Speakers

Keynote: Jim Reif

Principal, Menominee Indian High School

Jim Reif has been Principal at Menominee Indian High School (MIHS) since 2016, and teaching for 20 years. MIHS believes in educating the whole child intellectually, physically, emotionally, and culturally. Daily instruction in Menominee culture along with an award winning PBIS program, and a restorative justice based approach to discipline provide a supportive nurturing environment, they are leaders in the Trauma-Informed Schools movement. Menominee Indian High School serves the Menominee Indian reservation about 40 miles west of Green Bay.  There are 305 students in the poorest county in WI and the 13th poorest in the US. MIHS has 48% homeless and 98% free and reduced lunch as classified by the DPI.  It is a trauma sensitive school that strives to raise the resiliency of our students while challenging them to be successful in two worlds.

Jim Reif is a graduate of Michigan Tech and taught high school math and coached football for 20 years mostly at Janesville Craig, a diverse urban school. After obtaining a masters in Educational Leadership from University of Texas Arlington, he served for 2 years associate principal at Baraboo High School. He is currently in his third year as principal of Menominee Indian High School in Keshena WI. Jim Reif is certified in using Circles and Restorative Practices by International Institute for Restorative Practices (IIRP). He is a certified ALICE Instructor. Jim is also the proud companion of a therapy dog Hank, who is proud of his mutt heritage. Hank works regularly at the high school.  Jim finds balance through martial arts, canoeing, and reading.

Keynote: Ali Muldrow

Co-Director, GSAFE

Ali Muldrow is a parent, partner, writer, instructor, advocate, and doula. She began her work in education in 2006 when she became the after school spoken word club liaison for the East High School in partnership with UW-Madison’s First Wave program. Ali played a key role in creating Wisconsin’s first Spoken Word class; a class that allowed high school students to receive academic credit for their study of urban art forms. Ali facilitated the Spoken Word course for 4 years as an artist in residence at East High School in Madison, WI. Ali went on to partner with Madison School & Community Recreation (MSCR) to create and host spoken word clubs at five Madison public high schools. Ali is currently the Director of Youth Programming and Inclusion at GSAFE, where she has for the last three years authored the curriculum for and taught Foundations of Leadership, a course based in the experiences of LGBTQ+ youth of color that recruits high school students from the entire Madison public school district who are advanced learners in the areas of leadership.

While working with GSAFE Ali has also paired over 70 students with mentors and hosted two annual LGBTQ+ Youth of Color Leadership Conferences as well as co-directed GSAFE’s Leadership Training Institute, a 4 day summer camp that gives students from all over Wisconsin the opportunity to develop their abilities as activists, allies, and creators of change. In the spring of 2015 Ali launched GSAFE’s New Narrative Project in the Dane County Juvenile Detention Center, a program that provides incarcerated young people with clear channels to academic success, civic engagement, and self-determination. Ali grew up in a multiracial family where identity was discussed at the dinner table and difference was celebrated. She is passionate about consent, freedom, learning and human rights. Ali is committed to bringing innovation and love to all that she does.

James Bartos

Project Manager, Community Building Milwaukee/Wisconsin Community Services

Seasoned facilitator and non-profit CEO and manager. Proven track record facilitating Community Building Workshops and mentoring facilitators in training in a wide range of human service, criminal justice and government programs with diverse participant groups. One of a handful of individuals worldwide certified as a Senior Facilitator by the Community Building Institute. Extensive experience in CEO and other senior executive non-profit leadership and management positions. Award winning non-profit executive and community leader recognized for championing variety of causes serving the needs of underserved populations.

James "Free" Cross

Smart Reentry Guide, The Alma Center

Free is a Guide in the Smart Reentry Program at the Alma Center. As part of this team, he reaches into Wisconsin’s prisons to work with individuals who are soon being released to help facilitate their transition back into the community. Using the wealth of knowledge, he’s gained from books, classes, groups, and personal experiences, Free is committed to the work of healing trauma imposed by race, socioeconomic status, gender, and prison.

Owen Karcher

Art Therapist, The Center for Community Healing

Owen is an Art Therapist and Social Justice Consultant with his own private practice in Madison, WI. He has ten years of experience working in the fields of mental health, violence prevention and intervention, child sexual abuse, HIV/AIDS, and building healthy relationships. He has facilitated workshops across the United States about increasing access to higher education, community organizing, anti-racism, LGBTQ inclusivity, intersectional ally ship, increasing service providers’ abilities to serve transgender populations, and social action art therapy.

Sue McKenzie

Program Director, WISE and Rogers InHealth

Sue has over thirty years of experience leading the development of educational programs and collaborative projects. She has taught youth and adults, directed the development and delivery of health education programs, developed state and national curriculum and led training for teachers and community leaders to effectively address mental health challenges. Ms. McKenzie provided national training under grants from CDC and the Federal Department of Education. As the Program Director for Rogers InHealth, she works through local and national partnerships to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness. Innovative program design, collaborative leadership skills, and a tenacious passion to share the reality and hope of recovery are key assets she brings to Rogers InHealth.

Lucy McLellan

Clinical Supervisor and Psychotherapist, FLYY

Lucy McLellan, RDT-BCT, LPC is a drama therapist and professional counselor with extensive experience of supporting trauma-affected children and teens. Lucy began her clinical career in NYC, facilitating groups for young people with diverse histories of adversity, including domestic violence, commercial sexual exploitation, chronic mental illness and the trauma of immigration and internal displacement. On arrival in Madison, Lucy narrowed her trauma focus, working with survivors of child sexual abuse and their non-offending caregivers. In addition, Lucy spent a year focused on maternal mental health and the development of secure attachments in early childhood. Lucy’s love of creativity and her hands-on understanding of the capacity of the arts to bring about healing and transformation is central to her therapeutic philosophy and skill set. Alongside her creative arts therapy tools, Lucy draws on her training in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Child Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) and an evolving desire to fold mindfulness into the practice of trauma-informed care.

William Singleton

Peer Specialist, The Alma Center

William Singleton was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois for a significant part of his life. He came from a large family of eleven. During his childhood, he was forcefully separated from his family for approximately 13 years. Since then he experienced many turbulences in his life and at age 19 was convicted of murder. He served a 25-year prison sentence where he spent a total of sixteen and a half years in incarceration. He is currently associated with the Alma Center as a Peer Specialist helping men with similar experiences of childhood trauma and incarceration.

Kristen Radtke

Licensed Professional Counselor, Clear Path Counseling and Wellness

Kristen Radtke is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Certified Meditation Instructor and Certified Personal trainer dedicated to holistic, body-centered psychotherapy and wellness. Kristen owns and operates two practices in Madison, Wisconsin—Clear Path Counseling and Wellness, and Mental Edge Racing—focused on helping people optimize their mind-body connection to promote healing and change. As a therapist at Clear Path, Kristen specializes in treating trauma, attachment disturbance, eating disorders, somatization disorders, and mood disorders. In her role as a personal trainer, Kristen specializes in psychophysical techniques to support endurance athletes who wish to optimize performance. Kristen frequently employs meditation techniques to help clients accept and skillfully work with whatever arises in their lives. Trained in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Internal Family Systems Therapy, Zen Meditation, and Athletic Performance Enhancement, Kristen’s passion lies in helping people develop insight into the complex interplay of their psychological, emotional, and physical systems. Kristen believes the development of this insight to be a crucial stepping stone in the process of self-transformation. She specializes in treating eating disorders, trauma, and attachment disturbances.

Dimitri Topitzes

Professor of Social Work at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and founding co-director of the Institute for Child and Family Well-Being (ICFW)

Dr. Dimitri Topitzes will moderate the UWM panel. His research interests include the etiology, effects, treatment and prevention of early childhood trauma. Dr. Topitzes devotes his time to applied research projects that adapt, implement, test, and disseminate evidence-informed practices within public service sectors. He partners with community-based health clinics, workforce development programs, and child welfare service systems to evaluate usual care and implement, test, and disseminate promising trauma-informed practices.

Jason Mims

CEO, Empowerment Training LLC

Jason Mims is the CEO of Empowerment Training LLC, a coaching and consulting firm that establishes client centered PEERS model (Partnership of Empowered Experts Reaching Synergy) to help individuals and organizations maximize their internal strengths to achieve their goals and dreams. Jason is passionate about caring for those who care for others. For 11 years, Jason served as the Health Safety Manager for the Milwaukee Fire Department. Jason designed and implemented a nationally recognized comprehensive, peer driven, health program that empowered the fire fighters to increase their professional and personal resilience throughout their career. In June of 2018 Jason began serving as the Family Life Pastor at Parklawn Assembly of God church. Jason is a Life and ADHD Coach, trained in Motivational Interviewing, a Peer specialist and serves as a workshop facilitator with Community Building Milwaukee. Jason is a veteran of the US Army where he served in the area of preventive medicine. Jason has presented for the Metro Chiefs Conference, International Foundation of Employee Benefits, the Professional Firefighters of Wisconsin Conference, the Wisconsin State Fire Chiefs Association Conference and at Rosecrance Florian Symposium, National Strength and Conditioning Association. Jason Mims and his wife own a private dental practice in Milwaukee and are blessed to be parents to their son Joshua. He enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, gardening, vermiculture and playing racquetball.