Speaker Biographies

2025 TASC Annual Conference

Speakers are listed in order of appearance on agenda.

Judge Rick A. Williams

Judge Rick A. Williams has served with the Mohave County Superior Court since 2009. He presides over Mohave County’s Adult Recovery Court, Adult Health and Wellness Court, Juvenile Recovery Court, Juvenile Health and Wellness Court, and Truancy Court. Judge Williams has presided over treatment courts since 2009. He also serves as Mohave County’s Presiding Juvenile Judge. Judge Williams serves on the Board of Directors for the Arizona Association of Drug Court Professionals (AADCP). He is a frequent presenter at the AADCP annual conference on effective judicial temperament and leadership. Judge Williams has developed and presented courses for the National Association of Drug Court Professionals, the State of Arizona Annual Judicial Conference, the Mohave County Bar Association, the Colorado River Union High School District, and the Arizona Constables Association. Judge Williams is actively involved in judicial education. He has served as a member of the Judicial College of Arizona and Court Leadership Institute of Arizona for several years. He developed a Legal Liability and Ethics course for the Arizona Intensive Probation Services (IPS) Academy and has presented that program for several years. Judge Williams is a regular presenter for the Mohave County Courts Annual COJET training and is a two-time recipient of the COJET Excellence in Education Award. Judge Williams earned his Juris Doctorate degree from Gonzaga University School of Law in 1996. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Arizona in 1993.

Lisa M. Williams

Lisa Williams is a Senior Court Management Consultant for the National Center for State Courts with 19 years of justice system experience. Prior to joining NCSC in 2024, she was a founding member of the first felony Veterans Treatment Court in Ohio and served as judicial support for 14 years in a common pleas court providing case management and data reporting for civil and criminal cases. Lisa then served as a policy analyst for the Ohio Supreme Court providing evaluation and technical assistance to all adult, family, and juvenile treatment court types across Ohio’s 260+ certified treatment court programs. She has also served as a national presenter for All Rise and as a frequent state and local agency presenter for the past 10 years. Khas a Bachelor of Applied Communication and is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Research and Evaluation Methods.

Dr. Kenneth Robinson

Dr. Robinson was instrumental in creating the first mental health crisis unit in Memphis, Tennessee, and served as Director of Clinical Services and Director of the Crisis Stabilization Unit for Midtown Mental Health Center for several years. He is one of the most respected teachers, lecturers, and authors on cognitive-behavioral treatment and correctional counseling. He is a sought-after speaker at both national and international symposiums and conferences.

In addition to co-developing MRT, Dr. Robinson has published and presented numerous professional articles in the areas of psychopharmacology and mental health services. His extensive work in mental health and corrections provides a unique combination of insight.

Dr. Robinson has co-authored numerous cognitive-behavioral treatment programs to address a variety of issues, including mental health, substance abuse, trauma recovery, relapse prevention, DUI offenses, criminal thinking, and anger management. The programs have been implemented by behavioral health providers, community-based organizations, criminal justice settings, private care agencies, and many others.

Martha-Elin Blomquist, Ph.D.

Dr. Martha-Elin Blomquist is a Senior Site Manager for the Juvenile Justice Program at the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ). She has 15 years of experience in site management work with the NCJFCJ and over 45 years of experience related to child welfare, juvenile justice, and court systems. She develops and provides training and technical assistance (TTA) for court and child-serving systems and stakeholders to address pressing issues in the areas of juvenile drug treatment, probation transformation, and deep end juvenile justice reform. As the NCJFCJ’s liaison with the Annie E. Casey Foundation (AECF), Dr. Blomquist works with members of the AECF Juvenile Justice Strategy Group to involve judges in collaboration with state juvenile correctional administrators, probation departments, and community-based organizations to promote interventions that are adolescent appropriate and therapeutic. Other NCJFCJ projects she leads or staffs include developing TTA for judges for addressing the link between animal cruelty and interpersonal violence in family law cases and for serving military-connected families with legal matters in juvenile or family courts. Dr. Blomquist holds a master’s and a Ph.D. in Jurisprudence and Social Policy from the University of California Berkeley School of Law where she specialized in juvenile and criminal justice studies and research. She has taught in women’s studies and criminal justice programs at several universities, has been a speaker at national and regional conferences, and is an author or co-author of various publications issued by the NCJFCJ as well as by peer-reviewed journals.

Nancy Castillo

Nancy Castillo is the Problem-Solving Court Coordinator for the Youth and Family Treatment Court (YFTC) of the Colorado 2nd Judicial District Juvenile Court. In assuming this position in 2023, Ms. Castillo brought 10 years of experience working in the justice system in various capacities, including supervising both juvenile and adult probation cases, serving as a diversion officer within the Office of the District Attorney, and as staff in the Juvenile Assessment Center. As the YFTC coordinator, Ms. Castillo is assisted by two part-time family coordinators to ensure that the focus and services of the YFTC include youth and their families as clients for assistance, skill-building, and evidence-based treatment.

As a first generation Mexican American and the first in her family to graduate from both high school and college, Ms. Castillo understands the importance of mentorship and second chances. She believes deeply in the power of positive influence and sees the court system as an opportunity to help young people build the foundation for a successful future. She is passionate about her work, advocates for youth and families, and seeks to empower others to be a source of change in their own lives and in the lives of those who need it most. Through her work, Ms. Castillo strives to be that mentor who can offer guidance, support, and hope, just as she had mentors who provided crucial advice during her own journey.

Francesca Nadalini

Francesca Nadalini is a Care Coordinator in the Travis County Parenting in Recovery/Family Drug Treatment Court in Austin, Texas. As a Care Coordinator, Francesca provides intensive case management to active PIR/FDTC participants and serves as a liaison between the participant, their multidisciplinary team and the PIR/FDTC program. Francesca began her career in child welfare in 2019 at the Texas Dept. of Family and Protective Services as an intake worker for the statewide abuse and neglect hotline, and later worked as a DFPS conservatorship caseworker specifically assigned to cases in the PIR/FDTC program. She received her master’s degree in clinical social work from the University of Texas at Austin and is Licensed Master Social Worker in Texas. Francesca’s passion is to serve children and families living in cycles of abuse and neglect related to mental health and substance use disorder who are subsequently involved with various social systems.

Mike Loeffler

Mike Loeffler is the first assistant district attorney with the Creek County District Attorney’s Office in Bristow, Oklahoma. He also serves as municipal judge for the towns of Mounds and Kellyville, Oklahoma. He has been adjunct faculty at the University of Tulsa since 1993. He graduated with honors with a BBA in economics from the University of Oklahoma Price College of Business in 1985 and from the OU College of Law in 1987. In 2006, he received the Alma Wilson Award from the Oklahoma Bar Association (OBA) for distinguished service as a prosecutor for his work assisting children of families affected by drug or alcohol addiction. In 2009, he was awarded Prosecutor of the Year in Oklahoma by the OBA Criminal Law Section. Mr. Loeffler was formerly in private practice, concentrating on litigation, and was a public defender. He is a former member of the board of NADCP and has served as a Fellow for NDCI since 2001. He is a third-generation lawyer and a fourth-generation Oklahoma cattleman. He and his wife have two adult children. They live on a working cattle ranch near Bristow.

Kevin Edwards

Kevin is the Program Manager for the Denton County Drug Treatment Court. He began this position in December 2022 and is responsible for managing federal and state grants in addition to the day-to-day operation of the Drug Treatment Court. Mr. Edwards previously worked for the Denton County Community Supervision and Corrections Department for 22 years. During that time, he performed multiple roles including regular caseload officer, Substance Abuse Felony Punishment Facility (SAFP) Aftercare officer, Treatment Alternatives to Incarceration Program (TAIP) Facilitator, Substance Abuse Caseload officer and assisting with the Denton County First Offender Drug Program. He was the Community Supervision Officer assigned to the Drug Treatment Court from its creation in 2016 until December 2022. Kevin received his Master of Science in Criminal Justice from the University of North Texas in 2012 and is also a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor.

Dr. Haley R. Zettler

Dr. Haley R. Zettler is an Associate Professor at the University of North Texas. She has assisted agencies secure over $2,000,000 in external funding. Her primary research interests focus on community corrections populations, trauma, mental health, and substance use. She is a former Adult Probation Officer. Recent publications can be found in Criminal Justice and Behavior, Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, and Journal of Criminal Justice.

Justin Holland

Justin Holland is a Recovery Support Peer Specialist at the Alcohol and Drug Awareness Council (ADAC) in Lufkin, Texas. Justin is also a Texas Certification Board-certified Recovery Support Peer Specialist (RSPS) and serves as Lead Recovery Coach for the Recovery Support Services (RSS) team.

Justin Graduated from the 159th Drug Court in Angelina County in 2019 and is passionate about helping those currently in Drug Court. He is also very active in his long-term recovery from substance use disorder (SUD) and passionate about helping others in their recovery journey.

Trinity Moore

Janet “Trinity” Moore is a dedicated Recovery Support Peer Specialist at the Alcohol and Drug Awareness Council (ADAC) in Lufkin, Texas. As a woman in long-term recovery from substance use disorder (SUD), she is passionate about supporting others in their recovery journey.

Trinity is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at Walden University and working toward her counseling internship through the Institute for Chemical Dependence Studies. She is also a Texas Certification Board-certified Recovery Support Peer Specialist (RSPS).

Trinity’s dedication to helping others extends beyond her professional role. She actively works to create positive change in her community through mentorship and support for those facing substance use challenges.

Tall Cop

Officer Galloway, a Texan, known nationally as the Tall Cop, has worked in substance abuse prevention and education for over 20 years. After playing Division I basketball and receiving his BA in Sociology from the University of San Francisco, he worked as a law enforcement officer for 18 years. In 2007, Jermaine started the company known as “Tall Cop Says StopTM”. The Tall Cop has conducted trainings in every US state and Canada, and currently devotes thousands of hours each year to training professionals and communities on drug and alcohol prevention, education, and enforcement.

The Tall Cop is unique in that he spends hundreds of hours with “boots on the ground” highlighting drug culture in various communities. To date, the Tall Cop has trained more than 825,000 professional and community members. The Tall Cop has conducted more than 9,600 community scans, identifying the drug culture and climate. He has trained across the U.S. and in other countries such as Canada and the Bermuda Islands.

His program, “High in Plain Sight”, is a nationally recognized program, that provides training, education, and enforcement strategies for community substance abuse issues. Additionally, Jermaine Galloway has published articles, been referenced in books, and has been highlighted in many media interviews.

The Tall Cop’s fast-paced and high-energy class provides attendees with an unparalleled learning experience!

Corina Freitas

Corina Freitas is a board-certified family physician and is currently entering the last year of her psychiatric training. She is Drug Addiction Treatment Act (DATA) waivered and has worked in various settings (rural, urban, academic, and community hospital) with substance use disorder patients. In the next two to three years, she plans to obtain her credentials in both forensic psychiatry and addiction medicine. She has been an avid advocate for patient access to substance use treatment as well as life-saving treatment in both Ohio and Washington, D.C., having had provided either testimony or advice for local proposed legislation pertaining to opioid use disorder. As a family physician and future psychiatrist, she is in a unique position to provide a holistic view of a patient’s treatment needs.

Terri Williams

Terri Williams, M.A., is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a native Texan. She is a graduate of St. Edwards University where she earned a B.A. in Criminal Justice and a M.A. in Counseling. She has worked in the intersection of criminal justice and mental health for over twenty years as a Mental Health Probation Officer, Residential Probation Officer, Counselor, and Treatment & Counseling Casework Manager. She has experience in establishing and contributing clinical and technical assistance to Specialty and Reentry Courts.

Terri is a trainer in Trauma-Informed Care, Sequential Intercept Mapping and Suicide Prevention efforts including AS+K? About Suicide to Save a Life and Counseling on Access to Lethal Means. She is trained in numerous evidence-based treatment modalities and interventions including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Seeking Safety, Aggression Replacement Training, Trauma Affect Regulation, and Offense-Specific Therapy.

Cynthia Gray

Cynthia Gray is a proud Veteran of the U.S. Air Force. Her undergraduate degree is in Gerontological Studies and Dementia Care and she recently earned her M.S in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Texas A&M University Central Texas. She is a current member of the National Association of Dementia Practitioners as the unique mental health needs of the aging veteran population holds special interest for her. Cynthia values serving the Texas veteran community in tangible ways, and she is a mentor in both the Federal Fort Cavazos Veterans Treatment Court and the Bell County Veterans Treatment Court. She received the Volunteer Service awards in 2020 and 2021 from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Not only does Cynthia have law enforcement experience from her time in the Air Force, but she is also a certified trainer in Mental Health First Aid, Counseling on Access to Lethal Means, AS+K? About Suicide to Save a Life, and Military Cultural Competency. She has a passion for providing support and resources to individuals involved within the Texas Criminal Justice System.

Dallin Belt

As a Master of Human Development and Family Studies, Dallin has been working with fathers for 9 years, starting with building a county-wide fatherhood education program with Utah State University before he moved with his wife and daughter to Austin, TX in 2018, where he next brought his fatherhood experience to the SAFE Alliance as a Fatherhood educator and coach. In 2023, Dallin shifted his role in the fatherhood space by joining the Prevention & Early Intervention Division of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (now known as Family Support Services Division of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission) as the Program Specialist supporting and overseeing the Fatherhood EFFECT program. As a program specialist he remains committed to fatherhood through providing support to 8 grantees across the State of Texas, promoting father voices and solutions in a prevention framework, and supporting statewide and localized coalitions to enhance community supports for fathers.

LaTasha Williams

LaTasha Williams, formerly known as Jackson-McDougle is an award-winning advocate and leader in social work and criminal justice, recognized for her contributions to domestic violence awareness and community engagement. Her accolades include the 2024 Trailblazer Community Engagement Award, the 2022 Living Legends in the Making Award, the 2019 International Alliance World of Difference Award, the 2019 Best of Fort Worth, Texas Philanthropist Award, the 2019 Women’s Center Community Recognition Award, the 2018 Fort Worth Business Press Minority Leader recognition, the 2017 Case Manager Award for her work in Judge Carr’s RISE program assisting human trafficking survivors, and the 2016 Mitch Poe Public Service Award.

LaTasha is a proud graduate of The University of Texas at Arlington, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Social Work, an Honors Master of Criminology and Criminal Justice, and an Honors Master of Science in Social Work. She is a published contributing author of “Dethroning Domestic Violence: From Survival to Victory” and the author of “The Prosecutor’s Role in Helping Domestic Violence Victims.” Currently, LaTasha serves as a Case Manager for Tarrant County’s Domestic Violence Diversion Program, where she holds offenders accountable, and is the Founder of Cheryl’s Voice, an organization committed to domestic violence awareness, education, and prevention. With over 20 years of experience in social work and criminal justice, LaTasha has dedicated her career to empowering and educating others. Her personal journey as a survivor shapes her advocacy work. At just 18 months old, LaTasha was left for dead after her father murdered her mother, Cheryl Williams-Saddler, in a tragic act of domestic violence. Raised by her maternal grandparents, LaTasha has spent 40 years transforming her pain into purpose. She is devoted to sharing her story and playing an active role in domestic violence prevention and awareness. LaTasha is passionate about encouraging children who have survived or witnessed domestic violence. She continues to elevate Cheryl’s voice, making a lasting impact in communities and giving hope to survivors everywhere.

Vanessa Matthews

Vanessa Matthews, division director for The Treatment Court, a division of AllRise. She was employed as a police officer with Oklahoma City from 1990 to 2012, working with the Oklahoma County drug court from May 1998 to September 2009. She was instrumental in the development of the drug court program, including policy manual development, budgeting, and staff training. Her training presentations and curriculum development include recognizing the signs of mental illness, identifying a subject under the influence of drugs, effectively communicating with consumers, strengths-based interviewing, team building, drug testing, program planning and development, grant writing, community supervision, cultural proficiency for consumers served, ethics and confidentiality in treatment programs, psychopharmacology of drugs for first responders, and community resource identification and development. In 2014, Ms. Matthews was appointed by the governor of Oklahoma to serve on the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board. In 2015 she was reappointed to a four-year term and elected chair of the organization. She joined the staff of AllRise in 2016 to serve as the director of TCI. Ms. Matthews has an associate degree from Oklahoma State University in applied police science and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Oklahoma in criminal justice. In July 2020, Ms. Matthews was elected to serve as a member of the national NAMI Board of Directors. In May of 2023, Ms. Matthews was selected to serve as part of the IACP Mental Health workgroup.

Judge Aurora Martinez Jones

Aurora Martinez Jones is the 126th District Court judge in Travis County (Austin), Texas and is responsible for the oversight and administration of all Travis County Termination of Parental Rights lawsuits filed by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. Prior to that, she was the Associate Judge dedicated to the Travis County CPS Courts since January 2, 2015. Judge Martinez Jones is the presiding District Judge for the Travis County Family Drug Treatment Court: Parenting in Recovery specialty court and of the Crossover Program for Dual Status Youth.

Judge Martinez Jones has extensive experience advocating for parents and children in the child welfare system from her prior work as a litigator and currently runs a trauma-informed court. Judge Martinez Jones co-founded the Child Welfare Race Equity Collaborative in Texas and is committed to equitable, progressive, anti-racist, work and approaches to supporting the children and families who appear in her court. Judge Martinez Jones works to assure the voices of foster youth and people with lived experience are highlighted and supported in the work she does.

She is the Chair-Elect for the Child Protection Law Section of the State Bar of Texas and is on the Board for the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ), along with other professional and community leadership roles. Judge Martinez Jones and her husband, Mitchell, are the proud parents of two precious daughters.

Brook Son

In her current role, Brook oversees child welfare-related programs in the Travis County Office of Children Services and serves as liaison between Travis County HHS and the local child welfare system. Prior to her role in the Office of Children Services, Brook was an adjunct lecturer for the University of Texas at Austin, Steve Hicks School of Social Work and Senior Planner with the Travis County HHS, Research and Planning Division. Her work focused primarily on community-level data development, cross disciplinary collaboration, and systems planning, with an emphasis on supporting families with young children.

Judge Elizabeth Rainey

Judge Elizabeth Rainey graduated in 2009 from Texas A&M University cum laude with a B.A. in Communication. She earned her J.D. from Texas Tech School of Law in 2011.

Judge Rainey came to Midland in 2011 from Lockhart, Texas. She began practicing law with the Law Office of Ian Cantacuzene in January 2012. In 2015, she started Of Counsel with Ward & Myers, LLP as well as serving as the designated Midland County Juvenile Detention Defense Attorney.

Currently, Judge Rainey presides over the Midland County Drug Court, consisting of the Adult Felony Drug Court, DWI Court, and Transitional Treatment Court. These courts combine her passion for serving the people of Midland and helping those individuals suffering from addiction find recovery.

Judge Rainey is married to Shaun Rainey, with Cotton Bledsoe Tighe and Dawson, P.C., and they have three children. When she isn’t wrapped up in soccer games or shuttling kids to practices, Judge Rainey loves travelling to National Parks, playing mahjong with friends, and has recently taken up embroidery (which isn’t going well at all).

Judge Rainey was appointed to the Specialty Court Advisory Council by Governor Greg Abbott in February 2022. Judge Rainey also serves as the Vice-President for the Texas Association of Specialty Courts. She is a member of the Texas Bar College, a fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation, a member of the Midland County Bar Association, past-President of the Midland County Young Lawyers Association and serves on the Board of Directors for the Museum of the Southwest. Judge Rainey is a 2017 graduate of the Leadership Midland program. Formerly she has served on Board of Directors for Junior Achievement of the Permian Basin, Midland County System of Care, and The Junior League of Midland.

Erin Morgan

Erin Morgan has built an impressive career in probation, dedicating 25 years of service across two counties and a variety of specialized roles. Her passion for treatment courts ignited when she joined the DWI Court team in Travis County, a role that would shape much of her future work. Over the course of a decade serving on the Texas Association of Specialty Courts Board of Directors, Erin became a strong advocate for these essential programs, dedicating her efforts to education and outreach. Most recently, she has taken on the role of Specialty Courts Program Manager at the Texas Office of Court Administration, where she is responsible for providing technical assistance and oversight to over 200 registered specialty courts across the state.

Amber Gregory

Amber Gregory is an experienced project manager and strategic planner with a strong background in program implementation, grant management, and policy development. As the Executive Director of the Texas Association of Specialty Courts and Project Manager of the Specialty Court Resource Center, she has successfully led initiatives that enhance judicial programs and improve outcomes for specialty courts. Amber’s expertise includes developing relationships with key stakeholders, managing multi-year grants, and overseeing large-scale training conferences. With a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Sam Houston State University, she is dedicated to advancing best practices in the justice system through collaboration, transparency, and innovation.

Amber Middleton

Amber Middleton is the Drug Court Coordinator for the Parenting in Recovery/Travis County Family Drug Treatment Court in Austin, Texas. The PIR program was chosen for both the fourth and fifth (current) cohort of Peer Learning Courts by Children and Family Future. Amber had the honor of paneling with CFF in 2024’s All Rise Conference in Anaheim, California. She is a licensed master social worker and has been trained in EMDR therapy since 2017. She has been with PIR for the last eight years. Throughout the course of her career, she has focused primarily on the intersection between substance use disorder and trauma. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s in social work from Tulane University.

Lindy Hall

Lindy Hall is the Community Impact Trainer at SAFE Futures with a professional interest in the intersection of Child Welfare and Domestic Violence. She has over 15 years working within the Child Welfare System in Texas, along with experience in working with homeless families. Through these experiences she has developed a strong interest in education with a goal of preventing Domestic Violence and child abuse. She earned her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from The University of Texas at San Antonio.

Jessica Lange

Jessica Lange is a project director for Impaired Driving Solutions, a division of All Rise. While serving as a treatment court coordinator in Minnesota, Ms. Lange led her team to an Academy Court designation. In addition, she facilitated training events for all of Minnesota’s DWI court teams that included top speakers in the treatment court training and research arena, directed a substantial federal grant that allowed for many groundbreaking advancements for people suffering from addiction in her community, partnered with other local agencies to focus on community alcohol education, and assisted in creating a sober ride program. Ms. Lange also served as operations analyst for the Sixth Judicial District in Minnesota, where she worked to enhance eight treatment courts, focusing on extensive grant work, training, data and research, and community harm reduction practices. She received her bachelor’s degree from Hamline University, where she studied law and criminal justice, and an MBA with a focus on leadership and change from the College of St. Scholastica. Ms. Lange has dedicated her career to being an advocate of change for those suffering from addiction in the criminal justice system.

Tara Casanova Powell

Tara Casanova Powell is the principal of Casanova Powell Consulting, an independent traffic safety research consulting firm. She has over 19 years of experience in the field of road safety. She is the former director of research for the Traffic Injury Research Foundation USA and worked as a senior research associate for Preusser Research Group for 17 years. Ms. Casanova Powell’s work includes an evaluation of 28 states’ ignition interlock programs, a Washington State ignition interlock offender behavior project, an FDA project to create an educational resource regarding the impairing risks of pain medication in relation to driving, and a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) cooperative agreement with the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety to expand employer-based traffic safety programs in the U.S. She has worked closely with the U.S. Department of Transportation, NHTSA, the Centers for Disease Control, and the FDA. She has published several peer-reviewed journal articles and regularly presents her research at professional conferences. She is a consultant for the Governors Highway Safety Association Consulting Services Initiative, a founding member of the Connecticut Statewide Impaired Driving Task Force, a faculty staff member for NCDC, and a member of the Drugged Driving Committee of the Institute for Behavioral Health.

Casey T. Taft, Ph.D.

Casey T. Taft, Ph.D., is a staff psychologist at the National Center for PTSD in the VA Boston Healthcare System and professor of psychiatry at Boston University School of Medicine. He received the 2009 Linda Saltzman Memorial Intimate Partner Violence Researcher Award from the Institute on Violence, Abuse, and Trauma. Dr. Taft has served as principal investigator on funded grants focusing on understanding and preventing partner violence through the National Institute of Mental Health, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Centers for Disease Control, the Department of Defense, the Blue Shield Foundation of California, the Bob Woodruff

Foundation, and the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation. He was the primary developer of the Strength at Home program to prevent intimate partner violence, with current grants to implement the program within the VA and in military settings, as well as a pilot grant to adapt and evaluate the program for civilians. Dr. Taft is on the editorial boards of five journals and has published over 110 peer-reviewed academic articles and a book on trauma-informed intervention in partner violence published by the American Psychological Association.

Elizabeth Mederos

Elizabeth is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) and Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC) who has been in the behavioral health field for many years. Elizabeth is a highly skilled, compassionate, empathetic, and solution-oriented therapist who provides exceptional care and excels at implementing effective evidence-based behavioral health treatment. She is an EMDRIA Basic Trained EMDR therapist. In addition, she utilizes CBT, DBT, person-centered, and solution-focused therapy modalities to help clients who experience various mental health disorders.

Elizabeth excels in helping clients who suffer from addictions and the effects of complex trauma to build long-term recovery skills and fostering healing from the underlying cause. Elizabeth specializes in trauma and the ripple effect on the family system. She has experience in effective treatment of anger management, lack of motivation, anxiety, depression, poor self-esteem, and attachment issues.

Elizabeth believes that the client is the expert of their story and has many innate strengths that will assist them in overcoming daily challenges. Elizabeth finds pleasure in the journey of empowering clients to seek out a more fulfilling and purpose-filled life.

Elizabeth graduated with her undergraduate and graduate social work degree from the University of Texas at Arlington. She is currently under supervision for her LCSW with Dr. Jan Finch, LCSW-S #06066. Elizabeth has hospital, outpatient, and residential treatment experience with adults, adolescents, couples, and groups.

Linda Milburn

Linda is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC). As a clinician specializing in PTSD/trauma, substance abuse, and mental health therapy, Linda’s passion to create the space where people feel heard and accepted in order to promote healing. Many times, challenges develop that keeps clients stuck in maladaptive behaviors. Some of these challenges may show up as substance use, depression, anxiety, toxic relationships of attachment that keep fear and shame active. Substance abuse tends to be symptom of a trauma along with depression and anxiety. For most of her career, Linda has worked with trauma and addiction. As certified EMDR therapist, Linda utilizes the adaptive information processing model to assist clients with reprocessing and developing a new, positive belief of self. Linda graduated with her social work undergraduate and graduate degrees from Texas Christian University. Linda has outpatient and residential treatment experience with adults, adolescents, and groups.

Doris Perdomo-Johnson

Doris Perdomo-Johnson, MA, LMFT is currently the Assistant Training Director with MDFT International Inc. She is a Master Trainer of Multidimensional Family Therapy, an evidence-based intervention program. She is a national and international trainer and presenter. She received her degree from Antioch University-San Francisco and is a bilingual licensed marriage and family therapist and supervisor in the states of Florida and California. Ms. Perdomo-Johnson has over 25 years of working with evidence-based treatment models. Her involvement and commitment to MDFT began in its early research years implementing the model under numerous research studies while working directly under the leadership of the model’s developers, Dr. Liddle and Dr. Dakof. Additionally, she has vast training and experience working with specialized populations with substance misuse; justice-involved; co-occurring disorders; military-related issues; trauma, and resilience. She has recent experience working as a project director with AllRise providing technical assistance to adult treatment courts across the country. Ms. Perdomo-Johnson believes in the power of the family and is committed to improving lives by increasing access to science-based behavioral health interventions.

Judge Peggy Davis

Judge Peggy Davis is the former drug court commissioner for the 31st Circuit Court in Greene County, Missouri. Since 2000, she has, at various times, presided over the DWI court, adult drug court, family drug court, mental health court, and veterans court. Judge Davis serves as faculty for NCSC, All Rise and the National Judicial College. She sits on the Missouri Drug Courts Coordinating Commission and is past president of the board of directors for the Missouri Association of Drug Court Professionals. She has also served as a member of the Missouri Supreme Court Alternative Treatment Courts Committee. In 2011, the Women’s Justice Awards recognized her contribution in the field of government and the law by naming her Public Official of the Year. She was one of the recipients of the Missouri Supreme Court Excellence in the Judiciary Award in 2016. She received her B.A. degree from the University of Oklahoma, with Highest Honors. She received her J.D. from Oklahoma City University School of Law. Judge Davis has practiced civil law, and has served as a public defender for the State of Missouri, as an assistant prosecutor for Greene County, and as adjunct faculty for Ozarks Technical Community College.