Our Team
Expertise in complex trauma in children
Meet Our Team
The Center for Child Trauma Assessment, Services and Interventions (CCTASI) is based out of the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. We are housed within the Mental Health Services and Policy Program on the 12th floor of Abbott Hall (710 N. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60611). Our Center is made up of a team of talented and passionate faculty and staff with experience and training in a variety of fields including trauma-informed interventions, trauma informed systems including child welfare, mental health and juvenile justice, and policy related initiatives. Our staff includes the following leadership, staff, and volunteers:
Cassandra Kisiel, Ph.D. (She/Her)
Principal Investigator & Director
Dr. Cassandra Kisiel is a Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, a clinical psychologist, and Associate Director within the Mental Health Services and Policy Program at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Dr. Kisiel is Principal Investigator and Co-Director of the Center for Child Trauma Assessment, Services and Systems Integration along with Dr. Fehrenbach. She has over 25 years of experience specializing in complex, developmental trauma, with an emphasis on dissociation, resilience, strengths, and protective factors; trauma-informed assessment and evaluation; and trauma-informed systems, with a particular focus on addressing the needs of transition age youth. She has published, lectured, and trained extensively in these areas. Dr. Kisiel is the primary developer of Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS)-Trauma Comprehensive, which has applications in numerous child welfare and other child-serving settings across the country.
Tracy Fehrenbach, Ph.D. (She/Her)
Co-Director
Dr. Tracy Fehrenbach is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and an Assistant Professor at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine where she co-directs the Center for Child Trauma Assessment, Services and Systems Integration. Tracy has dedicated her career to the study of interpersonal trauma. Tracy enjoys doing research, teaching, and collaborating with partners to develop trauma-informed and equitable organizations. She is grateful for, and most inspired by, opportunities to work directly with individuals doing the hard work of recovering from trauma.
Nicole St. Jean, Psy.D. (She/Her)
Associate Director
Nicole St. Jean, Psy.D. is an Assistant Professor at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine and the Associate Director of the Center for Child Trauma Assessment, Services, and System Interventions, and she has a private practice. Dr. St. Jean has been part of the CCTASSI team since 2011 and has extensive experience in delivering trauma informed therapy, training, and developing resources for minoritized youth and families who have experienced complex trauma. She has also specialized in immigration trauma and forced migration, which included founding and directing an immigrant youth trauma center, and she is the Co-Lead for Music for Child Wellbeing Initiative, which centers around bringing group singing to as form of support and healing from managing trauma and mental health distress.
Erika Millsaps, Psy.D. (She/Her)
Research Associate
Dr. Erika Millsaps is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and Research Associate at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. She has over 25 years of experience providing trauma-informed training and support, therapeutic services, consultation, and teaching. At Northwestern University, Dr. Millsaps serves as the Training and Curriculum Specialist for the Center for Child Trauma Assessment, Services, and Interventions providing assistance in designing and implementing a range of CCTASSI training activities related to the support of frontline providers who work with children and families impacted by complex trauma. A major passion for Dr. Millsaps is increasing awareness regarding the impact of trauma- with a particular focus on racial and historical trauma.
Jordan Herron, M.A. (He/Him)
Project Coordinator
Jordan (he/him) earned his B.A. from Albion College (Albion, MI) and double majored in Psychology and History. Jordan holds an M.A. from American International College in Clinical Psychology with a concentration in Forensic Psychology. Jordan has diverse experience working and managing teams within clinical, legal, and child serving environments. Prior to Northwestern, Jordan served as an In-Home Therapy clinician and DCF Social Worker with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Additionally, Jordan served as the Regional DUI Docket Program Manager under the Vermont Supreme Court. As a dedicated mental health professional, Jordan is committed to anti-racist and equitable justice practices which is reflected in his work
Caleen McGrath, LCSW (She/Her)
Training Manager
Caleen is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who received her Master of Social Work from Loyola University Chicago. She has extensive clinical experience in trauma-informed practices, especially with children and young adults. Caleen created, implemented, and directed a Trauma-Informed Education program in schools, where she provided direct clinical services to students, alumni, and families as well. Caleen has also worked as a consultant on trauma-informed practices with various non-profit organizations. She has a strong background in creating and implementing training that focuses on trauma-informed care and the impact of secondary trauma.
Patricia Garibaldi, M.S. (She/Her)
Doctoral Candidate/Research Assistant
Patricia is a clinical psychology doctoral candidate in the Mental Health Services and Policy Program at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. Patricia has a background as a frontline mental health worker and is interested in how to implement and evaluate trauma-informed care models in youth-serving settings. She has a particular interest in program development and clinical practice in acute, intensive, and residential mental health treatment facilities.
Jee Ern (Grace) Nga, B.A. (She/Her)
Graduate Research Assistant
Grace is currently pursuing a Master’s in Clinical Psychology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. Her research interests broadly center around exploring sociocultural factors affecting resilience and risk after trauma exposure, with an emphasis on supporting the development of culturally responsive trauma interventions. Recognizing the important need for equitable mental health care in marginalized communities during her undergraduate years, Grace is dedicated to using her research skills to address disparities and bring about positive change in people’s lives. Her passion involves collaborating with children, youth, and their support systems to foster resilience. Looking ahead, Grace aspires to pursue a doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology.
Sophia Shieh, M.S. (She/Her)
Graduate Research Assistant
Sophia earned her B.A. in Applied Psychology and Human Development, with minors in Medical Humanities, Health, and Culture; and Philosophy from Boston College. She also holds an MSc in Child Development and Education from Oxford University. As a graduate research assistant at CCTASSI, her focus is on trauma-informed care and cultural humility in settings such as child welfare, juvenile justice, and healthcare. Sophia is particularly interested in transition-age youth involved in multiple systems and is dedicated to improving accessible and equitable services for marginalized groups. She is grateful for, and inspired by, the resilient children and families whom she has the privilege of serving, ranging from adoption and foster care to community clinics and psychiatric hospital settings. Committed to witnessing and accompanying their healing journeys, she is passionate about community-based participatory research and lived-experience research and believes in the pluralization of research methods and therapeutic approaches.
Emeritus
Rachel Sax, M.A. worked as a part-time project coordinator for CCTASI wrapping up our second cycle of funding. Rachel oversaw resource dissemination and finalizing Center products including the CANS-Application videos, C.A.R.E. Calendar, and Remembering Trauma public awareness campaign. Rachel has an interest in social emotional learning in schools and trauma-informed juvenile justice settings.
Lindsey Weil, M.A. worked as a graduate research assistant with our Center. As part of the team, Lindsey supported the early education initiative, as well as projects related to dissociation education and research. Lindsey’s research interests include: childhood trauma and chronic illness, placement stability and permanency, and protective factors among youth in the child welfare system.
Faith Summersett Ringgold, M.S., worked as a graduate research assistant on the CCTASI team. She is currently a clinical psychology doctoral student in the Mental Health Services and Policy Program at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. Her research interests include placement outcomes, complex traumatic experiences and symptoms, and protective factors among racial minority youth in the Illinois child welfare and juvenile justice systems.
Domenico Carli, LCPC is a Behavioral Health & CANS Quality Manager and a Certified TARGET Trainer, Fidelity Monitor and Coach. His responsibilities include curriculum development, training, consultation, credentialing, remediation and coaching of child welfare professionals regarding clinical assessment (CANS) and treatment best practices. In addition to TARGET (Trauma Affect Regulation Guide for Education and Therapy), Domenico has been trained in several trauma focused evidence based clinical treatments: ARC, TF-CBT, SPARCS, and EMDR. He received his Masters Degree of Counseling in 1999 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Gary McClelland, Ph.D., Project Analyst. Dr. Gary McClelland was a faculty member in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Northwestern University Medical School where he worked as a methodologist, epidemiologist and policy analyst. He served as the Director of Data Operations at the Mental Health Services and Policy Program and his work focused on child trauma in the Illinois child welfare system. As part of the CCTASI, he was responsible for oversight of all data analytic activities with an expertise in working with large scale systems data. He contributed to the development and implementation of data-driven of trauma informed practice in conjunction with this project and throughout the Illinois State child welfare system.
Nicole Maj, M.S., Project Coordinator. Nicole was responsible for overseeing, organizing, and implementing the evaluation, clinical research and training activities for the Center. Nicole assisted the team in planning and coordinating activities related to the project including communication with partnering organizations and coordinating day-to-day project activities. She is currently a doctoral student in clinical psychology at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology.
Liz Torgersen, M.S., Graduate Research Assistant. Liz was a doctoral candidate in the Mental Health Services and Policy Program at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. Liz supported the national Breakthrough Series Collaborative regarding the meaningful use of the CANS-Trauma/FANS-trauma assessments; worked at the interface of the CANS-Trauma and evidence-based trauma-informed practices; and supported data analysis and clinical report design efforts. Clinically, Liz has worked in settings including community mental health, university counseling center, academic medical center, and VA medical center settings.
Andrea Ocampo, B.S., Volunteer. Andrea is a volunteer research assistant who helps to coordinate and implement a range of CCTASI project activities. She has experience in direct clinical service, program design, intervention and treatment. As a director of psychology services for a Clinic of the government of Costa Rica in a marginal, urban community, she developed the psychology program while treating child and adolescents under stressful situations.
Christopher Villa, M.A., helped to collect, manage, and analyze project data, manages website development activities, participates in a variety of other coordination capacities. His interests are health care research, policy and management.
Jennifer Marett, LCSW, provided training and consultation to child welfare agencies in Illinois to support the local application of trauma-informed practice for both caseworkers and therapists. She has extensive experience in the areas of quality improvement and has clinical experience with individuals experiencing substance abuse, trauma, mental illness, domestic violence in numerous settings.
Gene Griffin, J.D., Ph.D., Project Co-Director, is a clinical psychologist and attorney who worked in the fields of child trauma, child welfare, children’s mental health, and juvenile justice. He served as an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School and Co-director of CCTASP. He was a Fellow of the Child Trauma Academy in Houston, Texas and a lead trainer and developer of the MacArthur Foundation Models for Change Action Network on Mental Health and Juvenile Justice’s curriculum on juvenile justice, mental health and child trauma.
