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Meet Our Trainers
Nadia Ali
Nadia Ali has nearly 20 years of experience working in a variety of settings with people from various educational, socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds. Her depth of experience spans program management, coalition building, leadership and workforce development, community outreach, health care reform and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) training and consulting. She is passionate about health and racial equity and her work has primarily centered around increasing access to care in low-income and immigrant populations, creating leadership opportunities for underrepresented minorities, and increasing awareness and dialogue around health and racial equity.
Matt Bennett
BENNETT INNOVATIONS GROUP
Matt Bennett combines his masters’ degrees in community psychology and executive development/nonprofit management and business administration with his practical experience as a therapist and leader to develop research-based solutions to improve the health of individuals, staff, organizations, and systems.As a sought-after trainer, Mr. Bennett utilizes a participant-centered approach, which includes interactions and adult learning activities to maximize learning, retention, and application. Mr. Bennett’s presentations are a dynamic dance of innovative research, practical applications, and a passion for the art and science of helping others.
Robbie Bruza
BETTY FORD CHILDREN'S CENTER
Robby Bruza has been a Children’s Counselor at the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation since 2017. Robby received a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Southern California in 2014 and is currently pursuing a master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. Robby has worked in a variety of administrative and clinical roles within the human services field and has found great joy and purpose in working with children and families in the Children’s Program.
Ashley Nelson Charbonneau
ENSO COUNSELING
I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Licensed Addiction Counselor, and Colorado Sex Offender Management Board (SOMB) Full Operating Treatment Provider and Evaluator. I started Enso Counseling in 2016. I specialize in providing individual therapy to address substance abuse, healthy relationships, unhealthy sexual behavior, and trauma. I have experience working with offenders of various crimes, victims of abuse and neglect, adolescents, and adults. I believe everyone deserves to be happy and healthy, and the path to such can look different for each individual. I take a client-focused approach, meeting the clients where they are at and helping them identify their own goals for therapy. I utilize a strengths-based approach, a trauma-informed lens, and evidenced-based treatment modalities.
Avani Dilger
MEd, MA, LPC, BC-DMT, CAS, ADS
NATURAL HIGHS PROGRAM
Avani is a Licensed Professional Counselor, a Certified Addiction Specialist, a Somatic Psychotherapist, an Acupuncture Detoxification Specialist, and a Motivational Interviewing Trainer (MINT), who specializes in substance abuse prevention and treatment with adults, teens and their families. She is the founder and director of the “Natural Highs – Healthy Alternatives to Drugs & Alcohol” nonprofit program.e. In addition to teaching the Natural Highs program at high schools in Boulder and at Naropa University, Avani works as a psychotherapist with teens, families and adults with issues around substance abuse, addiction and trauma using approaches such as Somatic Psychotherapy, Brainspotting and Systemic Constellationwork. She is a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT) and trains Motivational Interviewing for criminal justice, mental health, health care, and substance abuse professionals
Eric Faddis, Esq.
VARNER FADDIS ELITE LEGAL
Eric Faddis is an attorney, media legal correspondent, and Colorado native. He is a former felony prosecutor, current criminal defense and civil litigation attorney, Founding Partner of Varner Faddis Elite Legal, and a regular contributor to Court TV and other media outlets.
Jenelle Goodrich
FROM SILENCED TO SAVED
Jenelle Goodrich is a community Victim Advocate, mentor, and third-party case manager assisting governmental agencies such as Department of Human Services, local law enforcement as well as Law Enforcement at the federal level in victim assistance and service. She is the founder and Executive Director of From Silenced To Saved and is an active participant in the fight for victims to have voices and traffickers to be held accountable. Jenelle has worked with many victims and survivors of Human Trafficking and has made this her sole focus for those she takes in to assist whether that be mentoring, case managing, trial assistance, first responding with law enforcement, financial assistance such as clothing/food/or rent, individual safe housing, among an array of other services.
Tracy Hutchinson
Tracy L. Hutchinson, Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Master Addictions Counselor (MAC), and Licensed Addictions Counselor (LAC). She has been working in the field of Addictions and Mental Health for the past 40 years. Currently, through her Counseling and Consulting private practice, Tracy is an approved OBH trainer for Colorado Addictions Counselor (CAC) courses. She is a facilitator of professional growth and development for team building. Additionally, she creates and facilitates experiential/expressive personal growth retreats. Tracy was the author, narrator and co-producer of Levels Meditation, produced in 2001.
Mita Johnson, PhD.
EVERGREEN CONSULTING GROUP
Dr. Mita Johnson has degrees in biology, counseling and counselor education and supervision. She has been a counselor for 30 years, consultant for 20 years, clinical supervisor for 15 years and higher learning educator for 10 years. She holds several credentials including licensed professional counselor, licensed marriage and family therapist, licensed addiction counselor, master addiction counselor, and certified telemental health professional. Dr. Johnson is a core faculty member at Walden University’s School of Counseling MS program. She teaches, trains, and speaks nationally and internationally on numerous topics including ethics, diagnosis, psychopharmacology, and substance use disorders. Dr. Johnson is the President-Elect and Ethics Chair of NAADAC. She is passionate about understanding how psychopharmaceuticals and illicit substances influence the body systemically.
Justin Larson
SECOND CHANCE CENTER
Justin Larson become a substance abuse counselor while still in prison. He now serves as the Program Development Manager and a Care Manager at the Second Chance Center. Justin has completed his course work for a master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at UNC and is preparing to do his clinical supervision hours.
Melinda Marasch
ASPIRE TRAINING & CONSULTING
Melinda Marasch has been working in human services for her entire career, first as a psycho-therapist and now as a consultant and trainer. She specializes in clinical supervision in the form of training (in-person and online), as well as individual and group sessions. She serves licensed and unlicensed individuals, as well as programs and organizations. Melinda has expertise in many areas, including HIV/AIDS, domestic violence, mental illnesses and much more. I also provide coaching to clients who are motivated to maximize their assets.
James Marrugo
MORNING COFFEE COUNSELING
James holds a BA in Psychology and an MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. He maintains a private practice where he specializes in developing Emotional Intelligence in professionals, and addressing anxiety, depression, and adult male narcissism. James has clinical experience in addiction, co-occurring disorders, personality disorders, at-risk youth, sex traffic victims, military mental health, and PTSD.
Joanne McLain
FINANCIAL HEALTH INSTITUTE
Joanne McLain is a counselor, coach, curriculum designer and writer. She has over thirty years of experience working with people to help them gain skills to create the life they want to live. She is a Director at Financial Health Institute. Her experience includes six years with a county Department of Human Services, where she was the Deputy Director and managed Family Programs including services for families involved in Child Welfare, Adult Protection, and all benefits programs. She has been a mental health and substance abuse counselor in a variety of settings, including community mental health centers, private practice, nursing homes, a volunteer fire department, emergency rooms and inpatient units. Joanne has a Master’s Degree in Psychology, is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Licensed Addictions Counselor.
Eric Meade
WHOLE MIND STRATEGY GROUP
Eric Meade is a nationally recognized futurist, facilitator, and consultant serving foundations, nonprofits, and governments. His clients have included the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Oxfam America, the VA Office of Rural Health, the Colorado Community Health Network, and many more. He is the principal at the Whole Mind Strategy Group and the award-winning author of Reframing Poverty: New Thinking and Feeling About Humanity’s Greatest Challenge and Whole Mind Facilitation: How to Lead Workshops That Change People, Organizations, and the World. He also teaches in American University's School of International Service..
Jamie Ray
SECOND CHANCE CENTER
Jamie Ray is a Colorado Native who Leads Civic Engagement for Second Chance Center in North Aurora. Jamie Ray comes from small tight-knit family that was heavily affected by incarceration, which led to her passion for criminal justice reform. She is now pursuing a degree in Law at the University of Denver.
Jenny Regier, Esq.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN IMMIGRANT ADVOCACY NETWORK
Jenny is an Equal Justice Works fellow sponsored by Pfizer Inc. She joined RMIAN in September 2020. Jenny provides direct representation and coordinates a medical-legal partnership to improve health and legal outcomes for medically vulnerable women and gender minorities in immigration detention. Jenny was a recipient of the Chancellor’s Scholarship at the University of Denver (DU) Sturm College of Law. She graduated in May 2020 with the Kenneth L. Smith Award. During law school, Jenny advocated for clients through the DU Immigration Law and Policy Clinic and with immigration legal services and civil rights organizations in the Denver area, including the Meyer Law Office, Rathod Mohamedbhai LLC, the Migrant Farm Worker Division of Colorado Legal Service, and RMIAN. Before law school, Jenny worked to provide immigration legal assistance to unaccompanied children on the Texas-Mexico border as an accredited representative with the South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project (ProBAR). She also had the privilege of living in Cochabamba and Santa Cruz, Bolivia for three years while working for a nonprofit organization. Jenny is originally from Newton, Kansas.
Cindy Schlosser
ROCKY MOUNTAIN IMMIGRANT ADVOCACY NETWORK
Cindy joined RMIAN as the Detention Program Social Worker in October 2018. She began her professional career as a high school Spanish and history teacher, working with youth in an alternative learning program. In 2005, Cindy volunteered full-time at the St. Mary’s Health Clinics in Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN as a community health educator and interpreter. She moved to El Paso, TX, in 2006 where she volunteered and led educational border trips with Annunciation House, a shelter for recently arrived migrants. From 2009-2015, she served as the Social Services Coordinator and legal assistant at the Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project in Arizona. During her time at the Florence Project, she spearheaded the expansion of the social services program, and collaborated with community partners to establish detention visitation, letter-writing, and housing networks. She also contributed to the publication, “What if I’m picked up by ICE in Arizona?: Making a Family Plan”, a guide for immigrant parents navigating the child welfare and immigration systems. She holds an undergraduate degree in high school history and Spanish education and a Master’s degree in Social Work from Arizona State University. In addition to feeling honored to work alongside courageous and wise clients and colleagues, Cindy loves climbing, cooking and gardening, creating playful and meaningful community, and having dance parties with her child and husband.
Chris Stadler, Det.
DOUGLAS COUNTY SHERRIFF'S OFFICE
Detective Stadler has worked for the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office since 2006. He has worked in various assignments including the detention division, the patrol division, and most recently in the investigations division. Detective Stadler was assigned to the Denver FBI Rocky Mountain Innocence Lost Task Force (ILTF) as a Task Force Officer (TFO) focusing on the identification and recovery of juvenile sex trafficking victims in the Denver metro area from January 2016 until September 2019. Detective Stadler has completed numerous undercover operations as both the case agent as well as the undercover officer. Detective Stadler has presented on Human Trafficking and Sex Trafficking to a wide variety of audiences and has instructed at the University level for several years. He is currently an operator on the Douglas County Regional SWAT team, and currently assigned to the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force.
Sean Ahshee Taylor
SECOND CHANCE CENTER
A former gang member and lifer, Sean is now the Deputy Director and Certified Fitness Instructor for the Second Chance Center. Sean is also a Gang Intervention Specialist who partners with the Department of Corrections as the lead facilitator of the iLIVE Mentoring program, to reduce the amount of negative security threat group activity within the DOC.
Kase Wille
BETTY FORD CHILDREN'S CENTER
Kase Wille has been with the Hazelden Betty Ford Children’s Program since 2016. Kase was born and raised in Colorado and completed his BA in English at the University of Northern Colorado in 2014. He has worked with children and families for the past 15 years in a variety of settings. Kase loves having the opportunity to work with amazing families in recovery in the Children’s Program.
Chaitra Wirta-Leiker, PhD.
Beyond Words Psychological Services
Dr. Wirta-Leiker is a licensed psychologist specializing in social justice-oriented mental health support. As a professional and woman of color, she is passionate about the application of anti-racism work within the mental health field, and encourages the dismantling of white supremacist practices through deeper exploration of individual biases and interpersonal interactions. She believes strongly in the capacity for change stemming from self-awareness and self-reflection when spaces can safely balance the presence of challenge and compassion. Dr. Wirta-Leiker’s private practice is in Denver. She is a frequent speaker and trainer at agencies, schools, camps, and conferences throughout the country..