Bio for Keynote
11:00am 12:15pm
Session 1
David Silverstein, Esq., Judge Andrea McHugh, JD, and panel
Dependency court can be a traumatic experience for parents and children because it can be adversarial and focus on what parents and children have done wrong. Parents and children may leave court angry and discouraged and become disengaged from services and the dependency process. The Circuit 12 dependency court partners have begun to transform the language they use in court to a more trauma-informed, strength-based, and family-centered approach. Participants will learn how to use trauma-informed language in court to fully engage parents and children in the court process.
1:00pm – 2:15pm
Session 2
Joe Watson, TBRI Practitioner, RBT and Kara Elliot, TBRI Practitioner
This presentation explores Attachment Theory as a foundational force shaping human relationships and emotional development. Drawing inspiration from the concept of the Force in Star Wars, it highlights how early bonds influence our behavior, connection, and inner balance. By understanding attachment styles, we can navigate relationships more mindfully and foster greater emotional resilience.
Curtis Campogni
In child welfare, heroes don’t wear capes—they become them through the choices they make every day. This energizing session introduces a powerful framework that helps professionals not only serve others more effectively, but also reconnect with their own purpose, identity, and strength. This isn’t your typical workshop—it’s a call to rise, refocus, and reignite your why.
2:30pm – 3:45pm
Session 3
Dr. Laura Roggenbaum, PhD, Dr. Kristen Hoffman, PhD, and panel
Children and youth in the child welfare system often face complex challenges related to trauma and development, requiring coordinated support from multiple disciplines. This 75-minute interactive session features a multidisciplinary panel—including a psychologist, mental health clinician, behavioral technician, psychiatric provider, occupational therapist, and speech-language pathologist—who frequently work with this population. Each provider will briefly describe their training, role, and approach to supporting children and families. The panel will walk participants through a case example, illustrating how collaborative efforts across disciplines promote more effective assessment, intervention, and advocacy. Participants will gain a clearer understanding of when and how to refer to different professionals, how to recognize evidence-based practices, and monitor progress/effectiveness.
Dr. Sharrica Miller, PhD, RN
Transitional age foster youth often emancipate from care with little to no resources or support. They face competing priorities as they struggle to navigate complex health, government, and educational systems. This interactive breakout session will utilize a case study format to emphasize strategies to support transitional age foster youth and prepare them to manage their needs independently. Attendees will be split into groups as they brainstorm to determine the best course of action for the youth in the case study.
4:00pm – 5:15pm
Session 4
Sonya Johnson, CRPS and panel
Parents involved in the Dependency System often feel isolated, alone, and powerless. This session explores how Parent-Peer connection fosters healing, empowerment, and leadership through NAMI's Parents for Parents Program model. Rooted in lived experience, this peer-led approach builds trust, reduces stigma, and supports parents on their journey toward stability and reunification. Participants will learn how authentic engagement not only supports families but also cultivates Parent Leaders—individuals who use their experience to guide others, influence systems, and create lasting change. Through personal stories, studied evaluation results, and practical tools, this session offers a replicable framework for developing peer support programs that uplift families, inspire leadership, and transform communities from the inside out.
9:00am – 10:15am
Session 5
Stacie Ham, BSW and Seyny Dressier, MSW
Human trafficking doesn’t always involve abductions or chains. The most dangerous traffickers operate in plain sight—posing as friends, romantic partners, employers, or even family. Many of their victims are vulnerable youth already slipping through the cracks, and the exploitation often goes unnoticed by the very systems meant to protect them. Participants will hear how undercover detectives and field experts have witnessed firsthand the methods traffickers use to target and manipulate vulnerable individuals—whether online, in schools, in group homes, or on the streets. We’ll also explore how collaboration between law enforcement, social services, survivor experts, and community organizations is key to identifying victims and dismantling trafficking networks without causing further harm to those being exploited.
Curtis Campogni
In child welfare, juvenile justice, and human services, your ability to persuade can mean the difference between someone shutting down or stepping up. But persuasion isn’t about “winning” an argument — it’s about inspiring action that lasts. In this dynamic, interactive workshop, Curtis Campogni weaves together the timeless power of Ethos, Logos, and Pathos with the evidence-based techniques of Motivational Interviewing to help professionals create pitches that stick.
10:30am – 11:45am
Session 6
Stephen Fosher, CCWS and Lawrence Cooper, MSW, LCSW
Caregiver Support Services (CSS) offers wrap-around services with an emphasis on family choice and voice. We assist the family in reducing stress by increasing access to community supports and resources, offering time limited respite services in a variety of settings. Our goal is the development of an informal support system for long-term sustainability, and provision of open-ended, long-term support through support groups.
Julia Hollinger, PsyD, NCSP
This presentation is designed to provide attendees with an overview of best practices in youth suicide prevention, including recognizing warning signs, initiating a risk assessment, and facilitating referral, follow up, and monitoring. Evidence-based methods of risk assessment and treatment will be discussed using a case study. A variety of resources will be provided.
12:30pm – 1:45pm
Session 7
Dolores King, CPM
This workshop is designed to take an introspective look at how trauma impacts child welfare professionals on a personal and professional level, and how past and present trauma can impact behavior and decision making in the work that they do. In this training, we will discuss stress management techniques designed specifically for each attendee along with self care techniques to decrease the high turnover rate of burned-out employees. This is an interactive workshop with activities and journaling.
Jamie Bennett, Ed.D., MSW, ACC and Jas Snell, BSA
This session will provide practical and applicable information and practices for professionals who are working with older youth and young adults with foster care backgrounds. We will present the main tenets of the Fostering Success Coaching Model, a practice model designed to support older youth from foster care and will support participants reflecting on their own mindsets about older youth. Practices for engaging youth and partnering to build skills will be shared.
