LORRAINE FOX, PhD, CCCW, holds a doctorate in clinical psychology, a doctoral certificate in organizational development, and is a Certified Child Care Worker. In her forty years working in child and youth care, she has been a direct service worker, a supervisor, a clinical director, an executive director, and an Assistant Professor. She has presented at conferences and provided services in the United States, Australia, Canada, Guam, England, Scotland, and Czechoslovakia; she has appeared on radio and television in the U.S., Canada, and Australia. She was awarded the Outstanding Service Award for Excellence in Teaching by UC-Davis. Lorraine has published articles and co-authored an internationally recognized training curriculum. She is a consulting editor for Journal of Child and Youth Care.

Instructor Alfred Gales has worked with youth and families for 23 years. In 1987 he joined the team at Seneca Center to work with youth in out-of-home care. He began as a direct care counselor, then became a house manager, and later a program director. He has overseen several Seneca Center programs, including latency-aged residential, adolescent-residential, and a public school-based day treatment program. Alfred is currently a full-time trainer and trains and consults with Group Home Providers and foster parents throughout the Bay Area.

HEATHER LEU, MSW, received her Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Michigan. She has been integrating Adventure Therapy into her work since 2000 and has provided Adventure Therapy trainings to mental health professionals since 2002. Heather has direct experience working in Foster Care and Residential Treatment settings and has worked as a child and adolescent therapist.  She brings her expertise and enthusiasm for this work to the Bay Area! 

BERNADINE LUCKEY, MSW, LCSW, is the Director of the Foster & Kinship Care Education Program for the CCSF Child Development Department. She holds accredited certificates as an Integrated Studies Specialist and Alcohol & Other Drugs Counseling. She has provided education, training, consultation, and counseling to individuals, agencies, schools, and communities throughout the San Francisco Bay Area for over 15 years. She has developed a complete set of well-balanced programs and workshops that provide valuable information essential for today’s complicated world. She has coordinated and implemented programs for the San Francisco Superior Court, SF Police Department, SF Unified School District, SF Public Heath Department, Oakland Public Schools, Community Substance Abuse Services, The National Council on Alcoholism, Youth Guidance Center, Family Service Agency, Department of Human Services, San Francisco Child Abuse Agency, California Childcare Resource and Referral Network, Children’s Council of San Francisco, Low Income Housing Fund, Professional Development Initiative, San Francisco City College, Contra Costa College, Merritt/Peralta College, local hospitals, and the faith community. Her teaching style is inclusive, nonjudgmental, and pragmatic.

ROBERT MAESTRI, a CCSF Physical Education faculty member, has taught lifeguard training for 15 years and has been involved in aquatics for over 30 years as a lifeguard and swim instructor

YAEL SCHY is a dynamic speaker, trainer and facilitator known for her creative approach to learning.  Ms. Schy has a Master’s Degree in Social Work with an emphasis in Community Organization, graduate certifications in Organizational Psychology and Training/Human Resource Development, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Theater Arts.  She is principal of Dramatic Strides Consulting, specializing in communication skills, team building and creative decision-making techniques that help people and organizations to move forward by leaps and bounds.

Yael has over 20 years of experience as a manager, and has spent more than 30 years as a performer and teacher in theater and dance.  She brings a unique perspective by incorporating her theater and dance experience into active communication skills training and team building in the workplace. She has a demonstrated track record in assessing communication needs of both individuals and organizations and in developing innovative strategies that meet personal and business goals

JOEL ST. JULIEN has worked with both children and mentally ill adults in the Bay Area and the Philadelphia Area for over five years. Currently, Mr. St. Julien works at Edgewood Center for Children and Families as an Arts Specialist. There, he facilitates arts groups with both residential and day treatment clients. His areas of interest lie in how the media effects the development of a health ego, arts-based education, development of racial identity, and music.

NATALIE J. THORESON, Masters of Education, has 7 years of experience in the fields of social justice education and cultural competency and 10 years of experience training a variety of topics, including youth emancipation, social justice, behavior modification, staff development, and leadership.

Natalie J. Thoreson’s background in psychology, work as a behavior specialist and M.Ed. in Social Justice Education has informed her 10 years of training experience in social justice education, youth empowerment, working with LGBTQ identified youth, behavior modification, communication skills, staff development, and effective leadership.

Natalie has designed and facilitated workshops on cultural competency, diversity and discrimination for numerous audiences. Youth care providers and group home staff, city police, graduate schools of social work, community centers, religious organizations and youth from a variety of backgrounds have benefited from her passion and talent for social justice education. In 2007 Natalie was a featured presenter at the California Social Work Education Center (CalSWEC) Title IV-E Student Conference in San Diego.

Natalie possesses an exceptional ability to convey an understanding of complex theories through the use of metaphor, concrete examples, and interactive group process. It is important for her to present workshops in an interactive accessible fashion with the goal of empowering participants as leaders, mentors, role models, and community builders in an increasingly pluralistic society.

TODD WRIGHT, Ombudsman for SF HSA, FCS, has a Master's Degree in Communications. He has participated in dispute resolution as a professional mediator and ombudsman for 15 years. He has worked in juvenile diversion programs, victim assistance, custody and visitation, and child welfare. Todd has taught college-level courses in public speaking and in interpersonal, small group, and organizational communication.