Renita Wilson, MSW, LICSW is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (B.S.- in Rhetoric, Youth Studies and African American Studies. She holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work. Renita provides independent clinical supervision to Social Workers pursuing their clinical licensure and she offers clinical consultation support to organizations seeking her expertise in the areas of supervision and clinical knowledge. In addition to her independent work, Renita is also an Associate Therapist and Clinical Supervisor with Kente Circle. Prior to joining the Kente Circle team in 2011, Renita earned a multitude of skills, experience, and expertise surrounding issues related to Family and Children services: Child Protection, Foster care, and adoption as well as working with Adults and Children in Mental Health spanning over 20 plus years. Renita is an approved supervisor for the Board of Social Work. Renita approaches her clinical work as she does with all areas of her professional encounters; client centered, respectful, open-minded and honoring their story. Renita has also worked in both private and public agencies in supervisory and management positions, overseeing all operating functions of programming and maintaining required expectations for continued service delivery.

Sue became NAMI Minnesota’s executive director in October 2001. She is responsible for providing direction and leadership toward the achievement of the organization’s mission and leads NAMI’s public policy efforts. She received her B.A. from Macalester College and a Master’s degree in Public Health Administration from the University of Minnesota. She brings over 30 years of experience in nonprofit and advocacy work, having held top management positions at Arc Minnesota, the Minnesota office of Senator Paul D. Wellstone, and PACER Center. 

Angela Lewis-Dmello, MSW, LICSW is the President & CEO of Northeast Youth and Family Services (NYFS), a community based mental health and social service nonprofit dedicated to ensuring access to trauma-informed and culturally responsive care in Suburban Ramsey County. Angela has been a Community Adjunct Faculty member at the University of Minnesota School of Social Work since 2012 and owns a training and consulting practice. Angela has a background in trauma therapy, behavioral health administration, program development and evaluation, clinical training and supervision, and community-based participatory research (CBPR).

Dr. Rebeca Murphy is a Licensed Psychologist (L.P.) with a doctorate degree (Psy.D.) in Counseling Psychology. She sees children, adolescents, and young adults for psychotherapy services at her private practice in Woodbury, MN. 

Ms. Katie Corrigan is currently earning her master’s degree (M.A.) in Counseling and Psychology from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. She is currently a practicum student at MPS

Kathy Magnusson, M.Ed., owner of Wildewood Learning — As a trainer, consultant, and speaker, Kathy has worked with educators and youth service professionals worldwide. She is a licensed public school teacher, social and emotional learning specialist, and Sources of Strength trainer. She has supported young people and the professionals serving them for over 25 years.

Kathy has a master’s degree in education from the University of Minnesota and training in adverse childhood experiences, creating trauma-sensitive practices, non-violent communication, and strengths-based education and leadership. She supports education and youth service professionals in cultivating trauma-sensitive strength-based learning environments.

Kathryn teaches at Anoka Ramsey Community College. She teaches classes on the Psychology of Death and Dying and teaches Death Education to Non-grieving Children.

Marc teaches at Worsham College of Mortuary Science. He facilitates grief groups for adolescents and teaches Death Education to Non-grieving Children.

David X. Swenson PhD is a psychologist licensed in Minnesota and Wisconsin where he consults with day treatment and residential services for youth, supervises therapists, and works with law enforcement and emergency services. For much of his 50 years in the field he has been interested in the effects of weather and climate on behavior, and on stress and resiliency.

Stephanie Esser, MA.Ed., owner of Balancing Elephants, breathing coach, and creator of the BE Buddy®, a mindful tool to help kids breathe well to BE well. 

She is a certified functional breathing coach, providing evidence-based tools and methodologies to support students’ social and emotional learning and to enhance physical, mental, and emotional well-being through breathwork and relaxation techniques.

Brian Skogen has an undergraduate degree in social work and a master’s degree in counseling. He in his 18th year as the school social worker at Canby Public Schools. He is a charter member of the southwest Minnesota school crisis response team, formed in 2008, and currently serves as coordinator. He & his wife, Becky, have lived in the Canby, MN community for 29 years, have 5 kids and one grandson.

Dr. Tye Moe is committed to helping children better deal with stress so they feel more ease in life.  Through neurologically based chiropractic, he helps shift the nervous system out of fight/flight/freeze and into a state for healing, growth, and development.  With 15 years in practice — and as the Minnesota mentor for this technique — Dr Tye is passionate about continuing to help kids experience their birthright…a carefree childhood!  Learn more about this work at www.healthyfamilymn.com

Dr. Ajeng Puspitasari is a clinical psychologist and a Clinical Director for Rogers Behavioral Health in the Twin Cities. She is board certified in Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy and has specialty training in Behavioral Activation, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Dr. Puspitasari’s research focuses on strategies to implement evidence-based psychotherapy for depression and other co-morbid conditions in diverse behavioral health level of care, including residential, partial hospitalization, and community mental health clinics. She has provided evidence-based psychotherapy training and supervision for behavioral health providers across the United States and Internationally.

Riley Berg is a Licensed Counselor with Rogers Behavioral Health. He works as a therapist in the Adult Trauma Recover Partial Hospitalization Program. He has received training and is experienced in providing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Prolonged Exposure, and Cognitive Processing Therapy. Research interests include efficacy and effectiveness of adult mental health treatments, racial/ethnic disparities in healthcare, and therapist factors in psychotherapy and their influence on client outcomes.

Gary Johnson founded and is the director of the Clinic for Attention, Learning, and Memory (CALM) supporting complex attention and learning issues. He is a relentless advocate for careful, comprehensive and strength-based assessment. Clinic director for 30 years, performing more than 4,500 evaluations, Dr. Johnson also provides supervision and training to doctoral students, focused on improving how the field of mental health approaches its work. He partnered with Native American communities to help families improve understanding of cognition to advocate within both clinical and academic settings. He has been an enthusiastic presenter at MACMH conferences for twenty years.

Kotatee Tamba is a post-doctoral candite at the Clinic for Attention, Learning, and Memory (CALM). At CALM Kotatee administers and interprets neurocognitive tests and provides coaching to clients and parents. He is an approved supervisor through the Minnesota Board of Social Work and Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health & Therapy. Kotatee has worked as a therapist for the past eight years providing services to individuals across the life span, with an emphasis on psychoeducation and the individualization of services. Kotatee is dedicated to helping individuals and families attain baseline functioning by supporting emotional, relational, and developmental growth.

Dr. Lindsey Weiler is an Associate Professor of Family Social Science at the University of Minnesota and licensed family therapist. She is an expert in children’s mental health and works to develop and test interventions for children that utilize relational approaches to preventing or treating mental health problems.

Haoran Zhou is currently a first-year doctoral student in Couple and Family Therapy, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. His research interest is related to the influence of early adversities on later development and trauma-relevant interventions. Clinically, he primarily works with individuals and families with exposure to traumatizing incidents.

Yunqi (Kay) He is a first-year doctoral student in the Family Social Science department at the University of Minnesota. She is interested in finding ways to support children who have experienced trauma and families who are at risk due to living circumstances.

Luther C. Talks is the Tribal Suicide Prevention Coordinator with the Minnesota Department of Health. Luther assists tribal communities with strategic planning, training, technical assistance, and grant management in suicide prevention. He has 15 plus years of professional experience working in tribal communities. He has a Bachelor of Science in Family Social Science from the University of Minnesota. Luther serves as the co-chair for the Indigenous Peoples’ Committee with the American Association of Suicidology. He is a citizen of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe.

Like most public health professionals, my path to the field was unconventional yet rewarding. As a young professional, I aim to use my unique experiences and skill sets to advance health equity in my capacity as a community health improvement specialist. As such, I work with a variety of community organizations, local and state agencies, and community members themselves to assess and provide support for community health needs. I hope to continue to help advance and amplify the amazing work of these individuals and organizations to improve health and wellbeing one community health initiative at a time!

Heather Boorman is the founding director of Boorman Counseling in Western Wisconsin. She specializes as a trauma therapist and is an internationally recognized provider, speaker and advocate for neurodiverse children and adults.

Antwan Morris lived the stereotypical lifestyle of a young black male growing up in the inner city. By 14 he’d essentially dropped out of school and by 17 he was incarcerated. With 20+ years of hard work, advocating, healing, and public speaking, he changed his path and has dedicated his life to help today’s youth heal from their traumas and create the lives they desire.

Jon Halpern is a counselor for The Blake School, an independent school in Minneapolis, MN. In addition, he has served as an adjunct faculty member for Hamline University in St. Paul, MN. Jon has spent 15 years as a classroom teacher in both public and private settings. For more than 25 years Jon has supported teachers and parents working on issues of managing children’s behavior, including time spent as a psychometrist and chemical health instructor.

Jeff Fink is a former faculty member in the school of education at Hamline University. Jeff was a public school teacher in St. Paul, MN for over 30 years. He served as a regular and special education teacher as well as a behavioral consultant. He has been helping teachers with classroom management and parents with issues of discipline for more than 25 years. Fink is also the author of “Breaking the Cycle of Disruptive Behavior,” published in 2021.

Terese Hill is the Supervisor for M Health Fairview’s Food System Strategy and oversees the development and implementation of Food is Medicine programming. She has over 15 years of professional experience in program development, community engagement, outreach, and relationship building.

Hayley Ball is the Executive Director of Urban Roots, a youth development nonprofit on the East Side of St. Paul. Urban Roots provides workforce development opportunities to underserved youth through urban agriculture, conservation and food & nutrition career pathways. She has extensive experience in youth development & education, nonprofit management and building community partnerships.

Amy is a nationally endorsed Level IV clinical mentor and psychologist with 30 years of clinical experience. She is a toy creator, speaker, trainer and psychologist dedicated to “consulting and creating for healing and feeling.” Amy focuses on introducing strategies that reduce resistance and cognitive function related to emotional experience, based on research in attachment and development. She has locally, nationally and regionally–at Zero to Three, MNAEYC, SDAEYC, Iowa AEYC and more. She provides parent trainings, teacher trainings and periodically offers reflective consultation to a variety of professionals working with young children.

Emily has worked as a therapist for the past fifteen years and has primarily focused her work on
children, adolescents, and their families. She has a particular interest in working with children
who have experienced trauma, are on the autism spectrum, and prefers a team approach to
helping children reach their goals. Her work often takes a strength-based approach and is
influenced by the Nurtured Heart Approach. Emily has been an approved supervisor through the
American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy for the past 10 years.

Dr. Stanton’s clinical work is focused on children and adolescents on the autism spectrum along
with their caregivers. With many years of experience, Barb has learned to appreciate the infinite
skills and talents of these amazing individuals as well as their struggles to navigate their
environment. The focus of her care is on finding how to support people with ASD and similar
diagnoses to achieve their highest level of success and gain skills for life.

Erin Walsh is a parent, speaker, educator, and writer. She has worked with communities across the country who want to better understand child and adolescent development and cut through conflicting information about kids and technology. Erin and her father, Dr. David Walsh, started together at the National Institute on Media and the Family before creating Spark & Stitch Institute in 2019. In addition to writing articles for several organizations including Bolster Collaborative and Psychology Today, she co-authored the 10th Anniversary Edition of the national bestseller Why Do They Act That Way? A Survival Guide to the Adolescent Brain for You and Your Teen. Her signature down-to-earth approach and sense of humor helps families and educators engage in complicated topics and leave feeling capable and motivated. She has consulted with schools, school districts, parent groups and other youth serving organizations throughout North America on issues related to digital media, parenting, and social emotional development.

Minnesota’s Autism Mom Sheletta Brundidge shares the story of how her son Brandon spotted a sign that changed his life and the power of having a positive perspective.

Sheletta Brundidge is the founder and CEO of SHElettaMakesMeLaugh.com, an online podcasting company that provides culturally competent commercial production. Sheletta is an Emmy award winning comedian, radio host, television anchor, newspaper columnist and author.

With her podcast shows, social activism and best-selling autism children’s books, Sheletta is living up to her reputation as a change maker.

John Moe is the host and creator of the podcast Depresh Mode with John Moe and of the award-winning hit podcast, The Hilarious World of Depression and the author of the memoir of the same name and three other books. His writing has appeared in numerous humor anthologies as well as The New York Times Magazine, McSweeney’s, The Seattle Times, and more. He gives speeches around the country on mental health issues. John has hosted nationally distributed public radio programs such as Wits, Weekend America, and Marketplace Tech and his radio work has been featured on numerous national radio programs.

Brandon Jones, Panel Discussion Moderator

Brandon Jones, MACMH Executive Director, brings a down-to-earth and compassionate attitude to mental health. He specializes in Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), historical and intergenerational trauma, social/emotional intelligence (EQ), leadership and youth justice. Born and raised in Saint Paul, Brandon has survived living in a home of domestic violence and various other forms of trauma. Brandon holds a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Minnesota, a Master’s in Community Psychology from Metropolitan State University, and a Masters’s in Psychotherapy (MFT) from Adler Graduate School. Brandon is also a 2013 Bush Foundation Leadership Fellow. He lives by the motto of “Live life with Purpose on Purpose.”

Erin Walsh, MA, Co-founder, Spark & Stitch Institute                                                            

Erin Walsh is a parent, speaker, educator, and writer. She has worked with communities across the country who want to better understand child and adolescent development and cut through conflicting information about kids and technology. Erin and her father, Dr. David Walsh, started together at the National Institute on Media and the Family before creating Spark & Stitch Institute in 2019. In addition to writing articles for several organizations including Bolster Collaborative and Psychology Today, she co-authored the 10th Anniversary Edition of the national bestseller Why Do They Act That Way? A Survival Guide to the Adolescent Brain for You and Your Teen. Her signature down-to-earth approach and sense of humor helps families and educators engage in complicated topics and leave feeling capable and motivated. She has consulted with schools, school districts, parent groups and other youth serving organizations throughout North America on issues related to digital media, parenting, and social emotional development.

Sheletta Brundidge

Bio: Sheletta Brundidge is the founder and CEO of SHElettaMakesMeLaugh.com, an online podcasting company that provides culturally competent commercial production. Sheletta is an Emmy award winning comedian, radio host, television anchor, newspaper columnist and author.

With her podcast shows, social activism and best-selling autism children’s books, Sheletta is living up to her reputation as a change maker.

John Moe, Author & Creator – The Hilarious World of Depression podcast

Bio: John Moe is the host and creator of the podcast Depresh Mode with John Moe and of the award-winning hit podcast, The Hilarious World of Depression and the author of the memoir of the same name and three other books. His writing has appeared in numerous humor anthologies as well as The New York Times Magazine, McSweeney’s, The Seattle Times, and more. He gives speeches around the country on mental health issues. John has hosted nationally distributed public radio programs such as Wits, Weekend America, and Marketplace Tech and his radio work has been featured on numerous national radio programs.

Session 3‚ April 24th – Monday, 10:15am – 12:15pm CDT, Workshops 19 – 29

# 19 – Ethics on the Record

Emily has worked as a therapist for the past fifteen years and has primarily focused her work on children, adolescents, and their families. She has a particular interest in working with children who have experienced trauma, are on the autism spectrum, and prefers a team approach to helping children reach their goals. Her work often takes a strength-based approach and is influenced by the Nurtured Heart Approach. Emily has been an approved supervisor through the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy for the past 10 years.

Dr. Stanton’s clinical work is focused on children and adolescents on the autism spectrum along with their caregivers. With many years of experience, Barb has learned to appreciate the infinite skills and talents of these amazing individuals as well as their struggles to navigate their environment. The focus of her care is on finding how to support people with ASD and similar diagnoses to achieve their highest level of success and gain skills for life. Barb has been supervising interns and folks working on clinical licensure since 1991.

Kathy is the founder of movemindfully®, a training and consulting company that brings the science of mindfulness, movement, and social-emotional learning into educational, therapeutic, and home environments. She is the creator of movemindfully®,  training, workshops, products, and curricula that teach trauma-responsive practices for self- regulation, focus, and overall well-being. With a master’s degree in social work, Kathy has over 20 years of experience in regular and special education and was adjunct faculty for Saint Mary’s. Kathy has partnered with the M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital and United Hospital to provide trauma-responsive practices on the mental health units.

Renee is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in individual, adolescent, and family therapy and is a co-founder of the Suicide Prevention Collaborative. With over 25 years of experience providing therapy and community-based services, Dr. Penticoff serves as a private practitioner working with a broad spectrum of clients. Among her areas of expertise are adolescent struggles, suicide-risk assessments, depression, anxiety disorders in children, and family therapy. She is a certified QPR gatekeeper trainer and has trained over 1,000 individuals in how to take three steps that can save a life from suicide: question, persuade, and refer. 

Kathy is the founder of movemindfully®, a training and consulting company that brings the science of mindfulness, movement, and social-emotional learning into educational, therapeutic, and home environments. She is the creator of movemindfully®,  training, workshops, products, and curricula that teach trauma-responsive practices for self- regulation, focus, and overall well-being. With a master’s degree in social work, Kathy has over 20 years of experience in regular and special education and was adjunct faculty for Saint Mary’s. Kathy has partnered with the M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital and United Hospital to provide trauma-responsive practices on the mental health units.

Morgan joined the team at Mental Health Systems in 2011. She has facilitated both adolescent and adult DBT programming, including group and individual therapy. She is currently the Training Director for MHS, and conducts training for staff and new employees as well as providing clinical supervision. Morgan is passionate about, and finds a lot of meaning in the experience of teaching others.

Courtney joined the team at MHS in 2016. She is the Teen Program Coordinator for the clinic. In addition to this role, she also has provided group DBT programming for adolescents and adults, individual therapy, intake assessments, and clinical supervision. Courtney is passionate about working with teens and their families, as well as providing support in her community.

Lauren has been with MHS for about 6 years now and throughout her time has facilitated adult and adolescent DBT group programming and has spent a short time working with the early adolescent population. Lauren also does individual therapy, intake assessments, provides clinical supervision and has interests in training and mentoring. Lauren enjoys teaching coping skills and helping clients apply them to their everyday lives.

Libby Bergman, LICSW, is a co-founders of the Family Enhancement Center and has served as the Executive Director since 2000. Libby has worked with youth and families for over 30 years and is a sought after expert and speaker on child abuse and neglect.

Skye Johnson brings experiences with youth from a variety of contexts. She has worked with youth in residential and outpatient settings as well as serving as a Guardian Ad Litem. She has worked extensively with the Native American and Hispanic communities.

Mary has been the Executive Director of The Association for Training on Trauma and Attachment in Children (ATTACh) for 11 years.  She has years of personal and professional experience. She has worked with the North American Council on Adoptable Children and is an experienced trainer who teaches and consults nationally and around the world. Mary’s undergraduate degree is in Psychology and her graduate work is in Clinical Psychology and Counseling. She has fostered many children over 36 years and is an adoptive parent of 5. Mary shares her vast experience in an engaging and practical manner.

Laura Anderson is a firefighter and Community Outreach Coordinator for the Mountain Iron Fire Department. Holding bachelor’s degrees in IS-Psychology of Domestic Violence, and Criminology. Laura is also a graduate instructor at the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) where she teaches the course she created on domestic violence. In her pursuit to help those who are silenced, Laura has a podcast about life after trauma What They Don’t Tell You About Being a Survivor, which has been downloaded in over 130 countries. Laura is the mother of five amazing, wonderful children.

Cheryl is a community psychologist with 30+ years of experience conducting community-based research and evaluation. She specializes in children’s mental health and school-based programming. She worked as a Senior Research Manager at Wilder Research in Saint Paul for 22 years, before launching Community Research Solutions in 2019. In addition to managing her own consulting firm, Cheryl conducts research and evaluation through her role as Co-Director for the Midwest Center for School Mental Health.

My name is Katie Weber (She/Her) and I identify as a white, cisgender, plus size, bisexual woman. I provide Outpatient Therapy in Moorhead Minnesota and virtually throughout Minnesota. I am passionate about the LGBTQ+ community and hope to bring more conversations surrounding identity in small towns. As a plus-size woman, I have a focus on body diversity, body positivity, and recognizing that all bodies are good bodies. My passions include trauma focused therapies, body neutral therapies, nerd therapies, and applying games and gaming into therapy.

Christina Fike: I have a passion for working with youth and families especially. I use a variety of approaches depending on a person’s specific needs and age. I believe each person and family benefits from their own tailor made plan. I do focus on a current model of CBT as well as use of DBT skills. I come from a Brief Solution Focused background and I am trained in working with EMDR as well as focusing on eating disorders. With children the framework always includes some aspect of Play Therapy.

Haeli Gerardy is the Family Engagement Specialist for Fernbrook Family Center, a mental health agency serving southern MN. She provides training, continuing education, and programming for child and family mental health and has worked with children and families in telehealth, school, and home settings. Haeli studied developmental psychology with an emphasis on parenting and social-emotional development, earning her master’s and doctoral candidacy before pivoting out of academia into mental health. Haeli believes that we’re meant to raise our children in community with one another, and professional supports help create the village that it takes.

Katie Fritz Fogel , MPH, has been utilizing participatory action research processes to meaningfully partner with youth and adult survivors of violence in trauma-informed ways for over 8 years. She currently works as an evaluator for Minnesota Department of Health, primarily in suicide prevention, and identifies as a suicide loss survivor. Prior to working in evaluation, Katie was a youth worker and teen program coordinator.

Gary Johnson founded and is the director of the Clinic for Attention, Learning, and Memory (CALM) supporting complex attention and learning issues. He is a relentless advocate for careful, comprehensive and strength-based assessment. Clinic director for 30 years, performing more than 4,500 evaluations, Dr. Johnson also provides supervision and training to doctoral students, focused on improving how the field of mental health approaches its work. He partnered with Native American communities to help families improve understanding of cognition to advocate within both clinical and academic settings. He has been an enthusiastic presenter at MACMH conferences for twenty years.

Kotatee Tamba is a post-doctoral candite at the Clinic for Attention, Learning, and Memory (CALM). At CALM Kotatee administers and interprets neurocognitive tests and provides coaching to clients and parents. He is an approved supervisor through the Minnesota Board of Social Work and Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health & Therapy. Kotatee has worked as a therapist for the past eight years providing services to individuals across the life span, with an emphasis on psychoeducation and the individualization of services. Kotatee is dedicated to helping individuals and families attain baseline functioning by supporting emotional, relational, and developmental growth.

Rebecca Carr, Doctoral student in psychology recently finished research on neurological findings of children with emotional dysregulation and ADHD.

Presenter Bio(s):

In progress.

Lauren W. Nietz, MSW, LICSW is the Training Institute Director at Washburn Center for Children where she uses Developmental Repair as a framework for training, consultation and psychotherapy for adults, children, groups, and families who are struggling with the effects of trauma. Lauren is a member of the School of Social Work Community Faculty at the University of Minnesota.

Jaton has been supporting scholars, their families, and educators on the Northside of Minneapolis for a decade with Northside Achievement Zone. As the Director of Community Wellness, Jaton facilitates trainings for providers who are helping kids who have experienced significant stress.

Chantell Johnson is Northside Achievement Zone’s Community Wellness Program Manager and helps lead the charge of wellness in the adults who support our next generation of scholars. Her mission has expanded from contributing to the educational needs of the North Minneapolis community to working toward making multi-generational changes in collective wellness to families and educators. Chantell continues to utilize and build on her experience with NAZ to help educators, mental/behavioral health professionals, parents and their scholars in North Minneapolis to develop a culture of healing, trauma responsiveness, healthy relationship management strategies and anti-racism practices in and around the Twin Cities.

Dr. Stein is a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist who is the clinical director and an attending clinician at the Brooklyn Park Partial Hospital Program (PHP) and operates a clinic out of the Brooklyn Park Medical Office Building.  As the president of the Minnesota Society for Child Adolescent Psychiatry and consulting physician for the Psychiatric Assistance Line he focuses on local and national advocacy for children’s mental health with a goal to increase access to quality care.

Thad Shunkwiler is a licensed behavioral health professional who works as an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Science at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Professor Shunkwiler’s research interests include prevention science, adolescent drug use trends, and the intersection of substance use and mental health. Having presented at numerous state and national conferences along with holding appointments to multiple government, non-profits, and healthcare industry boards,  he is an established leader in the areas of mental health and substance use.

Phebe Jones is a student in her senior year of the Alcohol and Drug Studies program at Minnesota State University, Mankato. She looks forward to graduating in May 2023 to begin meaningful work as an addiction counselor in the field of substance use treatment. Her interest lies mostly with prevention strategies to help our youth start out on the right foot.

Tanya Carter is the Suicide Prevention Unit Supervisor at the Minnesota Department of Health. Ms. Carter has 20 plus years of experience in community education programs, program development, and crisis intervention. She is passionate about suicide prevention and reducing the stigma related to mental illness. Prior to joining the Minnesota Department of Health, Ms. Carter worked in tribal and county government, coordinating mental health, mobile crisis, and suicide prevention efforts in rural Minnesota. Ms. Carter is a safeTALK, ASIST, Postvention and CALM trainer.

Dr. Rebekah Hudock is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Minnesota and a Licensed Neuropsychologist. Her research focuses on development, adaptation, implementation and evaluation of evidence-based mental health and educational programming for autistic individuals and their families. She has a particular interest in serving transition-age youth. Dr. Hudock and Dr. Weiler co-lead the program evaluation of the Autism Mentorship Program (AMP). She leads therapy services and evaluations through the UMN Autism & Neurodevelopment Clinic and also serves as a faculty mentor for the MN LEND (Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities) program.

Emily parents 8th grade autistic twin boys whose insights sparked the idea for AMP.  A documentary filmmaker, video and podcast producer by profession, she brings decades of communication, avid research, and deep listening skills to the program’s development.  Emily oversees the program, engaging in strategic planning, establishing partnerships, and working to secure financial support.

AJ has been involved in AMP since its early development, and currently serves as a Program Consultant. They help develop program curriculum, review and edit written materials, mentor the autistic adult mentors, and contribute ideas to AMP team dialogue. A member of a multi-generational autistic family, AJ is an autistic individual with three autistic adult offspring. With an associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education and a BA in Developmental Psychology and Education, AJ has taught disabled and autistic students and volunteered extensively in the Minneapolis Public Schools. They are also the sole proprietor of a sewing and alterations business.

Zeba is a masters student majoring in Integrated Behavioural Health with a focus on addiction and co-occurring mental disorders. Her interest in multicultural perspectives to mental health led to her joining the Autism Mentorship Program. She performs various research related tasks, including meeting with AMP applicants to obtain their consent for participation and determine their eligibility for the program, and collecting data for the study. 

Steven Lutes, MSW, LICSW is the Manager of School-Based Services at Northeast Youth and Family Services (NYFS) serving Suburban Ramsey County. Steven has been a provider and supervisor in the mental health field for a decade providing care in day treatment, school-based, in-home, and outpatient settings. With a dual degree in social work and public policy, Steven is passionate about building a more sustainable and compassionate youth mental health system centering the needs of clients and providers.

Certified parent coach and speaker Samantha Moe coaches parents on how to help their children calm, connect, and cooperate. She provides continuing education, advanced training, and parent coach certification for family service professionals who support intense kids and their families. Samantha is the creator of the Mad to Glad Blueprint, a revolutionary brain-and-nervous-system-based approach to positive communication and parenting that works to soothe and even preempt intense kids’ most challenging behaviors. She holds a Master’s degree in Communication Disorders from the University of Minnesota and possesses a background in interdisciplinary training in sensory integration, play therapy, and emotional integration.

Karrie Ruedy has a maters of science and is a licensed marriage and family therapist who specializes in working with families and children under the age of 11.  Karrie currently works in an elementary school in Northeast Minneapolis.  Karrie has been working with young children for 6 years.  Karrie is certified in ABC and Generation PMTO.  Karrie is also trained in DC 0-5.  Karrie is also a certified play therapist from Capella University. 

Ana Lewis is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She has been working with young children, school-age children, teens and adults since 2012. Ana is bilingual in English and Spanish. Ana is certified in Internal Family Systems (IFS), Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), and DC-05 Early Childhood Intervention. Ana is also trained in play therapy. Ana is a Minnesota Board Approved Supervisor and has worked in this capacity supporting Masters-level therapists to licensure.

Emily supervises the disability analysts on the State Medical Review Team (SMRT) and has been with the team for 4 years. Prior to joining SMRT, Emily represented individuals applying for Social Security Disability benefits as a non-attorney representative. Emily lives in the Twin Ports area with her family and enjoys running, camping, and hiking with her kids.

Carly has over 16 years of experience in Social Security Disability law, advocating for children and adults in their Social Security Disability claims. In her current position, Carly is responsible for managing all aspects of the State Medical Review Team. She lives in the twin cities area with her family where she enjoys cheering on her kids in hockey and dance. Go Bears!

Amy Pearson is the Appeals and Policy Lead for the State Medical Review Team. She came to SMRT in 2020. Prior to that she worked at a large disability firm, where she represented claimants in their Social Security Disability claims for 17 years. She lives in northeastern MN with her family where she enjoys gardening, canning, and baking.

Maree Hampton is the Co Founder and Co Executive Director of the nonprofit LiveMore SceenLess. Maree has a Masters Degree in Education, Youth Development Leadership and a national certification as a health educator.

KK brings a high level of authentic credibility to her work as a veteran educator with twenty-five years of experience in the classroom. With a Master’s Degree in Education and as a College Board Certified National Faculty Consultant, her work is guided in best practices for student and adult learners. KK has a deep commitment to the health and wellbeing of all young people and to the critically important role of adults to listen, guide, advocate for, and nurture the lives of young people.

Melanie is a thought leader in Human-Centered Safety® design for behavioral health and gravitates toward projects that have a dramatic impact on the health and welfare of individuals. Her knowledge guides project teams through the design of complex health care facilities that support sophisticated medical treatment, mental health service consolidation, projects for state-operated behavioral health treatment campuses, and renovations that greatly enhance child and adolescent mental health services.

Brian has nearly 20 years of experience strictly dedicated to health care design and planning for clients across the United States and Canada. His depth of experience provides unique perspectives and knowledge on overall health system strategy, strategic facility master planning, planning for new clinical operational models, programming, and medical planning. Brian has focused on planning and design of pediatric health care facilities throughout his entire career.

Integrating her background in design research and health care architecture, Sophie works closely with senior medical planners and project teams. She has a passion for health care design and recently was named a 2022 Rising Star by Healthcare Design Magazine.

A Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, Kendall specializes in evidence-based therapy for children and adults who have experienced trauma. Kendall manages the Child Survivors Justice Program for the Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office (SAO) where she trains professionals on trauma-informed practices and working with trauma survivors. Kendall consults on cases of child sexual abuse with emphasis on supporting survivors and their families. Prior, Kendall served children and families at Kennedy Krieger Institute’s Center for Child and Family Traumatic Stress. Kendall received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Davidson College and a master’s degree in counseling psychology from Towson University.

Dr. Polley is a child, adolescent, adult and addiction psychiatrist and the National Medical Director of the Youth Continuum for Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation. She works with youth and families impacted by substance use disorder and helps the organization meet the need for evidence based, individualized, and interdisciplinary  care for youth.

David Hesse holds a Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy from Argosy University. He is a therapist and clinical supervisor for the Community School Collaborative (CSC). As a school-based clinician, David offers individual and family therapy for clients and their families, and provides supervision for graduate and post-graduate interns. David is a MN-board approved supervisor, and an AAMFT Approved Supervisor.

Graham C. Nelson is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Board Approved Clinical Supervisor. He interned at Guadalupe Alternative Programs (GAP) in West St. Paul and has been employed through the Community School Collaborative (CSC) since 2015.  He is a clinical supervisor through Change Inc supporting other clinicians working in Minneapolis Public Schools. Graham practices client-centered, strengths based, trauma-informed, gender-affirming therapy while having additional training in Trauma-Informed Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and Hypnosis. He believes that it is through the power of RELATIONSHIPS in which clients, individuals, families, and the community at large can come together and create positive change. 

Ana Lewis is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She has been working with young children, school-age children, teens and adults since 2012. Ana is bilingual in English and Spanish. Ana is certified in Internal Family Systems (IFS), Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), and DC-05 Early Childhood Intervention. Ana is also trained in play therapy.  Ana is a Minnesota Board Approved Supervisor and has worked in this capacity supporting Masters-level therapists to licensure.

Having helped tens of thousands of people find greater understanding of themselves and others, Coach Nakumbe is well-known for his ability to help people quickly reveal root causes of problematic behaviors and relationship issues as well as gain the clarity needed to resolve unhealthy conflict.

Jessica Hoeper, MSW, LISW, IMH-E®-Infant Family Specialist has15 years of experience in child welfare, and is currently a child welfare consultant and an adjunct instructor.

Alyssa Meuwissen, Ph.D. is a research associate at the Center for Early Education and Development, University of Minnesota.

Kristin Johnson, MSW, LGSW, IMH-E®-Infant Family Specialist has 26 years of experience in child welfare, including trainer and curriculum writer.

Melissa is the Music Therapy Co-Founder and Senior Music Therapist at MacPhail Center for Music where she has served clients and the community since 2001.  She has presented at international, national, state and community conferences. Melissa earned a Bachelor of Music Therapy from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and completed her Master of Neurologic Music Therapy at Colorado State University. She is a Fellow at the Academy of Neurologic Music Therapy.

Jane has worked at MacPhail Center for music for 6 years. Jane holds a Master of Music Therapy degree from Augsburg University and a Bachelor of Music from The University of Saint Thomas. Jane works with the entire lifespan in a variety of clinical settings. She has spoken at national and state conferences and for various schools, and community organizations.

Dr. Brandon Olson holds a PhD in Information Technology with a specialization in Project Management and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP). Dr. Olson is a Professor and director of the Master of Science in Applied Data Analytics and Master of Science in Project Management programs at the College of St. Scholastica. Dr. Olson has several published works and presents on topics in data analytics, project management, portfolio management, and social issues of data and technology.

Dr. David Swenson holds a PhD in Psychology and is a Licensed Psychologist (LP). Dr. Swenson is a Professor of Management and Director of the MBA in Rural Healthcare at the College of St. Scholastica. Dr. Swenson is a clinical consultant to schools, day treatment, and residential treatment programs for youth.

Sarah Hardy , M.Ed, Parent and Family Education and Licensed Parent Educator is the founder of Generations Parenting Support, since August 2020 has been providing online group and individual parent education and support for parents of children ages 0-18.  Since 2016, she has also worked as  Parent Eudcator in ECFE (Early Childhood Family Education), currently  working for MN ISD 196.

A graduate from the University of Minnesota college of Human Development, Ms. Jennifer Davis educates, organizes, and challenges paradigms with adults and preschoolers alike.  Her teaching practice emphasizes parent agency, respect for children’s autonomy, cultivating community consent and reconciling inter-generational cycles of harm.  Jennifer and her 13-year-old savor free time with family.  Best way to catch them…depends on the skating conditions and season.

Lisa Krause, M.A. is a Certified Family Life Educator/Coach and a Contract Faculty and Concordia University, where she coordinates the Parent and Family Coaching Program. Lisa enjoys finding creative ways to bring family life education to today’s busy parents through technology and other innovative formats.  Her particular passion is working in the area of Trauma responsive care, resilience, and overindulgence.

Amanda Jahnke works with adolescents and their families to build skills in the areas of communication, cohesion, limit setting, and family values.  Blending her skills as a Director of Christian Education, Family Life Educator, and Parent Coach and Classroom Teacher, Amanda creates spaces and programs that aim to provide individualized attention to family and personal strengths to build competence and resilience in both her students and their families.

Kristin McCollum: I have worked in 2 local county government agencies in the areas of waiver case management, adult protection investigations, civil commitments, homeless outreach and mental health targeted case management since 2006. I am currently a waiver case management supervisor serving elderly client and those with disabilities. Prior to starting with the counties, I worked as a provider of Independent Living Skills, Patient Services for an oncology organization and as a social worker in a short-term rehab/long term care facility. I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from Bemidji State University and am a Licensed Social Worker.

Mary Beth Bruflodt is a Social Worker that has been working at Stearns County since July 2017, in which she has served as a Waiver Case Manager and Adult Mental Health/Commitment Social Worker. Prior to Stearns County Mary Beth worked in residential services for 11 years, working with children and adults, and also worked at the Boys and Girls Club and a shelter for youth. She comes with years of experience but also desire to keep learning and growing.

Stacie Hoeschen is an LSW  who has been working at Stearns County since 2017.   Stacie worked as a child protection case manager and parent support outreach worker before transitioning to adult mental health case management in 2021.  Stacie has also worked as a children’s mental health case manager and as a trauma advocate for children with the Child Response Initiative.

Dr. Follingstad is a licensed clinical psychologist with over 25 years of experience.  She has worked as a school psychologist and clinical psychologist, covering issues from behavioral problems to severe trauma.  She has also developed several programs in-house for anger management, crisis intervention, and emotional trauma. 

Jackie Sonnek is currently a student at Mankato State University, studying psychology.  She hopes to get into the Psy.D. program at Divine Mercy in Sterling, VA.  Jackie has dealt with issues revolving around trauma and abuse, so this is one of her main areas of interest.

Over 40 years of experience in human services as a social worker, clinician, supervisor, clinical consultant, program developer and administrator. Certified as a Compassion Fatigue/Therapist and as a Clinical Trauma Professional. Has trained and consulted on secondary traumatic stress and skills for effective and compassionate helping throughout state of Minnesota and nationally.

Ezra Golberstein is an Associate Professor of Health Policy and Management at the University of Minnesota. He is a health economist and health policy research with a major focus on mental health services and policy.

Mark Sander is a Senior Clinical Psychologist for Hennepin County and the Director of School Mental Health for Hennepin County and Minneapolis Public Schools. He has extensive expertise in child mental health and school-based mental health services.

Dr. BraVada Garrett-Akinsanya is a licensed clinical psychologist, and Fellow of the American Psychological Association, as well as a Board-Certified Diplomate and Fellow in African Centered Black Psychology by the Association of Black Psychologists.  She has over 40 years of experience in the field of mental health as a researcher, practitioner, and consultant.  She currently serves as the Executive Director of the African American Child Wellness Institute, and President of Brakins Consulting & Psychological Services.  Dr. Garrett-Akinsanya has received national recognition from the American Psychological Association for her leadership in the areas of diversity and African American mental health.  Using a strength-based cultural wellness model, she assists organizations and other professionals in developing culturally responsive and trauma-informed strategies that engage diverse youth and their families – especially when their lives have been touched by racism, severe psychopathology, abuse, trauma, sexual assault, and community violence.

Anne is a creative, engaged, and resourceful youth development advocate. Anne has a multi-faceted background that includes a M.Ed. in Education from St. Catherine University and a M.Ed. in Youth Development from the University of Minnesota.

Chai is a sophomore at Cloquet High School  in Cloquet, Minnesota. They are active on REACH’s Youth Advisory Board and played a lead role in Fidgety Fairytales “Three Little Pigs: a story about anxiety” during the Summer of 2022.

Allison is a sophomore at Cloquet High School  in Cloquet, Minnesota. They are active on REACH’s Youth Advisory Board and played a lead role in Fidgety Fairytales “Three Little Pigs: a story about anxiety” during the Summer of 2022.

Angie has worked in the field of Counseling for 17 years.  Her special interest is in treating adults, children, and families that have experienced significant trauma.

A Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, Kendall specializes in evidence-based therapy for children and adults who have experienced trauma. Kendall manages the Child Survivors Justice Program for Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office (SAO) where she trains professionals on trauma-informed practices and working with trauma survivors. Kendall consults on cases of child sexual abuse with emphasis on how to support survivors and their families. Prior, Kendall served children and families at Kennedy Krieger Institute’s Center for Child and Family Traumatic Stress. Kendall received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Davidson College and a master’s degree in counseling psychology from Towson University.

Jay Ostrowski is an informative and entertaining expert in Telebehavioral Health. As CEO of Behavioral Health Innovation, he serves as a trainer and consultant for SAMHSA, HRSA, Universities, State governments and healthcare organizations. He’s the founder and creator of both the Telebehavioral Center of Excellence for the University of Virginia and the Board Certification in Telemental Health. He’s now building telehealth networks in MN.

Dr. Liz Lasky, PhD, LCSW, ACC is a social worker and certified coach.  She is an expert at teaching helping professionals how to coach in an ethical and evidence-based way.  She is the founder of The Coach Training Program For Helping Professionals™.  She is a published author, was a professional expert for Bravo TV, and presents her academic research on coaching, most notably at Harvard University.  She is an adjunct professor in the MSW program at The Graduate School of Social Service at Fordham University and a proud Fellow of The Institute of Coaching at McLean Hospital, Harvard University.

Logan Sand is the Program Manager for the Seeing and Exploring Life’s Future (SELF) Program at Lutheran Social Service of MN, which provides comprehensive sexuality education to youth and adults. Holding an M. ED in Human Sexuality from Widener University, Logan’s primary area of focus is teaching inclusive sexuality education through an intersectional lens. Notably, they have presented on supporting gender diverse youth both locally and nationally.

Ron is a parent, School Social Worker in Duluth Public Schools, Lead Trainer for the MN Department of Education’s Northern Regional Implementation Project for PBIS, and an Adjunct Instructor with the College of St. Scholastica. Ron has previously worked at Northwood Children’s Services as a Counselor, Supervisor, and Therapist, and currently serves as the Chair of the Finance Committee on the Board of Directors for Northwood Children’s Services.

Alexandra Schurrer is in her senior year as a BSW student at the University of Minnesota Duluth. Alexandra has been working at Lutheran Social Services as a supported Family Time supervisor for a year. Her time spent there has included working with families and children. Alexandra is currently completing her senior year field placement at Duluth East High School. Alexandra wishes to continue to work with Children in the social work field after graduation in May.

Hilmar is a Registered Dietitian who has 15 years of eating disorders experience. He currently presents on eating disorder related topic at the local, regional and national level.

Lisa Krause, M.A. is a Certified Family Life Educator/Coach and a Contract Faculty and Concordia University, where she coordinates the Parent and Family Coaching Program. Lisa enjoys finding creative ways to bring family life education to today’s busy parents through technology and other innovative formats.  Her particular passion is working in the area of Trauma responsive care, resilience, and overindulgence.

Amanda Jahnke works with adolescents and their families to build skills in the areas of communication, cohesion, limit setting, and family values.  Blending her skills as a Director of Christian Education, Family Life Educator, and Parent Coach and Classroom Teacher, Amanda creates spaces and programs that aim to provide individualized attention to family and personal strengths to build competence and resilience in both her students and their families. 

Steve Ritter is the Executive Director at Elmhurst Counseling, serving families in the northern midwest since 1984. Steve is on the faculty of the Center for Professional Excellence at Elmhurst University where he earned the President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching.  Steve is the acclaimed author of 2009 Amazon Top 50 Business Book: Team Clock: A Guide to Breakthrough Teams, 2014 release: Useful Pain: Why Your Relationships Need Struggle, and 2019 publication: The 4 Stages of a Team: How Teams Thrive…and What to do When They Don’t.

Dr. Emily Gaarder (she/her/hers) is the Director of the Center for Restorative Justice and Peacemaking at the University of Minnesota Duluth and an Associate Professor in the Department of Studies in Justice, Culture, and Social Change at UMD. Since 2003, Emily has taught restorative justice at the university level and for community groups and organizations. She loves to share how restorative justice can be used in daily life by everyone. She helped establish the Domestic Violence Restorative Circles Program in Duluth, MN, and is part of a research team evaluating the program.

In her 19 + years of experience, Laura Gapske has dedicated her life professionally and personally to ending the violence against women and children. As the Director of Restorative Programs, she continues to grow a collaborative restorative justice program serving victims and offenders (separately) in cases of domestic violence. She is responsible for recruiting and training volunteers, organizing circle schedules, contacting victims/offenders/family, actively participating in community building in the Twin Ports, and collaborating with organizations and agencies.

Laura Anderson is passionate about making domestic violence socially unacceptable through working towards non-violence. Laura works with both the responsible and harmed parties separately. Through her podcast What They Don’t Tell You About Being a Survivor, Laura helps build community amongst those affected by trauma around the globe.

The first presenter has been a professional counselor for almost two decades, and has extensive experience working with clients who are suicidal.  The first presenter additionally works an assistant professor and has dedicated her research activities to suicide among diverse populations.

Jorge Zeledon-Montero is a Licensed Psychologist from Costa Rica and is currently studying in the Mental Health Counseling Master’s Degree Program at Minnesota State University. In Costa Rica, he worked for the National Institute of Learning, attending to adolescent students with learning disabilities and situations such as depression, bullying, suicidal thoughts and conditions such as domestic violence, alcoholism, drug addiction and unplanned pregnancy. He worked with indigenous, LGBTQ+ and immigrant populations.

Maia Pruim is a M.S. candidate for Mental Health Counseling at Minnesota State University, Mankato. She works as a youth advocate and engagement specialist with the ConneQT Host Home Program at Avenues for Youth, serving LGBTQ+ youth who are experiencing homelessness. Her area of academic focus lies with her passion, researching how to better provide care, services, and equity to this population.

Dr. Holm-Hansen is co-director of the Midwest Center for School Mental Health. She is a community psychologist who brings 30 years of experience conducting community-based research related to children’s mental health. Her portfolio includes many evaluation and research projects designed to help schools, mental health providers, and local/state governments understand community needs, develop effective services, build stronger systems, and demonstrate impact.

As the St. Louis County Public Health School Liaison, Aubrie Hoover was responsible for supporting 28 school districts with their pandemic response.  Seeing the negative impact, the pandemic was having on mental well-being for staff, students, and families; Aubrie joined the Northeast Service Cooperative to focus on school mental health and well-being under the Minnesota Department of Health Public Health Workforce Grant.

In addition to serving as Co-Director for the Midwest Center for School Mental Health, Dr. Sander is a Senior Clinical Psychologist for Hennepin County and the Director of School Mental Health for Hennepin County and the Minneapolis Public Schools. He is a Certified Master Trainer on the Adverse Childhood Experience Study, on the Advisory Board for the Center for School Mental Health at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, and a Board Member for the Minnesota Trauma Project.

Michael has been a school social worker for St. Paul Schools for 14 years. His tenure has included leading trauma informed work, facilitating therapeutic poetry writing groups, and focusing on inclusion of special education students in general education settings in Federal setting 3 and 4 EBD schools. In addition to social work, Michael has a background in acting, improv, and slam poetry.

Leah is the Manager of Family Life Education and Addiction and Recovery Services at JFCS. She is a Certified Family Life Educator through the National Council of Family Relations and has a PhD in Political Science with a focus on Gender, health and policymaking. Wellbeing is central to Leah’s work and she has a passion for supporting parents as they care for their own well-being, while also caring for their family. Leah believes that we can and must support families while addressing the root causes of injustice. Leah loves being outdoors with her family and enjoying the seasons of Minnesota.

Cheryl has served students in education for over 36 years as an Elementary Teacher, Adjunct Faculty, Instructional Coach, PBIS District Coordinator, and Professional Learning Manager. She has worked with a wide variety of school settings with diverse populations of students and staff and is dedicated to supporting district and site-based teams to develop systems that support consistent implementation of evidence-based practices. 

Ellen has served students K-21 as a behavior therapist, school psychologist, mental health interventionist, and supervisor. She currently works with charter schools as a special education director and school psychologist through Uptick Education.  She is passionate about systems change and evidence based practices to improve outcomes for all students.

During her 25 year career as a school psychologist, she principally worked at Central Park Elementary School and has served as the district’s lead psychologist the last few years. Michele uses the daily, hands-on experience from her own school and district to help support teams in other districts to engage in the important work of systems change.

Steve Ritter is the Executive Director at Elmhurst Counseling, serving families in the northern midwest since 1984. Steve is on the faculty of the Center for Professional Excellence at Elmhurst University where he earned the President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching.  Steve is the acclaimed author of 2009 Amazon Top 50 Business Book: Team Clock: A Guide to Breakthrough Teams, 2014 release: Useful Pain: Why Your Relationships Need Struggle, and 2019 publication: The 4 Stages of a Team: How Teams Thrive…and What to do When They Don’t.

Katie implements training focused on trauma prevention, building resilience, strength-based advocacy, and collaboration in the legal system. She teaches classes related to trauma-responsive lawyering and the constitutional rights of children and parents. Katie represents children in the child welfare system, completed family mediation training, and is a former maltreatment investigator. She conducted extensive research on mandated reporting, and has viewed the child welfare system and mandatory reporting from various professional perspectives, noting its complexities and nuances.

Miriam provides training on best practices at the intersection of legal services and trauma-informed care. She also serves as the social work supervisor for graduate social work students to link theory and practice and to serve the clients represented through ITCP. Miriam is a therapist where she works with individuals and couples to sustain authentic identifies, cope with difficulties, and overcome trauma. Prior to joining the team at the Institute, Miriam was a faculty member at the University of St. Thomas School of Social Work where she taught undergraduate students in junior- and senior-level field seminars.

Dr. Eileen Crespo is a pediatric specialist focusing on at-risk infants, children and adolescents.  Along with primary care, Dr. Crespo focuses on the relationship of oral to overall health, informing pediatric colleagues about the importance of oral health, diet, establishing healthy behaviors early and co-leading sessions to educate medical students regarding the importance of oral health in practice. At Delta Dental of Minnesota, Dr. Crespo works on preventing vaping, opioid misuse and advocating for Human Papillomavirus(HPV) vaccination as cancer prevention. She is President of the of the American Academy of Pediatrics Minnesota Chapter and the Chapter Oral Health Advocate (COHA).

Ms. Wovcha is Executive Director of Children’s Dental Services (CDS) in Minneapolis, Minnesota’s largest provider of school and Head Start-based dental care serving over 37,000 children annually. She holds a law degree from the University of Minnesota and a master’s degree from the Harvard School of Public Health. Under Ms. Wovcha’s tenure, CDS has received several awards for its innovation and efficiency, including for its telehealth network expansion, practice created linkages between oral and overall health, and pioneering work integrating mid-level dental providers in portable care delivery across Minnesota.

Dr. Rebekah Hudock is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Minnesota and a Licensed Neuropsychologist. Her research focuses on development, adaptation, implementation and evaluation of evidence-based mental health and educational programming for autistic individuals and their families. She has a particular interest in serving transition-age youth. She leads therapy services and diagnostic evaluations through the UMN Autism & Neurodevelopment Clinic and also serves as a faculty mentor for the MN LEND (Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities) program. Her work has been featured in various local, regional, and national outlets.

Morgan Haga has recently graduated from the University of Minnesota with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a minor in Neuroscience. She has experience studying individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders, substance use disorders, and other mental illnesses. Morgan is passionate about studying psychiatric comorbidities and plans to pursue a career in clinical research. Passionate Mental Health Practitioner and Art Therapist dedicated to helping people express themselves, resolve conflict, and reach their goals through artistic mediums or traditional talk therapy. Adept at integrating art therapy with cognitive-behavioral therapy and other therapeutic approaches for individuals and groups. I am passionate about working with clients of all ages with neurodevelopmental disorders and other disabilities.

I’ve spent my last 9 years with Nystrom & Associates as a therapist working in a variety of settings within the agency including community based, outpatient, and residential treatment. However, I’ve enjoyed working with youth, specializing with adolescents, for 15 plus years! I am driven by learning new techniques and enjoy sharing my knowledge and learning from others.

Cindy is a mental health professional with over 40 years of experience in the field of children’s mental health.  Currently, Cindy is a Human Services Area Manager at Hennepin County where she is leading the children’s mental health system transformation utilizing the system of care framework, principles, and values

Youth mental health advocate and interagency project manager with 10+ years of experience with an emphasis on engaging partners and creating culturally responsive mental health services for youth and families.

Sadie Broekemeier is the current President at Recovering Hope Treatment Center, with over twelve years of experience providing direct services to those seeking services for substance use and mental health. A Board Certified Counselor and Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor and Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor in the state of Minnesota. Sadie also is adjunct faculty at Anoka Ramsey Community College, and also currently serves on the MARRCH Board of Governors.

Gretchen Raymer is the current Sr. Manager of Residential Services at Recovering Hope Treatment Center.  Gretchen has extensive experience working with children in a daycare setting, as well as a substance use disorder treatment setting.

Dr. Booth is the Executive Director at Prairie Lakes Youth Programs in Willmar, Minnesota. She brings 19 years of experience working with high potential (at-risk), and marginalized youth, in both direct care and leadership roles. Dr. Booth has research interest in strategies to support youth through ensuring the staff who care for them has the skill set needed for success.

Teri is the  Founder and Director of Jacob’s SWAG Foundation. Teri is a survivor of suicide after losing her 14-year son Jacob at the young age of 14. Teri has courageously turned her grief into a focused mission to serve the youth of Wisconsin. Teri’s true passion is identifying ways to remove barriers to mental health support for children and families. Teri’s leadership has resulted in the investment of tens of thousands of dollars into local schools and communities to address suicide, bullying and mental health needs. Teri’s primary visionary and co-project manager for the “Got Your Back” phone app.

Kurt is Vice President of Jacob’s SWAG Foundation. and Jacob’s dad.  Kurt is a survivor of suicide after losing her 14-year son Jacob at the young age of 14.Kurt has courageously turned his  grief into a focused mission to serve the youth of Wisconsin. Teri’s true passion is identifying ways to remove barriers to mental health support for children and families. Teri’s leadership has resulted in the investment of tens of thousands of dollars into local schools and communities to address suicide, bullying and mental health needs. 

Nicole Berning is the Autism Clinical Lead at the Minnesota Department of Human Services. She works to support providers, lead agencies, parents and other stakeholders to increase access to autism services throughout Minnesota.

Yingya Vang is the Training and Community Engagement Lead for the Early Intensive Developmental and Behavioral Intervention (EIDBI) benefit at the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS). Yingya has a background in human services policy change on the local and State level. Yingya currently provides training to EIDBI providers and engages with stakeholders across the State to promote health equity and access to EIDBI services for families and children with ASD and related conditions. Yingya is also a caregiver and family member of Autistic loved ones.

Krista C. Pylkki is an Employment Specialist at Illies Consulting who helps individuals with disabilities succeed in the workplace and post-secondary institutions. Krista earned a Master of Arts Degree in Leadership in Student Affairs from the University of St. Thomas where she completed a capstone research project on “Holistically Supporting Students During a Mental Health Crisis: A Trauma-Informed Crisis Management Policy and Procedures.”

Jayne K. Sommers is an Associate Professor in the department of Educational Leadership at the University of St. Thomas. Her areas of expertise in teaching and scholarship include college student development, the centrality of social identity in the educational experience, and trauma-informed educational practices.

Dr. David Nathan is a Licensed Psychologists who specializes in working with children, adolescents, and their families.   He worked primarily with young men on issues such as ADHD, adoption, anger management, Autism Spectrum Disorder, anxiety, depression, PTSD, and screen addiction.   He is married and the father of twins. 

Linnea Lindeman is currently the Program Coordinator of the No Wrong Door Program at Hennepin County, working to ensure that communities across Hennepin County have the knowledge, skills, and resources to effectively identify and respond to sexually exploited and at-risk youth.  Prior to moving to Minnesota to begin her work with No Wrong Door, Linnea graduated from the University of Florida cum laude with a B.A. in Criminology and Mass Communications.

Katie Erickson has worked in the child welfare field in Nevada and Minnesota since 2009. She has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Social Work and was a Title IV-scholar. She is a community trainer of the Human Trafficking curriculum at the MCWTA and community faculty at the U of MN School of Social Work. Katie also offers training and consultation services on different topics related to child protection. Katie has been involved in multiple statewide workgroups around the child welfare and law enforcement response to human trafficking. Katie currently works as a child protection investigator in Hennepin County.

Shannon Rohne graduated from St. Catherine University in Saint Paul and quickly discovered her passion for youth work. This began with a career in direct service with Lutheran Social Services in rural Minnesota. Moving back to the metro a few years ago, she is thrilled to be working for The Link and connecting the network of youth and services surrounding Minneapolis.

Katie Ueland started her career in social work working with adults with SPMI and SUD and worked residential settings for several years. After getting her Masters Degree in Clinical Social Work, she joined Hennepin County in Child Protection ongoing case management. Katie transferred to Child Welfare and voluntary case management in August 2019 and has loved the challenge and fun of working with youth since that time. Angela Musich is a Child Welfare Social Worker with Hennepin County under Children and Family Services. Angela provides case management services to youth who are sexually exploited and at-risk. Angela often collaborates with a variety of other providers within Hennepin County, as well as community based providers. Angela has experience working in Child Protection with Hennepin County and has worked in variety of roles with community based agencies providing harm-reduction informed supportive services. Angela completed a MSW at the University of St. Thomas and is licensed in the State of Minnesota.

Ahmed Hassan is the Founder of Summit Guidance Center and a Bush Fellow. He is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor committed to further learning in order to expand mental health services to underserved populations. He also works to encourage the use of African proverbs in culturally appropriate mental health interventions. He is co-author of the picture book: Fire and Ashes: A Boy and an African Proverb.

Wes Erwin has a doctorate in Counseling and Human Development from The University of Iowa and is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor. He is co-author of the picture book: Fire and Ashes: A Boy and an African Proverb and writes middle grade and picture books.

Jenilee Telander is the Health Systems Coordinator with the Minnesota Department of Health. She works with healthcare and behavioral health systems across the state, implementing the Zero Suicide framework, which coordinates a multilevel systematic approach to suicide care.

Kelly Felton enjoys empowering community leaders, organizations and communities interested in ensuring that all individuals have what they need to thrive. She currently is a Suicide Prevention Coordinator with the Minnesota Department of Health developing and implementing the State Suicide Prevention Plan and coordinating the Minnesota Suicide Prevention Taskforce.