Presenters

Deborah Weber is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 30 years experience.  She has worked as a public health social worker, hospital social worker, and now runs a full-time private practice.  In addition to her clinical counseling to clients, Deborah founded Hospice of Hope and helped to implement the CASA program in Mason County.

Mark A. Johnson received his Master's of Science in Social Work Degree (MSSW) from the Kent School of Social Work at the University of Louisville. He is employed at the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department as a Community Health Planner and at AIDS Volunteers, Inc. as a Prevention Specialist. Mark has been working in the field of HIV/AIDS for approximately 15 years.

Barbara Helm has been in the field of aging for nearly 30 years, primarily focusing on Alzheimer’s disease and dementia care since 1987.  She has provided direct care in various settings, including nursing homes, adult day programs and residential care facilities.  She has presented 100’s of educational programs and seminars to literally thousands of people throughout the country.  She is currently Educational Services Coordinator, Council on Aging, UK College of Public Health.

Darlene Thomas has worked as an advocate for families for 18 years.  She is the Executive Director for the Bluegrass Domestic Violence Program in Lexington, KY but has been fortunate to have served in multiple advocacy roles across the Commonwealth.  Darlene has trained and educated community professionals regarding the issues of domestic violence locally, statewide, nationally and internationally.

Blake L. Jones, Ph.D., is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 10 years of experience as a clinician, researcher and adjunct professor in the University of Kentucky College of Social Work (UKCOSW).  Dr. Jones is the former program coordinator for the Kentucky Fatherhood Initiative and is a husband and the father of two young sons.  He is the coordinator of the UKCOSW’s Continuing Education program and does national consulting in the area of child abuse and neglect.

Chris Flaherty, MSW, PhD is an assistant professor of social work at the University of Kentucky College of Social Work. He teaches research methods in the graduate and undergraduate programs. His research interests are in child welfare, social work in health care, and social work with incarcerated populations. He is currently conducting numerous program evaluations for university-contracted service delivery programs in the child welfare arena.

Prior to joining the College of Social Work, Dr. Flaherty worked for twenty years in the U.S. Air Force mental health and social services systems. His military practice experience includes mental health, child and family violence intervention, prison-based treatment, and post-graduate medical education in primary healthcare. He holds an advanced clinical social work license in South Dakota, and the Board Certified Diplomate from the American Board of Examiners in Clinical Social Work.

Neil Chethik is author of two books on men's psychology. FatherLoss (Hyperion 2001) is about how men deal with the deaths of their fathers, and VoiceMale (Simon & Schuster 2006) focuses on men and marriage. Currently, he is publications editor at Hospice of the Bluegrass, and writer-in-residence at the Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning in Lexington, Ky. Go to www.NeilChethik.com for more.

Dr. Latonya Hesterberg graduated from Morehead State University in 1984 with a BSW, received her MSW from the University of Kentucky in 1990, and PhD in Social Work from the University of Kentucky in May 2005. Professor Hesterberg’s areas of research are social work education, child welfare, and family violence.  She has a combined 22 years of social work experience as a child protective services worker, administrator, consultant, Cabinet for Health and Family Services Trainer, and professor. In addition to teaching social work classes, Dr. Hesterberg coordinates the Public Child Welfare Certification Program at the MSU at Prestonsburg Campus. Dr. Hesterberg also teaches practice and ethics courses for the University of Kentucky College Of Social Work

Jessica Mullins is employed by the Drug Endangered Child Training Network at the University of Kentucky’s College of Public Health Center for Prevention Research. She received a Baccalaureate Degree in Social Work from the University of Kentucky and she is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Social Work which she will complete in May of 2008.  Her research background includes work with incarcerated populations and parents that abuse substances.

Carla Van Hoose, LCSW, has been in private practice since 1987 in Lexington, KY. Prior to that, she worked in both the private and public sectors. Carla has written articles, been a guest specialist on radio and television, taught local and national workshops and is a past board member of the Kentucky Society of Clinical Social Work. She continues to counsel clients suffering from depression, anxiety disorders, phobias, addictions and relationship problems. Carla plays music and takes pictures for fun.

Edwin Hackney is a MSW graduate of the University of Kentucky, Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Chemical Dependency Counselor, Mr. Hackney has spent 35 years in community mental health with a specialty in substance abuse treatment.  He is currently semi-retired and provides LCSW and CADC clinical supervision for several agencies.  He has been a part-time instructor with the University of Kentucky College of Social Work. He is active with the Kentucky Society for Clinical Social Work and provides a variety of trainings including ethics, various addiction & mental health topics, & AIDS education across the state. Recent projects have included a module on personality disorders for training in dual diagnosis and a workshop on sexual history taking and incorporating human sexuality more fully into clinical assessment.

Dr. Bob Huwieler has worked primarily with trauma patients for the past 30 years, in private practice, community mental health and the Veterans Administration. He is presently the Chief of Psychology at VAMC Huntington WV, where he is also assigned to the PTSD Clinical Team. Dr. Huwieler received his master’s degree in “Pre-clinical” Psychology from North Texas State University (now, University of North Texas) and his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Kansas University. He taught upper division courses at Kansas University in Abnormal, Clinical and Psychoanalytic Psychology. He served as the Director of the Clinical Psychology Internship Program at the VA in Leavenworth Kansas.  He has done workshops and trainings on PTSD diagnosis and treatment, Borderline Personality Disorder, and professional ethics.  

Isela Arras is the Immigration Project Coordinator for the Kentucky Domestic Violence Association and serves as a liaison and resource to KDVA’s member programs that are working with Immigrant and Refugee Women and their children.  In addition, as part of her duties at KDVA, Isela also works with the KDVA/KASAP Immigrant Women and Refugee Taskforce, which provides training across the state in the areas of Cultural Competency, Language Accessibility, Immigration Issues and Public Benefits as they apply to Immigrant and Refugee victims of violence. Isela’s work also focuses on providing technical assistance to partner agencies that work directly with immigrant communities.   

A graduate of the University of Kentucky’s Department of Psychology, Dr. Carmella P. Yates is a clinical psychologist licensed by the Commonwealth of Kentucky. In addition to receiving her doctorate, Dr. Yates is also certified by the University of Kentucky, College of Medicine in the Medical Behavioral Sciences. Within the specialized field of substance dependence and addictions, Dr. Yates has experience working with both males and females in residential treatment, outpatient treatment, and in the Federal Prison System. Other relevant experience includes tenure as a research coordinator for the University of Kentucky, Center for Drug and Alcohol Research and over eight years as a college level instructor. Currently serving as the Director of Clinical Services at Chrysalis House, Inc. in Lexington, Dr. Yates manages a staff of approximately 40 therapists, case managers, support staff and other personnel for the delivery of substance abuse treatment services to women and their children.

Jennifer Stamper is a graduate of Eastern Kentucky University with a degree in Correctional Administration and Juvenile Justice. Ms. Stamper is a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor and an Honorable Kentucky Colonel. She has worked in women’s services for almost two decades with emphasis on substance abuse for the last fifteen years.  Jennifer has worked to promote women’s issues through many venues.  As a service provider, public speaker, trainer and program administrator she has demonstrated effective practices for women throughout the Bluegrass.   Jennifer is proud to represent Bluegrass People Advocating Recovery (PAR) as a committee member since 2005.  She has also been a member of the University of Kentucky’s Women’s Coalition Steering Committee for several years guiding women’s issues throughout Kentucky.  She annually presents at the Kentucky School for Drug and Alcohol Studies promoting best practices in service.  Jennifer has addressed the media on women’s substance issues promoting positive change throughout her career. As the Treatment Director for Chrysalis House, Inc. she continues daily to advocate for the women of the Bluegrass and provide client centered services.

Michelle Niehaus, LCSW, is the Statewide Coordinator for Deaf Services with the Division of Mental Health and Mental Retardation.  After serving six years at the coordinator of Seven Counties Services’ Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services program providing individual, family, and groupwork as well as education and outreach, she moved towards systems change and advocacy across Kentucky.  Michelle serves as a Commissioner for the KY Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and as chair of the Mental Health Special Interest Section of the national organization ADARA.  She is a graduate of Indiana University’s psychology department and holds her master’s from the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis.

 Karen Badger is an Assistant Professor and the Director of Undergraduate Studies in the College of Social Work at the University of Kentucky. She received a B.A. in Music Therapy from the University of Dayton, and a M.S.W. and Ph.D. from the College of Social Work at UK.  She has extensive experience as a social work practitioner or administrator in facilities such as community mental health centers, hospitals, and private practice. She has also been an adjunct faculty member of the College of Social Work since 1998. Dr. Badger has taught ethics in both the undergraduate and graduate UK social work programs, as well as facilitated numerous ethics continuing education inservices.

Dr. Sophia Dziegielewski has a gift for teaching that receives continuous praise from her students and associates. Her deep knowledge and broad experience in social work comes across beautifully in the concrete examples, songs and stories she uses to communicate in her teaching techniques. Dr. Dziegielewski has a real talent in her ability to make complicated topics easy to comprehend and enjoyable to learn. Her methods of instruction are enormously effective for retention and understanding. Dr. Dziegielewski is also an affluent and prolific writer with over 70 publications that include numerous articles, books and book chapters. Dr. Dziegielewski's book titled "The Changing Face of Health Care Social Work: Professional Practice in the Era of Managed Care", now in it's Second Edition (Springer Publishing, 2004) has been praised as a cutting edge source book and references to this book and her other numerous publications are widespread. Her other books address social work practice, human growth and development, and psychopharmacology in social work practice.