Trainers – Professional Development Facilitators (no particular order)

Onna is an experienced MI Trainer/Facilitator that is a MINT member with experience training School personnel in Illinois and Florida.

Suzanne is a licensed therapist in California, a member of MINT and an MI Trainer for the University of California Davis Extension. She trains MI for staff in elementary schools through universities, mental health practitioners (peer providers, coaches, interns, social workers, therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, supervisors), nurses, doctors, teachers, and administrative staff, in behavioral health agencies, other organizations, county agencies, and anywhere there are opportunities for the community to benefit from Motivational Interviewing skills. Suzanne is also a Certified Expert EFT/Tapping Trainer and Practitioner, and is a contributing author to the, Clinical EFT Handbook: A Definitive Resource for Practitioners, Scholars, Clinicians, and Researchers, Vol. 1.

Danny is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a Masters of Social Work from Governors State University. For over 20 years, he has been providing academic support and career counseling to adolescents, young adults, and their family members, as well as directing teams of service-providers in assisting students and high school dropouts of Chicago Public Schools.

Specialty is utilizing MI with individuals with different abilities. I have been working with Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors and school-based staff utilizing MI with youth with different abilities for about 7 years. Coordinating and training the innovative and evidence-based practice MEGI (Motivational Enhancement Group Intervention) within the Oregon schools for the past 2 years. Manage MI resources for www.ytporegon.org site. Provided MI training to ASPIRE project consortium.

A Licensed therapist who has provided behavioral health support and training to schools, community agencies, clinics, addiction programs, and universities throughout the San Francisco Bay Area for 20 years. She is currently training educators, along with their community youth services providers, in Motivational Interviewing. This collaborative effort is designed to increase continuity in service for youth and their families. Debra is a member of Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers.

Dr.Lucia Galleno is Associate Professor at Queens University of Charlotte, a Mental Health Counselor with a specialization in addiction and trauma. I became a MINT member in 2011 and have used Motivational Interviewing in my classes to create meaningful dialogues with my students, to encourage their autonomy, collaborative spirit, and pro-social behaviors. In addition, I’ve trained in mindfulness, yoga, and meditation. Currently I’m attending the Living School where I’m studying various spiritual traditions. My life purpose is to potentiate our humanity – education is a superb environment to explore it. MINT member.

A psychologist and psychotherapist who uses mindfulness and Acceptance and Commitment therapy, along with Motivational Interviewing in her practice. She is also a Motivational Interviewing workshop facilitator, as well as the founder of dancing gecko training. Is an active member of Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT). Experience training school, college and university counselors and educators.

Ali Hall (JD) is a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT) and an independent consultant and trainer. Ali has designed and facilitated more than one thousand Motivational Interviewing workshops in school- and college-settings, and for behavioral health and health care practitioners, social workers, and criminal/juvenile justice professionals, and provides training for trainers in evidence-based practices. Ali provides MI coding and skill development coaching, and provides consultation to systems for effective MI implementation. Ali spent her undergraduate years at Occidental College in Los Angeles, and completed her graduate studies in organizational behavior at the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University as well as her J.D. at the Cornell University School of Law.

Carol Johnstone is a member of the MINT and holds a Master of Arts in Interpersonal and Public Communication and has been a professional trainer for 20 years. She has taught as an adjunct faculty member, integrating MI into her teaching style at Lewis University, Elmhurst College, Harold Washington College and Morton College in the greater Chicago area. Ms. Johnstone led a two year MI training program to enhance coaching for teachers in infant, toddler and pre-k classrooms through the Ounce of Prevention Fund. As part of a University of Louisville research project, she provided written feedback on MI proficiency for elementary school social workers. She was a conference presenter on Motivational Interviewing.

Tõnu Jürjen is a school psychologist since 2007 and have used MI almost every day in that profession. I am a MI trainer since 2010 and a member of MINT since 2011. Most of my trainings are for people working in education, youth work or social work. In other areas (medicine or correction) I try to be of use mostly as a coder and coach.

Lecturer and psychological counsellor in Tallinn University of Applied Sciences.

With over 30 years of work in education, Jon Lee PhD., has a significant amount of experience and expertise in the use of motivational interviewing in school-based applications. As an educator, researchers and member of MINT, Dr. Lee is fortunate to work with a highly productive educational research team who continue to focus on the development, contextualization, and adaptation of effective MI training and assessment systems for applications in educational settings.

A Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a social work/mental health consultant in Wisconsin. Melinda has dedicated more than 20 years to her passion in helping others. She specializes in training, supervision/coaching and enhancement of programs for educators, therapists, case managers and other direct care workers. Her expertise includes helping education professionals engage students and families/caregivers in support of education and behavioral/mental health initiatives. Melinda is a member of the international Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT) and has completed a Traumatic Stress Studies course in Trauma Informed Care. She has supported numerous professionals in several fields across the U.S. on Motivational Interviewing and Trauma Informed Care, as well as on self-care, mental health issues, and more.

Cheryl Martin has a BSN in Nursing, MA in Psychology and 46 years of experience as an RN. She is a Certified Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor, a NYS OASAS Certified SBIRT trainer and has a Trauma Certificate from the University of Buffalo. Cheryl is a member of Motivational Interviewing Network Trainers since 2004 and a Motivational Interviewing Assessment Supervisory Tools for Enhancing Proficiency trainer for the NIDA Blending Initiative. Cheryl has developed curriculum and delivered training and coaching to schools and health care providers on a variety of topics including: motivational interviewing (MI), person-centered planning, trauma and trauma responsive services, co-occurring disorders and the heroin epidemic.

Christine has a B.Ed. in Special Education, M.A. in Counseling Psychology, and is completing a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision. She is certified to teach special education, secondary English, and elementary education. Ms. Park is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, National Certified Counselor, and a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers. Ms. Park has conducted training in Motivational Interviewing for the Hawaii Department of Education, Family Court, and other agencies.

Richard has been a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers since 2007. He has taught H.S. through graduate school, has been a high school principal, executive director of a CBO and director of university-led school improvement programs for 25+ years at Northeastern Illinois University’s Center for College Access & Success (previously Chicago Teachers’ Center) where he ran programs and led/facilitated PD workshops on motivational interviewing, teaching informed by neuroscience, leadership development, and experiential learning in both English and Spanish.

Roxanne has been providing MI training to educators and school counsellors in Canada since 2010. Educators have shared how using Motivational Interviewing has decreased student drop-out rates, is a viable option to decrease bullying in schools and an excellent approach to enhance communication skills when working with “stuck” students.

Shawn is co-founder of the Alma Institute (almainstitute.org). He started training MI with his own team back in 2009 when he ran an alternative day treatment school for youth ages 12 – 19 all of whom were one step away from correctional institutional placement. Due to their embrace of the Spirit of MI, Shawn and his team were able to transform a struggling, underperforming school into one that was exceeding the goals of their funders.

Dr. Strait is an Assistant Professor at the University of Houston-Clear Lake. He earned his Ph.D. in School Psychology from the University of South Carolina. Dr. Strait is a Licensed Psychologist (MO #2012001860) and a Nationally Credentialed School Psychologist. He has published over 10 peer-review articles on School-Based Motivational Interviewing and he has conducted a number workshops, trainings, symposiums, mini-skills, and paper presentations on the topic.

Since 2010, Susan Cushman has provided MI training and coaching for graduate student interns (in fields of social work, counseling and clinical psychology, and higher education), student affairs professionals, and undergraduate student peer mentors to help them have more effective conversations with college students about change. Susan has been a practitioner of motivational interviewing for 10 years in her work with college students. She currently serves as the Campus Alcohol & Other Drug Coordinator at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee where she is responsible for the Brief Alcohol Screening & Intervention for College Students (BASICS) program and other evidence-based strategies to promote and support student health. A certified health education specialist, Susan has a bachelor’s degree in health promotion and wellness from the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point and a master’s degree in public health from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Active Deputy Probation Officer, 18-years with the Los Angeles County Probation Department, working in Juvenile Youth Educational Facilities and Day Reporting Centers. Master Trainer: Evidence-Based Practices, Risk & Needs Assessments, Motivational Interviewing, Real Colors, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapies. Has been an active member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers since 2008.