and Workforce Development for the Family-Run Executive Director Leadership Association (FREDLA), has over 25 years in the children’s mental health field using her professional expertise and personal experience as the parent of two children with mental health challenges. She specializes in family partnership, parent peer support, and program development, offering training and technical assistance nationally and internationally.
Kayla Herbell, PhD, RN
The Ohio State University School of Nursing
Kayla Herbell, PhD, RN, is an assistant professor in the Martha S. Pitzer Center for Women, Children, and Youth at The Ohio State University College of Nursing. Kayla’s federally funded research is devoted to optimizing treatment gains for adolescents who access residential treatment by way of providing their caregivers with tailored education and support.
Amy Kelly, MBA, MNM
Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health
Amy Kelly, MBA, MNM, is the National Director of Family Engagement at Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health. Using her personal and professional experience in this role, she has been able to create new ways of engaging and collaborating with families and caregivers inside and outside of the organization, as well as connecting to the major touchpoints of the autism and IDD journey, for staff, leadership, the community and families, both within Devereux and the Human Services professional field.
March 26, 2025 03:30 pm
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Expanding and Maximizing Transitional Housing Program Options for Former Foster Youth
With limited resources, creative solutions are needed to ensure foster youth have the housing and services they need to thrive into adulthood. Our panel of TAY will share how our collaborative win-win-win process with providers and community stakeholders resulted in our 6 recommendations and signing of AB 2802 in California.
March 26, 2025 03:30 pm
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05:00 pm
Youth Housing Initiatives – From Policy to Practice
With the establishment in federal law of on-demand housing vouchers, no young person aging out of care in the United States should become homeless, but the practice has not yet caught up across jurisdictions. Hear the history of housing in relation to child welfare and how current programs and innovations can help solve urgent housing challenges.
Ruth Anne White
Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Wilmington
Ruth White is one of the nation’s leading experts on the nexus between housing policy and child welfare. She is co-founder and Executive Director of the National Center for Housing and Child Welfare and former director of Housing and Homelessness for the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA). At the Child Welfare League, she co-edited the landmark issue of the League’s journal, Child Welfare, documenting the extent to which children are needlessly held in foster care because their parents lack decent housing. Through Ruth’s advocacy, over $100 million in new funding for the Family Unification Program has been made available for families and youth in child welfare since 2009. Ruth worked directly with current and former foster youth to design the concept of "on demand" vouchers for youth for HUD's new Foster Youth to Independence Initiative. Having achieved the milestone of getting FUP vouchers codified into law, Ruth has now taken her expertise to serve as the Executive Director of Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Wilmington. Ruth has a degree in social work from Ohio State University, a master’s degree in social administration from Case Western Reserve University and is a doctoral candidate, National School of Social Service at Catholic University of America.
March 27, 2025 09:00 am
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Career or Transition Job? - An International look at the residential care workforce
A career in residential care? Such a notion would seem to be an oxymoron in the US residential care context, and yet data from a cross-national comparison of 16 countries shows that in some countries, staff in residential care encompass a professionalized workforce with lengthy training in social work, social education, or social pedagogy. What remains unknown is how variation in qualifications affects the (self)perception, motivation, or working longevity of residential care staff, and whether, ultimately, such factors are related to outcomes of children and youth in residential care. Building on the cross-national comparison data, this workshop aims to summarize what insights can be derived from available research. It will further consider how assumptions about qualifications and degree of professionalization in residential care in relation to outcome could be addressed in research projects and inform practice.
Sigrid James, PhD, MSW
University of Kassel
Lisa Holmes, PhD, BSc
University of Sussex
Lisa joined the School of Education and Social Work at the University of Sussex in January 2022 as Professor of Applied Social Science. Prior to this she was an Associate Professor and Deputy Director of Research in the Department of Education, University of Oxford. Lisa started her academic career in 2000, as a research assistant, based in the Centre for Child and Family Research at Loughborough University. Between 2013 and 2017 she was the Director of the research centre and led a large portfolio of research and evaluation projects focused on children’s social care.
Over the past twenty years Lisa has carried out a range of research and evaluation projects, with a particular focus on the relationship between needs, costs and outcomes of services and support provided to children and families. This has included the development of the Cost Calculator for Children’s Services. Lisa has also carried out responsive studies for various government departments, including the Department for Education and Ministry of Justice. These responsive studies were carried out to address specific policy issues. In 2005 Lisa was seconded into the English Government Department for Children, Schools and Families to disseminate research findings and produce a practice guide and resource pack to assist children’s services department with the strategic development and planning of services to best meet the needs of vulnerable children. Lisa has published a range of books, journal articles and project evaluation reports.
Along with her colleagues, Professor James Whittaker and Professor Jorge F del Valle, Lisa is co-chair of the International Work Group for Therapeutic Residential Care and is a board member of the European Scientific Association on Residential And Family Care For Children And Adolescents. In late 2017, along with colleagues at UCL and the University of Oxford, Lisa established the Children’s Social Care Data User Group (https://cscdug.co.uk/). The group provides a forum to share expertise and learning between all users and potential users (academic, practice and policy) of children’s social care data.
Lisa first started her career in children’s social care as an outreach worker in the early 1990s, followed by three years working as a residential social worker in a local authority children’s home in England.
March 27, 2025 09:00 am
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The Disenfranchisement of Dads
This presentation explores the critical issue of paternal disenfranchisement within the child welfare, juvenile justice, and education systems, focusing on its profound implications for youth development and outcomes. Historically, fathers, particularly those from marginalized communities, have been systematically marginalized by these systems, resulting in a range of adverse effects on children’s lives. We will aim to illuminate the systemic barriers that contribute to the deprivation of paternal rights and involvement, and to provide actionable strategies for overcoming these challenges. Learn about innovative approaches and successful models for increasing paternal involvement, including outreach programs, supportive services, and collaborative community efforts, as we advocate for and implement effective practices that promote paternal engagement and enhance youth support systems. The response panel, made up of dads who’s children have experienced our various systems, making this our opportunity to move the field forward through true family engagement.
Kevin King, MA, Ed
Seneca
Kevin King earned a master’s degree in education from Concordia University and has been with Seneca Family of Agencies since 2000 and currently serves in the Seneca Institute of Advanced Practice as A Training Content and Delivery Director. Within this role, he is responsible for overseeing the curriculum development for the (STRTP) Provider Training Academy as well as the forty-hour Initial Certification Training Program for the Short Term Residential Therapeutic Program Certification team, the twelve-hour transition certification and ongoing Continuing Education classes and programs for Group Homes, Educational Staff and Social Work staff.
Previously, Mr. King served as Program Director for Seneca’s Concord Community Treatment Facility, San Francisco Community Treatment Facility, Willow Rock Center Stabilization Unit, The James Baldwin Academy non-public school, and as the principal of a large elementary school in East Oakland.
March 27, 2025 09:00 am
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12:00 pm
Start With WHY
Some organizations can explain how they are different from the rest. Very few can clearly articulate why. The WHY is not about money or profit — those are results. The WHY is what inspires us and those around us. When Simon Sinek discovered the WHY, it changed his life. His bestselling book, Start with WHY, and viral TED Talk, How Great Leaders Inspire Action, have inspired millions of people and organizations around the world to think, act, and operate from the inside out. As an author, speaker, and leader on Simon’s team of Optimist Instructors, Shed will share Simon’s inspiring message. Explore why WHAT we do becomes more powerful when we know WHY we do it. Learn how the WHY can give us an alternative perspective on our organizations, careers, and even our lives. Discover how human connectivity, built on trust and authenticity, is vital to an organization’s success. Walk through Simon’s Golden Circle framework and understand how organizations can be built, movements can be led, and people can be inspired. And it all starts with WHY.
Stephen Shedletzky
Stephen Shedletzky—or “Shed” to his friends—helps leaders listen and nurture the voice of others. He supports humble leaders that put their people and purpose first, all while knowing they are both a part of the problems they experience and part of the solutions they seek to create. Shed has led hundreds of keynote presentations, workshops, and leadership development programs around the world. He is the author of the book, Speak-Up Culture: When Leaders Truly Listen, People Step up. After years on a corporate track, Shed was introduced to Simon Sinek and inspired by his work. Soon after their meeting, Shed joined Simon’s team. For more than a decade, Shed has contributed to Simon Sinek, Inc., where as Chief of Staff, Head of Brand Experience, and Head of Training & Development, he has led a global team of speakers and facilitators. Shed continues to speak and facilitate with The Optimism Company, helping to create a more inspired, safe, and fulfilled world.