Becky Fast
Executive Director
NASW Kansas Chapter
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Executive Director
NASW Kansas Chapter
Leah Schwarz, LSCSW, LCSW, RPT
Licensed Specialist Clinical Social Worker
Hope Esperanza Counseling, LLC
Leah Schwarz, LSCSW, LCSW, RPT earned her Bachelor’s in Social Work from Bethel College in North Newton, KS in 2013 and her Masters in Social Work from University of Kansas in 2016. She has experience working with children and families in a community mental health setting, working with adults and children in a domestic violence shelter, and is now in her third year of private practice. She is bilingual in English and Spanish and is passionate about working with and supporting immigrant families. She uses various modalities in her work including EMDR, sand tray therapy, attachment-based play therapies, and CBT techniques.
https://www.hopeesperanzacounseling-ks.com
About Leah Schwarz, LSCSW, LCSW, RPT
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Licensed Specialist Clinical Social Worker
Hope Esperanza Counseling, LLC
Diane Bigler, LCSW, LSCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Diane Bigler Training
Diane Bigler, LCSW, LSCSW, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Missouri and Kansas with over 25 years of experience in the mental health field. She has held clinical positions as an outpatient and in-home therapist and clinical supervisor. Diane was an Adjunct Professor of Social Work for 10 years at The University of Kansas, School of Social Welfare and a Field Liaison and Field Instructor. She has also held administrative positions as a program Director and Coordinator. Diane is a frequent local and national trainer on a wide variety of mental health and workplace development topics with clinicians and corporations. Diane is most passionate about providing quality professional development to clinicians, employees, and leaders. For fun, Diane loves to spoil her four Dachshunds and rock out to 80’s music.
http://www.dianebiglertraining.com
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Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Diane Bigler Training
Learn more aboutTara Wallace, MSW, LSCSW, CTF-CBT/PSB, RYT, SLC
Tara Wallace, MSW, LSCSW, CTF-CBT/PSB, RYT, SLC
Tara Wallace, MSW, LSCSW, CTF-CBT/PSB, RYT, SLC
Licensed Specialist Clinical Social Worker
Private Practice
My name is Tara D. Wallace. I am a Licensed Specialist Clinical Social Worker. I hold certifications in trauma therapy; cognitive behavioral therapy; movement trauma, and diversity, equity and inclusion. I am also a registered yoga teacher and certified spiritual life coach.
https://lghthse.com/the-face-of-lighthouse-tco/
About Tara Wallace, MSW, LSCSW, CTF-CBT/PSB, RYT, SLC
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Licensed Specialist Clinical Social Worker
Private Practice
Cassandra Whitmore, RD, LMNT
Dietitian
Consultant Dietitian
Cassandra “Cassie” Whitmore, RD, LMNT has been a practicing dietitian for more than 10 years. She received her bachelor's degrees in Public Health Nutrition and Dietetics from Kansas State University. After starting her career working in acute care and inpatient eating disorders in Kansas City, she moved on to management in a critical access hospital. Most of her career has been spent working in Long Term Care at various facilities throughout the state of Nebraska, which included time as an Employee Wellness Dietitian. She has also worked as an outpatient dietitian with a focus on diabetes education and eating disorders and has notable experience in hospice and mental healthcare. She is currently self-employed as a Consultant Dietitian and speaker. She is based in Lincoln, Nebraska where she lives with her husband, son, and dog.
About Cassandra Whitmore, RD, LMNT
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Dietitian
Consultant Dietitian
Carol Meza-Bakke, PhD
Assistant Instructional Professor of Social Work
Pittsburg State University
Dr. Carol Meza-Bakke is a first-generation college graduate and Field Director and instructional professor of social work at Pittsburg State University (PSU). Carol is also an Army combat veteran and Purple Heart recipient. Carol has earned a bachelor’s degree in social work with a minor in psychology from PSU, a master’s degree in clinical social work from the University of Kansas (KU) and recently received her Ph.D. from Our Lady of the Lake University. Moreover, Carol has 12 years of military experience in addition to experience working in the child welfare field, the Veterans Affairs Benefits Administration, and higher education. Carol enjoys exploring the outdoors with her husband and two children, activities around their farm, fishing, camping, and hunting.
Carol’s research interests focus on social work in the military, particularly military sexual trauma, as well as mental health and behavioral health resources available for the military population. Recent research includes a mixed-method study regarding the determinant effects of depression, anxiety, and PTSD in young adults residing in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. Carol also recently conducted a thematic analysis of experiences and coping mechanisms of female active-duty military sexual trauma survivors. Carol’s most recent pending publications focus on the experiences and coping mechanisms of Army active-duty women survivors of military sexual trauma who sought mental health services within the civilian sector. Carol’s second pending publication focus on the determinant effects of depression, anxiety, and PTSD in young adults residing in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. Carol’s third pending publication focus on preparing social work students for gun violence.
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Assistant Instructional Professor of Social Work
Pittsburg State University
Steven Pharris MSW, LCSW, JD
Executive Director
NASW Kansas Director
About Steven Pharris MSW, LCSW, JD
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Executive Director
NASW Kansas Director
Bonnie Goodwin, PhD, LCSW
Social Work Professor
The University of Oklahoma
Bonni Goodwin, Ph.D., LCSW, is an Assistant Professor at the Anne and Henry Zarrow School of Social Work at the University of Oklahoma. She has worked in the field of Social Work for the past 20 years with children and families, empowering them to overcome challenges toward hope and stability. Bonni has worked in various positions with at-risk children and families, including juvenile justice, victim services with the court system, child welfare prevention services, and providing clinical services to children, families, and groups through an adoption-specialized counseling center. She currently serves with the Oklahoma Human Services child welfare division as the Statewide Coordinator of Adoption Preservation Services. In this role, Bonni conducts research and trains child welfare and mental health professionals on the unique and complex needs of children in foster care and those who have been adopted from state custody. Bonni’s research focus is on permanency through adoption and post-adoption support and services. She continues to examine the needs and gaps of services for children and families in post-adoption and is committed to pursuing best practices in responding to adoptive families’ needs.
https://www.ou.edu/cas/socialwork/faculty-staff/faculty-contact/bonni-goodwin
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Social Work Professor
The University of Oklahoma
Dr. Robert Rhoton Psy D., LCP, F.A.A.E.T.S
President of Trauma Institute Internationl
Trauma Institute Internationl
Dr. Robert Rhoton, CEO of Arizona Trauma Institute and possesses a rich history of experience in the mental health field. Dr. Rhoton has supervised multiple outpatient clinics, juvenile justice programs, and intensive outpatient substance abuse programs for adolescents, day treatment programs for youth and children, adult offender programs and child and family therapeutic services. Additionally, Dr. Rhoton has advanced training in child and adolescent trauma treatment, family therapy, and family trauma. Dr. Rhoton served as president of the Arizona Trauma Therapy Network from 2010 through 2012. Dr. Rhoton was a Professor at Ottawa University in the Behavioral Sciences and Counseling Department whose primary interests were training counselors to work with traumagenic family dynamics, child, and family trauma, and Salutogenic approaches to treatment. Dr. Rhoton is a Fellow of the Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress and collaborates and consults with numerous organizations throughout the United States, Canada, South America, UK, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and India increasing their understanding of trauma and the impact of developmental trauma on the individual’s personal and work life, in the home and with the family.
Publications
• Rhoton, Aubrey & Gentry (2017) Transformative Care
• Trauma Competency: An Active Ingredients Approach to Treating Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Journal of Counseling and Development July 2017 Gentry, J. E., Baranowsky, A. B. and Rhoton, R. (2017), Trauma Competency: An Active Ingredients Approach to Treating Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Journal of Counseling & Development, 95: 279–287.
• Rhoton, Aubrey & Gentry (2019) Transformative Care 2nd Edition
• Rhoton & Logan (2020) Trauma-informed Organization: The journey to becoming an Ascending and leader
• Rhoton & Gentry (2021) Trauma Competency in the 21st Century: A Salutogenic active ingredients approach
• The Science of Trauma and Recovery: Integrating a Salutogenic Approach to Treatment 2022
https://aztrauma.org/staff/robert-rhoton/
About Dr. Robert Rhoton Psy D., LCP, F.A.A.E.T.S
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President of Trauma Institute Internationl
Trauma Institute Internationl
Dr. Angela Pharris MSW, LCSW
Social Work Faculty
The University of Oklahoma
Dr. Pharris completed her BSW at Middle Tennessee State University (1998), her MSW at Spalding University (2002), and her PhD in Public Administration from Tennessee State University.
Dr. Pharris’s professional practice includes work in child welfare training and mental health. Over the course of her career she has been part of implementation of several programs, including a large training program for the state child welfare system in in Tennessee, a homeless outreach program, and assisted in the early development of a Mental Health Court in Nashville and Rutherford County, Tennessee.
Dr. Pharris’s research is focused on policy implementation, specifically state strategies for policy implementation in child welfare. Her dissertation focused on the actions of states to implement programs for youth aging out of foster care, and the impact of political culture on administrative choices. Dr. Pharris is also interested in child welfare workforce and workforce development, and believes the best strategy for a strong child welfare system is a supported workforce. Dr. Pharris has additional research interests in treatment and recovery courts, older youth in foster care and pedagogy of social work education and field education.
https://www.ou.edu/cas/socialwork/faculty-staff/faculty-contact/angela-pharris
About Dr. Angela Pharris MSW, LCSW
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Social Work Faculty
The University of Oklahoma
Amber Jewel MSW, LMSW
School Social Worker
LMSW
Amber Jewell, LMSW has been a social worker for over 15 years working with children, families, and individuals from all dynamics and life structures. She is a foster parent, adoptive parent, and advocate for child welfare services across the country. She is compassionate, authentic, and cares for the value of all people. Amber believes all people have the ability and right to live a life that helps them be the best versions of themselves. She excels at solution-focused services that build strengths for and within people.
https://www.amberjewell.org
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School Social Worker
LMSW
Dr. Lanny Endicott, D.Min., MSSW, LCSW, LMFT
Retired Social Work Faculty
LCSW
About Dr. Lanny Endicott, MSSW, LCSW, LMFT with a lengthy and distinguished career in higher education, Dr. Lanny Endicott has dedicated his professional life to social work. He was the Director of the Social Work Program at Oral Roberts University (ORU) for over 47 years. Dr. Endicott continues to beinvolved in social work education both at ORU and abroad (Russia). His interests besides education include: community planning and development, social services (particularly South Peoria in Tulsa, Oklahoma), workshops in compassion fatigue and burnout, community services for military veterans including soul repair, child welfare (both in Oklahoma and Russia), and family. Lanny has earned a Doctorate of Ministry from the Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Master of Social Work from the University of Missouri, Columbia. He is affiliated with NASW, NACSW; the Community Service Council of Greater Tulsa; the South Peoria Neighborhood Connection Foundation Inc; the South Tulsa Community House and social work in Russia. Recognized by those in the field for his work, Dr. Endicott was awarded Social Worker of the Year in Oklahoma by NASW-OK in 2003. As well as being a Licensed Clinical Social Worker he is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist where he lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In conjunction with his professional interests, Dr. Endicott is a keen runner, having been Head of Cross Country and Track Coach at ORU. Ever a leader, he launched the cross country program at ORU in 1976. Their best season was in 1984 when ORU finished 11th in the NCAA National Cross Country Championships.
About Dr. Lanny Endicott, D.Min., MSSW, LCSW, LMFT
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Retired Social Work Faculty
LCSW
Dr. Steven Wells MSW, LCSW
Clinical Associate Professor
University of Oklahoma
About Dr. Steven Wells, Ph.D., MSW Steven P. Wells is a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Oklahoma Anne and Henry Zarrow School of Social Work, and serves as Simulation Program Coordinator. He has worked in the field of family and children services since 1976 as a child welfare worker, family mediator, foster parent trainer, group counselor, and university professor. He is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Oklahoma (U.S.A.) and earned a doctorate in early childhood education in 2006. He teaches courses in social work practice, interviewing skills, and human behavior. He received a “Champions of Children Award” in 2008 from The Foster Care Association of Oklahoma, Inc., and was named Undergraduate Adviser of the Year in 2012 by the O.U. College of Arts and Sciences. His interests include children with disabilities and their families, child welfare services, counseling with abusive parents, foster parent training, and family mediation. He has explored Motivational Interviewing for the last ten years as a vital model for social work practice. Most of his MI training is within the context of child welfare services and allied health. He became associated with the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT) in 2017 Dr. Wells is married to a social worker and is the parent of four adult children.
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Clinical Associate Professor
University of Oklahoma
Jennifer Thompson
Director of Business Development Valley Hope Addiction and Recovery
Valley Hope Addiction and Recovery Services
Jennifer Thompson
Director of Business Development | Valley Hope Norton
785 / 202 / 0231 c
709 W. Holme | Norton, KS 67654
https://valleyhope.org
About Jennifer Thompson
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Director of Business Development Valley Hope Addiction and Recovery
Valley Hope Addiction and Recovery Services
Margot Escott MSW, LCSW
Clinical Social Work
MSW, LCSW
Margot Escott LCSW has been in practice in Naples, Fl for over 35 years. She was named social worker of the year by FL NASW in 2001 for her workshops on “preventing Medical Errors in Behavioral Health”. She has been using improvisational theatre interventions for over a decade with her clients with mood disorders. For over 7 years she has taught Improvisational Theatre Games to people with Parkinson’s disease and their care partners. She currently holds these classes on line with students from around the country. For many years she hosts a podcast called Improv Interviews and had produced 140 sessions with therapists, actors and improvisers around the world. You can listen to these podcasts on her website.
https://margotescott.com
About Margot Escott MSW, LCSW
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Clinical Social Work
MSW, LCSW
Crystal Rozelle - Bennett, LMSW
Founder & CEO of Thryves
Licensed Master Social Worker
Crystal Rozelle – Bennett, LMSW has been working with youth and families for nearly 20 years. She is committed to empowering, engaging, educating and advocating in order to implement trauma-informed strategies for individuals and communities.
Mrs. Bennett earned a Bachelor’s in Arts in Psychology from Wells College and went on to complete her Masters in Social Work from Florida State University.
During her career, Ms. Bennett has demonstrated a passion in sharing her personal and professional experiences with others to serve marginalized individuals and prevent re-traumatization.
She has experience in directing child & youth service programs for the Department of the Navy with a history of providing program oversight and accountability in accordance with the Department of Defense, COA, & BGCA Requirements. Additionally, she has consulted with schools on policy development and has managed residential treatment facilities and foster care programs.
Ms. Bennett is a life longer learner and has provided education and support to foster families, facilitated psychoeducation programs for youth, responded to crisis hotline calls for the Department of Veterans Affairs, and trained behavioral healthcare professionals in the areas of Human Trafficking, Suicide Prevention, Child Trauma/Maltreatment, Motivational Interviewing, Racial Trauma, Cultural Competency and serving LGBT youth.
www.crystalthryves.com
About Crystal Rozelle - Bennett, LMSW
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Founder & CEO of Thryves
Licensed Master Social Worker
Anthony Natale, PhD
Social Work Faculty
University of OK
Anthony P. Natale, MSW, PhD is an Associate Professor, joining the faculty in 2005. Dr. Natale was the Graduate Coordinator in Social Work for 6 years and Assistant Director for 3.5 years. He left that position to serve as the Graduate College Faculty Fellow for Inclusive Excellence. In this role, he supervised programs and initiatives designed to support underrepresented graduate students in all phases of their academic experience - recruitment, admission, retention and graduation. He consulted with academic units to develop inclusive excellence plans for individual students as well infusing promising practices for inclusion and diversity in student policies, procedures and practices. In 2018, Dr. Natale took a new role as Interim Executive Director for the Southwest Center for Human Relations Studies.
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Social Work Faculty
University of OK
Dr. Deborah Johnson, MSW, LMSW-OK, LCSW-FL
Licensed Social Worker
NASW- OK
Dr. Deborah Johnson, MSW, LMSW-OK, LCSW-FL is an Industrial/Organizational Psychologist and social worker licensed in Oklahoma and Florida. Dr. Johnson is a Board Member and trainer for the SRT, Inc., a non-profit disaster health services organization. She is a volunteer for the Oklahoma Medical Reserve Corps and the OKMRC Stress Response Team, co-leading the Tulsa District SRT. Dr. Johnson is the Past-President of NASW-Oklahoma. In addition, she served at the President-Elect of the NASW National Council of Chapter Presidents, a member of the Oklahoma State Board of Licensed Social Workers, and a member of the Oklahoma State Maternal Mortality Review Committee. Her clinical focus on children and adolescents. She is an MSW graduate of University of Oklahoma and graduated from Iowa State University with her Ph.D. in Psychology. She has held board positions on the Mental Health Association of Collier County, the American Association of University Women (AAUW) of Collier County, and several other boards in Florida and Oklahoma over her career. She has been a featured speaker at workshops, professional meetings and been featured on radio and TV programs.
About Dr. Deborah Johnson, MSW, LMSW-OK, LCSW-FL
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Licensed Social Worker
NASW- OK
Phelica Glass, LSCSW, GCCAC, FAAGC, CSOTP
Clinical Social Worker
Private Practice
Phelica Glass is a Licensed Specialist Clinical Social Worker with a successful psychotherapy practice in Topeka, KS. Graduate of Washburn University with a Bachelor’s in Behavioral Sciences. Graduate of Tulane University of New Orleans with a master’s in clinical social work and certification of Gerontology. Through further education she attained a certification in Child and Adolescent Grief Counseling from the International Association of Health Care Professionals. Phelica also is a Fellow of the American Academy of Grief. Because of her love for people, she also holds certifications as a Sex Offender Treatment Provider, Geriatric Social Work, Sex and Porn Addiction Recovery, Suicide Bereavement and Spiritual Life Coach.
In private practice Phelica meets the needs of individuals and families coping with grief, behavioral and emotional issues by walking with them through their personal journeys. Her belief is that children and families transition smoothly through difficult situations when they have the necessary support to do so.
Phelica’s unique style of therapy is both effective and engaging, using cognitive behavioral, solution-focused, Theraplay and Parent-Child Interactive Treatment methods. She believes in empowering the voice of her clients through motivation and advocacy.
Phelica holds various positions within the following organizations within Topeka: The Kujima Collective, Tyson Williams Productions, Martin Luther King Living the Dream, Greater Topeka EMBD, and Topeka Chamber of Commerce. Phelica was the Graduate Member at Large for the Kansas National Association of Social Work, and now holds the position of Ethics Chair.
Phelica is a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc, Chi Delta Zeta Chapter of Lawrence/Topeka, KS where she currently is the Chapter Chaplin. Phelica has held the positions of Regional Domestic Violence Coordinator, Regional Mental Health Coordinator and Kansas Protocol and Procedures Representative. She is also a member of The Links Topeka Chapter where she volunteers in developing and implementing a teen mentoring program at Topeka High School.
https://excelfullcircle.wordpress.com/
About Phelica Glass, LSCSW, GCCAC, FAAGC, CSOTP
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Clinical Social Worker
Private Practice
Margaret Otto, LSCSW, LCSW
Director and Co-Founder of KC Center of Family Systems
KC Center of Family Systems
Margaret Otto, LSCSW, LCSW is the Director and Co-Founder of the KC Center of Family Systems since its inception in 1996. She has been learning and applying Bowen family systems theory for over thirty years, which includes studying under Murray Bowen, MD and Michael Kerr, MD. Dr. Kerr is currently the Director of the Bowen theory academy. Margaret earned a Masters in Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis and then obtained clinical licensure in Kansas and Missouri. She began her study of the theory at the Menninger Foundation in Kansas City. She then went on to study at the Bowen Center for the Study of the Family for 5 years before starting the non-profit, the KC Center for family systems ( 501c3) which is also dedicated to Bowen family systems theory., Margaret carries the local and national responsibility for leadership of the KC Center by representing and advancing the theory. Employment has been in several medical and mental health settings and included teaching family residents. Other professional endeavors include being a board member of the Bowen theory academy and many presentations at local, national and international conferences. She presented this past summer at an international Bowen family systems conference on theories of emotion and clinical application. She has a full time clinical group practice that uses Bowen theory to address clinical issues.
https://www.kcfamilysystems.org/about/
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Director and Co-Founder of KC Center of Family Systems
KC Center of Family Systems
Elizabeth Pfalzgraf, LMSW
NASW KS Chapter Board President
About Elizabeth Pfalzgraf, LMSW
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NASW KS Chapter Board President
