Engaging Learners Virtual Conference | Friday, August 13, 2021 | 8:00 am to 2:30 pm
FREE: 6.5 CEUs for LSW/LCSW, LPC/LCPC, and Psychologists (CPDUs for School Professionals) Participants are required to attend the entire conference to be eligible for CEUs.
Description:
Jacqueline Rhew has planned this interactive conference, in order to create a time for discussion, learning, and reflection. The goal is to focus on ways to engage students and families in the education process, meet the emotional needs of students more effectively and efficiently, and to create parent partnerships that support student resiliency.
Objectives:
- Participants will look at the value of using data to guide interventions and responses, as well as creating a trauma sensitive learning environment.
- Participants will also be asked to reflect on strategies to integrate anti-racism work into current practices, understand ways to discuss racism and engage in difficult conversations, and evaluate concepts of racial identity, bias, racism, and privilege.
- Participants will gain knowledge of the art of mindfulness as an intervention for students and staff members, as well as other key coping strategies to improve engagement and the emotional health of the school community.
Presenters:
Jacqueline A. Rhew, LCPC
As the co-founder of the Center for Emotional Wellness of the Northwest Suburbs, Jacqueline is an expert in her field and is called upon by hundreds of school districts both locally and internationally for consulting staff in order to better serve their youth. Jacqueline served as a Clinical Consultant for AMITA Health Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital for the past 10 years.
Previously, Jacqueline also served as Assistant Director of the Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health School Anxiety/School Refusal Program where she was instrumental in the creation, development, and success of the program. Jacqueline has presented as Keynote Speaker and facilitated, both locally and nationally, over 500 trainings, webinars, and workshops on a variety of topics. Her ability to relate to her audience along with her vast knowledge and experiences working with children, adolescents, families, and professionals combine to make her a sought-after expert in the mental health field.
Jacqueline has authored multiple publications throughout her career and is the coauthor of The Successful Parenting Workbook: Create Your Custom Plan for Raising Independent Children into Adulthood. She has been interviewed by several newspapers and magazines, including the Chicago Tribune, the Daily Herald, and Chicago Parent, providing expertise on bullying behavior as well as treatment options for school-avoidant adolescents. She has also been featured on Chicago ABC and CBS for her exemplary work and insight. Jacqueline has specific expertise in a multitude of areas including school anxiety, school avoidance, eating disorders, self-injury, substance abuse, gaming addictions, grief issues, trauma, depression, and anxiety.
Dr. Matt Liberatore, LCPC
Dr. Matt Liberatore, Ed.D, LCPC is founder and Clinical Psychotherapist at Luminary Solutions, LLC, a district level administrator with High School District 214 since 2015, the past-president of the Illinois School Counselor Association, board member on the Directors of Counseling and Student Services of Suburban Chicago, senior advisor to Intellispark.
Matt earned his Doctorate in Education Leadership from Concordia University and also holds his Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor credential. In addition, Matt holds master’s degrees in School Counseling and Education Leadership from Saint Xavier University and Northeastern Illinois University respectively.
Clinically, Matt continues to focus his work on supporting those with early life traumas to better process current day stressors related to anxiety and depression through the holistic approach of EMDR and CBT therapies. Within education, Matt has developed a passion for utilizing student achievement data to drive and leverage student success. Matt has shared this expertise at regional and national conferences, where he presents on a Transformed Approach Student Engagement.
Sherrine Peyton
Director of Community Collaboration and Public Resource Development
Sherrine Peyton started her career at Kenneth Young Center in 2003 and left to work as a contractor for the Illinois Department of Human Services as a grant Program Coordinator. She has also worked for Metropolitan Family Services as the Director of Public Resource Development and as a federal contractor working with states and tribes on public health issues. Sherrine has presented locally and nationally on positive youth development, community organizing, and LGBTQ+ inclusive practices and programs.
In 2013, Sherrine returned to KYC as a consultant to build the Communities for Positive Youth Development coalition under our prevention program. In 2014, she became the Project Lead for KYC’s Partnerships for Success grant and was promoted to Supervisor and eventually Manager of the Positive Youth Development Program. Sherrine has a Bachelor of Science degree from Eastern Michigan University. When Sherrine is not at KYC, she and her wife enjoy spending time with their adult children and attending multicultural events.
Dr. Shelley Fisher, LCSW
Dr. Michelle (Shelley) M. Fisher earned her Bachelor’s degree from James Madison University, a Master’s degree in Social Work from Boston College, and a Doctorate in Social Work from George Williams College of Aurora University. Her 25+ year social work career includes child protective services, adoption, medical and forensic social work, teaching at the Master’s level, private practice, and, since 2009, school social work.
Dr. Fisher’s passion for advocating for vulnerable children and adolescents led to her doctoral research, which focused on supporting transgender students and their families within the academic setting. She continues to provide professional development and consultation around accommodating transgender students within the educational environment to administrators, teachers, and staff members in multiple school districts. Additionally, Dr. Fisher has presented on a variety of topics focused on the mental health and social-emotional wellbeing of children and adolescents, both virtually and in-person, to parents, administrators, teachers, coaches, executive directors, camp directors, and camp counselors.
Dr. Robin Choquette, LCPC
Robin Choquette earned a BS in Psychology from Eastern Kentucky University, and Master of Clinical Psychology and Doctorate of Clinical Psychology from Illinois School of Professional Psychology. She has trained in educational, community mental health, hospital and private practice settings. Robin continues to train and enhance her expertise in the field of performance psychology. Dr. Choquette’s practice, Elite Performance Counseling, Inc., is a testament to her vision of building trustworthy and respectful relationships with her clients and community. Robin works with individuals from preteen through older adulthood in individual psychotherapy, family therapy (including parenting strategies), couples therapy, and skill seminars.
In addition to her general psychological services, Dr. Choquette consults with a specialized emphasis on performance enhancement for athletes, musicians, artists, corporate executives, and business leaders to help them reach peak performance in their professional and personal lives. She works with youth sporting teams, traveling clubs, and organizations on the mental game of athletics.
Dr. Matthew Dewar
Motivated by his own personal struggle with anxiety as a young adult and informed by two decades of teaching mindfulness and emotional intelligence in schools, his message is simple: Through increased awareness, knowledge, and skill, you have the ability to transform stress and adversity into emotional strength and resilience.
Through keynotes, workshops, and advising, Matt has shared this message with Fortune 500 executives, collegiate and professional athletes, and school districts across the country. Matt is also the author of The Mindful Breathing Workbook for Teens (2021) and Education and Well-Being: An Ontological Inquiry (2016). Matt’s work has been featured on TEDx, NPR, Thrive Global, and the National Wellness Institute.
Lauren Bilbrey, MA
Lauren Bilbrey, MA, LBS1 is the Clinical Coordinator of the Education Department at AMITA- Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital. She supervises the teaching staff for the inpatient and outpatient levels of care at both the Hoffman Estates and Crystal Lake locations, while also teaching in the classroom for the School Anxiety/School Refusal program as well as the Adolescent- PHP/IOP program. Lauren is also responsible for the educational development, documentation, and facilitation of education services for all programs across all service lines. In addition to her role at AMITA, Lauren has also been the Advanced Reading and Creative Composition teacher for the D211 Alternative High School program for the past 14 years. All students in the program have been divorced from the day school system in some fashion and are seeking a high school diploma through enrollment in the Alternative High School.
Lauren earned her BA in English and Education from the University of Iowa. She continued her education, gaining a master’s degree in Special Education from Concordia University and holds a Learning Behavioral Specialist Endorsement (LBS1) from National Louis University.
Professionally, Lauren has worked with the at-risk population her entire teaching career. She has taught at the middle school and high school levels, as well as in a therapeutic day school before securing her role at AMITA. While teaching at the middle school level, she worked with truancy officers and mental health professionals to create and co-found two after school programs, Unstoppable and Keepin’ it Real, programs that provided academic tutoring as well as offered skill based lessons on improving decision making and building social skills; application of skills was also then implemented and reinforced by exposure to real-life situational learning opportunities within the community. While teaching at the high school level, Lauren teamed with the school psychologists to enforce a supportive attendance policy through home visits and served as a group leader through the Positive Peer Culture program. Most recently, Lauren has been co-presenting to multiple area school districts on the topic of Learning Engagement in the Virtual and In-Person Classroom.
