Ms. Palmer is the Clinical Training Director of Imagine, A Center for Coping with Loss since it was founded in 2011.  She coordinates “nights of support” for individuals or families that are grieving.  Ms. Palmer also trains the Imagine facilitators in their curriculum.  She facilitates trainings on grief and loss in schools, workplaces and community organizations.  In addition to being a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Ms. Palmer is an experienced teacher, therapist and school counselor with more than thirty years of experience working with children, youth and their families.  She served as a teacher for many years before obtaining her Master’s in Social Work from Rutgers University.  Ms. Palmer also engaged in specialized bereavement training by completing The Center for Grieving Children’s Train the Trainer program and Alan Wolfelt’s Comprehensive Bereavement Skills Training.  She is a highly sought-after presenter.

Ashley is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Board Certified and Registered Art Therapist.  She is also an Approved Clinical Supervisor and Art Therapy Certified Supervisor.  She is currently employed as an Art Therapist in an inpatient psychiatric hospital.  Ashley has worked with youth, young adults and older adults for nearly a decade in various counseling programs and hospitals facilitating individual and group art therapy.  She has presented lectures on Art Therapy and is featured in Caldwell University’s Art Therapy Program video.  Ashley has served as a Clinical Counseling Art Therapy Supervisor for Caldwell University students since 2016.

Carol Ann has over 20 years of experience facilitating and managing music therapy programs. She holds a Ph.D. in Creative Arts Therapy and is a Board-Certified Music Therapist. Carol Ann is also a dually Licensed Professional Counselor and Creative Arts Therapist. She is a Level II Certified Music Together teacher. As the Manager of Research and Special Needs Services at Music Together Worldwide, Carol Ann provides education, training, and mentoring to Music Together® licensees and teachers nationally and internationally. She is also responsible for implementing the Music Together program models for Music Together teachers, center directors, and preschool program providers. Carol Ann owns Music Therapy Services of Central New Jersey. She utilizes Music Therapy to address trauma, grief, depression, substance use, or issues related to dying. Her clinical background includes serving individuals with Alzheimer’s, Autism, Co-Occurring Disorders, Mood Disorders, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Schizophrenia as well as patients in cardiac rehabilitation and those undergoing cancer treatments. Carol Ann has worked with children, adolescents, adults and older adults facilitating individual, group and family sessions. Carol Ann has an extensive portfolio of presentations and publications including Clinical Decision-Making in Music Therapy.

Dr. Dudek received his Ph.D. from Drexel University. He is a psychologist at the Ann Klein Forensic Center – Special Treatment Unit, New Jersey’s sex offender civil commitment facility. After working as a treatment provider for civilly committed sex offenders for ten years and an additional three years providing outpatient offender-specific treatment with a wide range of sex offenders, he currently works on the Special Treatment Unit’s Treatment Progress Review Committee (TPRC). The TPRC conducts initial evaluations of individuals referred through the court system to the Special Treatment Unit as well as annual reviews of progress in treatment of civilly committed sexual violent predators. Dr. Dudek is a member of the national and New Jersey chapters of the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers.

Ashley Gerolstein MA, LPC, ACS, ATR-BC, ATCS
Ashley is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Board Certified and Registered Art Therapist.  She is also an Approved Clinical Supervisor and Art Therapy Certified Supervisor.  She is currently employed as an Art Therapist in an inpatient psychiatric hospital.  Ashley has worked with youth, young adults and older adults for nearly a decade in various counseling programs and hospitals facilitating individual and group art therapy.  She has presented lectures on Art Therapy and is featured in Caldwell University’s Art Therapy Program video.  Ashley has served as a Clinical Counseling Art Therapy Supervisor for Caldwell University students since 2016.

Carol Ann Blank, Ph.D., LPC, LCAT, MT-BC
Carol Ann has over 20 years of experience facilitating and managing music therapy programs.   She holds a Ph.D. in Creative Arts Therapy and is a Board-Certified Music Therapist.  Carol Ann is also a dually Licensed Professional Counselor and Creative Arts Therapist.  She is a Level II Certified Music Together teacher.  As the Manager of Research and Special Needs Services at Music Together Worldwide, Carol Ann provides education, training, and mentoring to Music Together® licensees and teachers nationally and internationally.  She is also responsible for implementing the Music Together program models for Music Together teachers, center directors, and preschool program providers.  Carol Ann owns Music Therapy Services of Central New Jersey.  She utilizes Music Therapy to address trauma, grief, depression, substance use, or issues related to dying.  Her clinical background includes serving individuals with Alzheimer’s, Autism, Co-Occurring Disorders, Mood Disorders, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Schizophrenia as well as patients in cardiac rehabilitation and those undergoing cancer treatments.  Carol Ann has worked with children, adolescents, adults and older adults facilitating individual, group and family sessions.  Carol Ann has an extensive portfolio of presentations and publications including Clinical Decision-Making in Music Therapy.

Elizabeth Bretz, MS, LCSW, LCAT, R-DMT
Liz is a dually Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Creative Arts Therapist as well as a Registered Dance Movement Therapist.  She has over 10 years of experience, specializing in dance/movement therapy.  Liz received her MS in Dance Movement Therapy from the Pratt Institute and her MSW from Hunter College with a specialization in Mental Health. She has experience in a multitude of settings including hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and outpatient clinics. Liz has had the privilege of assisting individuals in navigating depression, anxiety, autism spectrum disorder, adjustment disorders, co-occurring disorders, trauma, grief, and family conflict.  She has worked with a diverse age range from infants through seniors.  Currently in private practice in New York, Liz treats children beginning at age 5, teens, and mothers with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.  Liz helps clients to develop an emotional vocabulary necessary for self-expression and to use movement to connect the mind and body. In her work, she takes into consideration the unique strengths of each person or family unit and teaches mind-body skills to help empower and support.

Allison Miskulin, LPC, LCADC, ATR-BC, ACS, ATCS
Allison is a Behavioral Healthcare professional with over 25 years of experience using Art Psychotherapy with a diverse clientele.  Allison earned a Master’s Degree in Art Therapy and Creativity Development and is a Board Certified and Registered Art Therapist.  She is also a dually Licensed Professional Counselor and Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor; Approved Clinical Supervisor and Art Therapy Certified Supervisor.  Her work experience includes group and individual art therapy and psychotherapy in outpatient, inpatient and residential settings.  Allison utilizes art as a tool for effective self-expression and to build client’s coping skills to manage co-occurring disorders, anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, co-dependency and a host of other emotional challenges.  Allison’s role in various settings have included case manager, IDRC instructor, therapeutic art & psychoeducation class instructor, clinical supervisor, expert witness, and most recently in-home clinician.  She has supervised Art Therapy certification candidates and students.  Allison’s compassionate, professional and intuitive work has solidified her skills to assist children, adolescents, adults & families with emotional and/or recovery related issues.

Carol Ann Blank, Ph.D., LPC, LCAT, MT-BC
Carol Ann has over 20 years of experience facilitating and managing music therapy programs.   She holds a Ph.D. in Creative Arts Therapy and is a Board-Certified Music Therapist.  Carol Ann is also a dually Licensed Professional Counselor and Creative Arts Therapist.  She is a Level II Certified Music Together teacher.  As the Manager of Research and Special Needs Services at Music Together Worldwide, Carol Ann provides education, training, and mentoring to Music Together® licensees and teachers nationally and internationally.  She is also responsible for implementing the Music Together program models for Music Together teachers, center directors, and preschool program providers.  Carol Ann owns Music Therapy Services of Central New Jersey.  She utilizes Music Therapy to address trauma, grief, depression, substance use, or issues related to dying.  Her clinical background includes serving individuals with Alzheimer’s, Autism, Co-Occurring Disorders, Mood Disorders, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Schizophrenia as well as patients in cardiac rehabilitation and those undergoing cancer treatments.  Carol Ann has worked with children, adolescents, adults and older adults facilitating individual, group and family sessions.  Carol Ann has an extensive portfolio of presentations and publications including Clinical Decision-Making in Music Therapy.

Elizabeth Bretz, MS, LCSW, LCAT, R-DMT
Liz is a dually Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Creative Arts Therapist as well as a Registered Dance Movement Therapist.  She has over 10 years of experience, specializing in dance/movement therapy.  Liz received her MS in Dance Movement Therapy from the Pratt Institute and her MSW from Hunter College with a specialization in Mental Health. She has experience in a multitude of settings including hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and outpatient clinics. Liz has had the privilege of assisting individuals in navigating depression, anxiety, autism spectrum disorder, adjustment disorders, co-occurring disorders, trauma, grief, and family conflict.  She has worked with a diverse age range from infants through seniors.  Currently in private practice in New York, Liz treats children beginning at age 5, teens, and mothers with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.  Liz helps clients to develop an emotional vocabulary necessary for self-expression and to use movement to connect the mind and body. In her work, she takes into consideration the unique strengths of each person or family unit and teaches mind-body skills to help empower and support.

Ms. Murry is the President & CEO of YRM Consulting Group, LLC.   She has over 30 years of experience providing training, coaching and consultation services nationally and internationally.  She is also a certified school social worker.  YRM Consulting Group specializes in issues related to public health:  cultural equity, mental and behavioral health, addiction, family dynamics, domestic violence, sexuality, and organizational transformation.  Ms. Murry’s commitment to sexual health, in particular that of Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities stems from her roles as Training Specialist & Community Educator for the Family Planning Council of PA & Planned Parenthood of NJ.

Ms. Murry has served as an adjunct faculty member for domestic and international universities such as Georgetown University’s National Center for Cultural Competence, Cornell University’s Family Development Certificate and the University of Cape Town in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa to name just a few.  Her lectures remain clinically relevant as Ms. Murry continues to facilitate outpatient therapy for individuals and families.  Ms. Murry is also a staunch advocate for individuals requiring accommodations for cognitive, intellectual and developmental dis-abilities, physical and mobility access, mental and physical health support; as well as other visible and invisible differences.   She received a Freeholder appointment in 2016 to the Middlesex County Mental Health Board.  Ms. Murry also sits on the Superior Court Advisory Committee on Minority Concerns and the Middlesex County Advisory Council on Addiction & Drug Dependency serving on the Opioid and Prescription Drugs committee.  In addition, Ms. Murry serves as board chair for the NJ Center for Non-Profits and is on the leadership team of the NJ Statewide Cultural Competency Network.

Mr. Stallworth has worked in Child Welfare for 20 years. He is a national consultant and trainer for the Child Welfare League of America where he has spearheaded many initiatives and community activities as well as engaged in advocacy efforts. He has authored and co-authored journal articles published in Child Welfare League of America’s Children’s Voice. Mr. Stallworth teaches undergraduate and graduate courses for various colleges and universities for over 10 years. He is the Director of Learning and Organizational Development and Co-owner of Welcome 2 Reality, LLC. This organization was instrumental in getting legislation passed in Connecticut which now mandates education on the safe use of social media and computer programming instruction in Connecticut Public Schools. Mr. Stallworth is recognized in the State of Connecticut as an expert witness for testimony regarding severe abuse and neglect cases. Mr. Stallworth is a sought-after presenter for conferences and plenary sessions, particularly regarding his work related to digital technology, social media literacy, the culture of fatherhood, and now, Black males. Mr. Stallworth will be accompanied by another presenter.

Jill is the Executive Director for the Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault Crisis Center of Warren County (DASACC).  Jill has over 30 years of experience working and volunteering in the nonprofit and grassroots sector of interpersonal violence, including developing and advancing programs and multidisciplinary services.  Jill’s many leadership roles and responsibilities connect philanthropy, social services, community organization, public policy and administration to serve survivors of interpersonal violence.  Jill is a consummate advocate for those impacted by violence, particularly women and children.  Jill also serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees for the New Jersey Coalition Against Sexual Assault (NJCASA).  As a former Adjunct Professor at many colleges, she taught Racism & Sexism in Contemporary America, Women’s Changing Roles and Family Violence to name a few.  Jill also formerly served as the Domestic Violence Response Team Coordinator for the Passaic County Women’s Center.  In this capacity, Jill was responsible for training and managing over 200 volunteers who responded to police department and hospitals to assist victims.  Jill also provided the county’s mandatory domestic violence training for Passaic County police officers.  She was ultimately asked by the Administrator of Courts to provide training to the state’s probation officers, specifically on the concept of sexual terrorism.

John (Jack) W. Farrell holds an advanced degree in Social Work from the Hunter College School of Social Work in New York.  Mr. Farrell’s career spans 40 years in the fields of addiction services and community violence.  He was formerly employed by Rutgers University as a Program Analyst for the University Behavioral Healthcare – Violence Institute of New Jersey.  He also provided case management services for the Rutgers University Police Institute’s Greater Newark Safer Cities Initiatives.  Mr. Farrell was also employed by the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services for more than 28 years where he held various positions including Deputy Director for the Division of Addiction Services, Acting Assistant Commissioner for the Division of Addiction Services, Deputy Director for the Division of Narcotics and Drug Abuse Control, and Chief of Special Populations and Projects for the Division of Narcotic and Drug Abuse Control.  Mr. Farrell is currently a member of the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, Community Advisory Board and serves as a consultant for the Rutgers School of Social Work.  He is a published author and has appeared on television and radio.  Mr. Farrell has received many community, state and federal awards for his community service.

Dr. Bescherer has over 20 years of experience in treating mental health and substance use disorders.  She has worked in a variety of settings such as State psychiatric hospitals, nursing homes, pediatric facilities and outpatient programs for substance use treatment and co-occurring disorders.  Dr. Bescherer’s titles ranged from Master Level Clinician to Director of Behavioral Health.  As a result, she has considerable experience in developing and implementing original programming for inpatient, partial care, and IOP levels of care.  In these programs, Dr. Bescherer incorporated and examined the efficacy of Motivational Interviewing which developed into professional presentations.  Her passion for education is evident in her roles as an adjunct instructor and trainer.  Dr. Bescherer has been employed in institutions of higher education such as Rowan University and is currently a trainer/consultant for New Jersey Prevention Network teaching various CADC courses.

Dr. Bescherer also maintains a small private practice in Cherry Hill, New Jersey called The Institute for Hope and Healing, LLC, where she sees and treats patients with co-occurring disorders, doing individual, family work, couples counseling, and independent consulting.  In 2012, Dr. Bescherer completed her PhD in Clinical Psychology at Walden University and successfully published her dissertation with UMI/Proquest Publications entitled “Predicting Treatment Outcome for Co-Occurring Disorders through Individual Recovery Plan Goal Attainment.”  In addition, Dr. Bescherer has a MBA degree with Concentration in Health and Medical Services Administration from Widener University.

Dr. Sara Dettinger Martino received her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Temple University (2005), M.A. in Counseling from Boston College, and B.A. in Psychology from West Chester University. She is currently an Associate Professor of Psychology and coordinator of the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies minor at Stockton University.  She is also a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC), working mainly with young women with eating disorders and self-harm behaviors.  She wrote a book on her therapeutic techniques with young women who self-mutilate entitled Scars: Creative approaches for understanding and coping with self-mutilation, in 2010.  Her more recent research focuses on the Superwoman Ideal and gender inequities in employment and managing work/life balance as well as social media influence on self-harm behaviors.  She also specializes in sexual assault victims and in the “yes means yes” initiative.

Ms. Goldstein, is a Licensed Professional Counselor with a special interest in integrating her passion for Orthodox Judaism with psychoanalytic concepts.  She holds an MS in Clinical Sociology/Family Therapy and an MA in Clinical Psychology. Ms. Goldstein completed her first degree in a specialized program in Israel that specifically trains therapists to work within the Orthodox Jewish community.  Ms. Goldstein has served both Jewish and non-Jewish populations in inpatient and outpatient settings for 15 years.  She specializes in the treatment of anxiety, depression, PTSD and couples counseling.  In addition to maintaining a private practice, Ms. Goldstein is also an author and lecturer facilitating professional education in psychotherapy and parenting issues.  As an Orthodox Jewish psychotherapist, Ms. Goldstein can address the treatment needs of this population from a personal perspective.

Laura Taylor, PhD:
Dr. Taylor is the NJ Viral Hepatitis Coordinator for the New Jersey Department of Health in the Communicable Disease Service.  She is responsible for coordinating professional trainings and creating, implementing and evaluating continuing education and professional development programs for public health and healthcare professionals, in particular those associated with infectious disease outbreaks, healthcare associated infections, and injections safety.  Dr. Taylor is also a past president of the New Jersey Chapter for the Society for Public Health Education (NJSOPHE) and adjunct faculty at Temple University-Department of Public Health and The Richard Stockton College of NJ-School of Health Sciences.

Amelia Hamarman, M.S.Ed, M.S.:
Ms. Hamarman is the NJ STD Education Coordinator for the New Jersey Department of Health, STD Program.  She has more than 17 years of experience in sexual health education, including work with community agencies, universities, and government public health agencies.  She has worked for the New Jersey Department of Health, STD Program for the past 10 years where she regularly provides training for nurses and other public health professionals on various topics related to STDs (including HIV and Hepatitis) and sexual health.  Ms. Hamarman is also adjunct faculty at Widener University in their Human Sexuality Education program.

George J. Mladenetz M.Ed., LCADC, (NCGC – I pending):
Mr. Mladenetz, serves as the Assistant Director of Clinical Services, Treatment and Research for the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey (CCGNJ). His credential for National Certified Gambling Counselor is pending. Mr. Mladenetz has over 35 years of experience in the field of substance use and wore several hats during his tenure with the State, currently titled New Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS). Mr. Mladnetz’ career includes clinical and supervisory roles ranging from detoxification to outpatient treatment serving special populations such as Criminal Justice, Drug Court and IDRC. As an administrator he has engaged in Utilization Management, Grants Management, Program Compliance as well as Prevention and Training. Mr. Mladenetz represents CCGNJ on various task forces, committees and coalitions to advocate on behalf of CCGNJ. He drafts public comments, testimony, press releases and articles for publication by the CCGNJ.

Daniel J. Trolaro, MS:
Mr. Trolaro was recently promoted to Assistant Executive Director for the Council on Compulsive Gambling of NJ (CCGNJ). During his tenure as Education/Prevention Coordinator, he gained local and national recognition as an appointed member of the task force for the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG). Mr. Trolaro has written and engaged in script review for CCGNJ and NCPG to raise awareness of the impact of Fantasy Sports and the emerging trends in NJ and around the Nation. In 2015, Mr. Trolaro facilitated a workshop on Daily Fantasy Sports for the Delaware Council on Problem Gambling and is scheduled to present at the NAADAC National Conference to be held in 2016. Mr. Trolaro also hosts presentations for students at various schools and universities as well as faith based organizations throughout NJ.