Empower Virtual Summit:

Dan is a clinical psychologist and implementation scientist who has enjoyed a 25+ year career training, consulting, and researching evidence-based practice implementation. He’s been part of leadership teams at both MST Services and EBA, and he looks forward to advancing conversations on behalf of Empower with innovative agency leaders who serve at-risk children, youth, and families. He holds a masters degree from Harvard University and a doctorate from the University of Florida.

Dr. Carolyn Webster-Stratton, Professor Emeritus at the University of Washington, is the founder of the Incredible Years® Series for Parents, Children, and Teachers. She is a licensed clinical psychologist and nurse practitioner. During her time at University of Washington, Dr. Webster-Stratton was Director of the UW Parenting Clinic. Forty three years ago she began developing and researching the Incredible Years programs. She has conducted numerous randomized control group studies to evaluate the effectiveness of intervention programs for promoting social and emotional competence, school readiness skills and preventing conduct problems in high risk populations. She has also evaluated teacher, parent and child treatment programs for children diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Conduct Disorder and ADHD. The Incredible Years programs have been delivered in more than twenty four countries.

Melina Fazzolari-Napoli, LCSW-R, CCTP completed her undergraduate at New York University in New York. She also completed her graduate work at New York University, with a Master of Social Work in 2006. She began work as an MST Supervisor in 2006 in New York at SCO Family of Services. She then began work as an MST Expert with Evidence Based Services, Inc. before taking on the role of Manager of Clinical Implementation at MST Services in 2022. Melina has also worked as a therapist in private practice for 10 years. Melina lives in Wantagh, NY with her son and husband. She loves hiking, traveling, and spending her spare time with her family and friends.

Richmond "Rick" Parsons joined Carey Group in 2022 as deputy director after 30+ years of probation and parole experience in two Pennsylvania counties. In addition to his leadership roles at the county level, he served on the Governor’s Advisory Board of Probation, the executive board of the County Chief Adult Probation and Parole Officers Association of Pennsylvania, and the Pennsylvania Evidence-Based Practices Implementation Team. He is a founder and past president of the Mid-Atlantic Region Chapter of the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers. He specializes in identifying organizational roadblocks and facilitating needed organizational changes.

Rick’s career began in the Adult Probation and Parole Department of Montgomery County near Philadelphia. As an officer, he developed expertise in supervising sexual offenders and treatment courts operations.  He co-founded a consulting firm to offer training primarily focusing on the management and treatment of individuals who sexually offend and retired as deputy chief in 2015.

Dr. David Robinson has more than 40 years of experience conducting research, developing assessments, and carrying out program evaluations in both youth and adult justice. He was a founder of Orbis Partners (2001), where he is Director of Assessment. He holds a doctorate in forensic psychology from Carleton University (1990) and a Master’s in Sociology (1982). During his graduate years he was a team member on the development of such assessment tools as the adult LSI (Level of Service Inventory) and the youth version (YLS-CMI). After a research career in federal corrections (Canada), Dr. Robinson returned to a focus on developing and implementing innovative risk, needs and strength assessment tools. He has directed program evaluations on, substance abuse treatment, cognitive skills, drug courts, boot camps, programs for females, case management models, and juvenile diversion. He has particular expertise in youth justice assessment and has led state-wide implementations of the Youth Assessment and Screening Instrument (YASI) in fifteen jurisdictions. This work has involved planning, training, quality assurance, and validation of assessment tools developed and implemented by Orbis Partners. In addition, he has been immersed with a team of developers in developing and enhancing web-based applications for assessment and case planning for case managers in human services. Recently Dr. Robinson has made research advances with his academic colleagues related to the contribution of strength assessment in predicting outcomes and helping practitioners develop effective and collaborative success plans for justice-involved youth and adults.

Allen Godfrey is the Executive Director for Carey Group.  He served as the field services director for the State of Minnesota until he retired from public service in March of 2024. He was responsible for the oversight of probation, parole, and the Interstate Compact Office. He began his career working with juveniles in Hennepin County’s residential facility in 1984. Over his tenure in public service, he also held positions as a probation officer, supervisor, deputy director in Dakota County, and director of Scott County Community Corrections. While in Dakota County, he initiated the Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative that led to the reduction of juveniles in detention, and the implementation of specialty courts. Later, he led the implementation, training, quality assurance and outcome measurement of Evidence Based Practices (EBP). Allen was a member of the State EBP Policy Committee, served as co-chair of the Minnesota Specialty Court Advisory Committee, past chair American Correctional Association Probation and Parole Committee, recent co-chair of legislative working group on juvenile justice reform, member of the executive committee for the Interstate Commission for Adult Offender Supervision (ICAOS).  Allen in 2019 received the Executive Chair Award for ICAOS and in 2023, Jack Young Award for outstanding contributions to the development of and improvement of community corrections in Minnesota. 

Carter Diers has been working in probation and supervised release since 1996. He has been an agent, evidence-based practices coordinator, district supervisor and is now the Field Services Director for the Minnesota Department of Corrections. He received his B.S. in Corrections from Minnesota State University, Mankato and his M.A. in Organizational Leadership from Concordia University, St. Paul. He spent 10 years in the National Guard ending his career as a staff sergeant/section chief. He has started and sold a business, started a non-profit organization devoted to fighting racism and has served in and lead several others. Diers served as President of the Minnesota Association of County Probation Officers and President of the Minnesota Corrections Association. He is also the past chair of the Minnesota Evidence-Based Practices Advisory Committee and a trainer for Motivational Interviewing, Case Planning, Youth Level of Service-Case Management Inventory, Thinking for a Change, restorative justice conferencing, and others. Diers has a passion for planning and implementation. He has facilitated workshops on implementation of Evidence-Based Practices at several conferences as well as co-written articles on the subject published in the Federal Probation Journal and the Journal of Community Justice.

JP Guilbault is the Chief Executive Officer of Empower Community Care, where he leads the organization's mission to expand access to evidence-based programs and technologies that transform outcomes for youth, adults, families, and communities. A multi-time CEO and growth leader, JP has built and led mission-driven organizations across technology and education, always with the same focus: building strong teams, serving customers well, and scaling solutions that help communities reach their full potential. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Michigan–Dearborn and lives in Tampa, Florida, where he and his family enjoy rescuing dogs and horses.

Mihai brings over 20 years of experience—primarily in healthcare technology—building high-performing teams and using AI and data to drive meaningful outcomes. He has led the launch of AI-powered platforms, founded innovation centers, and partnered with leadership teams to turn technology into real impact for patients and providers. Originally from Romania, Mihai now lives in South Florida with his wife, two children, and a French bulldog who likely makes the final call on most household decisions. Outside of work, he enjoys reading, movies, and spending time outdoors—and while his rock-climbing days may be behind him, his instinct for tackling tough challenges remains.

Dr. Michael Southam-Gerow (Dr. SG; he/him) is originally from Detroit, MI. He received his AB degree from the University of Michigan (Go Blue!) in 1989, completing his honors thesis with Dr. Vonnie McLoyd. After three years living in Seattle, where he met his wife and acquired a love for coffee, he moved to Philadelphia and earned his PhD from Temple University in 1997 working with Phil Kendall. While in Philly, he learned to cheer for the Phillies and Eagles. He completed his internship at the UCSD/VAMC consortium in San Diego, CA where he indulged his love of the beach, hiking, and burritos. After a post-doc working with John Weisz at UCLA, he joined the faculty at VCU in 2001. His research focuses on increasing access to quality behavioral services with an emphasis on partnership-based implementation in large systems. He has also studied treatment integrity,  emotion regulation in children and adolescents, and treatment of problems experienced by children and adolescents. 

Dr. Debra Miller is a licensed master’s-level social worker with over two decades of experience spanning clinical practice, supervision, and administration. Her work has consistently focused on implementing evidence-based approaches to support diverse families within community health environments. Throughout her career, she has remained committed to enhancing childhood outcomes through prevention and intervention strategies that strengthen family systems. Currently, Debra serves as the Associate Director of BSFT FTTIM, part of the Empower Community Care network. She earned her doctorate in 2021 with a concentration in couple and family therapy. Her dissertation—conducted under the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Minority Fellowship Program—explored the core competencies therapists need to effectively deliver family-centered evidence-based practices. This research, conducted in collaboration with a community mental health organization, was honored with a commendation from the Michigan State University Office of Outreach and Engagement.  In addition to her leadership role, Debra holds a faculty appointment with the Michigan State University College of Medicine (University of Michigan Health System – MyMichigan Health), where she contributes to resident training. She is also a co-author of Deliberate Practice for Systemic Family Therapy, published by the American Psychological Association, which offers practical guidance for therapists seeking to refine their systemic intervention skills. Her scholarly contributions include over 50 peer-reviewed publications and continuing education presentations focused on advancing family-centered evidence-based practices in community health settings. 

Shelley is the Workforce Delivery Lead at Wharaurau.  She is the project manager for the Incredible Years® programme. Her role is to develop and ensure the delivery of Incredible Years® training to the workforce. This involves managing a range of stakeholder relationships, including sub-contractors, Ministry of Education staff and the Incredible Years® front-facing workforce. She also plays a significant role in website and database development and maintenance.

Dr Dianne Lees has contributed to the development, evaluation, and national implementation of Incredible Years programmes in New Zealand over more than 25 years, with a sustained focus on children and whānau experiencing behavioural challenges. 

After returning to university as an adult student to study Clinical Psychology, she identified the potential value of Incredible Years for New Zealand, evaluated the Basic IY parent programme, and confirmed both significant improvements in child behaviour scores and acceptability for whānau. Since then, the Parent and Teacher programmes have been rolled out nationally with Ministry of Education funding. She has delivered Baby, Child Group Dinosaur, Toddler Parent, Basic Parent, School Age Parent, Advanced Parent, and Autism Parent programmes.

Her PhD focused on families for whom the Basic programme alone did not achieve sufficient change to bring child behaviour scores into the normal range, particularly those considered high risk. She carried out a randomised controlled trial evaluating the benefit of adding a home-visiting module with personalised coaching while families attended the Basic IYP programme. The study showed that behaviour scores for high-risk families receiving additional home coaching continued to improve after treatment, and by six-month follow-up were significantly better than for families receiving IYP alone. This evidence has informed community delivery, with contracts now including three visits for high-risk families during IYP to support understanding and effective implementation of the strategies.

Dr Lees is now a mentor in the IYP Basic and Autism Parent programmes. Her main role is training IYP Basic and IY Autism Parent providers and supporting group leaders through peer coaching, consult days, and fidelity days.

As a parent of three adult children and grandparent of eight, she brings a personal commitment to supporting the next generation alongside her professional leadership in evidence-based parent programmes.

Lee Taylor Burt is based in New Zealand and has been delivering the evidence based Incredible Years programmes for the past seventeen years.  Lee’s background was kindergarten teaching specialising in early intervention. She is passionate about young children and supporting teachers to build positive inclusive learning environments for young children.  She is a strong advocate for children, teachers and families in New Zealand.

Lee is one of two New Zealand Mentors for both the Incredible Beginnings and Incredible Years Teacher Autism programme.  Together they provide face to face trainings, consults and fidelity days, as well as on line peer coaching for group leaders throughout New Zealand.  Lee anchors her Mentor role by continuing to deliver Incredible Years Teacher Autism, Incredible Beginnings and Incredible Years Parent Programmes in Christchurch New Zealand.

Sheila Russell is an experienced early childhood education and early intervention specialist with a deep commitment to supporting children and educators. She serves as a New Zealand mentor for both the Incredible Years Autism Programme and the Incredible Beginnings Programme. Alongside her mentoring roles, Sheila regularly provides peer coaching across the Incredible Years Parent, Teacher Autism, and Incredible Beginnings programmes to foster impactful learning environments.

Sheila currently facilitates Incredible Years Programmes as well as training and coaching group leaders across New Zealand.

Lisa is a registered Social Worker working with the Ministry of Health’s Child Adolescent Mental Health Services in Tauranga, NZ. Lisa joined the Health Sector with over 20 years’ experience working with children and their whanau in the Non-Government Departments across Social Services. As well as her Degree in Social Sciences, she holds a post graduate Diploma in Professional Bi-Cultural Supervision, and leads the Incredible Years Māori Workforce Development Plan and Advisory Group with the National Workforce Development Team; Wharaurau.

Lisa’s journey with the Incredible Years began in 2004. She is experienced in delivering the Preschool, School Age and Autism Programs and is an accredited Peer Coach and Group Leader in IYP. Lisa has also become the first Indigenous Māori accredited Mentor in Aotearoa New Zealand, and delivers Fidelity Workshops, Consultation Days, Kaimahi Hui, Telehui, and co-leads Trainings for IYP.

Above all else, Lisa descends proudly from the Mataatua Waka (Canoe). Her passion for children and families stems from her own experiences having been raised on her papakainga immersed in the cultural traditions of her whanau, hapu and Iwi.

Jennifer Loschiavo serves as the Deputy Director of Community Treatment Services at SCDJJ. In this role, she leads a division dedicated to enhancing behavioral health interventions and evaluations for youth served in the community.

Mrs. Loschiavo brings over 20 years of experience in delivering direct services and overseeing community-based programming. Prior to her current role, she served as Administrator for Medicaid Compliance and as Associate Deputy of Community Alternatives, managing the agency’s residential camps and private provider contracts. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Southern Connecticut State University and is a graduate of the South Carolina Certified Public Manager (CPM) Program.

Dr. Randall is an MST Expert with MST Services.  He completed his Ph.D. in clinical and health psychology at Virginia Tech, and a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh.  He has published over 70 articles and is associated with disseminating and implementing MST programs in several states and countries. 

Deidra leads large-scale evidence-based initiatives across Texas, using data, strategy, workforce development, and cross-system collaboration to improve outcomes for youth, families, providers, and communities. 

Gina leads Maryland's MST Network Partner work and supports implementation, quality assurance, and sustainability of evidence-based practices for children, youth, and families.

Maureen brings 26 years of MST experience as a therapist, supervisor, consultant, program developer, and state network director, with additional expertise in cognitive therapy and school social work. 

Kelly Piccinino is a Research Scientist in the Office of Applied Research and Evaluation at the NJ Department of Children and Families (DCF). Prior to this, she served as the Director of Research Operations and Senior Research Associate at MAI. Dr. Piccinino is a seasoned mixed-methods evaluator, with 25 years of research experience. She has worked in a variety of settings: as a research associate at Research for Action, a Senior Research Analyst in the Office of Accountability for the Charlotte–Mecklenburg School (CMS) district and a research interviewer at Westat. While at Westat, she partnered with a variety of education and public health organizations, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Department of Education, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the U.S. Public Health Service, and the National Cancer Institute.

Monica Rodriguez is the Senior Program Manager for the Youth and Family Department at Tropical Texas Behavioral Health. With nearly two decades of dedicated service, Monica oversees a portfolio of critical projects including First Episode Psychosis, Multisystemic Therapy, Mental Health First Aid, Texas Systems of Care, YES Waiver implementation, and the delivery of high-quality, high-fidelity Wraparound services across Hidalgo, Cameron, and Willacy counties.

For seventeen years, Monica has been committed to strengthening mental health access and outcomes for families throughout the Rio Grande Valley along the Texas–Mexico border. As a Wraparound Coach for the state of Texas, she collaborates with national trainers to ensure the Wraparound process not only meets but exceeds state standards. Her work is rooted in a deep commitment to ensuring families are supported with respect, dignity, and cultural sensitivity.

Monica holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and a Master of Public Administration with a specialization in Federal Policies from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, as well as a graduate degree in Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling from Texas Tech University.

Cassandra Torrez, LPC, is a Licensed Professional Counselor and the Program Supervisor for the Multi‑Systemic Therapy (MST) Program in Hidalgo County. Over the past year, Cassandra has guided the MST team in achieving strong program outcomes through evidence‑based practice, coordinated service delivery, and sustained partnerships across multiple systems. Her leadership has contributed to the program’s growing success in supporting youth and families and strengthening community trust in MST services.

Cassandra works collaboratively with the local Specialty Court, Judge Betancourt, and the Juvenile Probation Department to ensure a seamless, unified approach for court‑involved youth. Her strengths in community engagement and networking have expanded MST’s visibility and impact, including conducting outreach presentations in schools across the county to educate administrators, counselors, and families about available supports.

Before transitioning into her supervisory role, Cassandra served as an MST Therapist and brings additional experience from the adult mental health field, providing her with a broad clinical foundation across populations and systems. She holds a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Texas A&M University–Kingsville and a Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation Services from The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

Cassandra remains dedicated to strengthening interdisciplinary relationships, promoting accessible mental health services, and empowering families through collaborative, person‑centered care.

Leticia Benavides is an experienced clinical professional and Program Supervisor with a strong background in behavioral health, multisystemic therapy (MST), and community engagement. Leticia provides comprehensive guidance to licensed therapists, ensuring adherence to MST treatment models and strengthening clinical practice through weekly feedback and targeted skill development. Leticia’s leadership is reflected in the successful implementation and oversight of diverse social service programs, along with the ability to cultivate collaborative relationships across agencies, community partners, and internal teams.

With extensive experience in counseling, Leticia has supported clients across varied populations—including youth, families, and vulnerable groups—by delivering cognitive behavioral therapy, prolonged exposure therapy for individuals with PTSD, safety planning, crisis screenings, and diagnostic assessments aligned with the DSM. They are adept at creating individualized treatment plans, coordinating referrals, and ensuring clients receive comprehensive services that support long‑term stability and growth.

Leticia’s administrative strengths include resource acquisition, budget management, public speaking, program operations, and serving as a key liaison among organizational and community leaders. Through this work, Leticia has demonstrated the ability to engage diverse stakeholders and support programs that enhance community well‑being. Leticia has also served as a mediator and advocate for youth, adults, and families navigating complex social, emotional, and systemic challenges.

A dedicated academic, Leticia holds a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology (2012) and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (2009), both from the University of Texas–Pan American in Edinburg, Texas.

Leticia’s career reflects a commitment to compassionate care, strong clinical leadership, and meaningful service within the behavioral health field—advancing positive outcomes for clients, teams, and the broader community.

Kerry Joslin, LCSW, serves as Program Director for Acenda's Brief Strategic Family Therapy program, leading the expansion of evidence-based family interventions throughout Southern New Jersey. Drawing on more than a decade of clinical and leadership experience, she has supported the development of multidisciplinary teams that help families overcome behavioral health challenges through trauma-informed, strengths-based care. Kerry's expertise spans family systems treatment, workforce development, and implementation of evidence-based practices including BSFT, TF-CBT, DBT, CBT, Motivational Interviewing, and PCIT. She holds a Master of Social Work from Rutgers University and is passionate about advancing effective, family-focused behavioral health services.

With over 25 years of dedicated service in the field of child welfare, Wendy Serignese brings a wealth of experience and expertise.  For 22 of those years, she worked in direct child protective services within the Department of Children and Families, honing a deep understanding of the complexities and nuances of child welfare work. 

Three years ago, Wendy transitioned to her current role as Administrator in the Office of Family Preservation and Reunification Services, focused on developing and implementing programs designed to serve families involved with child protective services.  This shift has allowed for a broad reach of work supporting families safely remaining together.  Over the last two years, she has been  supporting the implementation of Brief Strategic Family Therapy in New Jersey, which from her experience has the opportunity to help countless families achieve their goals.  Wendy is excited to share insights and experiences from this journey, offering valuable perspectives for child welfare and behavioral health professionals. 

Lisa leads Te Taunaki Mātua Pouako, the Parent and Teacher team which provides workforce training and support of Triple P Positive Parenting Programmes and Incredible Years - Parent and Incredible Years - Teacher Classroom Management programmes.

Lisa has a Masters of Science and Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Psychology. She is an qualified International Triple P trainer and Incredible Years Parent group leader

“Imagining kids across Aotearoa being surrounded by well supported whanau and teachers drives me in my role getting transformative programmes in the hands of amazing providers.”