Jennifer Hossler, MSW, is the Project Director for Project Intersect at the Georgia Center for Child Advocacy in Atlanta, GA. Jennifer has over 25 years of social work experience, with extensive knowledge of child advocacy centers, child welfare practice, trauma-informed care, and systems change. In her role with Project Intersect, Jennifer has developed partnerships with multiple statewide agencies serving youth and families who have experienced trauma and exploitation. She has been involved in the development and implementation of trauma-informed and evidence-based training for caregivers, mental health providers, juvenile justice, homeless and runaway youth organizations, and the community. Jennifer has been an active member of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network since 2013 and has assisted in the development, revision, and publication of multiple NCTSN products on topics including child sexual abuse, human trafficking, trauma, trauma-informed care, and sexual health. Jennifer received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Social Work from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, and her master’s degree in Social Work from San Diego State University

Dr. Shannon Self-Brown is a child clinical psychologist and a Professor in the School of Public Health at Georgia State University (GSU). Dr. Self-Brown co-directs the GSU National SafeCare Training and Research Center, which disseminates an evidence-based parenting program for preventing child physical abuse and neglect. She is Co-Principal Investigator of the GSU National Center on Child Trafficking. Dr. Self-Brown has published more than 100 peer-reviewed papers examining the impact of violence, trauma, and disaster exposure on youth mental health, the prevention of family violence, and implementation science. Her current research is being funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, National Child Traumatic Stress Network, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Elizabeth (Liz) Perry is a Second Century Initiative Doctoral Fellow and third year doctoral student in the School of Public Health at Georgia State University. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Kennesaw State University (KSU) and a Master in Public Health from Georgia State University. After graduating from KSU and while completing her MPH, Liz worked as a Sexual Assault Victim Advocate for the Dekalb Rape Crisis Center’s Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner program. Liz has been a Graduate Research Assistant and has worked on the program evaluation team for Project Intersect with Dr. Self-Brown since 2018. Liz research interests center around strengthening families to prevent violence, improve child and youth mental health, and bolster resilience through the implementation and dissemination of evidence-based parenting programs in low-resourced areas in low- and middle-income countries.

Manderley Recinos is a second-year PhD student in the School of Public Health at Georgia State University. She earned her Master of Science in Psychology from Augusta University, where she was a graduate research assistant for the B-STRONG lab whose goal is to improve the health and resilience of children and families affected by family violence. Manderley is currently a graduate research assistant for Dr. Self-Brown through which she assists with program evaluation for Project Intersect. Manderley’s research interests include prevention programs for child maltreatment, physiological effects of trauma, risk and protective factors for the commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC), and treatments for child maltreatment such as TF-CBT.

Matt Kliethermes, PhD is the Training Director at Children’s Advocacy Services of Greater St. Louis (CASGSL) and a Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences at the University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL).  Dr. Kliethermes has over 20 years of experience and extensive training in the field of child trauma.  He provides direct clinical services to youth exposed to trauma, supervises mental health trainees, teaches at the undergraduate level, and provides frequent training and consultation at local, state, and national levels.  Dr. Kliethermes is a nationally certified Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) trainer and the author of multiple book chapters and articles pertaining to TF-CBT and childhood trauma.

Kelly Kinnish, PhD is the Director of of the National Center on Child Trafficking in the School of Public Health at Georgia State University. Previously she was with the Georgia Center for Child Advocacy for 14 years. As Director of Clinical Services at GCCA, she oversaw the Center’s clinical service programs to sexually abused and traumatized children. She was also the Director of Project Intersect, a SAMHSA-funded program of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network focused on improving the well-being of Commercially Sexually Exploited Children (CSEC). She is active in both state and national task forces and working groups addressing this complex public health concern with particular focus on effective mental health interventions and collaborative systems response. She is an approved national trainer and consultant for Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) with over 25 years’ experience working with maltreated and at-risk children and families in clinical, research, and administrative capacities.