Carolyn Kinzel, MSHS, is the Founder and President of Brighter Days Family Grief Center, the first family-focused nonprofit grief center serving the state of Minnesota. Bringing her personal grief experiences to the forefront, Carolyn formed an unparalleled model of care for Brighter Days that addresses the logistical, psychosocial and financial aspects of grief illuminated by the death of a family …
Abby Neisen (they/them) graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Women and Gender Studies with minors in Spanish, and Human Development and Family Sciences from North Dakota State University. They are passionate about building encouraging and supportive relationships with youth to help further these passions and make a difference in the development of the LGBTQIA+ community. As the Program and …
Lee Wilcox, FRSA, has an extensive background in chronic illness, palliative care, crisis intervention, and end-of-life counseling. For the past 5 years, she served as a director of clinical practice at Lines For Life, Oregon’s 988/National Suicide Prevention Lifeline headquarters. Lee was inducted into the Royal Society of Arts (London) in 2020 for her work in community health and as …
Michelle Kissinger (she/her), PhD, is the founder of [ree-sheyp] your story, LLC, an art-based consultancy focused on at-risk youth and youth-serving organizations. She helps organizations transform art programming to support the development of young people. She also helps clients deploy the arts to nurture the growth and wellness of their valued team members. Michelle is a seasoned management and organizational …
Carly Hiti is the Safe Harbor Youth Advocate at the Program for Aid to Victims of Sexual Assault (PAVSA) in Duluth, MN. In her current role, Carly provides supportive services to youth across four counties who have experienced sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, and/or sex trafficking. Prior to this role, she worked with homeless and runaway youth in a shelter setting …
Ann Gaasch has provided leadership in community and national family service initiatives for more than 25 years now. In honor of her decades of dedication to helping children and parents transition from healing to thriving, she was invited by Alia Innovations/IDEO as a 10 of 10 for Kids Innovator to redesign national child welfare practices. Her extensive experience includes program …
Julie Richards brings nearly 20 years of leadership, curriculum design, staff training/development, and program implementation through evaluation to conversations rooted in equitable family and youth development. Professional experiences across juvenile justice, children’s mental health, and public and private education, have given Julie the comprehensive lens necessary to help organizations create equitable and sustainable programming. She holds a bachelor’s degree from …
Briana Herman-Brand, MSW, has been working with youth and adults for 20 years to heal and transform the root causes and impacts of trauma and oppression. Through training, facilitation, and coaching she supports individuals and communities to build skills at the intersections of healing and justice. She is a Lead Teacher with Generative Somatics, conducting courses nationally on trauma healing …
Melody A. Hime, MAE, EdS, has worked with youth and families in the field of School Psychology for nearly 30 years. She completed her undergraduate degree, with a major in Psychology and a minor in German, at Mankato State University. Melody studied School Psychology, earning her Master of Arts in Education and Education Specialist Degrees from the University of Northern …
Anna VonRueden has two decades of experience working with youth needing the most challenging interventions. Anna has become a recognized leader in Minneapolis-St. Paul for creating positive changes within the juvenile system and for those navigating it. After five years as FamilyWise Youth Service Manager, Anna took over as Chief Program Officer in 2018. While ensuring the health of this …
Samantha Moe and Associates provides continuing education, advanced training, and parent coach certification for family service professionals who support intense kids and their families. Certified parent coach and speaker Samantha Moe has coached parents on how to help their children calm, connect, and cooperate since 2004. She is the creator of the Mad to Glad Blueprint, a revolutionary brain-and-nervous-system-based approach …
Alyssa Perau has been an Adolescent Health Specialist with Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota’s SELF team, Seeing and Exploring Life’s Future, since 2018. She is currently working towards her master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy at Adler Graduate School and will additionally graduate with a specialty in Expressive Arts Therapy. Before coming to LSS she worked as a program …
Elsa Swenson is the Program Manager of Home Free Community Program at Missions Inc. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies from the University of Minnesota – Duluth. She has worked with victim/survivors of domestic abuse, sexual assault and child abuse for 10 years providing legal advocacy, emotional support, and working towards …
Jamil Stamschror-Lott, LICSW is a public speaker; mental health therapist; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion professional; educator; and the CEO and co-founder of Creative Kuponya. As a Black man, he represents less than 4% of licensed therapists in America. Jamil is a skilled healer and facilitator who has offered over 250 professional speaking engagements. Jamil and his wife Sara co-founded Creative …
Cynthia Prosek has over 25 years of restorative justice practice. As executive director of Restorative Justice Community Action (RJCA), Cynthia leads a trajectory of growth, expanding services and deepening community engagement in restorative justice practices. She draws on the knowledge and wisdom of community, collaborating with a network of volunteers, practitioners, leaders, and agencies to promote community well-being. Cynthia promotes …
Wendy Lorenz-Walraven, LICSW, LSSW is a Clinical Social Worker and the Director of Equity and Diversity at Minnesota Transitions Charter School. She has 20 years of experience serving youth in educational and artistic settings and offers training on Trauma Responsiveness, Restorative Practice, and Culturally Proficient School Systems. She believes that with deep self-knowledge we hold the capacity to create space …
Sherrita Allen, is a Licensed Professional Counselor who received her master’s degree in Counseling from Webster University in St. Louis, MO. She has 27 years of experience working in social services, trauma, and crisis. She has a wealth of experience ranging from direct care in residential facilities, foster care case management, victim advocacy, and individual, group, and family therapy. She …
Michelle Nelson has over 25 years of experience leading, managing, and training professionals in the human service industry, especially those working with young people. In addition to her youth worker and leadership skills, she is well-versed in team, program, and organizational development to include strategic planning. She is a certified trainer for the Crisis Prevention Institute, The National Council for …
Michele Braley, MSW, LICSW became familiar with restorative justice almost 20 years ago when she helped develop and facilitate re-entry circles for people leaving prison. For the past 15 years she has led Seward Longfellow Restorative Justice which provides an alternative to the legal system to respond to harm and crime. She is also a facilitator for Victim-Offender Dialogues in …
Mel Alvar is a community advocate, and human trafficking subject matter expert from Duluth, Minnesota with nearly 20 years of experience in grassroots harm reduction, and gender-based violence prevention, and positive youth-development work. Mel works as the Safe Harbor Regional Navigator at PAVSA, where she is a point of contact in Northeast Minnesota for training and consultation to increase awareness, …
Many youth organizations are faced with limits and need support to address the complex and diverse needs of our children. The work can be emotionally taxing. Marius comes alongside leaders to: Strengthen resilience and solve difficult problems. Grow trust and improve culture. Create a blueprint to empower the next generation of leaders. Share tools to upskill. Motivate teams to work …
Logan has been with Lutheran Social Service’s Seeing and Exploring Life’s Future (LSS SELF) Program since 2017 and has been a sexuality educator since 2014. Their teaching philosophy is to provide anti-oppression and social justice focused sexuality education with a particular focus on consent, personal autonomy, and gender inclusion. Prior to joining LSS, Logan worked in counseling training and curriculum …
Lee Ann Berlinquette earned her degree in recreation and worked with varsity and intramural athletics and managed a college residence in Thunder Bay, Canada. Lee moved back to Duluth, Minnesota to continue her education in corrections and social work. She worked closely with law enforcement, probation, juvenile court systems, and social services to coordinate diversion programs specifically around juvenile offenders …
Lauren Barineau, MPH, CHES, is the founder of Talk More; focused providing families with resources and support to have positive and proactive conversations about sexuality in age-appropriate ways. Lauren is a dynamic facilitator with almost 15 years of experience as a teacher, a youth development professional, and a sexual health educator. She has a depth of experience working with schools, …
Katie Olson is the Director of Training in the Institute to Transform Child Protection at Mitchell Hamline School of Law. Katie develops and implements training curricula focused on mandatory reporting, trauma and resiliency in legal systems, parent representation, the Indian Child Welfare Act, and practical skills for professionals in child welfare and related fields. She is also an adjunct faculty, …
Kathy is the Founder and CEO of movemindfully®, a training and consulting company based on the science of mindfulness, movement, and social-emotional learning. Kathy holds a master’s degree in social work with over 20 years of experience in schools and was adjunct faculty for Saint Mary’s University. Kathy has trained over 50,000 professionals in mind-body practices and has partnered with …
Jack Witt specializes in social-emotional development and lives by a personal mission to help people live better together. He consults and trains in both non-profit and private sector corporations on Social-Emotional Wellness, Coaching & Mentoring for adults and youth, Conflict Resolution, and Interpersonal Workplace Relationships. Through his role in a foster care and clinical counseling agency, Jack created and directs …
Heather Gallivan, PsyD, LP, is the Clinical Director at Melrose Center. She joined Melrose in 2004 and has worked with eating disorder patients in all levels of care from outpatient to residential treatment settings. She obtained her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from the Minnesota School of Professional Psychology. Prior to joining Melrose Center, Dr. Gallivan served 5 years in …
Eric Ringgenberg is the Education Program Director for the Autism Society of Minnesota. He has a Bachelor of Science in Child Psychology from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, and a Master of Arts in Special Education – Autism Spectrum Disorders from the University of St. Thomas. Eric has extensive experience working with individuals on the autism spectrum in …
Dr. Verna Cornelia Price has consulted for over 20 years as a human potential expert specializing in personal power, leadership and communicating across cultures. She is the co-founder along with her husband, Brother Shane Price, of the Power of People Leadership Institute and the founder of Girls in Action (renamed Girls Taking Action). Dr Verna began her career as a …
Dr. Lisa Lovelace is the founder of Synergy eTherapy and is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in Minnesota, Wisconsin, New York and is registered as a tele-health provider in Florida. Dr. Lisa has over 20 years of post graduate level clinical experience working with children, adolescents and adults who suffer from a wide range of mental health concerns including anxiety, depression, …
Dr. Jennifer Clifden intersects the science and soul of being well and thriving in heart-centered, healing/ helping professions. Jen is the founder of Present Well-Being LLC, and she creates evidence-based curriculum and experiences designed to systematically stoke human-service caregiver mental health, emotional agility, and soul resilience. Dr. Clifden’s keynotes, trainings, courses, and yoga retreats focus on research-based preventative and restorative …
Dr. Don Bartlette is a full-time public speaker and is by training, a social worker, counselor, consultant, and advocate for minority persons and victims of child abuse, survivors of alcohol addiction, troubled youth, and persons with disabilities. He is a French Canadian Native American. The story he’ll share with you in his keynote address has been told over 10,000 times …
Deon D. Price is an author and Youth Life Skills Coach with over 25 years of experience developing youth programs. He has dedicated most of his adult life to the field of youth and community service. Through his organization, This Youth Generation, he has delivered motivational talks and presentations to young people, parents, educators, and youth workers. His online youth …
Brandon Jones is the Executive Director of the Minnesota Association for Children’s Mental Health. He is also a consultant with expertise in Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), Historical and Intergenerational trauma, Social/Emotional Intelligence (EQ), Leadership, and Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI). He brings the perspective of his own lived experience of surviving childhood in a home of domestic violence and other forms …
Annie Meehan is no stranger to storms; as a dynamic speaker, author, and entrepreneur, she’s weathered challenges in the boardroom and in business. Annie credits the storms for the unshakeable optimism, drive, and resiliency that she employs as a speaker. When you hire Annie, she will teach your team how the storms of life can lead to the biggest breakthroughs, …
Anne LaFrinier-Ritchie, Anishinaabe, works as a Safe Harbor Regional Navigator for Someplace Safe in West Central Minnesota. Anne has been working in the anti-trafficking field in direct services and training and technical assistance since 2016. She is a 2020 graduate of NHTTAC’s Human Trafficking Leadership Academy Class 5, which developed recommendations on how culture can be used as a protective …
Allegra (Allie) Birdseye-Hannula, M.S. Teaching, is a lifelong learner, youth worker, author, learning and development specialist, and public speaker by trade. She is passionate about delivering impactful communication and de-escalation strategies to help youth workers address the needs of prickly youth. Allie began her career as a youth worker and has an extensive background in youth program leadership and training …
Adam Arnold, MA, LMFT, LADC, is a licensed psychotherapist practicing in St. Paul, MN. Adam works clinically with adolescents and children as well as survivors of spiritual abuse. He has worked professionally in school settings, summer camps, after school programs, arts organizations, athletic settings, day treatment centers, correctional facilities, and residential treatment centers. Combining his passions for healing and the …
A.J. has served in many roles within the youth services field, from juvenile justice officer, residential care staff to school administrator. Mr. Rinaldi has devoted nearly two decades to youth care and family services with a track record for creating successful behavior management systems and adding value to professional development. He is an independent certified coach, trainer, and speaker with the …