Denise Moody is the Assistant Director of Student Services with Rochester Public Schools. She has been working in educational settings for fifteen years, working with early childhood through high school age students primarily at the district level. Ms. Moody has special interest in the area of trauma-informed systems of care, school-based mental health and multi-tiered systems of support. She has been an adjunct professor at Winona State University in the Department of Social Work since 2006 and has a small private practice providing psychotherapy to adolescents and adults. Ms. Moody holds a bachelor’s degree from Winona State University in Social Work and a master’s degree from the University of St. Thomas/College of St. Catherine in Social Work. She has also completed post graduate work in the area of Educational Leadership with the University of Minnesota and is licensed as a Director of Special Education and as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Ms. Moody is also the Founder and Director of an educational consulting and events firm, Resilience Impact, LLC.

James Moffett is an elementary school principal who has created, implemented, and helped others create and implement trauma-informed practices in their schools. Throughout his career, he has taught various demographic groups, observing the differences and similarities in effective instructional and behavioral strategies. Ultimately, James realized what we all know, meaningful relationships enhance behavior and academic success. He often threw around the words “grit” and “perseverance”, but after viewing Paper Tigers, it came full circle. James started his trauma informed work as the principal of Derby Hills Elementary School in Derby, Kansas, which became a fully functioning trauma informed school. During his time at Derby Hills Elementary, he implemented a number of different SEL and trauma-informed practices such as safe spots, mindfulness, self-regulation and teaching an explicit SEL curriculum. In 2019 James resigned his position as principal to take on full time consulting work. He launched JM Educational Consulting in April of 2019 and traveled across the country sharing the trauma-informed message and practices. This year, James is back in a building, serving as principal at Faris Elementary in Hutchinson, KS, where he has already put his trauma-informed practices into place to better serve the needs of students. He continues to do trauma-informed consulting as well in order to help others reach all students to the best of their ability.

Dr Karen Treisman, MBE, is a Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologist who has worked in the National Health System and children’s services for several years. Karen has worked cross-culturally in both Africa and Asia with groups ranging from former child soldiers to survivors of the Rwandan Genocide. She is the author of 12 books, including the bestselling book, “The Therapeutic Treasure Box”, 4 sets of therapeutic card decks, and 6 therapeutic soft cuddly toys. Karen has extensive experience in the areas of trauma, parenting, adversity (ACE’s) and attachment, and works clinically using a range of therapeutic approaches with families, systems, and children in or on the edge of care, unaccompanied asylum-seeking young people, and adopted children. Karen specializes in supporting organizations and systems to move towards becoming and sustaining adversity,culturally and, trauma-informed, infused, and responsive practice. This work focuses on creating meaningful and multi-layered cultural and paradigm shift across whole systems.

Mathew Portell has dedicated a decade and a half to education in his role as a teacher, instructional coach, teacher mentor, and school administrator in all three tiers of elementary, middle, and high school. In his sixth year as principal of Fall-Hamilton Elementary, he is an internationally recognized innovative model school for trauma-informed practices in Metro Nashville Public Schools. The school’s work has been featured on National Public Radio, PBS, the documentary “#Enough,” and the Edutopia website, with over 7 million views. He is the founder of the Trauma Informed Educators Network, with an active Facebook group and a podcast where educators and practitioners from around the globe share their own trauma-informed journeys, including some of the world’s top experts, including Dr. Bruce Perry, Dr. Ross Greene, Dr. Mona Delahooke and many more. Mr. Portell has appeared at national and international conferences, acting as a featured speaker, expert panelist, keynote speaker, and facilitator. Just this year, he was named the Nashville Public School’s Elementary Principal of the Year! Mr. Portell holds a B.S. in elementary education and an M.Ed in curriculum from Tennessee State University, and completed his administration requirements at Trevecca Nazarene University.

Jessica Pfeiffer, LCSW, SSW, is a ChildTrauma Academy Education Fellow. She has provided trainings, consultations, coaching, and observations to educational systems around the world. She provides trainings rooted in the Neurosequential Model of TherapeuticsTM (NMT). Jessica focuses on embedding a neurobiological lens in the school setting and providing recommendations and interventions that are developmentally relevant for students. She partners with school districts, day treatment facilities, public and charter schools, early learning centers, and state education entities to create customized engaging trainings and supports. Jessica is co-host of the podcast Education Suspended, which focuses on engaging those in conversation who are passionate about evolving our educational system. She is currently a student at the University of Colorado, Denver, working towards a Doctorate of Clinical Psychology in School Psychology. She completed her undergraduate degree in Social Work at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa. She received her Master of Social Work degree and Animal Assisted Social Work Certificate from the University of Denver.

Lisa Cherry is an author and a leading international trainer and consultant, specializing in assisting those in Education, Social Care and Adoption and Fostering to understand trauma, recovery and resilience for vulnerable children, young people and their families. Lisa has over 30 years of experience in this field and combines academic knowledge and research with professional skills and personal experience. Lisa's MA research looked at the impact on education and employment for care experienced adults who experienced school exclusion as children in the 1970's and 1980's. Currently, Lisa is undertaking her DPhil studies at The University of Oxford in the Department of Education, asking the research question "How do care-experienced adults understand being excluded from school in relation to 'belonging?"