About this Session: In this heart-inspired keynote, Shannon Mumblo, MSW, LICSW, BSN, RN, challenges the old myth that we must leave our personal histories at the door to be effective professionals. Shannon isn’t just an executive; she is a leader who learned from her experience on the front lines, earning her wisdom through 23 years of clinical practice and real-world experience. She speaks directly to the “Chain Breakers,” those who have turned their own “marked moments” of struggle into a blueprint for courageous, authentic leadership.

The session introduces the Balcony Perspective, a grounded tool Shannon used to navigate her own journey from high-level burnout back to a place of purpose. This framework offers a much-needed “pause” for exhausted human service professionals, helping them find clarity amidst the noise of daily crisis management. By stepping away from the “dance floor,” attendees will learn how to stop simply reacting to daily fires and start diagnosing the systemic patterns that keep them stuck in survival mode.

A central pillar of this session is an honest conversation about Professional Boundaries, reframed through the lens of lived experience. Drawing from her own lessons learned, Shannon treats boundaries not as cold walls that distance us from those we serve, but as essential lifelines. You will learn how to set guardrails that keep you safe, whole, and emotionally protected, ensuring that you have the internal resources to stay in the work you love without losing yourself in the process.

By blending raw storytelling with a practical roadmap, Shannon invites you to trade your “survival suit” for a Heart Posture of Hope. This session isn’t about adding more to your plate; it’s about changing how you carry what is already on it. You will leave empowered with the tools needed to turn your history into your greatest professional strength, moving your practice, and your life, from a state of surviving to a state of truly thriving.

About Shannon: Shannon Mumblo, MSW, LICSW, BSN, RN, ORDM, is a “learned leader” who found her voice and her purpose on the front lines of human services. With over 23 years of experience as a relationship builder and change-maker, her career spans the fields of nursing, clinical social work, and executive leadership. Shannon’s leadership style was not just studied in a classroom; it was forged in the experience of crisis management. This commitment to leadership and community service earned her the prestigious 2021 Women of Impact Award from Business West and 2025 Bridge Builder Award from Cruzando Puentes.

Having navigated her own journey through profound trauma and burnout, Shannon discovered that the “survival suits” we wear to protect ourselves often become the very things that hinder our growth. Today, as the Principal of Shannon Mumblo Consulting, she acts as a trusted partner to mission-driven organizations, helping leaders and teams move from “surviving” to “thriving” by trading their armor for a Heart Posture of Hope. Her approach is backed by a deep multi-disciplinary foundation, holding a Master of Social Work from Smith College, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from American International College, and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Fairfield University.

A dedicated “Chain Breaker,” Shannon is currently documenting her journey of transformation to help other professionals reclaim their own narratives. She is a Certified Trauma-Responsive Community Leader and a Certified Group Peer Support Facilitator and Supervisor, specializing in helping leaders set essential professional boundaries that act as lifelines rather than walls. As an Ordained Minister, Shannon also integrates a sense of spiritual purpose into her work, ensuring that leaders stay whole enough to lead with radical authenticity.

Presented by Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir

Champion of Change

When the International Basketball Federation banned Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir from playing professionally because of her hijab, she faced a choice most people will never have to make: her faith or her dream. She chose her faith but then refused to let that be the end of the story. What followed was a years-long campaign that brought together Olympic athletes, BBC audiences of 55 million, the White House, and a generation of Muslim girls who finally saw themselves represented. In this keynote, Bilqis walks audiences through the emotional and spiritual journey of transforming one of the most painful moments of her life into her greatest source of purpose and offers a roadmap for how anyone sitting with grief, loss, or injustice can do the same through collaboration, story sharing and connection, and the focusing on the future as a form of service beyond the present.

About Bilqis:

Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir is a trailblazer, advocate, and mentor whose remarkable journey has inspired generations of athletes and women of faith worldwide. As the first NCAA Division I basketball player to wear a hijab, she broke barriers on and off the court, setting the stage for greater inclusion in sports. Bilqis sacrificed her professional basketball career to lead a four-year battle against the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) rule that banned religious head coverings. Her advocacy led to a historic policy change in 2017, paving the way for athletes of all faiths to pursue their dreams without compromising their beliefs.

No based in London, Ontario, Bilqis dedicated her life to empowering young women through her program, Muslim Girls Hoop Too, which provides a safe space for Muslim girls to build confidence, practice their faith and excel in basketball. She is also a sought-after speaker, sharing her story of resilience, faith, and leadership to inspire audiences around the globe.

In this compelling and deeply personal keynote, The Power of Being Seen: From Trauma to Triumph, Rachelle Hannoush shares her powerful journey of resilience, healing, and hope. Growing up surrounded by generational trauma, cultural stigma, and systemic adversity, she was once labeled a “lost cause” a narrative that could have defined her future. But her story took a different path. Through moments of compassion, connection, and support from educators, and caring professionals, Rachelle began to experience something transformative: she was seen not for her challenges, but for her potential. That shift changed everything. Rachelle went on to become a straight-A student, an award-winning leader, and a passionate advocate for children and families. Her journey is a testament to a powerful truth: healing and transformation happen when individuals are truly seen, valued, and supported. This keynote goes beyond personal storytelling. It highlights the critical role that clinicians, educators, social workers, and community leaders play in creating environments where individuals and families can move beyond survival and into healing and ultimately, thriving. Through storytelling, reflection, and insight, Rachelle challenges audiences to consider how their everyday interactions can either reinforce barriers or open doors to possibility.

About Rachelle:

Rachelle Hannoush is an educator, advocate, and transformational leader dedicated to advancing trauma-informed practice, violence prevention, and meaningful family engagement. Drawing from her own lived experience overcoming generational trauma and systemic adversity, she brings authenticity, compassion, and hope to every aspect of her work. Her personal journey continues to shape her commitment to creating equitable systems that empower others to overcome barriers and reach their full potential.

With more than 15 years of experience in youth development, prevention, and community-based programming, Rachelle currently serves as Director of Youth, Violence Prevention, and Court Support Programs at the YWCA of Western Massachusetts. In this role, she provides strategic leadership for programs serving youth, families, and court-involved populations throughout Hampden and Hampshire Counties. Recognized for her expertise in strategic planning, program development, partnership building, and grant acquisition, she has successfully expanded program reach, strengthened cross-sector collaborations, and led multidisciplinary teams dedicated to improving outcomes for children and families. She is also an accomplished trainer and speaker, equipping educators, social service professionals, and community stakeholders with culturally responsive, equity-centered approaches to supporting those they serve.

Rachelle holds a Bachelor of Science degree from MCPHS University, a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Bay Path University, and a Graduate Certificate in Special Needs and Autism Studies. Throughout her career, she has built sustainable partnerships with courts, state agencies, schools, and community organizations to address systemic challenges and strengthen supports for vulnerable populations. A passionate advocate for resilience, healing, and prevention, Rachelle is committed to empowering professionals, strengthening communities, and inspiring lasting, measurable change.

Presented by: Krystyna Boisjolie, MCJ, LSW

About this Session: In this workshop presenter will address Commercial Sexual Exploitation in both LGBTQIA+ communities and beyond, offer a parent’s personal perspective on their transgender son’s journey and provide strategies to manage Secondary Trauma symptoms.

This workshop will provide an overview of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) and Human Trafficking (HT), including common warning signs, risk factors, and how these issues impact vulnerable and marginalized populations within our communities. Participants will gain insight into internet safety concerns affecting youth, along with practical resources and intervention strategies for parents, caregivers, social workers, and other helping professionals.

The session will also explore LGBTQIA+ considerations and the unique challenges faced by youth and families navigating identity and acceptance, incorporating lived experience and personal perspective. Additionally, the workshop will address the impact of secondary trauma, helping participants recognize symptoms of emotional strain while offering practical self-care and regulation techniques to support long-term wellness and effectiveness in caregiving and professional roles.

About Krystyna: Krystyna Boisjolie joined RFK in January 2022 and currently oversees a broad range of community service programs supporting youth and families. Her work includes managing two young adult supported and independent living programs, three detention diversion programs focused on reducing detention involvement for BIPOC youth, a long-term mentoring program, and two lived-experience mentoring programs for survivors of Commercial Sexual Exploitation (CSE). Prior to joining RFK, Krystyna supervised two large foster care programs in Easthampton, Massachusetts. She is also a certified Risking Connections Trauma trainer and brings extensive experience in trauma-informed care, youth advocacy, and community-based support services.

Presented by: Vilenti Tulloch Sr, LCSW

About this Session: This session explores how educators can intentionally cultivate trust, belonging, and student-centered learning environments to improve outcomes for students. Grounded in the Engage to Excel framework, the presentation highlights the critical role that relationships, identity, and student voice play in shaping both academic success and social-emotional development. Participants will examine practical, research-informed strategies for building authentic connections with students, particularly those from historically marginalized backgrounds. The session will also focus on moving students from dependent to independent learners through structured supports such as mentoring, reflective journaling, and individualized coaching.

Through real-world examples and interactive discussion, attendees will explore how to create learning spaces that affirm students’ lived experiences while fostering agency, resilience, and leadership. The session will conclude with opportunities for participants to reflect on their own contexts and develop actionable steps to strengthen engagement, belonging, and overall student success within their schools.

About Vilenti: Vilenti Tulloch is the CEO of the Academic Leadership Association (ALA), where he leads student-centered programming focused on building trust, belonging, and academic success in K–12 schools. He has partnered with multiple districts to deliver mentoring, coaching, and equity-focused initiatives that support student engagement and social-emotional development. Vilenti brings a background in social work and adjustment counseling and is currently a doctoral candidate in Educational Leadership 26′.

Presented by: Christian Escalona

About this Session: Trauma often speaks through the body before survivors have language for what they are experiencing. Many individuals who have experienced childhood trauma, identity-based marginalization, addiction, eating disorders, or chronic emotional suppression present with physical symptoms that are frequently misunderstood or treated in isolation. This workshop explores the connection between unresolved trauma and physical manifestations such as chronic pain, substance misuse, disordered eating, fatigue, gastrointestinal distress, hypervigilance, and nervous system dysregulation. Participants will examine how shame, “otherness,” and survival-based coping mechanisms disconnect individuals from their bodies. Through clinical insight, lived experience, and practical intervention strategies, attendees will learn how to help clients move from survival mode toward embodiment, resilience, and healing.

About Christian: Christian Escalona, J.D., is a substance use counselor, trauma-informed facilitator, public storyteller, Reiki practitioner, and graduate student in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. After a twenty-two-year career in corporate sales and leadership, he transitioned into the helping professions following his own journey through mental health challenges, burnout, and trauma recovery. That experience ultimately led him toward a life rooted in healing, authenticity, and purpose.

Christian facilitates therapeutic groups for individuals with substance use and co-occurring disorders, leading discussions on trauma, emotional regulation, resilience, mindfulness, and recovery. He is currently writing a memoir, Divided: The Cost of Liberation, which explores identity, belonging, trauma, and the lifelong pursuit of authenticity.

Christian is training as a holistic therapist with a focus on the mindbody connection, emotional suppression, attachment wounds, and the long-term effects of survival-based identity roles. Drawing from clinical training, leadership experience, and lived experience, he helps individuals and communities move beyond survival and toward healing, purpose, connection, and thriving.

Presented by: Shari Botwin, LCSW

Author – Counselor – Public Speaker

About this Session: In a world where those of us who care for others are often stretched to their limits, this keynote and workshop boldly confront the urgent need for healing, resilience, and self-care in the helping professions. Many of us in caregiving and social worker roles are ‘wounded healers’—individuals who have personally experienced trauma or adversity. Our own journeys with hardship often shape our empathy and commitment to supporting others.

This workshop will provide practical tools for managing stress, burnout, and secondary trauma in helping professions. Drawing
from personal experience as a survivor, I will highlight the importance of self-care for professionals who support others while navigating their own healing.

Key objectives include equipping participants with strategies to manage their emotional well-being, develop effective coping mechanisms, and foster compassion and resilience in their work. Attendees will learn accessible self-care techniques, such as breathing exercises, and approaches for communicating compassionately with individuals facing trauma.

Additional takeaways emphasize the necessity of setting healthy boundaries, recognizing burnout symptoms, and understanding when to step back or say no. The session will reinforce that listening without judgment and prioritizing self-care are vital for sustained effectiveness and personal well-being. This workshop is especially beneficial for social workers and caregivers, supporting trauma-informed practice and promoting empathy, resilience, and quality care for vulnerable populations.

About Shari: Shari Botwin, LCSW, has been counseling survivors in recovery from all types of traumas in her Philadelphia based private practice for over twenty-eight years. Her second book, “Thriving After Trauma: Stories of Living and Healing, Rowman & Littlefield,” (Rowman & Littlefield, November 8, 2019) deals with overcoming trauma including physical and sexual abuse, war-related injury, loss due to tragedy or illness and natural disaster. Botwin’s third book, Stolen Childhoods: Thriving After Abuse, released worldwide in May 2024. Botwin has been qualified as an expert witness in high profile civil and criminal cases, including a case against R Kelly and another case involving over 100 plaintiffs against former pediatrician, Stuart Copperman. In January, Botwin was a featured panelist on a CLE panel about trauma-informed care for the Montgomery Bar Association, in Pennsylvania. Botwin has conducted Keynote presentations for CE credits for Advanced Recovery Systems, Stockton University, Rutgers University, Monte Nido Eating Disorders Center, International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals, Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Organization, Hofstra University, and Bay Path University. Botwin has given expert on-air commentary on breaking stories related to trauma and abuse. She also is a regular guest contributor on the Law & Crime Network and has also been featured on NBC Nightly News , NBC News Now, Good Morning America, CBS This Morning NBC News Now with Dr. John Torres, Merit Street, Woman’s World, ABC News, CBS News, MSNBC Live, CTV News, CP-24 News, CNN, Time Magazine, Rolling Stone Magazine, Parade Magazine, The Daily Beast,  US Weekly, Parents Magazine, US Weekly, Newsy, Sports Illustrated, Prevention Magazine, The New York Times, Rolling Stone Magazine, Bored Panda, Parade Magazine, Parents Magazine, Newsbreak, The Associated Press, Philadelphia Magazine and Radio Europe.

Presented by: Lisa Zarcone, Areliz Barbosa, and Lucille Germain

About this Session: This panel session invites participants into an honest and transformative conversation about intergenerational trauma, healing, and what it truly means to move beyond survival and thrive. Grounded in lived experience, storytelling, and reflection, the presenters will share how trauma can be carried across generations, while also exploring the resilience, healing, and sense of purpose that can interrupt those cycles. The session will begin with the speakers sharing how their connection formed, creating a foundation of authenticity and relationship before each presenter reflects on their personal journey. A central theme throughout the discussion is that forgiveness does not always require reconciliation or restitution, but can serve as a meaningful step toward reclaiming peace and breaking generational patterns. The session will conclude with a facilitated 20-minute Q&A, offering participants space for reflection, connection, and shared learning.

Lisa Zarcone will share her healing journey through the eyes of her abuser, offering a deeply reflective and courageous perspective that challenges how we understand pain, accountability, and healing. She will also speak to her growth as an author, now working on her third book, and how storytelling has been a powerful tool in her transformation.

Areliz Barbosa will share her journey from intergenerational trauma to thriving, rooted in lived experience as a Community Health Worker, educator, and founder. Her story reflects what it means to move beyond survival, break cycles, and step into purpose, leadership, and impact within communities that have historically been underserved.

Lucille Germain will share her personal journey as a lifelong caregiver shaped by generational trauma and the belief that her worth was tied solely to caring for others. Through reflecting on the harmful patterns she experienced and later repeated, she will speak to the importance of self-worth, healing, and redefining caregiving in a way that honors both compassion for others and care for oneself.

Presented by: Martha Henry, Ph.D. and Michael J. McManus, M.S.W., LICSW

About this Session: People experience many types of loss throughout life. Children and youth in DCF care often face both universal and personal losses, including separation from family, pets, and communities, as well as major disruptions to daily life. These experiences can lead to grief—an intense, complex, and often non-linear response. In this workshop, participants will reflect on the types of loss and grief experienced by young people and consider practical ways to support them. Through discussion, participants will explore approaches to talking about loss, engaging in supportive conversations, and helping children and youth express and process grief in meaningful ways.

About: MJ Henry & Associates, Inc. is an education and consultation firm that focuses on providing services to state agencies and human service organizations that support children, youth, and families, especially those who have experienced adversity. The firm offers professional education and program evaluation in the areas of child welfare, foster care, adoption, and child and family behavioral health. Our goal is to influence policy and practice at all levels.

Led by Dr. Martha Henry and Michael McManus, together they focus on systems change projects to improve the lives of children and families who have experienced adversity and complex trauma. Both are both nationally recognized for their strategic implementation, training, coaching, and practice of Communimetrics instruments, both the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths and Family Advocacy and Support Tool. They have trained and certified over 10,000 professionals in these tools across multiple states and organizations. They have collaborated as a team for over 20 years, and their current work includes supporting the redesign of the foster parent applicant licensing program for the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (DCF).

Martha Henry, Ph.D., is the founder and president of MJ Henry & Associates, Inc. Dr. Henry earned her master’s and doctoral degrees in developmental psychology from Clark University in Worcester, MA. She has several personal connections to adoption that shape her perspectives and increase her sensitivity to its complexities, as well as the diverse experiences of the various members of the adoption constellation. Additionally, she is the lead author of Adoption in the United States: A Reference for Families, Professionals, and Students, a comprehensive resource that particularly addresses the medical and behavioral health needs of adopted children. Prior to her current position, Dr. Henry was the Director of the Office of Foster Care and Adoption at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. In this role, she led a team of multidisciplinary professionals who provided educational programs, evaluation, and consultation services related to various aspects of child welfare and children’s mental health practices.

Michael J. McManus, M.S.W., LICSW, is a Senior Associate at MJ Henry and Associates, Inc., and a private clinician who specializes in working with children, youth, and families affected by trauma and loss. Mr. McManus earned his master’s degree in social work from Springfield College in Springfield, MA. Before joining MJ Henry & Associates, he served as the Director of Training and Technical Assistance at the Office of Foster Care and Adoption. In this role, he led the team responsible for redesigning the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families’ foster parent preparation program (MAPP-III). He has also worked for the Massachusetts DCF at various levels throughout his career. Mr. McManus’s background in social work and his experience as a foster and adoptive parent inform his development of curricula and training programs for families and professionals across various fields.

Presented by: Cristina Rivera, M.S.W., LICSW

About this Session: We often talk about cultural competence in mental health spaces, but many professionals are still left wondering what meaningful, culturally responsive practice looks like in real conversations, relationships, and systems. This session explores cultural humility as an ongoing practice rather than a destination. One rooted in self-awareness, curiosity, accountability, and a willingness to examine how our identities, assumptions, and professional roles shape the work we do.

Through reflection, discussion, and scenarios drawn from a variety of settings, participants will explore how power, bias, lived experience, and systemic inequities show up in helping relationships. The session is designed to be interactive, honest, and thought-provoking while also offering strategies that participants can apply in their work.

This presentation creates a space to think more deeply about authenticity, connection, repair, and what culturally humble practice looks like in everyday interactions across mental health settings.

About Cristina: Cristina Rivera, LICSW is a licensed clinical social worker with a background in outpatient mental health and community-based care. She currently works as a psychotherapist in private practice, an adjunct professor, and as a Clinical Supervisor for Helix Human Services.  She supports clients across a range of mental health needs with a focus on culturally responsive, person-centered care. Cristina specializes in working with individuals navigating depression, anxiety, and life challenges. She integrates cognitive-behavioral therapy and relational approaches with a strong foundation in empathy.

Presented by: Krystyna Boisjolie, MCJ, LSW

About this Session: In this workshop presenter will address Commercial Sexual Exploitation in both LGBTQIA+ communities and beyond, offer a parent’s personal perspective on their transgender son’s journey and provide strategies to manage Secondary Trauma symptoms.

This workshop will provide an overview of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) and Human Trafficking (HT), including common warning signs, risk factors, and how these issues impact vulnerable and marginalized populations within our communities. Participants will gain insight into internet safety concerns affecting youth, along with practical resources and intervention strategies for parents, caregivers, social workers, and other helping professionals.

The session will also explore LGBTQIA+ considerations and the unique challenges faced by youth and families navigating identity and acceptance, incorporating lived experience and personal perspective. Additionally, the workshop will address the impact of secondary trauma, helping participants recognize symptoms of emotional strain while offering practical self-care and regulation techniques to support long-term wellness and effectiveness in caregiving and professional roles.

About Krystyna: Krystyna Boisjolie joined RFK in January 2022 and currently oversees a broad range of community service programs supporting youth and families. Her work includes managing two young adult supported and independent living programs, three detention diversion programs focused on reducing detention involvement for BIPOC youth, a long-term mentoring program, and two lived-experience mentoring programs for survivors of Commercial Sexual Exploitation (CSE). Prior to joining RFK, Krystyna supervised two large foster care programs in Easthampton, Massachusetts. She is also a certified Risking Connections Trauma trainer and brings extensive experience in trauma-informed care, youth advocacy, and community-based support services.

Presented by: Vilenti Tulloch Sr, LCSW

About this Session: This session explores how educators can intentionally cultivate trust, belonging, and student-centered learning environments to improve outcomes for students. Grounded in the Engage to Excel framework, the presentation highlights the critical role that relationships, identity, and student voice play in shaping both academic success and social-emotional development. Participants will examine practical, research-informed strategies for building authentic connections with students, particularly those from historically marginalized backgrounds. The session will also focus on moving students from dependent to independent learners through structured supports such as mentoring, reflective journaling, and individualized coaching.

Through real-world examples and interactive discussion, attendees will explore how to create learning spaces that affirm students’ lived experiences while fostering agency, resilience, and leadership. The session will conclude with opportunities for participants to reflect on their own contexts and develop actionable steps to strengthen engagement, belonging, and overall student success within their schools.

About Vilenti: Vilenti Tulloch is the CEO of the Academic Leadership Association (ALA), where he leads student-centered programming focused on building trust, belonging, and academic success in K–12 schools. He has partnered with multiple districts to deliver mentoring, coaching, and equity-focused initiatives that support student engagement and social-emotional development. Vilenti brings a background in social work and adjustment counseling and is currently a doctoral candidate in Educational Leadership 26′.

Presented by: Christian Escalona

About this Session: Trauma often speaks through the body before survivors have language for what they are experiencing. Many individuals who have experienced childhood trauma, identity-based marginalization, addiction, eating disorders, or chronic emotional suppression present with physical symptoms that are frequently misunderstood or treated in isolation. This workshop explores the connection between unresolved trauma and physical manifestations such as chronic pain, substance misuse, disordered eating, fatigue, gastrointestinal distress, hypervigilance, and nervous system dysregulation. Participants will examine how shame, “otherness,” and survival-based coping mechanisms disconnect individuals from their bodies. Through clinical insight, lived experience, and practical intervention strategies, attendees will learn how to help clients move from survival mode toward embodiment, resilience, and healing.

About Christian: Christian Escalona, J.D., is a substance use counselor, trauma-informed facilitator, public storyteller, Reiki practitioner, and graduate student in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. After a twenty-two-year career in corporate sales and leadership, he transitioned into the helping professions following his own journey through mental health challenges, burnout, and trauma recovery. That experience ultimately led him toward a life rooted in healing, authenticity, and purpose.

Christian facilitates therapeutic groups for individuals with substance use and co-occurring disorders, leading discussions on trauma, emotional regulation, resilience, mindfulness, and recovery. He is currently writing a memoir, Divided: The Cost of Liberation, which explores identity, belonging, trauma, and the lifelong pursuit of authenticity.

Christian is training as a holistic therapist with a focus on the mindbody connection, emotional suppression, attachment wounds, and the long-term effects of survival-based identity roles. Drawing from clinical training, leadership experience, and lived experience, he helps individuals and communities move beyond survival and toward healing, purpose, connection, and thriving.

Presented by: Teresa Nieves, MSMOL

About this Session: This interactive, trauma-informed session explores what it takes to move beyond survival mode and into a place of self-trust, authenticity, and sustainable growth. While many individuals begin the journey of healing, maintaining that healing—especially in the face of triggers, setbacks, or moments of re-traumatization—can feel overwhelming.

Participants will examine how trauma and lived experiences shape internal narratives, self-perception, and behavior, and how these patterns show up in the individuals and communities they support. Through guided reflection, real-world examples, and practical tools, this session equips professionals with strategies to foster emotional safety, build resilience, and strengthen authentic connections.

Grounded in a healing-centered and trauma-informed approach, this session supports attendees in helping others—and themselves—move beyond coping and into lasting growth, empowerment, and thriving.

About Teresa: Teresa Nieves (she/her) is a queer, neurodivergent small business owner, Disruption Coach, and Unconventional Strategist. She helps students and helping professionals break free from imposter syndrome, disrupt limiting beliefs, and create fulfilling, authentic lives. Teresa specializes in making conversations mindset, identity, and worthiness real, bold, and actionable— through a trauma-informed and healing-centered lens—because true growth and resilience start with owning who you truly are.

Presented by: Matty O’Malley, Kate Smith, and Daniel Smola

About this Session: This presentation focuses on the critical role of awareness, prevention, and client-centered care in addressing substance use and co-occurring mental health challenges. Drawing from both professional experience and lived insight, the discussion will explore how education, empathy, and evidence-based approaches can improve outcomes for individuals seeking recovery.

Participants will gain a deeper understanding of what truly constitutes client-centered treatment, emphasizing meeting individuals where they are, honoring their unique experiences, and supporting tailored pathways to recovery that address their specific needs.

The presentation will also highlight how personal lived experience can be transformed into meaningful professional development, strengthening providers’ and advocates’ ability to connect with those struggling, reduce stigma, and foster authentic engagement in the recovery process. By combining awareness, prevention strategies, and practical insights, this session aims to equip attendees with tools and perspectives that help create more compassionate, effective, and responsive recovery support systems.

Matty O’Malley is a behavioral health executive, entrepreneur, and person in long-term recovery with over a decade of experience in the substance use and mental health field. As the Founder and CEO of Empower Health Group, he has led the successful development and expansion of multiple treatment programs, helping to improve access to high-quality care across Massachusetts and beyond. Matthew has also leveraged his experiences to develop innovative, client-centered curriculum.

Kate Smith Kate Smith is a behavioral health clinician, educator, and executive leader with more than a decade of experience treating mental health, substance use, and co-occurring disorders. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Florida Atlantic University, her MSW from Barry University, and her Doctorate in Social Work (DSW) in 2023, specializing in trauma-informed care and clinical systems development.

Dr. Smith has held leadership roles across inpatient, outpatient, acute care, and sub-acute treatment settings, serving as a therapist, clinical supervisor, consultant, speaker, and executive administrator. She is nationally recognized for training and mentoring behavioral health professionals in evidence-based practices, trauma-informed care, ethical clinical practice, and treatment for complex mental health and co-occurring disorders.

She also brings extensive expertise in utilization review and insurance operations, advocating for appropriate treatment access and continuity of care. Known for her compassionate yet clinically rigorous approach, Dr. Smith is committed to advancing behavioral healthcare systems and improving outcomes through high-quality, individualized care.

Daniel Smola is the Alumni Coordinator and Community Outreach representative at Empower Health Group. Daniel is dedicated to fostering recovery and support for individuals on their journey to wellness. With extensive experience as a recovery advocate in recovery, Daniel is passionate about empowering individuals and families to navigate the challenges of addiction and embrace a healthier lifestyle.  

His certification as an Interventionist through AIIECU and as a Recovery Professional from Bunker Hill University underscores his commitment to the field. Daniel’s work not only focuses on providing critical resources and support but also emphasizes the importance of community in the recovery process. Outside of his professional life, he enjoys exploring new hobbies and connecting with others who share his passion for recovery and personal growth.

Presented by: Jamilex Del Valle

About this Session: In this talk, trauma therapist and survivor Jamilex Del Valle explores how silence becomes a survival strategy in childhood and how that same silence can follow us into adulthood as confusion, self-blame, and emotional disconnection. When experiences go unnamed, people often internalize their pain as a personal flaw rather than a response to harm. Blending lived experience with clinical insight, Jamilex introduces the concept that language is not just a tool for communication, it is a tool for healing. Naming emotions, patterns, and experiences creates clarity, restores identity, and allows individuals to move from survival into self-understanding.

This talk challenges the belief that healing begins with action, and instead offers a different starting point: awareness through language. Through powerful storytelling and psychological frameworks, audiences will learn how silence is formed, how it protects, and how breaking it can transform the way we relate to ourselves.

About: Jamilex Del Valle is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (Level 2) specializing in supporting BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ individuals as they heal from trauma. Her work focuses on helping clients understand the impact of lived experiences through a trauma-informed lens, particularly addressing the common pattern of individuals internalizing trauma as personal deficiency due to a lack of language and education around their experiences.

In addition to her clinical practice, Jamilex has facilitated trauma-informed professional development for over 50 participants, helping organizations and providers strengthen their understanding of trauma, improve cultural responsiveness, and enhance support for marginalized communities.

Presented by: Christian Smith

About this Session: Traditional behavioral interventions often prioritize control over connection, compliance over collaboration, and crisis management over long-term healing. This workshop challenges participants to reconsider how power, safety, and engagement operate within helping relationships and explores what becomes possible when behavioral support is rooted in dignity, emotional safety, and shared humanity.

Grounded in principles of emotional safety, co-regulation, and compassionate power-sharing, this session explores how helping professionals can move beyond crisis response toward approaches that foster long-term resilience, connection, and thriving. Participants will examine how nervous system activation, trauma, and power dynamics influence behavior across children, youth, families, and adults, while learning practical tools for responding to dysregulation in ways that preserve dignity, autonomy, and safety.

Through discussion, reflection, and real-world application, attendees will leave with concrete strategies for de-escalation, collaborative engagement, assertive boundary-setting, and relationship-centered support that can be immediately applied across clinical, educational, community-based, and human service settings.

About Christian: Christian Smith, LICSW, is a mental health practitioner who was first introduced to Motivational Interviewing (MI) while developing a milieu for Massachusetts Juvenile Justice programs in 2006. He became a member of MINT in 2012 and has since delivered highly rated training for caseworkers, clinicians, probation officers, medical professionals, and recovery coaches across MA, CT, VT, DE, and FL.

A passionate advocate for MI-based communication, Christian is currently focused on its intersection with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) work. Over the past eight years, he has actively worked to create brave spaces where Cultural Humility intersects with meaningful systemic change.

With 20 years of experience as a clinical social worker, Christian is licensed in both MA and CT. He currently provides counseling through his practice, Forward Progress Counseling and Consultation, where he specializes in ADHD coaching, identity empowerment, and relationship dynamics.