Speakers & Teachers Bureau

We value the knowledge, expertise, and perspective of all members of our community, believing that everyone has something valuable to offer. The Speakers and Teachers Bureau includes friends who have stepped up to present for Be Strong Families daily English and Spanish webinar series, Staying Strong and Positive for Ourselves and Our Children. Included are their bios, topics of expertise, a sample of their presentation style via link to a webinar and contact information. To engage a member of the Be Strong Families community for a class, workshop, keynote, etc., please contact them using the information on their presenter page.

The Speakers & Teachers Spotlight rotates to showcase the diversity of our Speakers and Teachers. We strive to give every community member an opportunity to be in the spotlight.

Speakers & Teachers Spotlight

Full Speakers & Teachers Bureau

  • Yaffa Abojaradeh

    Meraki Consulting

  • Nilofer Ahsan

    Peer Service Coordinator | Military Veteran Peer Network

  • Christina Alcantar headshot

    Christina Alcantar

    Program Coordinator

  • Shelia Anthony

    Military Veteran Peer Network
    Peer Service Coordinator

  • Danielle Asher headshot

    Danielle Asher

    Family & Community Engagement Specialist

  • Amani Baptiste-Rodriguez

    Owner | A Rodriguez Consults, LLC

  • Heather Love Beverley

    Assistant Manager | Youth Services at Cook Memorial Public Library District

  • Sam Blue

    Family Engagement Specialist | Vision for Children at Risk

  • Denise Boston headshot

    Denise Boston

    Equity & Restorative Practices Manager

  • Bob Brinker

  • Martha Lilia Rodríguez Calderón

    Secretaría De Educación Michoacán México

  • Levi Campbell

    Attachment & Trauma Parent Coach

  • Kimberly Cook

    Founder and Principal Mediator | Dovetail Conflict Resolution

  • Stephanie Cooper

    Healthy Communities of Clinton County

  • Gregory Cox

    Fatherhood Coalition Coordinator | Children's Home & Aid

  • Heavy Crownz

    Recording Artist

  • Yolanda DaRocha

    Parent/Recovering Together Café Facilitator, Parent Educator, Youth Coach | Archways

  • Dwayne Dixon

    All Stars Project Associate Director

  • Anne Douglass headshot

    Anne Douglass

    Professor, Executive Director

  • Judith Ehrman-Shapiro Headshot

    Judith Ehrman-Shapiro

    Dance Movement Therapist

  • Azieb Ermias

    Senior Program Analyst | CSSP

  • Kim Fortin

    Certified Recovery Support Worker/Parent Educator | Archways

  • Ana Laura Garza García headshot

    Ana Laura Garza García

    Counselor

  • Sandra Gladney headshot

    Sandra Gladney

    Parent Partner

  • Vee L. Harrison

    Chicago Journalist, Author of Hood Healing

  • Jessie Heckenmueller headshot

    Jessie Heckenmueller

    Senior Child Welfare Strategic Partnership Analyst

  • Dr. Renata A. Hedrington Jones headshot

    Dr. Renata A. Hedrington Jones

    Core Faculty | Walden University

  • Justin D. Henderson, PhD

    Psychologist and Counselor Educator | Lewis & Clark College

  • Andrea Hollingsworth, PhD, MAMFT

    Therapist, Leadership Advisor, Keynote Speaker, Strategist | Building Cultures of Compassion at Hollingsworth Consulting

  • Ali Jawetz

    Senior Policy Analyst at CSSP

  • Vanessa Y. Johnson headshot

    Vanessa Y. Johnson

    Independent Living Services Coordinator

  • Savitree Kaur headshot

    Savitree Kaur

    Meditation coach and Co-founder | HealedLovedFed

  • Elizabeth Kim headshot

    Elizabeth Kim

    Licensed Professional Counselor, Registered, Board Certified Art Therapist and RYT Registered Yoga Instructor.

  • Fatai M. Langi

    3 Angels Care
    Director

  • Michelle Lennon headshot

    Michelle Lennon

    Executive Director, Trainer, Certified Recovery Support Worker | Archway

  • Jessica S. Lerma headshot

    Jessica S. Lerma

    Capacity Development Facilitator

  • Juanita Liggins

    Coach at Purposefully Planned Life Ministries

  • Andreé Long

    Founder and CEO | Women Have a Purpose OTM Inc.

  • Valerie McDaniels

    Valerie McDaniels

    Illinois Department of Children and Family Service (IDCFS)
    Retiree

  • Emily Merida

    Detective, Special Investigations Unit | Chicago Police Department

  • Chad M. Morris

    CEO | Trinity Family Life Center

  • Onaje Muid

    Executive Director at Muid and Muid Associates

  • Lori Myren-Manbeck

    CEO | Inclusivi-Tee

  • Cailin O'Connor

    Senior Associate at CSSP

  • Ramon Pastrano IV

    Architect of System Change & Human Transformation, CEO & Founder | Third Sphere, LLC

  • Betty Graciela Jácome Pimentel

    Neural Therapist

  • Dr. Ruby E. Powell

    CEO | Dr. Ruby E. Powell & Associates, LLC

  • Monica Puga

    Enhanced Parenting Program Coordinator at Congreso

  • Erika Quezada

    CEO | Founder at Lotus Life & Wellness

  • Mariska Reinerink

    Holistic Money Wellness Coach

  • Megan Ripberger

    Co-founder & Helper |
    Mezzo Solutions Corp

  • Sabrina Rock

    Coach and Consultant | Empowering Sensitive People Coaching and Consulting

  • Mar-y-Sol Salinas

    Integral & Transpersonal Coach and Consultant | Essential Wisdom Coaching

  • Kenia Sawyer

  • Courtney Simpson

    Licensed Graduate Professional Counselor

  • Deanne L. Surles

    Family Engagement Manager

  • Elaine Sutherland

    Domestic Violence Specialists

  • Amy Templeman

    Director | Within Our Reach and Practice Excellence / Social Current

  • Roxanne Thompson

    Founder, Owner, Psychotherapist |
    Denver Therapy and Consultation Group, LLC

  • Lavenda Tuionetoa

    Executive Director | Caring For Angels

  • Carolyn Wahlskog

    Director of Operations and Programming | Youth Outlook

  • Dr. Andre Walker, Ph.D.

    Dr. Andre Walker, Ph.D.

    Director of Operations | D.E.&C Consulting

  • Sarah Weisbarth

    Director | Discover You, The ROCK Center for Youth Development

  • Cirecie West-Olatunji

    CEO | CRESTS Program

  • Claudia Bermúdez Wilhelm

    Armonízate con Mandalas

  • Yoli Maya Yeh

    CEO at Beauty Way Healing Arts

  • Becky Zakowski

    Oaklawn
    System of Care Coordinator