17TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE
SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES
Generous Support Provided By
Presenting Sponsor
Annual Conference is March 5, 2020
TaxSlayer Center Moline, Ill.
VICTOR VIETH, J.D., M.A.
Victor Vieth has trained thousands of child-protection professionals from all 50 states, two U.S. Territories, and 17 countries on numerous topics pertaining to child abuse investigations, prosecutions and prevention. Victor gained national recognition for his work in addressing child abuse in small communities as a prosecutor in rural Minnesota, and has been named to the President’s Honor Roll of the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children. In 2012, Victor was awarded the Pro Humanitate Award from the North American Resource Center for Child Welfare
Victor is the Director of Education and Research of the Zero Abuse Project, a 501©(3) public charity based in St Paul, MN, committed to education, training, and survivor support in order to eradicate child sex abuse and remedy its resulting harms. He is the 2018 President of the Academy on Violence & Abuse, and founder of the National Child Protection Training Center. With NCPTC and its partners, Victor has been instrumental in implementing 22 state and international forensic interview training programs and dozens of undergraduate and graduate programs on child maltreatment.
Mr. Vieth graduated magna cum laude from WSU and earned his Juris Doctor from Hamline University School of Law (HUSL). In 2017, Victor earned an MA in theology from Wartburg Seminary. Mr. Vieth has published countless articles related to the investigation, prosecution and prevention of child abuse and neglect. He is author of Unto the Third Generation, a bold initiative that outlines the necessary steps we must all take to eliminate child abuse in America in three generations, and On This Rock: A Call to Center the Christian Response to Child Abuse on the Life and Works of Jesus (Wiff & Stock 2018).
TINA FEIGAL, M.S., Ed.
Tina Feigal is the Director of Family Engagement at Anu Family Services/Center for the Challenging Child in St. Paul, MN. A former school psychologist, Tina’s passion is bringing peace to homes, helping adults heal challenging child behavior. Her book “Present Moment Parenting: The Guide to a Peaceful Life with Your Intense Child” serves to support Tina’s coach trainees and parents.
KRISTIN MEANY-WALEN, PH.D.
Kristin K. Meany-Walen, Ph.D., LMHC, RPT-S is the Mental Health Coordinator for Waterloo Community Schools, Iowa and adjunct faculty for University of Northern Iowa. Kristin has conducted a number of research studies that investigate Adlerian play therapy’s effectiveness at reducing externalizing behaviors. She regularly publishes and presents on topics of play therapy, supervision, and wellness and supervises mental health professionals practicing play therapy. She is co-author of Partners in Play: An Adlerian Approach to Play Therapy and Doing Play Therapy: From Building the Relationship to Facilitating Change with Terry Kottman.
SUSAN KLINGAMAN, LCSW, LISW
Susan Klingaman is the Associate Director of Caregiver Connections-Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation program for the State of Illinois. She and her team provide support to childcare systems to support the Social Emotional Development of young children. Ms. Klingaman received post graduate training in Parent Child Infant Mental Health and Attachment Focused Therapy. She also has extensive training in Bruce Perry's NMT (Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics).
Working with children and their families to support social-emotional development is Sue’s passion!
JULIAN VANDERVELDE
Julian Vandervelde is a Davenport, IA native. As a prep at Davenport Central High School he participated in forensics, choir, band, theater, baseball, wrestling, swimming, track & field, and football, earning state and national-level honors across multiple platforms. He earned a football scholarship to The University of Iowa where he graduated as a 3-time Academic All-American with degrees in English, Religious Studies, and Japanese. Julian was a Team Captain his senior year, earned the Forest Evashevski Scholastic Achievement Award, was a member of the Hawkeye Leadership Group, and a member of the Iowa Japanese Cultural Association.
Following his academic career Julian was drafted in the 5th round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. He played 5 years in Philadelphia during which time he participated in the Wharton School of Business Tech Startup and Small Business Program in Silicon Valley. He has since moved back to Davenport where he spent time as a Financial Consultant for Northwestern Mutual before being recruited to Iowa’s top solar company, Moxie Solar. He currently serves as Midwest Market President for Moxie and is working on his Professional MBA through the University of Iowa Tippie School of Business.
Julian has been heavily involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters and the HavLife Foundation, started the non-profit group Juice Box Charities, and coaches football at Davenport Central High School. He and his wife, Paula, and their 3 children live in Davenport.
Fun Facts:
Julian is a nationally recognized vocalist and has sung the national anthem for 2 presidents.
Julian enjoys anime, manga, video games, tabletop RPGs, and writing fiction in his free time.
Julian participates in the Scottish Highland Games and sings in local rock band Bigger on the Inside.
Julian holds an NFL record for the most transactions with a single team (21 – Philadelphia).
JENNIFER BEST, M.S. Ed., CFLE, CFCS-HDFS, BCC
Jennifer Best is a Certified Family Life Educator for Iowa State University Extension and Outreach in Scott County. For 20 years she has provided education to parents, teachers, early learning professionals, and human service staff on human development related issues. Jennifer also provides consultation and project development support to many local schools and organizations. She has degrees in psychology, family science and education, and is also certified in Human Development and Family Studies. She is a Board-Certified Life Coach, and is an adjunct faculty member in the St. Ambrose University department of psychology.
ANNE McNELIS, LCSW
Anne McNelis is an IL Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has specialized in the field of mental health, with adults, children and families for the past 25 years. Originally from Chicago, Anne graduated from Jane Addams College of Social Work at The University of Illinois at Chicago with her Master’s in Social Work in 1994. She is enjoying her 19th year as the Clinical Director at Transitions Mental Health Services. TMHS is a non-for-profit mental health organization located in the Quad Cities, serving the greater Rock Island County and Mercer Counties for over 35 years, and Scott County, Iowa for the past 2 years.
Anne’s clinical background includes providing diagnostic evaluations and psychotherapy in residential settings, foster care agencies, community mental health and private practice settings. She was originally trained in the theoretical models of Self-Psychology, a largely attachment-based psychodynamic theory, and Existential-Humanistic Theory. These frameworks continue to provide influential understanding and guidance in her clinical work with clients and families, as well as in her supervisory and training role with supervisees and graduate students.
Anne has taught part-time as an adjunct professor for St. Ambrose University’s MSW program since 2010. Anne is a certified Mediation Consultant and a Quad City Trauma-Informed Resiliency Consultant. As a TIC Consultant, Anne has trained over 2,000 area professionals on the ACE’s research and the principles of trauma-informed care. She has worked with local schools, school districts, social service and mental health organizations, as well as other professional disciplines to gain awareness of ACE’s impact, individually and collectively, and how to adopt a trauma-informed framework. Anne is happily married for 18 years to her husband, Keith, and they have a beautiful 9 yo. daughter, Isla.
For more information contact:
Brooke Hendrickx