Our 2024 Speakers
Click on each headshot to read a bit about each of our speakers and click the "Learn More" button to see additional information about each speaker.
Derek Clark's journey is a testament to resilience and redemption. Despite enduring unimaginable abuse, abandonment, and emotional turmoil as a child, he was thrust into the psychiatric hospital at the tender age of five...
Stacey Gagnon is a foster mom, adoptive mom, blogger, educator, published children’s book
author, a registered nurse, and an international speaker...
George Dennehy is capturing attention all over the world for his unique talents. Because he was
born without arms, he sings and plays music from his heart using his feet...
Dr. Adam Dell in Board Certified in Clinical Psychology and currently serves as the
Director of Emotional Wellbeing at the Notre
Dame Wellness Center...
Laura is a licensed professional counselor, clinical supervisor, trauma specialist, and graduate of the Grace clinical mental health counseling masters program...
Dr. Deb McEvoy holds a doctorate in Clinical Psychology with a Certificate in Group Work from Adler
University (Chicago, IL); a Master’s in Counseling and a BA in Elementary Education...
Lyndsay is the owner and therapist at Linden Tree Counseling and Consulting, a practice in
Warsaw, Indiana offering expressive and somatic therapies...
Jamie Briscoe earned a BA from Anderson University in Education and a Master’s degree in
Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Grace College and Theological Seminary...
Darren Gagnon is the co-founder and president of Lost Sparrows, a non-profit providing family support and education around the effect of childhood trauma...
Vanessa offers a unique perspective drawing from her own story of childhood trauma and survivorship, clinical professional knowledge and expertise, foster-adoptive parenting, and her Christian faith...
Meet Mark - a life and leadership coach, licensed therapist, and a compassionate force for change. With over two decades of experience, he has...
Natasha Lantz became a TBRI® Practitioner in August 2023 but has been using TBRI® tools & strategies for 2 years now. She loves that TBRI® is trauma-informed and allows her to develop a relationship with the youth she works with...
Tyler Zielasko earned his Bachelors and Masters degrees from Grace College. He has worked in a variety of counseling and ministry settings over the past 20 years...
Christy Irons has been a child advocate since she was 10 years old. Having been raised in a family that fostered children...
Corletta has earned an Ed.S. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Converse University. She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist that has spent the last 13 years...
Shen-Quia Cobige is a successful flight attendant and is no stranger to the foster care system. Shen-Quia is the oldest of three sisters who were raised in the foster care system from a young age...
Marty Graverson has served as the Marriage & Family pastor at Nappanee Missionary Church for over 6 years and has been in the counseling field for over 11 years...
Shaé Brown is a wife and mother who spends her time between Winona lake, Indiana and Nairobi Kenya. She is a Clinical Licensed Social Worker...
Mike and Sharon Dennehy, once unfamiliar with adoption, now have a large family of thirteen children - three biological and ten adopted...
As program director for the Fiat Program on Faith and Mental Health at the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame, Beth leads the Institute’s efforts...
Shannon Tenney is Program Director for the School Care Team. She has spent over 20 years in youth-focused work, coaching, teaching...
Tina Wooldridge is Senior Director of Research and Development for the School Care Team. She is a Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) facilitator and...
Jonathon Wattley is the founder and CEO of Building A Stronger Family Inc. Established in 2016 after his family experienced the suicide of his granddaughter...