Your Trainers
We are privileged to work with the following experts who are trained and certified in CPS by Think:Kids:
Mark Beach
Mark Beach, M.S., is the Parent Education Director at Riverview Center for Growth. He has been using and teaching Collaborative Problem Solving since 2009. He is certified in CPS by Think:Kids, trains staff in crisis intervention strategies, and is a Child and Family Therapist with 30 years of experience working with youth and families in various settings. At home, he is "Dad" to terrific twin teens! Mark's therapeutic and philosophical roots are in Adlerian psychology, Dreikursian Child Guidance, Existential Psychotherapy, Family Systems, and Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy.
Contact Info: mbeach@riverviewgrowth.org
Website: https://www.riverviewgrowth.org/
Randi Cooper
Randi Cooper, M.Ed., is a behavior consultant, special educator, and trainer with over 20 years experience working with individuals who experience challenging behaviors. Her background is Special Education as a classroom teacher and behavior specialist. Currently, she is a Behavior Professional Provider/Consultant who provides training and coaching for schools, clinicians, parents, and other agencies in using the most effective strategies and evidence-based approaches. Randi is an expert in Collaborative Problem Solving and is a staff member of Think:Kids at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston as a Clinical Trainer and Consultant. Randi lives in Portland, Oregon, but works with programs across the country. She is passionate about helping others increase confidence, feel empowered, and shift people's thinking of how they view and help those individuals who need some extra support at home, in school, and in life.
Shannon Pugerude
Shannon has had the privilege of raising three creative, fun and spunky kids and knowing and walking beside so many incredible youth and their families in her career. She has a huge heart for all and believes in the Collaborative Problem Solving® philosophy that “we all do well when we can." Shannon holds a Masters in Child Development and Early Childhood Special Education, , she has taught Special Education ages birth - Grade 8 for 20 years. She was a co-founder of Wyldwoodz Resource Center, Oregon Family Support Network Regional Director and Certified Peer Support Specialist and Trainer. She offers trainings on various topics surrounding Trauma Informed Care & Resilience building practices and supports for families and professionals, she is a certified trainer for both Think:Kids©️ Collaborative Problem Solving® & Make Parenting a Pleasure Certified Trainer.
Contact info: shannon@theheromakers.net
Website: https://www.theheromakers.net
Kate O'Kelley
Kate O’Kelley fell into the world of foster care after stepping away from teaching elementary school in 2001. As happens, she’s found it hard to leave; supporting youth in care and the parents and service providers caring for them brings her great joy. Since becoming a certified trainer in Collaborative Problem Solving® in 2015, Kate has helped parents, teachers, and service providers learn the model and has led foster care agencies in their efforts to implement the model within their programs. Kate runs Lionheart Speaks, LLC, where she provides coaching, consultation and training for families and systems supporting people with behavioral challenges. She has a Master of Arts in Psychology: Child, Couple and Family Therapy, and has had the most fun when she gets to weave poetry, art, and horses into her work.
Contact: kate@lionheartspeaks.com
Website: www.lionheartspeaks.com
Maria Sanders
Spanish Language Facilitator and Parent Coach
Maria Sanders es trabajadora social autorizada, entrenadora de padres certificada por PCI® y está certificada en el enfoque de resolución colaborativa de problemas® (CPS) por Think:Kids, un programa con sede en el Departamento de Psiquiatría del Hospital General de Massachusetts. Su trabajo cuenta con el respaldo de Conscious Parenting y Collaborative Problem Solving®. Trabaja con padres que luchan con cualquier desafío de crianza, desde hacer dormir a un niño hasta abordar los conflictos entre padres y adolescentes.
María trabaja individualmente con los padres de forma virtual o en su oficina de Montclair, Nueva Jersey. Ofrece programas para escuelas (públicas e independientes), consultorios de pediatras, organizaciones profesionales y reuniones corporativas. María comenzó su carrera profesional como trabajadora social escolar trabajando para el Equipo de Estudio Infantil y dirigiendo grupos de habilidades sociales. Además, tiene más de 15 años de experiencia como especialista en intervención temprana y se desempeña como maestra y trabajadora social.
Contact Information: maria@mariasandersparentcoach.com
Website: https://mariasandersparentcoach.com/
Jan Urton
Jan Urton is Family & Youth Program’s Family Support Partner in Yamhill County for the Wraparound Program, and she is a Think:Kids Certified Trainer in Collaborative Problem Solving. Jan is the adoptive parent of 3 grown children and 2 grandchildren. She also is a retired classroom teacher and former Peace Corps Volunteer, so has experience with a variety of families.
Contact Info: urtonj@yamhillcounty.gov
Suzanne Wilhour
Suzanne Wilhour, M.A., is a parent, is certified by Think:Kids in Collaborative Problem Solving, and is trained in Addictions Counseling and Co-Occuring Disorders. She facilitates CPS Parent classes at Riverview Center for Growth and coordinates with our other trainers to keep the program running smoothly. Suzanne brings a wealth of lived-experience and expertise into her classes!
Contact Info: swilhour@riverviewgrowth.org
Website: https://www.riverviewgrowth.org/
Jules Rice
Jules Rice, comes from years of personal experience raising children with behavior challenges & has learned so much from them. If not for them she wouldn't be where she is today. It's now time for her to give back to the community by giving others the hope, help, and healing that she has received. Jules is a Certified as a Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) parent trainer and a Certified Therapeutic Life Story Practitioner, Certified Support Group Leader, and trained in FASD and a Parent Coach. She is fun loving, caring, empathetic and will help with any challenges one is facing. She has a gift for what she does & would like folks to know she has a genuine love for helping people.
Contact info: jules@theheromakers.net
Website: https://www.theheromakers.net
Tara McCaffrey
Tara is the program Registrar, performing countless behind-the-scenes tasks which keep the program running! Tara handles tracking and assisting with class registrations, materials logistics, data analysis, data reporting, and answering the ongoing torrent of questions.
Contact Info: tmccaffrey@riverviewgrowth.org
Website: https://www.riverviewgrowth.org/
