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SENetowrk Staff Trainers |
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Sherry L. Allen, Med, NCC, LPC, GPC
Sherry Allen is the Executive Director of Southeastern Network of Youth and Family Services. She is a graduate of Vanderbilt University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics and a Masters Degree in Human Development Counseling.
She has over 30 years experience in working with youth and families as a teacher, a youth worker and a counselor. Sherry has been the Executive Director of SEN since January 2002 where she facilitates the delivery of training, technical assistance and advocacy support services to youth services agencies in eight southeast states. Prior to joining the Southeastern Network staff, Sherry worked 13 years with Oasis Center, Inc. in Nashville, TN, serving as youth worker, therapist, program director, and finally associate director.
Sherry is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Tennessee. Through her agency work and private practice, Sherry has provided trainings and consultation throughout the south- and northeastern United States and Western Europe, with and emphasis on youth development, community youth development, runaway and homeless youth issues, parenting, leadership, and organizational development. |
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Tammy L. Hopper
Tammy Hopper is the Director of Organizational Advancement for SENetwork, a capacity building organization that has partnered with youth and family service organizations for more than 30 years. Tammy is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and has provided training, technical assistance and consultation to agencies across the country.
Tammy brings to each presentation a strong belief that participants are integral to success and it is only through honoring individual gifts and experiences that any group learning process can be effective. Tammy has supervised youth programming for almost twenty years. This experience includes Basic Center, TLP and Street Outreach Program Management experience. She has also worked on an inpatient psychiatric unit for youth; served as a member of a Mobile Crisis Unit; and, worked as a therapist for a project dedicated to preventing the sexual abuse of Appalachian Children. She has served as the Chair of the National Council on Youth Policy and is currently in her 18th year as a member of the National Safe Place Advisory Board. Tammy is also a member of the first class of Certified Grants Professionals recognized by the American Association of Grant Professionals.
She is an advocate and enthusiastic believer in Youth Development and is committed to working with individuals and organizations that embrace the power and promise that comes from partnering with youth. |
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John O. Robertson
John Robertson has an educational background in non-profit administration. His areas of training focus include Alternative Dispute Resolution, Volunteer Program Development, Emergency Management, Strategic Planning, and Advancing Youth Development.
John worked with member agency Capital City Youth Services as shelter manager for runaway and homeless youth prior to joining the Southeastern Network.
He has been an active participant in TAPP for many years and is passionate about providing supportive and growth-producing opportunities to youth work practitioners.
He has also worked in international humanitarian aid in Bosnia and as an teacher of English as a foreign language at home and abroad. |
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Louisa Avery
Louisa Avery has been training people to work with youth since 1997. She is a certified trainer with the Oasis Center, Southeastern Network and High Scopes. She combines her Masters in Education and Masters in Social Work with her experience working with youth workers at Oasis Center, where she is currently Training and Volunteer Manager.
She has also taught psychology at a local college and trained field supervisors on adult learning. She grew up in Baltimore, Maryland and has lived in Nashville, TN since 1992. She is the mother of four young adults, and her hobbies are photography, writing, nature, reading and travel. |
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Robert Blaylock, LCSW, CEAP, MAC
Bob Blaylock is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, a Certified Employee Assistance Professional, and a Master Addictions Counselor. He is currently Program Director, Employee Assistance Programs at Behavioral Medicine Network in Lexington, Kentucky. He was formerly Clinical Director at Metro Group Homes, Inc. in Lexington. He has thirty years experience in individual, group and family psychotherapy with adolescents and adults. |
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Dewey Haley
Dewey Haley received a Masters Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Mercer University's School of Medicine in 2000 and completed his undergraduate Studies at Chardon State University and the College of Southern Idaho.
He currently is Director of the Host Homes Program of Catholic Social Services in Winston-Salem, NC. At Host homes, Mr. Haley oversees program operations and provides individual, family, and group therapy, with a focus on cases referred by the Forsyth County Juvenile Justice System. In addition to his Host Home duties, Dewey is a certified trainer for the Hate Crime Prevention Program and a certified mediator.
Mr. Haley has received numerous awards and recognition for his service to youth including the 2005 Service To Youth Award from the Forsyth Council for Children and Families and the 2004 Dick Moran Youth Services Award from SEN Network of Youth and Family Services. |
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Brad Dennis Director of Search Operations
The KlaasKids Foundation was formed in 1994 by the father of twelve-year old Polly Klaas, who was kidnapped from her home in California and murdered. The foundation's mission is to stop crimes against children everywhere by acknowledging that these crimes against children deserve a higher priority, and then partnering with concerned citizens, the private sector, organizations, law enforcement and legislators in order to address these issues proactively.
Brad Dennis is the Director of Search Operations for KlaasKIDS Foundation’s National Search Center for Missing and Trafficked Children. He has over twenty years of experience in search and rescue and has managed search efforts for over 180 abducted children around the country, including managing the search following the abduction of Polly Klaas.
Brad’s effort to locate missing and abducted children has led to the discovery of traffickers abducting and recruiting children into the unsavory world of prostitution. Brad has been instrumental in the rescue of numerous children from sex trafficking and the intelligence he has gathered has assisted in taking down several child prostitution rings. His rescue efforts have been chronicled on CNN, MSNBC, The Early Show, The Today Show, Dateline and 48 Hours.
Besides his duties as Search Director of KlaasKIDS Foundation, he participates on the U.S. State Departments Trafficking-in-Persons Report and Technology Working Group, the State of Florida Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force and the Department of Children and Families Sex Trafficking Working Group. Brad travels extensively throughout the United States providing dynamic and relevant instruction concerning search and rescue operations, child abduction search management, sex trafficking of minors and serves as “Master Lead Evaluator” for the National Association of Search and Rescue (NASAR). |
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Kevin Keane
Kevin Keane serves as the Residential Program Director at Family Connection, Inc. located in Alabaster, AL. Family Connection, Inc. is a group home and emergency shelter for youth.
The shelter serves as both a Safe Place for runaway/homeless youth and a residential program for youth referred through the court system. Family Connection works with both families and youth to build stronger families and communities throughout Shelby County while trying to transition youth back into their homes. Prior to working at Family Connection, Inc., Kevin served at Counseling Services of New Orleans and the Celebration Hope Center counseling families, adults, children, and adolescent in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina.
Kevin has a passion for making a difference in the lives of children and adolescents. He holds a Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Murray State University. Kevin loves training and is currently a certified Residential Child and Youth Care Professional trainer. |
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Teri Lewis
As a child, Teri Lewis knew that she wanted to work with youth. She has had the tremendous fortune of fulfilling this desire for over twenty years in many different capacities for a range of creative and committed organizations
As most in this field, she attributes her greatest training and understanding from direct service work - as an after school worker; a Peace Corps volunteer in West Africa; a peer theater program coordinator; a street outreach coordinator; and a residential treatment center PRN.
Teri’s managerial experience includes service as the founding Executive Director of the AIDS and Adolescents Network of New York; Teen Services Director for Project Reach Youth; opening a Beacon Community Center for five hundred youth and families in Fort Greene, Brooklyn; and, most recently as Executive Director of an agency dedicated to helping incarcerated youth to re-enter their communities.
A long-time trainer and consultant, Teri is thrilled and honored to return to the Southeastern Network for Youth and Family Services’ training and technical assistance team and this vital community of dedicated youth. |
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Pam Mezzina, MSW
Pam Mezzina graduated from Florida State University College of Social Work in 1983. Since 1986 she has enjoyed working with children and adolescents in a variety of settings. Early in her career, she worked with the Eckerd Youth Alternative Program as a wilderness counselor and also as a counselor at a runaway shelter. For more than a decade her focus has been on end-of-life care and supporting bereaved and grieving youth through school and community-based programming. She is a strong advocate for providing education, tools, and support to youth who are living with loss. She presents on the local, state, and national level around issues related to grief and bereavement. |
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Steve Mills, PHD
Steve Mills is a licensed marriage and family therapist in the state of Florida, and has been working in a clinical capacity with individuals, couples, and families since 1993.
Steve also serves in the Department of Family and Child Sciences at Florida State University, teaching and supervising undergraduate seniors he’s placed in a variety of clinical and educational practicum and internship sites on the local, state, and national level. Other courses he teaches in the department include Foundations of Counseling and Family Diversity. Steve is the recipient of a university-wide award for excellent teaching, and the Heart of Gold award for exemplary work in the local service-learning community. |
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Shelia Kay Myrick
Ms. Shelia Kay Myrick is the Program Director of Ogden House, a program of Tennessee Valley Family Services, Inc. She is also the Interim Program Director of the TRIPP Program (Temporary Residential Intervention Prevention Program).
The Ogden House program is a 90 day (14 Bed) facility that works with Juvenile and Family court to provide intervention for CHINS (children in need of supervision) cases. Within this facility she is the shelter manager for the runaway and homeless program, Safe Place. Ms. Myrick created the TRIPP program some 15 years ago out of a need in the community to address problem behaviors in children before they reach the point of court intervention. In her current work with TRIPP she conducts week-end interventions for the entire family unit to empower the youth and their families to make better decisions that influence their lives.
In her almost 20 year history of working with youth and families in crisis she has been on many community Boards, and participated in community, state, and federal activities that advocate for children and families. |
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Richard L. Percy, Ed.D., LPC, NCC
Dick Percy is Emeritus Professor of Education at Vanderbilt University. His professional experience includes public school teacher (5 years), high school counselor (4 years), and faculty member and director of graduate program in counselor education (30 years).
He is a certified Effectiveness Training Instructor and has taught over 150 courses and workshops on communication skills in the United States, Germany, England, Spain, and Italy. |
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Tanya Sowell-Sessoms, PHD
Tanya Sowell-Sessoms, a native New Yorker, background, bridging over 20 years of service is eclectic in that it canvasses the disciplines of Criminal Justice, Mental Health-Psychology and Education. She holds a bachelor's in Criminal Justice from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, New York and a Master of Social Work from Yeshiva University Wurzweiler School of Social Work, New York.
She is a forensic and psychiatric social worker/clinician with past employments including the Coordinator of the Alternative to Incarceration Program for the Dual Diagnosed, Liaison for Queens Supreme Court with the Queens Legal Aid Society, New York for the Defender Service Program, and Coordinator for the Minority Skills Bank of the Pinellas County Urban League.
She is currently the Program Director for Family Resources' 17 school-based programs, and supervisor for 19 master level counselors servicing at-risk students in the areas of behavior modification and substance abuse prevention. She is also a Certified Field Instructor for USF and Certified Trainer for Advancing Youth Development through the Southeastern Network and Certified Trainer for Cultural Diversity. Additionally, she is an Approved Counselor for Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program (PREP) and is on the Board of Directors for PEHMS.
Tanya is currently a doctoral candidate in Educational Leadership with Argosy University/Sarasota and a Certified Mental Health Professional by Florida Certification Board. |
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Jesse Jordan
Jesse Jordan, a 15 year veteran of social pioneering efforts, is or was at one time a…. foster child, adoptee, little leaguer, clumsy student, US Army Infantry, Airborne soldier, US Army Reserve Drill Sergeant, BA undergraduate, world wanderer (37 countries and enthusiastically planning his next hundred day trip), journalist, photographer, Americorp National Service Member, Masters Graduate, Award winning Street Outreach Developer/Director, SEN Professional Trainer, and current Ambassador for Youth with SOS Health Care Inc. in Myrtle Beach S.C |
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Mellisa P. Bunch, L.G.S.W.
Mellisa has been a professional trainer with the Southeastern Network of Youth and Family Services since 2007. She is a certified trainer of the Advancing Youth Development curriculum, published by the Academy of Educational Development and administered by the National Training Institute for Community Youth Work. She also serves as a program consultant and conducts research on specific topics related to youth and families. |
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Gary Sanford
Gary Sanford has over 25 years of experience working with diverse youth populations in various settings. Gary is recognized for his training and facilitation skills as well as his passion for youth development - specifically youth participation. Some of Gary's experiences include serving as founding Executive Director of Urban Peak in Denver, Colorado. Gary relocated to Ft. Myers Florida to serve as Regional Director under Lutheran Services Florida and opened a runaway shelter - known today as the Oasis Youth Shelter - to serve the five county area.
Gary then served as Executive Director with Family Resources in St. Petersburg and then worked for the Florida Network of Youth and Family Services as Director of Training. During the past 10 years Gary has run his own training and consulting business known as R.E.S.P.E.C.T. He has served as a consultant for Eckerd Family Foundation, Jordan Institute for Families at the University of North Carolina School of Social Work, Wellesley College, Prime Time of Palm Beach County, as well as various community-based agencies.
Gary also volunteered two months in the Republic of Armenia to promote youth participation and initiate several youth-led projects. Gary's traning encompasses areas such as youth development, working with youth as resources, engaging and serving gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth, outreach strategies to disenfrancised youth populations, establishing community based programs, operating a youth-led center, and implementing youth listening systems in programs. Gary has his Masters degree in Public Administration from the University of Colorado, currently serves as an adjunct professor with Palm Beach Community College and will beome a certified yoga instructor in August 2009. |
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Karen Locke
Honored for Fiscal prowess: budget forecast, management and reduction and data analysis Established knowledge of human resource policies, state statues and an extensive understanding of judicial processes and operational protocol Ability to cost effectively manage personnel in order to comply with established organizational performance goals and timelines A demonstrated record of strong Verbal and Writing Skills, Personnel Management, Presentation Skills, Territory Management, Marketing and Media Experience Experienced Business Traveler, Detailed, Organized and Task Driven Proficient in Microsoft Office Applications, E-mail and the Internet.
CROSSWINDS YOUTH SERVICES, INC. - BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA 2006 - PRESENT Chief Operating Officer Responsible for the management, the operations, the development and the enhancement of organization wide programs and services. Using a social entrepreneurship approach and I have taken the organizations programs and services to a higher level of functioning and accountability, with cutting edge and best practice programming. Have ensured that positive youth development philosophy is put into practice throughout all programs and services and maintained in the organization. Over see budget of all most 4 million dollars for 11 different programs.
DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES - BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA 2002 - 2006 PROGRAM OPERATIONS ADMINISTRATOR Experienced Program Operations Administrator with four years tenure with the Florida Department of Children and Families. Directly responsible for two service centers with accountability for a team of twenty-eight field-based child protective investigators, five unit supervisors and six clerical staff members. Directly responsible for the management and supervision of forty-employees assigned to two large county-based Child Abuse Investigative Service Centers located in Brevard County, Florida. Accountable for Budget Management, Data Analysis, Human Resources Protocol, Performance Evaluations, Review of Child Safety Assessments, Media Relations, Concise Understanding of State Statues, as well as, related Court Documentation and Judicial Processes.
Facilitated the transition of Protective Supervision from the State Agency to Community Based Care. Credited with service centers performance improvement of 75% as demonstrated by statewide statistics within 6 months of appointment. Developed and implemented strategies that stabilized a historically transient employee population by 85%. A demonstrated ability to effectively motivate subordinates to adhere to departmental performance goals within established timeframes. Developed innovative training protocol responsible for improved quality of child safety investigations within assigned territory. Credited with reducing budgetary expenditures by $1.2 million due to documented improvement in employee performance. An established record, which demonstrates strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to effectively interact with personnel and clients from diverse socio-economic backgrounds.
EDUCATION Nova Southern University, Davie, Florida 2003 -Present Ph.D. Candidate, Conflict Resolution Graduate Certificate, Dispute Resolution University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida 1996 - 1998 Masters of Public Administration and Bachelor of Arts Legal Studies. |
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Left to Right Louisa Avery, Shelia Myrick, Dewey Haley, Jesse Jordan, Kevin Keane and John Robertson |
