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List of Presenters (in alphabetical order by last name):
Whether wearing a fish hat, banana nose, or just his regular smiling face you can count on Mark Therrien to provide practical, powerful strategies for creating joyful families and be very funny...all as one meeting planner wrote “with wit, wisdom and whimsy.”
Mark has a Master’s Degree in Social Work and has been a professional speaker for 20 years speaking at conferences all over the country.
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Michele Lovehaug is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker at Solutions Behavioral Healthcare Professionals, Inc. in Moorhead. She has been at Solutions for one ½ years providing individual and family therapy to children, adolescents and adults. Michele specializes in working with children and their families. She also provides an Dialectical Behavior Therapy group to adolescent females that struggle with mood instability, self-harm and who have difficulties with interpersonal relationships. Prior to working at Solutions, Michele worked for Southeast Human Service Center for five years providing therapy to children and their families. She worked collaboratively with area agencies to provide a strength based team approach to meeting her client’s needs. Michele graduated with a Masters of Social Work Degree from the University of Minnesota in 1999 and a Bachelor’s of Art Degree in Social Work from Concordia College in 1997. She is an LICSW in both Minnesota and North Dakota and is also a Board Certified Diplomat in Clinical Social Work.
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In the past five years Barbara has identified, provided services to, and/or consulted with well over 100 individuals with Asperger’s Syndrome and their families. She is a strong advocate for children, adolescents and adults who are identified with Asperger’s Syndrome. She works from a systemic perspective to coordinate and collaborate with others involved in the lives of people with Asperger’s in order to make their environment one they can be successful in. She developed and facilitates a weekly parent support group. She has also been involved with the formation of the Red River Valley Asperger Network with the true “experts” on Asperger’s syndrome, the individuals with Asperger’s and their families.
Barbara has provided training and consultation services for many professional groups including law enforcement, school personnel, university staff, and mental health professionals. She has also provided educational workshops for parents and the community at large.
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Cindy Johnson works as a middle school counselor and has a private practice in the Fargo-Moorhead community. She graduated from NDSU and has worked in a variety of academic settings such as; Concordia College Counseling Center, elementary counselor (6 years), and middle school
counselor (7 years). In her private practice she works with individuals, couples and families on various mental health concerns. She has done a
variety of parenting classes and presentations on topics such as Positive Parenting, Relational Aggression, and Developing Capable People.Back to Conference Page
Ms. Albrecht grew up in Western NYS. She started her career as a reading teacher at a forestry camp in 1970 and taught reading at two other boys’ facilities before becoming an Associate Training Technician in 1978. In that position, she was responsible for staff and program development in a region II that included 5 facilities and 11 community sites. In 1981, Ms. Albrecht became the director of a girls’ training school. She served as the director there for 13 years, during which it became the first residential facility in the agency to be accredited by the American Correctional Association. Ms. Albrecht left state service in 1994 to work as a consultant. She worked for the USDOJ National Institute of Corrections. She participated in the design and delivery of several seminars, including Correctional Leadership Development, Gender Responsive Programs and Services for Girls, Managing Violent Offenders, and NIC’s Aftercare and Transition and Planning seminars. She served as a trainer in the Advanced Training for Trainers and the T.E.A.M.S seminars. Ms. Albrecht provided training and technical assistance in 38 states, primarily in gender-based programs and services for girls. For some of that same period, Ms. Albrecht worked for four different private juvenile justice companies operating programs throughout the country. Ms. Albrecht was president of the National Association of Juvenile Corrections Agencies for 8 years. She also served on the ACA/OJJDP Advisory Board and several other professional boards. Until 1/07, Ms. Albrecht worked as the director of the USDOL Grant project to successfully transition youth from the a state training school near Rochester, NY to their home community and to maintain them in the communities in the area. She lives in a lakeside cottage in Cayuga, NY, about four miles from her oldest son (a 6th grade teacher), his wife and four daughters. Her other son is an engineer for Douglas County in Castle Rock, Colorado.
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North Dakota author, Roxanne Henke, has had her fifth book, “With Love, Libby,” released by Harvest House Publishers. This novel is the last in the popular “Coming Home to Brewster” series and deals with the theme of “finding purpose.” Even before its official debut “With Love, Libby,” received a ‘Top Pick’ rating from Romantic Times magazine, which states, “Henke's powerful prose shimmers in this final installment of the Coming Home to Brewster series. Like a polished, female Mark Twain, she shows an astounding gift for conveying the depth and complexity hidden in the events of life.”
Henke’s first novel, After Anne, was named the Christianbook.com Favorite Book of 2002. Her second novel, Finding Ruth, quickly found a place on the Christian Booksellers Association best-seller list in 2003. Becoming Olivia, Henke’s third book was named an Inspirational “Top Pick” by Romantic Times magazine. Doubleday and Crossings book clubs also selected Becoming Olivia for its membership catalogs. The novel also tied for third place honors in the Christian Retailers Magazine “Retailers Choice” awards. Henke joins nationally known authors, Lori Wick, Neta Jackson, and Debra White Smith on the winners list. Henke’s fourth novel, Always Jan, was a Harvest House Top Fifty Book.
Before publication of her novels, Roxanne wrote a humor column for several ND newspapers. She also wrote material for, and performed in, a comedy duo, as well as school lyceum programs. She has also written and recorded radio commercials. Since the publication of her novels, Roxanne has been speaking across the nation on the topics of friendship, following dreams, over-coming depression, and about the writing and publication process. Henke is a graduate of the University of Mary in Bismarck, ND with a degree in Behavioral and Social Science, and a graduate of the CLASS Christian Leaders, Authors & Speakers Seminar.
Henke was named the “2003 Writer of the Year” at the Mt. Hermon Christian Writer’s Conference in California. The annual conference is the largest Christian writer’s conference in the U.S.
Roxanne lives in Wishek, ND with her husband, Lorren and an annoyingly friendly dog named, Gunner. The couple have two, very cool, young-adult daughters, Rachael and Tegan, who are friendly…but not annoying! And, they’ve recently added a delightful son-in-law to their family.
Henke has recently signed a three book contract with Harvest House Publishers. You can find Roxanne on the web at: www.roxannehenke.com.
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Lisa Boesky, Ph.D., is a Child/Adolescent Psychologist who specializes in the identification and management/treatment of youth with mental health disorders, including those who are suicidal and/or who self-injure. She has designed several mental health training programs and provides high energy and dynamic workshops to parents/foster parents and child welfare, treatment, education, healthcare, and juvenile justice professionals across the United States and abroad. She helped develop a mental heath screening tool and has consulted on mental health policy and programming to a variety of youth agencies. She is the author of the book “Juvenile Offenders With Mental Heath Disorders; Who Are They and What Do We Do With Them?” as well as numerous book chapters, videotapes, and articles related to mentally ill children and adolescents.
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Debra. J. DeWitz is a social worker and family therapist who spent over 15 years in direct service to children and families in North Dakota and Minnesota. She has taught social work with families at the University of North Dakota, Moorhead State University, and Minot State University for another 15 years. She has three children.
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Dan Hodgins is an exceptional teacher and internationally renowned presenter. He has given keynotes, seminars and presentations in over 35 states. He has a unique grasp of children and family issues learned from his 30 + years of experience in the field of early education and care. Dan’s interactive style is both informative and entertaining. His insightful presentations is based on current research and filled with practical and effective strategies that can be used immediately. Dan has received the National Community Education Family Advocate Award, the Catalyst for Change Award; the National Community College Educator Award; Friend to Head Start; 4-C Child Advocate Award and continues to be recognized. Dan has been interviewed on many television shows and appears in many major newspaper and magazine articles across the country.
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No biography available
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Wendy LaMontagne is a Graduate of Minot State University with BA in Social Work and has been a Licensed Social Worker in North Dakota for the past 12 years.
Wendy started her Social Work career as a Family Services Coordinator with Head Start in Towner, ND for two years where she worked with educated parents on positive parenting styles. Wendy then accepted a position with Wells County Social Services as their Children & Family Services Social Worker where she was the Child Protection Worker, Foster Care Worker, Foster Care Licensure, and over all case manager of all services provided through the Children & Family Services component. During this time, Wendy served on and chaired the North Dakota Social Workers Task Force and was a member of the DHS Children & Family Services Committee. She also served as a reviewer on the statewide review team for the Children & Family Services Division at Department of Human Services.
In 2005 Wendy accepted a position with the Professional Association of Treatment Homes (PATH) in Bismarck, ND where she is a Treatment Foster Care Case Manager working with children with mental health needs that are placed in Therapeutic Foster Care Homes. Wendy was recently trained in "Youth Safety" though Casey Family Programs in Seattle, WA.
Wendy Currently resides in Bismarck with her husband (Johnny), her daughter (Tianna 16), her dog (Kida) & cat (Roger). She also has a son (Kyle 20) who resides in Fargo, ND.
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