Multi-award-winning author, Adria Wilkins has an accounting degree from Western Kentucky University. She and her husband, Erik, live in Northern Virginia and have three children Katie, Blake, and Anthony. Her book The Joy Box Journal with Hachette Book Group released July 2019. She enjoys telling a story, adding sprinkles of joy and a few extra dollops to liven it up. After suffering the unthinkable- death of three-year-old Blake, she found that joy can be found in any circumstance. Adria and her husband have done foster care and adopted a child.

Alesha Perkins is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Virginia and North Carolina and a Certified Case Manager. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and her Master of Social Work from the University of Central Florida. Alesha has over 20 years of experience in the social work field with vast knowledge in medical social work, child protective services, case management, mental health and substance abuse counseling. Over ten years ago, she began her instructional career providing trainings to dialysis providers. Since then, she has created and facilitated numerous trainings for mental and medical professionals, state and national organizations. She is an advocate for eliminating mental health disparities and provides education in minority communities to promote mental health awareness. She serves as Mentorship Chair for the North Carolina Society for Clinical Social Work and is an active member of Toastmasters. Alesha is a former Clinical Director for a mental health agency and currently works for a health insurance provider as a Senior Program Manager. In addition, she provides clinical supervision, has a part-time private practice, and is an instructor for Perkins Medical Services which is family-owned. Perkins Medical Services has been in business for over 20 years and provides quality medical and mental health trainings.

Alesia K. Alexander, LCSW, CT is a passionate, and spirited advocate for young people and communities. Ms. Alexander's work over the last two decades has focused on inclusive practice, children and teens in school and community settings, specifically with children and teens that have lost a loved one to death. A licensed clinical social worker in Florida, Georgia, and Virginia, she has served as consultant to grief and loss centers across the nation on loss, and inclusive practice. She is a former member of the Board of Directors for The National Alliance for Grieving Children. Ms. Alexander is a regular presenter and trainer regionally, nationally and internationally on grief, loss, inclusion, and at-risk youth development. She is the author of four resources for grieving children and communities. Tapestries: A Creative & Inclusive Approach to Grief Support for Youth & Communities (2013), Dream Clouds (2011), Un Mural Para Mamita/A Mural for Mamita (2001), Sunflowers & Rainbows for Tia: Saying Goodbye to Daddy (1999). Ms. Alexander is also a featured expert in the WPSU PBS Documentary, Speaking Grief (2019).

Arthur Romano is an Assistant Professor at the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University and The Elise Boulding Scholar Practitioner for the National Peace Academy. He has over 20 years of experience serving as an educational advisor and developing transformative and experiential education with communities affected by conflict and violence.Dr. Romano came to the school with over 15 years of experience designing and implementing experiential educational programs on peace and conflict resolution related themes in a wide array of locales including in Asia, Africa, and Central America. He also co-developed the Diversity Matters Now workshop series, which explores issues related to identity and peacebuilding in colleges and universities across the US.His international work has focused on Hip Hop Diplomacy as he regularly works with US Hip Hop Artists engaging in cultural exchange work abroad through the Next Level Program as well as peace education in East Asia including implementation and evaluation of peace education and problem-solving programs in Japan and South Korea.He has published on issues related to Black-led truth-telling processes, grassroots peace and conflict resolution education and urban peacebuilding and is currently completing a book focused on community-led nonviolence education and the living legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. in US cities impacted by systemic racism and economic inequality.

Athena Viscusi, LICSW, has been involved in international humanitarian aid since 2010 and previously worked in Washington DC, providing mental health care to immigrants and refugees and victims of violence. She has directed mental health and psychosocial interventions in response to natural disasters such as earthquakes and epidemics and man-made disasters such as war and genocide. Currently, she provides emotional support services to humanitarian aid workers at Doctors without Borders. She is a lecturer at Howard University School of Social Work and have been a Field Instructor for several univeristies. Her pro bono work includes forensic evaluations for asylum applicants.

Brenda Sprinkle, Ph.D. is a Licensed Psychologist and the Regional Director for Deer Oaks-The Behavioral Health Organization. Dr. Sprinkle is a Developer for this Course and Co Presenter. Since 2007 Dr. Sprinkle has provided psychotherapy services to clients in nursing home facilities in the Austin region. She also manages/supervises Deer Oaks' Psychologists, LPCs and Licensed Clinical Social Workers in the West Texas and El Paso regions. Dr. Sprinkle develops and presents CEUs and conference presentations for Deer Oaks.

Breshell Jackson-Nevels, PhD is the MSW Program Director at The Ethelyn R. Strong School ofSocial Work at Norfolk State University. She has worked in the social work arena for over 25years. She has workedwith a variety of organizations including the Department of VeteransAffairs, a local school system, various social service/nonprofit agencies, the community servicesboard, and a hospice program. Her research interests include positive mental health and itssustainability as it relates to people of color.Dr. Jackson-Nevels has published articles in variouspeer-reviewed journals and has authored a book chapter. She has presented for international,national, local, and state agencies. Dr. Jackson-Nevels isproud of her roles as a wife and mother.

Bruce A. Copeland, Ph.D., is a 30-year career professional in the field of clinical social work practice. Dr. Copeland holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Social Work from Norfolk State University (NSU). Dr. Copeland's research and interest have centered on parental involvement among African American fathers.In 1995, he became licensed by the Virginia Board of Health Professions (Board of Social Work) as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), and in 1999, he also became licensed by the Board of Psychology as a Certified Sex Offender Treatment Provider (CSOTP). Dr. Copeland is a highly skilled psychotherapist who provides mental health services for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of mental, behavioral, and emotional disorders in individuals, families, and groups. Dr. Copeland has demonstrated those skills in a variety of settings to including outpatient, acute care, residential, and private practice.Currently, Dr. Copeland is an administrator for Hampton City Schools where he is Coordinator of School Social Worker Services and is an adjunct professor at NSU, School of Social Work. Dr. Copeland is also an independent contractor providing clinical supervision, training, and assessment for various agencies in the Hampton Roads community. In the community, Dr. Copeland is a volunteer at the Western Tidewater Free Clinic, where he has provided pro-bono outpatient mental health care to indigent residents in the local community since 2007. In 2012, he was appointed by the City Council of Suffolk, Virginia to serve on the Department of Human Services Advisory Board. In 2013, he was also appointed by the Virginia State Human Rights Committee to serve on the Local Human Rights Committee (LHRC). Dr. Copeland is a Life Member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., where he has served as Polemarch (President) at both the collegiate and alumni chapter levels. He is also a former member of the Fathers Auxiliary of Jack and Jill of America, Inc.

Cameo T. Harris is a native of Chicago Heights, IL. She relocated to Newport News, VA in 1989 as a result of her father’s forced pcs move from Anchorage, AK. Ms. Harris attended and graduated from Denbigh High School in 1992 and later enrolled in Norfolk State University that August with the intent to study Political Science. While on the journey Ms. Harris discovered that she had a knack for helping individuals who suffer from mental health issues after working as a Mental Health Tech at Colonial Hospital. Since that time Ms. Harris has accumulated over 31 years of combined experience in areas of Domestic Violence, HIV and AIDS, Child Welfare, Wounded Warriors/Combat Veterans, Military Work Life, Criminal Justice/Incarceration, and Substance Abuse. Ms. Harris has been able successfully complete specialized trainings in Domestic Violence, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries, and Suicide, to name a few. Currently Ms. Harris is the owner and operator of Kreative Milestones Behavioral Healthcare Services, LLC and Clinical Director of Available Mental Health Services, LLC. She also has a web-based agency ING Life 4 Tomorrow which will provide coaching and other consulting services to individuals outside of the state of Virginia. Ms. Harris describes her role as a Social Worker as someone that should provide advocacy, guidance, and support to those who are in their life’s storm. As a result, she is affectionately known as a broken wing healer because of the empathy that she provides to those whom she serves. When asked most of her colleagues have described her as intelligent, ambitious, and genuine.

Cassie DeSena-Jacobs, D.S.W., LCSW, M.S., is a clinical social worker with over 15 years of experience in New York and Virginia. Cassie's work has focused on trauma-informed care in various communities, including acute hospital work, community social work and direct practice. Cassie has a history of working with nonprofits on micro and macro levels, including building programming and facilitating therapeutic training.Cassie has been teaching at VCU since 2019 in the M.S.W. Program. Her teaching interests include therapy models, trauma-informed care, evidence-based practices when working with adolescents, and clinical theory work. Cassie's research focuses on the school to prison pipeline and creating training for school staff focused on inherent bias, cultural humility, trauma and relationship building.Cassie maintains a small private practice, which focuses on adolescents and adults who have experienced sexual trauma, trauma within family of origin and PTSD. She also has extensive experience providing inclusive care for the LGBTQIA + population and those who have worked in sex work. In her practice, Cassie's goal is to be non-judgmental and highlight the strength of a person as a way to process trauma and life events. This is a client-led process, which allows a focus on future needs and outcomes. Additionally, Cassie incorporates a variety of techniques to empower clients, promote and identify resiliency and rebuild strengths.

Courtney Pierce is the Anti-Trafficking Outreach and Direct Service Coordinator for Samaritan House. She also chairs the Black/African American Advisory Committee at Samaritan House. She is a graduate of Tidewater Community College and Regent University. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership and Management and is completing a master's degree in social work from Western New Mexico University. She has over eight years of experience working with survivors of violence and previously served a 2-year term on the public policy committee for the state of Virginia through the Virginia Action Alliance.

Cynthia A. King has practiced family law for more than twenty years in the Commonwealth of Virginia, focusing on custody/visitation, relocation, divorce, support, and equitable distribution issues.Cynthia graduated with college and university honors from Carnegie Mellon University with dual B.A. degrees in Professional Writing and Creative Writing, as well as a minor in Political Science. She earned her Juris Doctor from William & Mary Law School, where she was a member of the Law Review and authored a published note entitled, Fighting the Devil We Don't Know: Kansas v. Hendricks, A Case Study Exploring the Civilization of Criminal Punishment and Its Ineffectiveness in Preventing Child Sexual Abuse. She has utilized her writing skills in practice by drafting innumerable legal memoranda, pleadings, and appellate briefs.Cynthia is currently a solo practitioner in Richmond and serves as a certified Guardian ad Litem for children. In her spare time, she enjoys singing, baking pie, and rooting for the New York Rangers hockey team.

Deborah Theis, PhD, is a Licensed Psychologist with over 23 years of experience working in the long-term care industry. Dr. Theis obtained her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Texas A&M University in 1995. She has extensive experience managing comprehensive psychiatric and psychological services provided to long term care facilities to manage their behavioral health needs. Dr. Theis currently serves as the National Director of Training and Development for Deer Oaks. In that is role she identifies and internal and external training needs as it relates to behavioral health services in post-acute and long-term care. In addition, Dr. Theis serves on the Board of Directors for American Association of Geriatric Psychiatry, is the Programming Chair for Psychologists in Long Term Care and is a Committee Member for Academic and Higher Education for Texas Psychological Association.

Deepa Patel is the Co-Founder of Trauma and Hope. Trauma and Hope specifically focuses towards survivors of violence, sexual exploitation, gang prevention and intervention, and sex offender evaluations and treatment. Deepa is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, a Certified Sex Offender Treatment Provider and a Gang Specialist through the National Gang Crime Research Center. She is a dynamic clinician who has developed an expertise in treating non-voluntary clients, specifically juvenile and adult gang members, survivors of sexual trauma, and sex offenders. Deepa draws from range of therapeutic approaches to support individuals and families. She specializes in developmental trauma, complex trauma and mood disorders. She uses trauma-focused modalities to support traumatized individuals and families. Deepa is clinically trained in modalities such as Havening, EMDR, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Dialectal Behavioral Therapy (DBT). She has extensive experience in the field of trauma and been in the field since the early 2000's. Most recently, Deepa was selected for Virginia Commission on Human Trafficking formed by Governor Youngkin to enhance services for survivors, increase response from law enforcement and prosecution and enhance prevention education. Deepa has developed a proficient style of work with high risk and those managing complex trauma. Through her understanding and clinical devotion to her clients, she has widened her competency to develop an Intensive Outpatient and Inpatient Treatment Programs for survivors of sexual exploitation. This Certification offered by Trauma and Hope is SETTS, Sexual Exploitation Treatment and Training Services. SETTS provides a multidisciplinary clinical approach to screening, addressing, and treating, and working with victims of sexual exploitation, based on evidence based clinical practices. Deepa is a private consultant for numerous government and private based organizations in the area of trauma, human trafficking and perpetrators. The SETTS Curriculum has been utilized as a foundational level training throughout Virginia and in 2020 a partnership formed with the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services to train public and private providers. In 2022, she assisted the Virginia Department of Education implement training for school professionals regarding prevention education regarding human trafficking. Deepa has a unique ability to relate to her clients that has resulted in her having significant success treating her clients. She is often sought nationally and internationally to provide training and education regarding gang involved youth, sexual exploitation and sex offenders. Her passion and competency in her outpatient therapeutic program with survivors and offenders led her to become a recipient of the Virginia National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Social Worker of the Year Award in 2016, the recipient of the 2012 Frederick Milton Thrasher Award for Superior Service in Gang Prevention and the 2016 Frederick Milton Thrasher Award and Spirt of Excellence Award from the National Gang Crime Research Center. In addition, she was selected in 2013 for the CACIE (Central American Community Impact Exchange) an initiative formed by the FBI and the White House and the National Rapporteur on Trafficking in Human Beings and Sexual Violence against Children in Holland to share her success in treatment for gang involved youth, victims of sex trafficking and sex offenders. In addition, she sits on the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) Gang Task Force and Loudoun County ICOPE Project (Improving Children's Outcomes for Positive Endings), a trafficking specific MDT for minors. She is a member of the Northern Virginia, Loudoun County and Greater Prince William Human Trafficking Task Forces. She is the co-author of Working for the Crew: Understanding Gang Controlled Sexual Exploitation.

Dr. Deneen Evans, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Tenured Professor, advocate and navigator of justice is an Associate Professor of Social Work at East Tennessee University and after serving 16 years at Radford University as a Professor and Administrator in the School of Social Work she retired in December 2022. At Radford she left a mark on the University community by leading efforts in diversity and global engagement and became the first African American Tenured Professor in the School of Social Work. In 2000 she returned to Roanoke College her undergraduate alma mater to lead new initiatives as the founding Director of Multicultural Affairs. Dr. Evans research and teaching interest include African American families and disability, and issues related to social justice and spirituality in social work practice. Her passion for diversity was rooted in her upbringing in Jersey City New Jersey and has allowed her to travel abroad throughout North America, the Caribbean and in recent years to Uganda Africa to teach global policy and practices related to child disability. She is a published researcher and has presented research findings at international, national, and regional conferences and she is a sought-after consultant, speaker, and trainer in the area of diversity, equity and inclusion. God has blessed her to obtain a Ph.D. in Social Work from Norfolk State University, MSW degree from Radford University and a bachelor's degree in Sociology from Roanoke College. In 2019 the Evans' family was directed by God to establish Mosaic Mental Wellness and Health, the first African American owned group mental wellness practice in SW VA focused on multicultural practice and social justice.Dr. Evans has spent her professional career advocating for marginalized communities and navigating for diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice. The founding of Mosaic Mental Wellness and Health is the result of her academic and professional experiences and her desire to have a mental wellness home where people of color can join with clinicians who look like them and share in their lived experiences of the full extent of the societal and institutional inequalities that affect the lives of people of color. Dr. Evans is a member of Shiloh Baptist Church in Salem Virginia, the Roanoke Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Inc, and currently serves on the Board of Total Action for Progress, the Clinical Social Work Society of Virginia and is the co-chair of the Roanoke County Democratic Committee.

Ellen Fink-Samnick is an award-winning industry entrepreneur who empowers healthcare's interprofessional workforce. She is a subject matter expert on Health Equity, Ethics, Professional Case Management Practice, Interprofessional Teams, and Trauma-informed Leadership. Her latest books include, The Essential Guide to Interprofessional Ethics for Healthcare Case Management, The Social Determinants of Health: Case Management's Next Frontier, End of Life Care for Case Management, and upcoming Social Determinants of Mental Health: Advancing Wholistic Practice Excellence. Ellen is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Board-certified Case Manager, Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, and Certified Rehabilitation Provider. She is recipient of the 2022 Social Worker of the Year Award from the National Association of Social Workers for Virginia. Her academic appointments include the University of Buffalo School of Social Work, and George Mason University's Departments of Social Work and Global Community Health. She is a clinical supervision trainer and instructor for the National Association of Social Workers of Virginia, lead for Rise Association's Social Determinants of Health Community, moderator of Ellen's Ethical LensTM on LinkedIn and author of the blog, Ellen's Interprofessional Insights. Ellen is a consultant for the Case Management Institute, moderator of their Case Managers Community, and a Doctor of Behavioral Health candidate at Cummings Graduate Institute of Behavioral Health Studies.

Hamilton Glass is a painter and public artist living in Richmond, andthe creator and founder of Mending Walls. His work focuses aroundusing public art to build up communities, and create spaces in whichthe community members feel they have a stake in their surroundings.To him, it is vital that he uses his work in ways that serve the publicand engage people through art. He believes in the power of art, whichcan hold communities together, and increasing equity around accessto the arts.

Jamicia Davis is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 18 years of combined experience as a social worker and clinician in the field. She is a product of the public school system, social services, behavioral health, juvenile drug court, and the public and private sectors. As a scholar and practitioner, Ms. Davis values novel approaches to trauma comprehension. Ms. Davis was born and raised in Auburn, New York, the hometown of Harriet Tubman and William H. Seward, although she has lived in Virginia for the past twenty years. Ms. Davis received a bachelor's degree in social work from Buffalo State College and a master's degree in social work from the University at Buffalo. Ms. Davis is also currently a Ph.D. candidate at Norfolk State University. She possesses credentials in Youth Mental Health First Aid, Trauma and Resilience, and telemedicine. She is well known for her community service with adolescent girls and older adults. Ms. Davis has also performed admirably with educational grants. Honorable mentions include Unsung Hero and School Counselor of the Year at a local high school. Ms. Davis and her colleagues were honored with a Silver Magna Award for their contributions to public schools' mental health initiatives. Ms. Davis is a member of the distinguished sorority Delta Sigma Theta. She enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending time with her family, which includes Mocha, her pet dog.

Jamy Drapeza (they/she/siya) is a licensed psychotherapist practicing in DC and NY. They proudly represent as a nonbinary, queer therapist of color and have built their specialities in private practice work to encompass life transitions, post traumatic growth, and supporting members of the LGBTQ+ community with a focus on transgender and gender nonconforming folx in various stages of their gender affirmation journeys. Their past work experience includes serving as Clinical Director for the Wanda Alston Foundation, NYC Program Manager for S.O.U.L. Sisters Leadership Collective, and founding Team Leader of the Bronx PEAK program at CASES. In addition to their direct service work as a therapist, they also currently serve as co-Chief Operations Officer of Magnolia Mental Health, a private practice based in DC that centers the mental health and wellness needs of BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities. As of November 2022, they have been officially certified as a Transgender Care Therapist by the International Transgender Care Association.

Jasetta Perkins is a nurse educator. She received her Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology from James Madison University, Associates of Science in Health Sciences from the University of Mount Olive, her nursing diploma from Watts School of Nursing and her Master of Science in Nursing from Queens University of Charlotte. She has over ten years of experience in providing health education to clients. She has helped thousands in her career and was a coordinator of a newly diabetes program in which she successfully helped clients lose weight and drop their A1C within 3 months. She has a passion for teaching and advocating especially for minorities in which she has been requested to speak at churches, community events and businesses. Jasetta is currently a diabetes nurse educator for a large hospital system. She is also a CPR instructor, MAT trainer, and instructor for Perkins Medical Services which is family owned. Perkins Medical Services has been in business for over 20 years and provide quality mental health and medical trainings.

Javier Gil brings more than twenty years of experience working with adolescents, adults and families in private practice in Arlington, VA. He has worked with multiple social services agencies in the D.C. metro area, including the Latin American Youth Center, La Clinica del Pueblo, and social service agencies in Northern Virginia. Before moving to the Washington metropolitan area, Javier was a therapist at the Brattleboro Retreat in Vermont, one of the country's oldest private psychiatric hospitals. Javier received his M.S.W. from Norfolk State University and his B.A. in psychology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Javier has lived in Spain and Latin America. He is also a stroke survivor.

Jeanne Booth is the interim Co-Director of Field Education at the George Mason University Department of Social Work where she has been Assistant Professor and Community Programs Manager for several years. Professor Booth serves on the College of Health and Human Services Inclusive Excellence Leadership Team and as Co-Chair for the Diversity and Social Justice Committee. She joined the faculty at Mason following a career in clinical practice and local government leadership roles in a variety of areas including housing, justice, mobile crisis intervention work, child welfare services, aging and developmental disability services. She currently serves on the executive board for APAH, a nonprofit affordable housing developer serving Northern Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia.

Julie Wilcox (she/her) is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Virginia and a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker in Massachusetts. She has over 20 years of experience in the mental health field, including hospital, residential, community based, and private practice settings. Julie also provides supervision for licensure and has supervised interns and worked as a field liaison and adjunct professor for the MSW program at Virginia Commonwealth University. She is currently in a group private practice in the Richmond, Virginia area and facilitates trainings and coaching through her company, Authentic Living and Wellness.Julie received her undergraduate degree in Social Work with a minor in business from Baylor University and her Masters, with a concentration in child and adolescent Mental Health, from UNC- Chapel Hill. Julie is passionate about helping individuals through life transitions, substance use, couples/family work, and working with the LGBTQ+ population. Julie provides couples therapy for individuals at any stage in their relationship, including working with polyamory, affair recovery, kink, premarital work, parenting issues, and couples and families who are separating/divorced. Julie also has extensive work with the LGBTQ+ community, especially working with individuals who identify as questioning, queer, gender-expansive, and transgender. She can assist individuals navigating transitions, including family work, medical treatments, and surgeries. She has additional certifications in both Couples and Co-Parenting work. Julie is currently the Vice President for the NASW-VA Board. She also regularly volunteers for many programs throughout the community, especially those focused on youth, running, animals, and LGBTQ+ programs.

Kayla Balensiefer is a clinically licensed social worker in Virginia and Washington, DC who works with children, adolescents, and adults who are struggling with symptoms related to anxiety, depression, and crisis including grief and loss. Kayla frequently works with clients who are affected by social and generalized anxiety, depression, neurodivergence, and those who want to improve their confidence and relationship with others. Kayla obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Behavioral Neuroscience from Purdue University in 2010 and went on to obtain her Master of Social Work from the University of Southern California in 2013 with a focus on children and families and a concentration on military social work. She has worked with children and families in different roles for over a decade, most recently focusing on crisis intervention and stabilization. In 2021 she completed training as a therapeutic game master to infuse tabletop role playing games (TTRPGs), such as Dungeons and Dragons, into group therapy treatment giving her clients an engaging platform to address social skills, anxiety, and depression. On March 29, 2022 she became a Certified Geek Therapist through Geek Therapeutics. In her personal life it is common to find her playing different TTRPGs or board games with friends, playing video games, putting together Lego sets, taking/editing photos, and engaging in her favorite fandoms such as Star Wars, Harry Potter, or Marvel.

"It's our nature to get along" is Lasell Bartlett's motto and it guides her interactions. She integrates over fifty years of experience in the fields of bodymind awareness and meditation with professional expertise as a Clinical Social Worker, Bodywork and Somatic Education Practitioner (BASE-P), and PATH Intl Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor and Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Education, focusing on trauma resolution, early developmental repair, and helping people develop a sense of safety that can support the best relationships imaginable. Lasell lives on a small farm in rural Virginia with two horses, seven sheep, three donkeys, eight goats, forty-one guineas, two cats, three dogs, and her bestest ever human friend.

Lisa is a MSW student in her clinical year at Radford University and is focused on providing services for children in the child-welfare system. She is completing her clinical placement at a private practice focused on providing therapeutic services rooted in social justice. After graduation in May 2023 she will begin her career as a MSW practitioner focused on providing clinical services to families with children.

M. Elizabeth Bowman is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Work at Gallaudet University. She is also a minor domestic sex trafficking survivor, anti-trafficking advocate, mother of two teens, researcher, clinician, and speaker. In her clinical practice she works with trafficking survivors using trauma-informed yoga group therapy and also has a clinical practice supporting children and adolescents with anxiety and other challenges. She holds clinical social work licensure in DC and Maryland and is a Registered Yoga Teacher, RYT-200. Her research areas include the intersection of child welfare and sex trafficking, organizational culture and supervision in child welfare, and special populations issues in trafficking including LGBT, foster youth, and Deaf youth. She is the founder and executive director of the Restoring Ivy Collective in Washington, D.C., a survivor led organization which provides drop in services, group therapy, and support to survivors of sex trafficking with a focus on intentional community and sisterhood.

Morgan Honickel is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 12 years of experience working with children, adolescents, and adults. She is part of an interdisciplinary team at Central Virginia Health Services where she provides integrated care alongside a team of medical providers. Her passion areas include trauma, integrated care, and pediatric/adolescent mental health, and the intersection of trauma and healthcare.

Nikole R. Jiggetts, LCSW practices as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, for the states of Virginia and Maryland. She is a Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor, Certified Trauma Practitioner, and author. She is the CEO and owner of Replay Counseling & Consulting (Also known as Replay Counseling Center, LLC.) She is a graduate from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Social Work, with an MSW. Nikole has been working with children, adolescents, and their families for over 20 years. She is passionate about providing individuals with the opportunity to work through their difficulties and begin to start feeling better about their lives utilizing expressive therapies. In addition to serving as an adjunct professor for the VCU School of Social Work, she is also a life coach, parenting consultant and a mother of two. Nikole also provides training for mental health clinicians in the states of Virginia and Maryland as well as the District of Columbia, for the past 12 years.

Dr. Razia F. Kosi is the Coordinator of Culturally Responsive Practices and Anti-Racism Development in the Howard County Public School System where she leads system-wide and school-based DEI initiatives. Additionally, Dr. Kosi is a mental health professional and works to end the stigma surrounding mental health in the South Asian community. She has served on executive boards on both national and local organizations serving the South Asian and AAPI communities. She has had a private practice for over 15 years and works primarily with South Asian and Muslim clients from different racial and ethnic backgrounds.

Rob McCartney is the Chief Executive Officer for The Barry Robinson Center, a non-profit behavioral health system in Norfolk,VA. Rob sits on several non-profit boards including Tidewater Friends of Foster Care, The Greater Norfolk Corporation/GNC and the Association of Children’s Residential Centers, a member of Norfolk State University/NSU School of Social Work Advisory Board. 

Ron Jones has been an educator, writer, actor, and social activist for over 25 years. He is an EMMY Award winner who is currently Executive Director of Dialogues on Diversity. Dialogues on Diversity is the nation's premier social justice, diversity awareness theater company performing more than 100 Performances, Lectures and Workshops in N. America annually. He has created a range of performance, lecture, game, and workshop platforms designed to help individuals and organizations address issues of cultural difference in a more open, healthy and respectful way. His approach is to bring "Compassionate Activism" into our discussions and actions around social change. Only through understanding the mechanisms of bias and oppression can we work to dismantle them. Too few Americans know the stories of deep, complex and sometime, shameful stories that make us this beautiful experiment.

Dr. Samantha Sahl, DSW, LCSW is the Supervisor of the Child Sex Trafficking Recovery Services Team (RST) at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). RST is a team of regionally assigned Resource Specialists who provide case-based assistance and support to child welfare professionals and other multidisciplinary team members in the development of trauma-informed and victim-centered recovery plans for survivors of child sex trafficking who are reported missing to NCMEC. Prior to joining the team at NCMEC, Dr. Sahl coordinated the response to child sex trafficking in New Orleans, first through the New Orleans Children's Advocacy Center, and then with the Respect, Invest in, Support & Empower (RISE) Initiative at the Orleans Parish Juvenile Court. Dr. Sahl has provided training and technical assistance throughout Louisiana and nationally on child sex trafficking identification and response. She completed a Doctor of Social Work degree with the University of Southern California and focused her doctoral research on youth voice and choice through shared decision-making tools and practices.

Sarah Butts is the NASW director of public policy, responsible for leading the association’s public policy, political and legislative affairs agenda, overseeing field organizing, working at both the national level and with NASW chapters, fundraising for political candidates, managing endorsement efforts, and developing and advancing the association’s strategic goals and objectives in Congress and the White House. Prior to joining NASW, Butts was executive director of the Grand Challenges for Social Work at the University of Maryland School of Social Work. A macro social worker with experience in management, community organizing, and public policy, she is a founding administrator of the American Academy of Social Welfare and Social Work, which sets a research-informed social policy agenda for the profession.

As a native of Richmond, VA, husband and father, Sherwood attributes each moment of his life to his cultural and spiritual identity. Sherwood engages integrative approaches, while at the same time focusing on the personas a whole; mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual. Sherwood, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, attended the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Social Work in which he obtained both his Bachelor and Master of Social Work degrees. Sherwood currently serves as the Director of the Child Development Clinic of the Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU and Owner/Principal Consultant of Just As I Am (JAIA) Clinical Consulting, LLC. Licensed and ordained in ministry, Sherwood attended the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University (VUU) in which he obtained his Master of Divinity Degree and serves as an Associate Minister at the Cedar Street Baptist Church and as the Teen Pastor of the M3 Church. In addition to ministry endeavors, Sherwood is privileged to serve in higher education as an adjunct faculty member for the VCU School of Social Work as well as the VUU Department of Social Work and Sociology. Sherwood presents both locally and nationally in the areas of behavioral health and faith development. With a focus on community, Sherwood is a member of the Richmond Association of Black Social Workers (RABSW), the National Association of Social Work (NASW)- Virginia Chapter and serves on the Board of Directors of the South Richmond Adult Daycare Center. Most recently, via the Youngkin Administration, Sherwood received the honor of gubernatorial appointment to the Virginia Board of Social Work in which he will serve from 2022-2026. Sherwood maintains that people remain the most resilient of creations and looks forward to every opportunity to aid in both social and spiritual development across the generations.

Stephenie Howard, PhD, LCSW, is an assistant professor at Norfolk State University with the School of Social Work and the founder and president of Communities in Power. She is the Chair of the Domestic Violence Committee for the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC) and the Vice Chair on the Social Services Advisory Commission (SSAC) for the Norfolk Department of Human Services. She serves on the Child Abuse and Neglect Advisory Committee for Family and Children's Trust Fund (FACT) of Virginia, the Child Welfare Advisory Committee for the Virginia Department of Social Services, and the Council on Racial, Ethnic, and Cultural Diversity (CRECD) for the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). She is the lead methodologist for NSU's School of Social Work evaluation services for the City of Norfolk's People First Initiative. Her research area is at the intersection of domestic violence and child maltreatment, examining children's exposure to domestic violence. She has authored publications in the areas of trauma, domestic violence, and child welfare. She has practice experience in domestic violence counseling and child protective services and teaching experience in undergraduate and graduate counseling and social work.

Dr. Baldwin owns a private practice in Virginia Beach. Her primary emphasis is working with children and families that are involved in the court system. She is recognized as an expert witness in area Juvenile and Domestic courts as well as Circuit Court. Dr. Baldwin also works closely with military families. She has been appointment by the Virginia Beach City to be a voting member for the Community Policy and Management Team which authorizes funding for clients in the DSS and Juvenile Justice systems.

Thomas von Hemert is the CIT Coordinator for the Thomas Jefferson Area CIT (Crisis Intervention Team) for the last sixteen years, the largest CIT program in Virginia. Tom and his Team have trained over 2,500 First Responders (police officers, sheriff deputies, correctional officers, emergency dispatchers, magistrates, firefighters/medics, probation officers and prosecutors) in CIT. He trained and mentored the development of many new CIT programs throughout Virginia and the United States. Tom also worked as a Criminal Justice Planner, where he successfully developed and created several criminal justice programs (Family Treatment Drug Court, Restorative Justice, and practices based on Evidence Based Practices).

Tracye Brewer is a Clinical Practice Consultant for the Extended Length of Stay Program at Kaiser Permanente. She has been recognized for her flexibility, cooperation, creativity, and resourcefulness while working with diverse team members toward common goals. Tracye joined Kaiser Permanente in 2014 as a Social Work Case Manager and she worked as a Dialysis Social Worker prior to transitioning into her current role. Prior to joining Kaiser Permanente, Tracye worked as a Clinical Supervisor and as a Social Worker in Child Welfare. Her experiences have helped to hone her skills in family team decision making, ethical decision making, and professional boundaries. Prior to becoming a Social Worker, Tracye was a public school teacher. She was trained by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) as a SHARE Approach Master Trainer. Tracye has been a presenter at the NASW Clinical Conference and KP Learning Conferences in 2017 and 2020. Tracye Brewer is a Clinical Social Worker licensed in MD, DC, & VA. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and a Master's degree in Social Work.

Dr. Val Livingston has been in the human services arena for more than 30 years and has been involved in higher education for more than 10 years. Dr. Livingston has extensive experience managing non-profit organizations and has worked with diverse populations such as at-risk, pregnant and parenting teens, domestic violence survivors, individuals with substance use disorders and SNAPET participants. Dr. Livingston currently teaches graduate social work courses in The Ethelyn R. Strong School of Social Work. Dr. Livingston is a published author and has conducted research on various aspects of collegiate mental health.

Victoria Newman is an Influencer for Brain Injury Survivors. Her knowledge and insight as a brain injury survivor helps bring awareness to challenges unique to survivors with mild to moderate brain injuries. In 2018, she launched Valley Disability Support Group, an online resource aimed to educate, raise awareness and empower brain injury survivors through education, peer mentoring, support groups and community advocacy. Prior to her brain injury, she had a successful career as an IT Executive in the High Tech sector of Washington, DC working on high profile projects for Fortune 500 Companies and government contracts including Affordable Care Act systems compliance for Centers for Medicare and Medicaid contractors.Helping others was always a calling. She took a sabbatical from her busy career to pursue a Doctorate. Dr. Newman charted the non-profit Sophia Interfaith Center for Humanity in 2006 as her first faith based initiative to provide services to the community as a Mission of Mercy for counseling people in underprivileged rural communities.Although the Mission of Mercy project was postponed during Dr. Newman's brain rehabilitation, which is still underway 12 years later, her desire to help the underprivileged never waned.With the launch of Valley Disability Support Group, she re-purposed her goals into dynamic volunteer community projects online like group sessions, peer mentoring, coaching, self advocacy, systems advocacy and disability rights advocacy. Dr. Newman enjoys being a champion for individuals with brain injury and the disabled. She facilitates group meetings for BIG: An Empowerment & Advocacy support group made up of brain injury survivors from Northern Virginia. Members support each other's efforts in individual and systems advocacy. In 2019, the Commissioner of DARS appointed Dr. Newman to the Virginia Brain Injury Council as a special designee representing rural communities in Northwestern Virginia. Dr. Newman is also a member of Brain Injury Services Speaker's Bureau where she shares her lived experience with brain injury to other survivors and medical students pursuing careers in rehabilitation therapy.

Virginia Simmons, CTRS, CDP, CADDCT, CFRDT; has been working in the Health & Human Services Field for over 22 years and has at least 10 years of this working with clients with dementia. She has extensive experience with a multitude of people across a spectrum of settings, including In-patient Acute Rehab, Long Term Care, Assisted Living, Memory Care and Community Based Home Care. Virginia is a Certified Recreational Therapist with the National Council for Therapeutic Recreational Specialists. Within the last 10 years, Virginia became a Certified Dementia Practitioner and Certified Alzheimer's Disease & Dementia Care Trainer with the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners. She has volunteered for the last 15 years on the Walk the End Alzheimer's Committee. Virginia started her own consulting and education-based business called Living Active Dementia in her hometown of Lynchburg, VA.

Yasmine is a MSW student in her clinical year at Radford University and is focused on providing services for children in the foster care system. She is a Title IV-E recipient completing her clinical placement at a outpatient private practice focused on providing therapeutic services rooted in social justice. After graduation in May 2023 she will begin her career as a MSW practitioner in a foster care setting.