2013 NASW Illinois Statewide Conference

Jancey L. Wickstrom AM, LCSW Director of DBT and Training, Timberline Knolls is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker trained extensively in Dialectical Behavior Therapy and other contextual therapy approaches. At Timberline Knolls, Jancey oversees all DBT programming, ensuring its fidelity to the empirically based treatment. She works across disciplines, helping to integrate DBT into all facets of treatment at TK. She has experience in providing DBT to groups and individuals, and has led trainings for professionals across the country. Jancey’s career has focused on working with individuals with a diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder and children, adolescents, and adults with significant trauma histories. A native of Kent, Ohio, Jancey attended Grinnell College for her undergraduate education. She earned a Master’s in social work from the University of Chicago’s School of Social Service Administration. She co-authored with Dr. Kim Dennis a book chapter entitled “Healing Self Inflicted Violence in Adolescents with Eating Disorders: A Unified Treatment Approach” in Margo Maine’s Treatment of Eating Disorders: Bridging the Research-Practice Gap (2010). She maintains a private DBT practice with Emotion Management Program in Orland Park, IL.

Amy Aalberts MSW Student Illinois State University School of Social Work is currently pursuing her MSW at Illinois State University with a focus in gerontology. She earned her BSW from University of Northern Iowa in 1999 and has since worked in long term care and rehab facilities, as well as an adult day center and most recently in hospice.

Stephanie F. Altman JD Programs and Policy Director, Health & Disability Advocates is programs and policy director at Health & Disability Advocates (HDA). Stephanie joined HDA in 1999 as a staff attorney specializing in Medicaid, Medicare, and health insurance issues. She represents children and adults in individual and class actions and also advocates for quality, accessible health care through administrative and legislative avenues. Stephanie co-authored Medical Assistance Programs in Illinois and the Illinois Medical Assistance Action Plan and conducts presentations and workshops on Medicaid and other disability topics for family and community groups, medical providers and hospital staff, and the legal profession. Prior to coming to HDA, she was assistant professor of clinical practice at the Chicago-Kent College of Law, specializing in health and disability law, and staff attorney with the Legal Assistance Foundation of Chicago. Stephanie has her law degree from Loyola University School of Law and a BA in English from Grinnell College.

Suzanne M. Andriukaitis MA, LCSW Executive Director, National Alliance on Mental Health of Greater Chicago Suzanne Andriukaitis holds a Master's degree from the University of Chicago, School of Social Services Administration and a Bachelor's degree from Cornell University. She joined the staff of the Illinois State Psychiatric Institute (ISPI) in 1971 and served as the Chief Social Worker of the Social Services Department from 1979 to 1981, the Administrator for the Central Research Program from 1982 to 1990, and established and directed ISPI's federally mandated Office of Research Administration from 1982 to 1984. In January 1990, Mrs. Andriukaitis was named the first Executive Director of the Chicago Consortium for Psychiatric Research. In April of 1994, Mrs. Andriukaitis assumed the position of Executive Director of The Alliance on Mental Illness of Greater Chicago/ NAMI of Greater Chicago and continues to serve in this position. Mrs. Andriukaitis has published and lectured extensively to professionals and paraprofessionals in the area of clinical assessment, diagnosis, and treatment and supervised clinical internships for graduate level students in mental health professions. A member of the team that developed a 4-hour mental health education program for recruits at the ChicagoPolice Academy, she also helped to develop the 40-hour Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training and the 40-hour Advanced Juvenile CIT training for experienced Chicago police officers and participates in the ongoing delivery of these trainings.

Melissa Bercier PhD, LCSW Walk and Talk Therapy & Life Consulting, PC Dr. Bercier has experience in in-patient psychiatric social work, community mental health and employee assistance programs. She owns a private practice in Elmhurst, IL, Walk and Talk Therapy & Life Consulting, P.C., where she specializes in individual, couples and family therapy. Dr. Bercier is a Certified Compassion Fatigue Specialist in which she provides the intervention of the Accelerated Recovery Program in order to decrease and prevent symptoms of compassion fatigue experienced by workers in any helping profession.

Amanda Besinger MSW Student Loyola University Chicago School of Social Work is a Master of Social Work student at Loyola University Chicago. Amanda is pursuing a specialization in Mental Health at Loyola University Chicago, along with her Master of Science in Child Development at Erikson Institute. Amanda's most recent fieldwork experience was at Rush Day School, where she worked with children with autism spectrum disorder, emotional disabilities, and other special needs. Other current research includes work on class participation and reflective self-assessment. Amanda received her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Philosophy from Hamilton College in 2006, and is also a graduate of the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy.	0

Michelle Bonds LCPC, Program Supervisor Michelle Bonds is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and holds a Child Welfare License. She has been in the Social Service Field for over 13 years. She holds a Master's Degree in Community Counseling. She has worked directly and indirectly with individuals in the capacity of a clinician and advocate. Currently, she supervisors clinicians and interns. Michelle Bonds during her time in the filed has lectured to parents, youth and other community partners on the need to take charge of their own mental health. She has also presented several workshops on other community-related issues. She has been a repeated presenter at Chicago's city College. She continues to explore ways to educate individuals on understanding self care, mental health and its impact on those in the social service field.	0

Jeffrey Bulanda is Assistant Professor of Social Worker at Aurora University. Prior to joining Aurora University, he worked as a school social worker and oversaw a counseling and youth empowerment program on the South Side of Chicago.

Trisha Byro MSW Recently obtained her MSW from Aurora University. She has experience working with youth, the homeless, and individuals with chronic mental illness, substance abuse, and cognitive impairments. Trisha is currently employed at Thresholds mental health agency as a Community Support Specialist and provides case management and counseling to adults with chronic mental health issues. Past work experience includes: Linden Oaks Psychiatric Hospital, The Association for Individual Development, Camelot Therapeutic Day School, and Opportunity House. These experiences presented an array of client populations, which has provided her insight into barriers of seeking mental health services including stigma and trauma, which often complicates treatment. Trisha also had the privilege of working as Program Director of the Say It Out Loud Grant; this opportunity allowed her to assist in creating a youth-led approach to decreasing mental illness stigma, program development, community partnership and development. Additionally, Trisha currently volunteers with the Changing Children’s Worlds Foundation and had the opportunity to co-present at the 18th Biennial International Consortium for Social Development in Uganda, Africa.

Ellen Carbonell LCSW Associate Director of Family Programs, Alzheimer's Association is Associate Director of Family Programs for the Alzheimer’s Association’s national office. She is responsible for developing and producing dementia-related family education and support programs for chapter implementation nationwide. Trained as a clinical social worker, Ellen has over 30 years of experience working with individual and family programs in mental health, vocational, corporate, educational, clergy and voluntary health care settings

Alissa Catiis LCSW, CYT, Psychotherapist Erie Teen Health Center & Womencare Counseling Center; Yoga Teacher Alissa Catiis, LCSW, CYT, is a trauma therapist and yoga teacher who works with children, adolescents, and adults at the Erie Teen Health Center in Chicago and the Womencare Counseling Center, a group private practice in Evanston, Illinois. She enjoys integrating art, literature, movement, yoga, and writing into her clinical work as a means of building relationships and exploring how life transitions and challenges lead us all towards rich, complex life journeys. Alissa has completed additional training in the relational treatment of trauma, art therapy, children’s yoga, yoga for anxiety and depression, yoga therapy, and restorative yoga. In April, she studied trauma-sensitive yoga with teachers from the Trauma Center in Massachusetts, founded by Bessel van der Kolk, a leader in the field of psychological trauma.

Kyung-Mee Choi PhD University of St. Francis Department of Social Work

Shinwoo C. Choi MSW Project Manager, Vida Alegre is a doctoral student and project manager of Vida Alegre. Her research interests are mental health of immigrant populations, and she has been involved with Vida Alegre for two years.	0

Jennifer Clary Research Associate, Social IMPACT Research Center, Heartland Alliance Jennifer Clary is a Research Associate at the Social IMPACT Research Center at Heartland Alliance. Jennifer has a background in community development and social justice, and experience working to improve quality of life for marginalized and disadvantaged populations. She has expertise in issue research, project management, engaging in comprehensive planning processes, and working for social change. At IMPACT, Jennifer works on the Self-Sufficiency Project, including jointly authoring the Illinois state report; U.S. Census Bureau data releases; and the annual Report on Illinois Poverty. Jennifer also provides data support across a range of projects, and responds to requests for data to support decision-making, advocacy, and planning. Previously, Jennifer was a consultant on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency contracts, jointly authoring reports and additional written materials based on stakeholder input to facilitate broader understanding of environmental justice issues, and working collaboratively with Federal Advisory Committee work groups to develop reports outlining advice and recommendations to relevant federal agencies. Jennifer holds a master of urban planning and policy degree from the College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Anne Clinton-Cirocco MSW, LCSW Supervisory Social Worker, Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center Anne Clinton – Cirocco, LCSW has spent the last 22 years working with the multiple branches of the military as a provider. She also worked with military members and their dependents in a civilian inpatient psychiatric unit and private practice. She currently works for the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center as a Section Leader in the Mental Health Clinic and oversees the mental health services offered to the US Naval Station Great Lakes. She is a former military family member and the parent of an active duty service member.	0

Heidi Coleman LCSW specializes in individual and couples psychotherapy, in a private practice located in Chicago. With more than twenty years experience working with late adolescents drawing from a background in the arts in both professional and academic contexts, her clinical work focuses on the life-stage transition from adolescence to adulthood. She has advanced degrees from The University of Chicago and Columbia University, previously worked as a psychotherapist at Live Oak and is currently a Senior Lecturer at The University of Chicago. She has given presentations on Self-Care, Trauma, Same-Sex Parenting, and LGBTQ Emerging Adulthood to hospitals, agencies, and conferences.	0

Nancy Curtin PhD Associate Professor of Communication, Millikin University Communication Department is an Associate Professor of Communication at Millikin University, Decatur, IL. Her teaching areas include relational/interpersonal communication, gender communication, organizational communication and research methods. Her research focuses on gender and organizational communication issues.

Leah Danziger LSW Employment Specialist, Jewish Vocational Service Chicago Leah Danziger is a Licensed Social Worker in the field of Vocational Rehabilitation Services.Ms. Danziger was recently named Jewish Vocation Service employee of the year. Ms. Danziger obtained her MSW from New York Unversity Silver School of Social Work.	0

Michael P. Dentato MSW, PhD Assistant Professor, Loyola University Chicago School of Social Work is an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work at Loyola University Chicago. Dr. Dentato has over fifteen years of community-based experience including clinical, administrative and policy work in New York, Miami and Chicago and has been teaching in the field of social work since 2004. His research interests surround community and university collaborations, program outcomes and metrics, health and mental health policy, substance use and addiction disorders, stress theory, sexual risk behavior, HIV/AIDS and LGBTQ issues. Dr. Dentato is a proud member and Vice-Chair Elect of the Council on Social Work Education's Council on Sexual Orientation and Gender Expression; and a Research Affiliate for the Center for Health, Identity, Behavior and Prevention Studies at New York University's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development. Dr. Dentato is Chairman of the Board of Directors for Test Positive Aware Network (TPAN) and was recently appointed as Associate Editor of the Journal of Behavioral Medicine.

Bill Dolnick LCSW NASW Illinois Chapter Retired Social Workers Shared Interest Group Bill Dolnick is a retired school social worker who has also worked in a variety of other social service organizations.	0

Liesl Einerson LCSW Adoption Therapist, The Center for Lifelong Adoption Support at The Cradle Liesl received her Masters of Social Work from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is a LCSW in the State fo IL. She is a transracial adoptive sister to a brother with special needs. She has experience working in child welfare with foster care, adoption, post-adoption therapy and she facilitates various training for adoptive parents. Liesl is certified in the Trust Based Relational Intervention by Dr. Karyn Puris. Liesl currently works as an adoption therapist at The Center for Lifelong Adoption Support at The Cradle. Liesl has a certification in advanced therapy with foster and adoptive families from Portland State University.

Michelle Evans LCSW, CADC Nickerson and Associates, PC Michelle Evans is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor with experience in individual and family counseling and in developing therapeutic groups. She has worked primarily with the Latino population throughout this time as a bilingual and bicultural social worker. She currently works as a sex offender treatment provider and in a forensic psychiatric facility, and is an adjunct professor at Aurora University.

David Fireman MSW, LCSW Executive Director, The Center for Grief Recovery In addition to directing the Center, David holds a practice grounded in Self and depth psychologies. His extensive background helping others grows out of a sincere respect for inherent individual differences, social learning, the interplay of Love and Loss throughout the life span, finding purpose and meaning, and placing value in the power of the therapeutic relationship. He is an active and involved therapist who believes that the rare combination of honesty and courage bring about lasting change. David also draws from his experience as a practitioner of Iyengar Yoga, Tibetan forms of meditation, Jewish spirituality and Judo. He is an active and sought-after workshop presenter and blogger whose work has been published.

Ashley Fontaine LCSW Education Programs Manager, The National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) of Greater Chicago holds a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Gonzaga University. She became a full time staff member at The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Greater Chicago (NAMI-GC) in May of 2011. Mrs. Fontaine became the Education Programs Manager in January 2013, supervising 5 clinical interns and ensuring quality education courses are available to the community at no charge. She additionally acts as Fiscal Manager for the Williams Outreach Project, and provides consultation to the Chicago Police Department during consumer role plays in the ongoing delivery of their Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) program.	0

Shaune Douglas Freeman MSW, LCSW CBA Clinical Coordinator, South Side Help Center Shaune D. Freeman, MSW, LCSW is currently a clinical coordinator/ training specialist for South Side Help Center, He provides capacity building assistance (CBA) services to all CDC funded HIV prevention, treatment and care programs throughout the United States and US territories. As a technical assistance provider, Mr. Freeman is highly trained in needs assessments, strategic planning, motivational interviewing, trauma informed care and quality assurance. Mr. Freeman has the ability to motivate teams within all levels of an organization. As a certified national trainer, Mr. Freeman has experience with several evidence-based interventions: HIV Counseling, Testing and Referral (CTR), Real AIDS Prevention Project (RAPP), Antiretroviral Treatment and Access to Services (ARTAS), Social Networking Strategies, Couples HIV Test Counseling (CHTC) and Project AIM. As a clinical social worker, he has experience with program development, community health education, community organizing & development, program development and utilization review.

Priscila Freire Ph.D, L.C.S.W., I.C.D.V.P. Loyola University Chicago School of Social Work Priscila Rodríguez Freire has worked with diverse families, individuals, and children in a variety of settings, providing clinical services for more than 15 years. As a clinical supervisor she managed the Family Violence Intervention Program, the Safe and Sober program, and Southside Teens about Respect, a teen dating violence prevention program. Other areas of professional interest have been the work with Latino aggressors of domestic violence, a population with which she worked for over two years and wrote about on her doctoral dissertation; cross cultural issues in counseling, including migration; intergenerational family dynamics, domestic violence through the lifespan, and other clinical issues. She is currently teaching full-time at Loyola University Chicago across content areas courses on counseling multicultural populations, working with families and individuals, social work practice with groups, family violence, practice with women, and research methodology.

Mary E. Garrison LCSW, ACSW Associate Professor of Social Work, Millikin University Behavioral Sciences Department Mary E. Garrison, LCSW, ACSW is an Associate Professor of Social Work at Millikin University. Mary received her B.A. from Western Illinois University and herMSWfrom the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Professor Garrison has over 20 years of practice experience in the mental health field working with severely and persistently mentally ill adults. Mary’s teaching responsibilities/interests include Social Work Ethics, Cultural Diversity, Human Behavior and the Social Environment, Psychopathology, Community Mental Health and Introduction to the Helping Professions. Research interests include mental health recovery and consumer movement, homelessness, and social problems impacting communities’ growth and progress. Additionally, Mary provides private LCSW supervision to licensure candidates and serves on the NAMI Illinois State Board, NASW IL State Board as the East Central District Chair as well as the Homeless Council Governing Board of Macon County. Professor Garrison is a NASW Delegate Assembly member. Mary also has a part-time private practice.

Carol S. Goldbaum PhD, LCSW NASW Illinois Chapter Retired Social Workers Shared Interest Group is a clinical and program consultant and trainer to various human service organizations and individuals in theChicagoarea. Dr. Goldbaum has been Executive Director of two mental health centers, and two departments of social work in major teaching hospitals and a senior residence. She was also Clinical Director at the Institute for Juvenile Research and a consultant to DCFS. She is a retired Clinical Associate Professor, Jane Addams College of Social Work at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She received her MSW from Loyola Universityand her PhD from the Universityof IllinoisatChicago. She is Past-President of the NASW Illinois Chapter, a Delegate to the last four Delegate Assemblies and was a member of the Illinois Social Work Disciplinary Board. Carol has given presentations at regional, national, and international conferences on Ethics, Child Abuse, Drug Abuse, Family Therapy, Geriatrics, Dying, Management training,Social Work and Health Care Issues. Currently is on the AgeOptions Advisory Council. She has two children and is active in professional and community organizations. She has designed and consulted to a legal and social services project in rural Tanzania serving HIV/AIDS widows and Orphans and taught family therapy to counselors working with drug abusing families in rural parts of Russia along the Volga River.

Theresa Marie Goodwillie MSW Student, Loyola University Chicago School of Social Work graduated from the University of Dayton in December of 2011 with a duel degree in Sociology and Human Rights. For her graduating thesis, Theresa conducted a narrative policy analysis exploring the intersection between policy and the use of kin care in Ohio Child Welfare Systems. In college Theresa was employed as a student ambassador and chosen to represent and promote the University to future students and their families. After graduating, Theresa began her Masters of Social Work at Loyola University Chicago. She is expected to graduate and have completed two internships through Fourth Presbyterian Church and the Department of Child and Family Services in August of 2013. Throughout graduate school Theresa has worked as a Graduate Assistant for the Dean of the School of Social Work as well as other associate faculty members. Theresa’s research agendas are focused on child welfare, kin caregivers, and the influence of policy and practice.

Natalie Graves LCSW, CADC Progressive Solutions consults with schools and social service agencies and has a private practice specializing in youth at risk and athletes. She has worked in social services agencies for many years in direct care and management she also worked in Illinois school districts in the role of a school social worker. She attended the University of Chicago and Chicago State University. She was a visiting student at the University of Maryland where she studied abroad in London, England in the United Kingdom: Sport, Commerce, and Culture in the Global Marketplace Program. She is a member of Sports Social Workers Association and is affiliated with the University of Michigan's Social Worker and Sports Association. She is also a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified School Social Worker and a Certified Alcohol and Drugs Counselor.

Candi Gray MSW, LCSW, OSW-C Oncology Social Worker, Community Cancer Center is an oncology social worker at the Community Cancer Center in Normal, IL, a comprehensive, community –based cancer care provider serving persons in Central Illinois. The Center focuses on outpatient cancer care and includes services such as medical and radiation oncology, CyberKnife service, comprehensive breast service, nutrition, community education, and offers a full complement of support services. As an oncology social worker, Candi is responsible for all clinic-wide psychosocial support services, program development and standards, evaluation, and continuous quality improvement and accreditation. Candi is also the President-Elect of the NASW-IL Board of Directors.

Cynthianna Hahn PhD, LCSW NASW Illinois Chapter Retired Social Workers Shared Interest Group Ms. Cynthianna Hahn is a retired school social worker. She has worked in a variety of other settings including publc and private child welfare. She is currently working part-time as a clinical field consultant to second year MSW students at a local university	0

Troy Harden EdD, LCSW Assistant Professor, Chicago State University Social Work Program is on faculty of the Masters Social Work Program at Chicago State University. As PI of the TNT project, he provides leadership and expertise in mentoring, youth development, and African American male identity issues. A graduate of DePaul University, he has been instrumental in bringing teaching, research, practice, policy, and management skills to development and implementation of the TNT program. He teaches policy courses, is a training and development consultant.

Joseph Harper LCSW, DCSW, ACSW, MBA, CCHP, CADC, CCTP Chester Mental Health Center, Illinois Department of Human Services Mr. Harper is a graduate of the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. Mr. Harper is currently a Unit Director at Chester Mental Health Center, the maximum-security forensic psychiatric hospital in Chester, IL. Mr. Harper provides clinical oversight to a unit at the facility and serves on numerous committees at the facility. He previously worked for several years as the program administrator for mental health services at Menard Correctional Center; Menard is the state’s largest maximum-security correctional facility. Mr. Harper is currently ad adjunct faculty member in social work at the University of Southern California. Mr. Harper also provides mental health services for Hyland Behavioral Health Center at St. Anthony’s Medical Center in St. Louis, Missouri. Mr. Harper is a member of the National Association of Social Workers and former First Vice-President of the Illinois Chapter. He also served as the Chair of NASW-IL’s statewide Political Action Committee. He has previously served as the Chair of the Metro East St. Louis District and has represented the Illinois Chapter at the most recent Delegate Assembly. Mr. Harper has presented on the topic of services to offenders at several conferences including those held by the National Commission on Correctional Health Care and the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers. Mr. Harper has also coauthored several publications in the field forensic social work practice.

Carol Hayse LCSW Carol Hayse is a clinical and school Social Worker in Chicago. She belongs to the Clinicians Steering Committee of the Chicago Teachers Union, and Rogers Park Neighbors for Public Schools. As a clinician, she specializes in treating couples trauma in children. As a social activities she works for the empowerment of the 99%. She lives with her partner and their dog on Chicago's north side.

Lisa Hendrickson MSW University of St. Francis Department of Social Work has worked in Community Mental Health for 10 years and is presently a Vocational Counselor for individuals with mental illness and other disabilities. While she has always been dedicated to helping individuals in their recovery from mental illness, she is more recently involved in prison reform and is specifically looking at the experiences of transgender and intersex persons while incarcerated in Illinois. Lisa earned a BA in Psychology from Purdue University in 2003 and returned to school in 2010 to earn her MSW from the University of St. Francis (May 2013).

Brit Holmberg MSW, LCSW, MDiv Therapist, Samaritan Counseling Center works with individuals of diverse ages and backgrounds. He uses a strengths-based, holistic approach to treat a variety of mental health challenges including life adjustments, grief, depression, anxiety, and child & adolescent emotional issues. Brit is also passionate about facilitating workshops and retreats on meditation & mindfulness, self-care for clergy and human service providers, men's health & spirituality, parenting, and healing from pregnancy loss. He received his Master of Social Work (MSW) from Loyola University of Chicago. Additionally, he received his Master of Divinity (M.Div) from Garrett Theological Seminary in Evanston, IL, where he specialized in pastoral care and counseling.

Brooke Hyden MSW Children's Therapist, Macon County Child Advocacy Center, Safe from the Start holds an LCSW and has several years of experience working with children and adults who have experienced trauma. She is currently working as a children's therapist for the Safe From The Start program at the Macon County Child Advocacy Center providing therapy to children who have been exposed to violence and are exhibiting symptoms of trauma. She has attended the Childhood Trauma Practitioner's Assembly at the National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children and is currently working towards her level 1 Trauma and Loss Specialist Certification and Level 1 Trauma Informed Assessment Specialist Certification.	0

Thomas Kenemore Ph.D., L.C.S.W., B.C.D., Associate Professor, Chicago State University Social Work Program is an Associate Professor at Chicago State University in the Masters Social Work Program. He teaches both graduate and undergraduate practice courses. He teaches doctoral-level courses in the Loyola University Chicago Social Work School. With colleagues he has completed a study exploring the impact of violence on youth in schools. He is editor of the Child & Adolescent Social Work Journal, and maintains a private practice.

Kimberly A. Kick LCSW Distance Learning Coordinator, School of Social Work Kimberly A. Kick, LCSW is the Distance Learning Coordinator for the Graduate School of Social Work at Dominican University. She designed, developed and implemented the Military Family Practice Program whose goal is to educate helping professionals in working with service members, veterans and their families. Kim has vast clinical experience spanning over 23 years. In addition to her position as Dominican University, Kim has a private practice in Lake Bluff and is the founder of Divorce Communications.com, a website designed to help parents who are no longer together effectively communicate about their children. Kim holds her MSW degree from Loyola University of Chicago and is currently completing her PhD. Current research surrounds divorce and the effects of divorce on children. Kim is a member of NASW, CSWE and the American Red Cross. She has been interviewed on CBS in Chicago, Chicago Tribune, and radio station WLRL. Kim has been published in the Journal of Global Social Work Practice, writes numerous articles for her blog "Divorce...it's just the beginning". Kim has given numerous presentations regarding communication.

Teresa Kilbane PhD Associate Professor, Loyola University Chicago School of Social Work is a faculty member at Loyola University Chicago since 1997 where she teaches research and policy to graduate and doctoral level students. Dr. Kilbane returned to her early roots where her initial research projects were in the field of aging. Her latest research interests have been older abused women, grandmothers raising grandchildren, and with her colleague, Dr. Marcia Spira, is co-editing a book focused on older women. Her passion is advocacy work both in the classroom and community to have a voice to change what is not right in the world.

Caleb Kim PhD Associate Professor, Loyola University Chicago School of Social Work is an associate professor of the School of Social Work at Loyola University Chicago. Dr. Kim received his Ph.D. from the School of Social Service Administration, University of Chicago and MSW degree from the Norfolk State University in Virginia. Prior to this appointment, he held the positions of chair and director of the BSW program at the University of St. Francis in Joliet, Illinois; he had worked in various universities including the University of Chicago and the Yonsei University in Korea. Dr. Kim's current research interests are school social work, child welfare, and immigration issues.	0

Daniel Kuhn LCSW Community Educator and Project Director, Rainbow Hospice and Palliative Care For the past 40 years, Dan Kuhn has supported the mission of Chicago area non-profits in the fields of healthcare and aging through direct service, applied research, staff training, public speaking, consultation, grant writing and program development. His personal mission is to enhance the well-being of people living with dementia and to support their families and other caregivers. He has authored or co-authored more than 50 publications and has given hundreds of presentations on dementia, care-giving, and end-of-life care issues throughout the United States and Canada. The third edition of his book, Alzheimer's Early Stages: First Steps for Family, Friends and Caregivers, was published last month. At present, he is directing a three-year, grant funded project to establish a dementia specialty practice within Rainbow Hospice and Palliative Care and to integrate best care practices for residents with dementia living in local nursing homes.

John L. Levitt PhD, LCSW Linden Oaks Hospital Dr. Levitt has more than 30 years’ experience working with eating disorders, trauma, and complex patients. He has been an active participant in the field of eating disorders as a clinician, program developer, supervisor/trainer, and presenter. He has taught widely, co-authored one book, co-edited three other books, and has numerous publications. Dr. Levitt has presented nationally and internationally on the topics of eating disorders, trauma, self-injury, complex symptomatology, assessment and intervention.	0

Ruth Lipschutz LCSW, ACSW Director, Attunement Center a licensed clinical social worker with postgraduate certification in ethics, mediation, Transformational Imagery (trainer level), hypnotherapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Thought Field Therapy (TFT). She received her MSW from the University of Illinois in 1978 and went on to complete the two-year postgraduate training program of the Institute for Family Studies at Northwestern University. She has extensive experience in the areas of ethics, school social work, community mental health, addictions, traumatology, program development and implementation, supervision, consultation and Alternative Dispute Resolution. She has worked in English and Spanish with individuals, couples, families and groups in school, community and hospital settings. Ruth has presented workshops locally and nationally for over twenty years. She has served as the chairperson of NASW’s National Ethics Committee and has served as a panelist, consultant, mediator and trainer for the NASW Illinois Chapter Ethics Committee. She is currently in private practice.

Michael R. Lloyd LSW, CADC completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Music from DePaul University and his Master's Degree in Social Work and Certification for Alcohol and Drug Counseling at Loyola University Chicago in 2012. Mr. Lloyd has been a research fellow for Dr. Maria Vidal de Haymes in the Institute on Migration and International Social Work for the last two years. He currently is a research assistant for Dr. Michael Dentato focusing on LGBTQ treatment and practice issues. His areas of interest include addiction research, with a specific focus on LGBTQ issues and co-occurring disorders. Mr. Lloyd is currently enrolled in the Loyola University School of Social Work Ph.D. program and is also pursuing his LCSW certification.	0

Michele Lowrance Judge Cook County Family Court has been a Domestic Relations Judge in the Circuit Court of Cook County since 1995 and spent 20 years as a domestic relations lawyer.Author of the book, The Good Karma Divorce (2010) published by Harper Collins, articles for Family Law Advocate, Divorce Magazine and regular contributor to the Huffington Post now AOL Online, and Visitation Guidelines for Cook County. She has presented The Good Karma Divorce for Illinois Continuing Legal Education, certified for continuing legal education credit and currently being presented around the country. She has been honored by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.Producer and chair of a statewide judicial conference on How to Tell if People Are Lying,and Science in the Courtroom she also produced and hosted the Infinity Broadcasting talk radio show Your Health Matters for five years, interviewing guests, including Deepak Chopra, Dr. Andrew Weil and Dr. John Grey. She has been a guest on Good Morning America, the CBS Morning Show, ABC, WLS, WGN, CNN, WTTW Disorder in the Court, Curb Your Enthusiasm Panel Discussion, EXTRA, American Justice with Bill Kurtis. and many other radio and TV shows. She was a regular guest on Jonathan Brandmeir’s Radio WLS program “Trust me, I’m a Lawyer” and Dr Laura Berman’s Show.She is a regular guest lecturer at Chicago Divorce University, the Chicago Bar Association, the University of Chicago, DePaul Law School, Kent Law School and Northwestern University, the Forensic Forum and the Chicago Think Tank.

Marta Lundy PhD, LCSW Professor, Loyola University Chicago School of Social Work has been a member of the faculty at Loyola University Chicago, School of Social Work since 1994. She teaches in the foundation and advanced clinical practice program, including courses in social work practice with couples, families, family violence, and immigrants and refugees. Dr. Lundy conducts research and publishes in the area of family violence and battered women, including immigrants. In addition, she is interested in the construction of multitheoretical, multisystemic models of social work practice, facilitating a more comprehensive approach to collaborating with clients. Dr. Lundy has maintained a private clinical practice since 1989.

Marion Malcome MSW, LCSW Team Leader, Intensive Case Management, Northwestern Memorial Hospital Marion Malcome is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of Illinois. Marion received a BS in Psychology with a Minor in Afro-American studies and a MSW with a concentration in Community Mental Health both from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Marion has extensive training and experience in clinical diagnostic assessment, and providing mental health support to adults with severe and persistent mental illnesses. She is currently the Team Leader for an Intensive Case Management Team at Northwestern Memorial Hospital as well as a Psychotherapist at Urban Balance, a group counseling practice. Marion is passionate about community mental health, and dedicated to reducing stigma about mental health on an individual and community level.

Paul M. Martin PsyD Psychologist, The Center for Grief Recovery is a licensed clinical psychologist with a practice that specializes in problems pertaining to loss, grief, and mourning. Paul provides individual psychotherapy and runs grief therapy groups. Further, Paul enjoys teaching graduate level psychology classes, including lifespan development, interviewing skills, ethics, and psychotherapy coursework. Paul has a genuine passion for being a psychotherapist and a deep respect for the healing process that ensues when people are able to express their feelings without fear, discomfort, or inhibition. He is also very sensitive to the traumatic experiences of hurtful relationships throughout life that continue to haunt people. Paul draws heavily from his training in psychodynamic theory and psychoanalysis. To this end, he encourages dream interpretation, analysis of the unconscious, and expression of repressed emotions as avenues towards change. Paul also draws from his lifelong experiences as a musician to help people access their intuition and foster creativity in their lives. Paul received his Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. He has also completed a fellowship in the study of psychoanalysis through the Chicago Center for Psychoanalysis and is actively involve in Division 39 of the American Psychological Association. Paul has extensive experience providing psychoanalytic psychotherapy, emotionally expressive psychotherapy, and group psychotherapy.

Megan McCormick LCSW Clinician II, Jewish Child and Family Services Megan McCormick LCSW has worked as a clinician in child welfare for over 5 years. Megan has worked with children returning home to their birth parents, children achieving permanency with relatives and non-relative foster parents as well as children adopted out of care. Megan has specialized training in complex trauma in children and adolescents. In addition, Megan has additional training in Child Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) and Attachment, Self-Regulation and Competency (ARC). Megan has experience working with children and families from various racial, ethnic and socio-economical backgrounds in numerous settings including residential facilities, schools, crisis hotlines, community agencies and hospitals. Megan graduated from the University of Chicago's School of Social Service Administration.	0

Stanley G. McCracken PhD, LCSW, RDDP is a senior lecturer at the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration. He has published in the areas of evidence-based practice, psychiatric rehabilitation, chemical dependence, behavioral pharmacology, behavioral medicine, aging, motivational interviewing and staff training. He is co-author of Interactive Staff Training and Practice Guidelines for Extended Psychiatric Residential Care and co-editor of From Task-Centered Social Work to Evidence-Based and Integrative Practice: Reflection on History and Implementation. He has over thirty years of experience as a clinician, educator and consultant specializing in treatment of adults with mental health, drugs and medical problems and in implementation of evidence-based practice in community settings.

Susan G. McCracken PhD Susan McCracken a clinician, educator, and consultant specializing in the treatment of child and adolescent disorders, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, and psychological aspects of medical disorders. She has practiced in medical, mental health, and employee assistance settings and is currently in private practice. She is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration and teaches professional development workshops throughout the Chicago area. She is a member of the Illinois Psychology Association, the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, and is senior fellow of the Biofeedback Certification Institute of America.

Elizabeth McGarry MSW Program Manager, Addictions, Heritage Behavioral Health Center is the Program Manager of Addictions at Heritage Behavioral Health Center. She facilitates individual and group counseling in the field of substance abuse, provides clinical leadership to staff, and oversees substance abuse programming. She received her BSW from Loyola University, Chicago in 1993 and her MSW from University of Illinois, Urbana in 2011. She holds her LSW and CADC. She has experience in the areas of addictions, trauma, and community corrections. She has received extensive training in the area of trauma and guides staff in developing an understanding of trauma and trauma informed care in an effort to provide quality effective treatment.

Terrance S. McNicholas LCSW, MDiv Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center	0

Judith W. Mintz LCSW Director of Support Services, Unity Hospice of Chicagoland is the Director of Support Services at Unity Hospice of Chicagoland. She obtained her MSW from the University of Illinois Jane Addams College of Social Work in 1988. She has 25 years experience as a clinical social worker in various settings, including a family service agency, ongoing private practice, a university counseling center, nursing homes, and hospice care. She lives in Chicago, Illinois, where she maintains a clinical private practice in individual and couples therapy in addition to her hospice work.

Joseph T. Monahan MSW, ACSW, JD Partner, Monahan Law Group, LLC Joseph T. Monahan (Joe) is founder of the Chicago law firm The Monahan Law Group, LLC. Trained as a social worker before going to law school, Joe has been an active member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) for decades. He first joined NASW in 1976, served on the on the National Board of NASW and its Executive Committee, and is currently President of the Board of Directors of the Risk Retention Group. In the past twenty-seven years as a lawyer, Joe and the firm have been involved in ground breaking legal issues impacting social workers and their clients. In 2011, Joe successfully argued a case in the Illinois Supreme Court concerning the confidentiality of records in domestic relations proceedings. Joe was lead trial counsel on the first same-sex adoption case in Illinois and also was the plaintiff (then later appointed co-chair of the Rule 706 expert panel) in the BH lawsuit against DCFS. He represents approximately 70 hospitals in the Chicago metropolitan area and provides legal representation and advocacy to numerous outpatient mental health clinics and child welfare agencies in the state. Joe received his MSW from the University of Illinois in Champaign, and his JD from DePaul University College of Law. He teaches Mental Health Law at Loyola University Chicago Law School.

Elizabeth Morgan LCSW Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center Elizabeth Morgan was awarded an MSW degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 2006. Upon graduation she began working in the substance abuse field, initially with adolescent females, then adults receiving opioid replacement therapies. Ms. Morgan moved to the Chicago IL area in 2009 where she began at Heartland Alliance working with homeless families chosen for housing vouchers as well as consultation work on clinical programming and the development of clinical templates. Mr. Morgan began her career at the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center in 2010 and works in the Domiciliary Program for Homeless Veterans. She is also a doctoral candidate at Loyola University-Chicago.	0

Melissa Murphy Thompson MSW, LCSW, OSW-C Clinical Director, MMT Counseling Services; Professor, Loyola University Chicago School of Social Work Melissa is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Certified Oncology Social Worker. She earned a Masters degree in Social Work from Aurora University and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Human and Organizational Development from DePaul University in Chicago. Melissa has experience working with adults, families, teens, and children. Along with facilitating support and therapy groups, Melissa provides individual and family counseling services. She has a strong interest in psychosocial oncology, working to enhance the quality of life of those impacted by cancer. In addition to working with cancer survivors and their families, she also works to support oncology and other professionals through educational and professional development workshops. Her additional research interest is the impact of oppression on diverse populations. Melissa is the Clinical Director and Fouder of MMT Counseling Services in Batavia Illinois where she works with adults and children impacted by ADHD, depression, anxiety, grief, divorce, and chronic health condition. In addition, she is currently a professor at Loyola University Chicago in the graduate school of social work. In 2011, Melissa was the recipient of The Hoffman Estates High School's Distinguished Alumni Award for her outstanding achievements, contributions and commitment to the field of social work.

Travis J. Nottmeier LCSW, CADC Chester Mental Health Center, Illinois Department of Human Services Mr. Nottmeier received his bachelor and master degrees from Southern Illinois University atCarbondale He had worked for the Illinois Department of Corrections for twelve years prior to transferring to the Illinois Department of Human Services. Mr. Nottmeier began his career as a correctional officer atMenardCorrectionalCenter. He received his clinical training atMenardCorrectionalCenterand has subsequently obtained his Certification in Alcohol and other Drug abuse Counseling (CADC). Mr. Nottmeier served as a mental health consultant on the Menard Correctional Center Hostage Negotiation Team, Coordinator for Sexual Assault Prevention, and Chairman to the Treatment Review Committee, and Crisis Team Leader. Currently he is now a licensed clinical social worker for the Illinois Department of Human Services/ Mental Health Division. He is working at Chester Mental Health Center as a social worker. Mr. Nottmeier is a member of the National Association of Social Workers and is active in the Metro East St. Louis District. Mr. Nottmeier has previously served as the NASW-IL District Chair for Metro-East St. Louis which includes serving on the NASW-IL Board of Directors.

Jonathan Nye Attorney at Law The Law Offices of Nye & Associates, Ltd. Is the Managing Partner of The Law Offices of Nye & Associates, Ltd.. Mr. Nye has been practicing law since his admittance in 1992 and is admitted to practice law in the State of Illinois and in the Federal Courts of the Northern District of Illinois. He has consulted to the U.S. State Department on issues of International Child Abduction and practices extensivelly in the areas of mental health and human services law and family law. Mr. Nye has lectured on numerous topics, including family law and mental health and human services, before judges, hearing officers, legal and mental health agencies, associations, and human services practices. His written publications are excellent resources for other lawyers and mental health providers.

Mary C. O'Hara LCSW Assistant Director of Education, The Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease Center, Northwestern University Mary O'Hara is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Assistant Director of Education at the Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease Center (CNADC) of the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. At the CNADC, Mary provides clinical social work services to diagnosed individuals and families in the Neurobehavior and Memory Clinic and assists in the development and facilitation of various quality of life enrichment programs and support groups for those living with cognitive impairment and their families. Mary received her undergraduate degree in sociology from Boston College and her Masters in Social Work at the University of Chicago's School of Social Service Administration.

Judy Orbach LCSW Judy Orbach, LCSW works in the adoption field doing home studies for potential adoptive families as well as expectant mother advocacy. She also has a private practice and specializes in adoptions, family functioning, school advocacy, parenting, and chronic illness in children.

John Orwat PhD Assistant Professor, Loyola University Chicago School of Social Work is on the faculty at Loyola University Chicago. Dr. Orwat primarily teaches in health care and mental health care policy. Current research includes a project related to healthcare phsyician quality in rural areas and an evaluation of of a deferred prosecution program. Dr. Orwat has several years of experience as a clinical social worker as well as directing health services research regarding the impact of benefit design, cost effectiveness of interventions, the impact of federal policy changes, and other delivery system issues. John holds a Master of Arts from the School of Social Services at the University of Chicago and a PhD from the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University.

Danette Perry MBA, MSW, LSW so motivated by her own experience in Family Court, switched careers, acquired an MSW, and is now a devoted advocate for individuals, families, and children of divorce. Through training and research, Danette realized alternative methods of dispute resolution actually mitigate the possible adverse effects of the divorce process. Danette is dedicated to presenting options and setting realistic expectations, encouraging each party to choose the best solution for their life. Litigation, Danette believes, should be the process of last resort. There is a continuum of dispute resolution approaches, offering a variety of options which may be applied considering the circumstances. Danette educates clients to evaluate options, and to choose the most effective for their situation. She encourages parents to consider choices for their children’s future, and to make all the crucial decisions away from attorney’s and courtrooms. Conflict during divorce may be harmful to the entire family. Danette has personal experience with the effects of conflict, so her empathy is heartfelt and genuine. She encourages parents, no matter how they feel about each other, to set aside their anger and to focus on their children’s future. Utilizing the framework of The Good Karma Divorce, she encourages each individual to learn from the experience and to emerge stronger from the experience. There is a hierarchy of alternatives to consider before hiring an attorney. Danette’s knowledge and experience present a realistic picture of each option. Her practice includes therapy, mediation, parenting coordination, collaborative law, divorce coaching and a variety of educational programs. Danette’s goal is to resolve disputes. Danette’s publications include, “ An Evaluation of the Mandated Mediation Program in DuPage County” and a series of articles focused on divorce, “An alternative to expensive divorce litigation: Mediation”, “Divorce should not shatter your children’s lives,” and “When divorcing don’t hurt the people you love most: Your children.” She has been a guest lecturer at the NASW Illinois, Dominican University, Triton College, the Collaborative Law Institute of Illinois, the Interfaith Mental Health Coalition, Law Firms, Therapy Groups and the DuPage County Bar Association.

Nicole Perry LCSW Hospice Social Worker, Journey Care

Don Phelps PhD, LCSW Professor, Aurora University School of Social Work Dr. Phelps received his Ph.D. in Social Work in 1997 from the University of Illinois with an emphasis in social policy analysis and administration. He also studied at the George Williams College-School of Social Work at Aurora University where he completed his MSW degree in 1990, focusing on youth and family therapy. Dr. Phelps is a Professor of Social Work at Aurora University. During his sabbatical in spring 2011 he provided clinical training, consultation and direct services at the “Casa Hogar Los Angelitos” orphanage in Manzanillo, Mexico. In 2010, Dr. Phelps received the Aurora University John McKee Citizenship Award for his community service and commitment to the university values of integrity, citizenship, continuous learning and excellence. He received the Social Worker of the Year Award in 2007 by the NASW-IL Three Rivers District, and received the Aurora University Marcus and Mark Trumbo Excellence in Teaching Award in 2003. During the last 25 years Dr. Phelps has worked as a professor, youth and family therapist, clinical director, chief operating officer, and executive director. He currently serves on the board of directors of The Center for Faith and Human Rights.

April Lauren Phillips MSW received her B.A. in Interdisciplinary Anthropology with a minor in Conflict Management at the University of Akron, graduating Summa Cum Laude. Hired as staff at age eighteen, Lauren worked for eight years in an intimate partner violence (IPV) crisis shelter and transitional living program before relocating to Chicago to pursue her studies. Lauren completed a field placement with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office Victim Witness Unit. Lauren’s research and practice interests include social work practice with survivors of IPV, serving survivors of abuse with disabilities, feminist social work practice, and social work with LGBTQ individuals. In addition, Lauren is currently working on several manuscripts. In 2012, Lauren presented a poster at the International Association of Social Work with Groups Symposium and will be published in the 2012 conference proceedings on meeting the needs of homicide survivors in groups. She also has co-authored and submitted for publication a manuscript with Drs. Hilado and Kallemeyn, faculty at Loyola University Schools of Social Work and Education, respectively, entitled: Examining Understandings of Parent Involvement in Early Childhood Programs: Implications for Policies and Practices.

Milka Ramirez PhD, MSW Assistant Professor, Northeastern Illinois University Social Work Program Milka Ramirez, Assistant professor, social work, earned her Ph.D. in philosophy of social work with a certificate in gender and women's studies, from the University of Illinois at Chicago's Jane Addams College of Social Work. Her dissertation research titled "An Examination of Homophobia and Social Work Practice Among a Sample of School Social Workers" was drawn from a national sample. Her research interests include homophobia, organizational change and issues of gender, race and social economic status. She was a school social worker with Chicago Public Schools, and has over 10 years of social work practice experience. She is also the co-founder and board president of En Las Tablas Performing Arts Community Center located in the West Logan Square area of Chicago, and is a spoken word performer.

Anthony D. Rodriguez MSW, CSAT, BCSA, LCSW, LISW Founder and Clinical Director, The Men's Center is the founder and clinical director of The Men’s Center, a private practice in Iowa City, IA. With over 20 years of clinical experience, he specializes in working with adult male survivors of sexual violence, as well as men and women who are sexually compulsive. In his practice, he provides individual and couples therapy, and facilitates a men’s and women’s forum for recovering sex addicts and their partners/spouses. Anthony is a contributing author to Facing Heartbreak: Steps to Recovery for Partners of Sex Addicts (Gentle Path Press 2012). He is trained in EMDR and divorce mediation. He has provided clinical trainings nationally to other professionals and universities concerning issues of sexual addiction and adult male survivors of sexual abuse. Lastly, Tony has provided critical incident stress debriefing to organizations and companies that experienced violence and trauma in their environment.

Eileen Rosete Yoga Teacher The Family Institute at Northwestern University	0

Joel L. Rubin MSW, CAE Executive Director, NASW Illinois Chapter Joel Rubin has served as executive director of the 7,000 member Illinois Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) since October 1999. He has over twenty-five years of nonprofit management and fundraising experience including extensive work with boards of directors, committees and volunteers, and advocacy around a wide variety of social work, human service, and international political issues. Joel is a graduate of the Wexner Heritage Fellowship Leadership Program and a current adjunct professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago Jane Addams College of Social Work as well as Loyola University Chicago School of Social Work.

Kim Sangster MSW PhD Student Research Assistant, Loyola University Chicago School of Social Work is a licensed social worker in Illinois. She is currently a doctoral student in the SSW at Loyola, lecturers on spritiuality and social work and supervises students in a Health Justice Project.	0

James L. Scherrer PhD, LCSW Assistant Professor, Dominican University School of Social Work has been a member of the International Activities Network of the Illlinois Chapter since 2003 and a member of the Steering Committee since 2006. In addition, he has been involved in developing a social work program in Addis Ababa University and the University of Gondar in Ethiopia. He is also a member of the Development Team for a Community Development Child Welfare Project in Ethiopia. He currently teaches social work courses in the Graduate School of Social Work in Dominican University. He has over 40 years of experience in Child	0

Sherri Schneider President, Family Benefit Solutions, Inc. For over 30 years, Sherri Schneider, President of Family Benefit Solutions, Inc., QIDP, and the mother of a child with some special needs, has been tirelessly dedicated to helping individuals with special needs and their families to obtain and maintain the government benefits they so desperately need (including SSI, SSDI, Medicaid, Medicare…etc..) Her vast experience has enabled her to establish and maintain open, productive relationships with the government agencies involved in the entire decision-making process. Families and professionals find her interactive in-service expertise to be invaluable as they attempt to navigate the government benefit arena. She is also on the faculty of the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education and is on the Board of The Arc of IL.	0

Judith Sevel Illinios State University School of Social Work Social Work professional with strong clinical, and management skills. Well developed experience creating strong professional networks to train developing undergraduate and graduate students. Adept at creatively incorporating ‘real-life’ clinical experience into the classroom.

Emily Shayman MSW Emily Shayman, MSW, is a school social worker at Union Ridge School (Pre-K through eighth grade) in Harwood Heights, Illinois, and is a doctoral student at Loyola University School of Social Work. In addition, she is on the editorial board for the Journal of Poverty.

Linda Sheehan School Social Worker, Lake Villa School District; Child and Adolescent Counselor, Lake County Parent Network For 16 years, I have been a School Social Worker working with students ages 3-13. I do cognitive behavioral and social skill-based work with children in both regular and special ed. I am part of our Special Services team - we work closely with teachers and parents to help student thrive in the classoom. I am a Nurtured Heart Trainer and an avid student of brain researh and mindfulness. Although I have traveled widely, I come from the South Side of Chicago and have a great deal of respect for the difficulties of parenting at this time. I have 2 children ages 20 and 23 and live with my husband in Grayslake. Lake County Parents Network is my private practice and vehicle to build community. I am applying to be a Medicaid provider and very interested in making behavioral health services available to a broader range of clients.

Lisa Sink MA, MSW, LSW Social Work Facilitator, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign School of Social Work a relative newcomer to the field of Social Work, brings decades of life experience to her work. She became a social worker after a career as a Spanish teacher and establishing her family. Ms. Sink received her MSW from the School of Social Work at UIUC in December 2010. Previously, she earned a B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Spanish, and an M.A. in the Teaching of Spanish, both from UIUC. Ms. Sink worked at Frances Nelson Health Center (a Federally Qualified Health Center) for her MSW internship, where she assumed the responsibilities of a Bilingual Mental Health Social Worker. She also worked as a Research Assistant during her time at the School of Social Work, on a project called Vida Alegre (the Happy Life), which used a modified Cognitive Behavioral Group Therapy model to provide treatment (in Spanish) for depressed Latina mothers. Ms. Sink earned her LSW from the State of Illinois in March 2011, and currently continues to work on the Vida Alegre project.

Cheri Sinnott LCSW Director, Illinois Service Resource Center is the Director of the Illinois Service Resource Center, which provides behavior support for students who are deaf and hard of hearing in Illinois. She is also an Adjunct Faculty Instructor in the Social Work Department at College of Lake County and maintains a private practice. Cheri is the Secretary of the NASW-IL Board of Directors.

Lynn Skubiszewski LCSW Palliative Care Social Worker, Journey Care is the Palliative Care team social worker for Journey Care based in Barrington that services palliative and hospice patients in 10 northern IL counties. Lynn is a graduate of Aurora University School of Social Work and has worked in the academic, geriatric, and healthcare fields for over 20 years. She has an interest in coaching the helping professionals in self care and encouraging social workers in healthcare settings to embrace leadership roles in their mulitidisciplinary settings. Lynn enjoys traveling with her husband, gourmet cooking, and playing with her 2 lovable terriers.

Marcia Spira PhD Professor, Loyola University Chicago School of Social Work; Director, Institute on Aging, Intergenerational Study, and Practice, Loyola University Chicago directs the Institute on Aging, Intergenerational Study and Practice and coordinates the gero subspecializaion in the School of Social Work at Loyola University Chicago. She teaches clinical courses in the MSW program.She writes and presents extensively on older adults and their families.

Judy Stigger LCSW Therapist, The Cradle is a therapist serving adoptive, foster and birth families wih a focus on tweens and teens. She is also Clinical Director for AdoptionLearningPartners.org , an interactive, web-based, educational site. A licensed clinical social worker, Judy: s directed an international adoption program s supervised domestic adoption with focus on understanding open adoption s conceived of and creates content for www.AdoptionLearningPartners.org, s presents at national seminars, s speaks on television and radio programs such as NPR &BBC, and been quoted in various newspapers including the New York Times and Chicago Tribune s authored a book, Coping with Infertility, plus various chapters and articles, s serves on the Editorial Advisory Boards of the Adoptive Families Magazine s is a past president of the Board of Joint Council on International Children’s Services, is completing a post graduate course with the U. of Portand in Adoption Therapy s received a Congressional “Angel in Adoption” award in 2000. Judy and her husband are the adoptive parents of two now-grown, special needs and cross-racially placed children and grandparents to three girls—one in an open adoption and two in their care. She shares what she has learned over the years from the colleagues, clients and her own children.

Melissa Stockwell Melissa Stockwell graduated in 2002 from the University of Colorado, where she participated in the ROTC program. In May 2002, she was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant into the United States Army. In March 2004, her unit was deployed to Baghdad, Iraq. On April 13, she was on a routine convoy and was hit by a roadside bomb. The blast blew off her left leg, and today Stockwell stand as an above-the-knee-amputee. For her service, Stockwell was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart. Stockwell was introduced to swimming through physical therapy at Walter Reed. When she moved to Minnesota in May 2005, she found a club team and started training with the goal of making the 2008 US Paralympic Swimming Team. Stockwell swam the 400 Free, 100 Free, and 100 Fly in Beijing, but her proudest moment was carrying the American flag at closing ceremonies. After Beijing, Stockwell turned to the sport of triathlon. In 2010, she was a member of the Paratriathlon national team and became the 2010 Paratriathlon World Champion in her classification. Along with her athletics, Stockwell works for Scheck and Siress Prosthetics in Chicago and fits other amputees with artificial limbs. She is also an advocate for wounded veterans, a board member for the Wounded Warrior Project, and believes in living life to the fullest. To learn more about Melissa, visit her website: www.melissastockwell.com

Hayley Stokar LSW Employment Specialist, Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Jewish Vocational Service Chicago Hayley Stokar is a licensed social worker in the field of vocational rehabilitation for deaf and hard of hearing populations. She was a recipient of the NASW Illinois Chapter 2012 Emerging Leader Award. Ms. Stokar obtained her MSW from Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. and is currently pursuing a PhD in Social Work at Loyola University Chicago.

Jennifer Tabor LCSW manages a private practice in McHenry, Illinois. She is currently a DCFS-contracted provider. As a therapist, Jennifer works primarily with children, adults and families who are involved with the Department of Children and Family Services. In this role, she uses an integrated approach to help children cope with and heal from their adverse experiences, as well as working with adult parents to address the barriers to them being able to parent adequately. Jennifer's eleven year career as a social worker has also included experiences as a school social worker, an intake coordinator of a therapeutic day treatment school program, a clinical screener for the DCFS integrated assessment program and as a therapist. She has completed the State's CWEL training for child welfare professionals, the 40-hour domestic violence training, and is near completing the training requirements to become a Registered Play Therapist through the Association for Play Therapy. She lives in Lake County with her husband and daughter.

Amy Terpstra MSW Associate Director, Social IMPACT Research Center, Heartland Alliance Amy Terpstra is the Associate Director of the Social IMPACT Research Center at Heartland Alliance. Amy is a data analyst with expertise in Census Bureau, economic, health, and human services data collection, interpretation, and communication. She keeps large databases to track state, county, and local data for multiple indicators of economic security. In her 8 years with IMPACT, she has led and worked on a diverse portfolio of projects including a multi-year, multi-method evaluation of Illinois’s Recovery Act-supported subsidized employment program, Put Illinois to Work, a large-scale needs assessment of public housing residents with barriers to employment, a comprehensive analysis of affordable housing in McHenry County, Illinois, a statewide evaluation of supportive housing, a child nutrition needs assessment, and an older adult nutrition programming gaps analysis, among others. She also serves in an adjunct capacity teaching a research methods course and the sociology of social problems course to undergraduate students at Trinity Christian College. Amy holds a master’s degree in social work from the Jane Addams College of Social Work at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Joanna Vergoth LCSW, NCPsyA Executive Director, Forma As a psychotherapist in private practice, in both Chicago and New York City, worked with a variety of clients presenting with severe trauma histories. Volunteered my services to groups and individuals, including firefighters, impacted by 911 and provided on-site psychotherapy to Cantor Fitzgerald for two years. Developed and implemented Care for the Caregivers, a psychotherapeutic program for counselors and case managers suffering from secondary traumatic stress (STS). Over the past decade became very involved with FGM/C (female genital mutilation/cutting) and its consequences. Volunteered clinical services at Sauti Yetu, an advocacy organization that seeks to promote and protect the rights of immigrant African women and girls. Also coordinated efforts between Sauti Yetu and Forward—a London based organization and recognized leader in the field of campaigning for the elimination of FGM/C—regarding the dissemination of training materials for health and social service professionals on this issue. Initiated internship at the American University in Cairo, Egypt to investigate community methods used to help reduce incidence of FGM/C. Presently establishing a not-for-profit organization, forma, created for FGM/C affected women and their families. Since many FGM/C affected women lament that they are ‘ruined,’ our vision has been to provide a resource for healing so that they need not feel ‘less than’. We will be launching a web site www.formafgc.org, which has been designed to be interactive for FGM/C affected women to share their stories and/or express themselves artistically. On May 1st forma will open a Chicago based office strictly dedicated to providing mental health services to FGC affected communities.

Kathy Waligora, MSW Kathy Waligora is health reform outreach coordinator for the Illinois Maternal and Child Health Coalition. In her current position, she is responsible for monitoring implementation of the Affordable Care Act, educating health care and social service providers on this groundbreaking law, and coordinating statewide outreach and enrollment efforts. In the past year, Kathy has educated over 3,500 people on this law. She has worked in public health for five years, most recently for Building a Healthier Chicago, a project of the US Department of Health and Human Services Region V.

Jack Wall PhD Director, San Jose State University School of Social Work Dr. Wall is currently the Director of Social Work at San Jose State. He is the former Dean of Loyola University School of Social Work. He write and presents extensively in the area of older adult and their families.	0

Kathryn Wehrmann PhD, LSW Associate Professor, Illinois State University School of Social Work is an associate professor at the Illinois State University School of Social Work where she serves as the BSW Program Coordinator. She teaches graduate research and field courses in the graduate program. Her research focus is currently focused on evaluation of the Illinois Division of Mental Health Evidence Based Practice Initiative. She is a long time member of NASW and is currently representing Region IX on the National Board.

Jataun J. Williams AM, LCSW Jataun J. Williams & Associates, LLC has worked in the field of social services for over twenty years with a variety of populations ranging from child welfare, DD, hospital social work, homeless, HIV/AIDS impacted, children & families, faith based counseling, teaching undergraduate and graduate level social work students and the field of aging. She is currently a Public Service Administrator within the Clinical Division of a state agency and opened a private practice in Homewood, Illinois earlier this year. She serves as the President of the National Association of Black Social Workers-Chicago Chapter and is a member of the NASW Older Adults Special Interest Group. She enjoys traveling with family and doing genealogy research tremendously. She is hoping to publish her book entitled What's Funny About Dementia? in the upcoming year, which is a memoir of her experience and others' journey through caregiving highlighting the respective strengths of families who are inducted into this dynamic role.

Jeff Zacharias LCSW, CAADC, BRI-I, CSAT Candidate President and Clinical Director, New Hope Recovery Center is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Certified Advanced Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Counselor (CAADC) and Registered Dual Disorder Professional (RDDP) with many years of clinical experience in both the mental health and addictions fields. Currently, he is the President/Clinical Director of New Hope Recovery Center located in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago. Additionally, he has a private practice in the Lincoln Square area. His areas of interest including working with all aspects of addiction, severe and persistent mental health issues, personality disorders, trauma and its impact on recovery, hoarding and other obsessive-compulsive disorders and issues within the LGBTQI community. Jeff is a member of NASW, NALGAP and NAADAC as currently is on the Board of Directors for NALGAP. He has had articles published in “Praxis: Where Reflection and Practice Meet”, “Addiction Professional” magazine and “Renew” magazine where he writes a monthly blog entitled “Recovering with Pride” which is focused on recovery issues within the LGBTQI community.