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Milly Arbaje, LCSW
M.S. in Social Work & B.S. in Psychology, Boston College
Milagros Arbaje has been in the social services field for over 10 years. Her primary area of expertise is working directly with teenagers, particularly teen moms, around mental health issues and parenting. In addition to leading programs for Families First, she is currently the Director of ABCD Parker Hill/Fenway Neighborhood Service where they provide social services and support to over 1500 low-income, minority clients yearly. She also teaches an innovative, year long curriculum called the Family Development Credential thru ABCD Head Start where she teaches case managers, social workers and direct service staff how to work with families using a strength based approach to help them achieve their goals. Milly is fluent in English and Spanish.
Pamelia Bailey
B.S. in Human Services specializing in Counseling, Lesley University; OCCS Certification in Early Childhood Education, Wheelock College; Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts, RI Junior College
Pam has a wide breadth of experience working with children and families. She is currently the Senior Family Liaison with FAMILY, Inc at the Lucy Stone Elementary School and has been leading programs for Families First for over ten years.
Lisa Bibuld
M.S. in Education, Bank Street College of Education, NYC
Lisa Bibuld is currently enrolled in a doctoral program at Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology, and has worked over 15 years with children and families. With 12 years as a teacher in private and public schools in New York City and Boston, Lisa Bibuld has worked with diverse student and family populations. In addition to her teaching experiences, Lisa Bibuld was a developmental specialist at a Boston area early intervention program. More recently, Lisa has worked with homeless families providing therapy to women and children.
Shawne K. Blake, LSW
B.A. Liberal Arts, Vassar College
Shawne has been a Families First Leader since 2001 and is currently the Family Resource Coordinator for Dare Family Services, where she works with adoptive and foster families.
Debra Broadley
M.A. in Counseling Psychology, Lesley University; B.S. in Education concentration in Special Education and Psychology, Baruch College, City University, NY Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) and Certification as Early Intervention Specialist (CEIS)
Debby has 30 years of experience working with children and families. She worked for many years as a mental health clinician for a large Early Intervention Program in the Boston area, and currently consults to a public school system. She leads a variety of parent groups and seminars. Debby has a private psychotherapy practice, specializing in but not limited to issues of parenting special needs children, grief and loss, infertility, depression, and relationship concerns.
Marilyn L. Buckler
M. Ed. in Counseling, Northeastern University; B.S., New York University
Marilyn has been working in the field of education for over 25 years and currently serves as a Parent Program Consultant at the Stone Center, at Wellesley College.
Carol R. Darcy
Ed.D., Boston University School of Education
Carol has been leading a variety of parenting and professional development workshops for Families First since 1997. She has taught courses in many colleges and universities throughout the United States. Carol currently balances the demands of her educational consulting practice with leading a variety of parenting and professional development workshops for Families First.
Nina Lynn Dickerman
M.S. in Human Development and Family Support, Wheelock College& B.S. in Business and Psychology, Ithaca College
Nina has been leading programs for parents and professionals for over 15 years. Prior to becoming a Families First Leader, Nina was the Senior Curricula Specialist at Families First, where she developed many of Families First's programs.
Briget Evans, LCSW
Masters in Social Work, Salem State College; B.S. in Human Services, University of Massachusetts; Associate in Liberal Arts, Roxbury Community College
Briget currently works within the Cambridge Public Schools as a School Clinician/Student Support Coordinator, where she counsels students, and works with families and faculty.
Marionette Fennell-Patterson
Beth Fredericks
M.Ed in Early Childhood Development, Eliot Pearson School at Tufts University; B.A. in Education, Eastern Michigan University
Beth has been a part of the evolving work-life field for 25 years, providing advice and guidance to families, professionals and companies dealing with employees' off-the-job pressures and on-the-job productivity. In addition to leading parenting programs for Families First, Beth is working independently on various consulting, writing, and training projects with a focus on work-life initiatives and human resources.
Alina Gardner , LCSW
B.A. in Psychology with a specialty in organizational change
Alina started her career in human services working with homeless families on their self-sufficiency goals. She is currently a Program Coordinator for a Transitional Program at a one stop career center. The program is for men and women who are transitioning from welfare to work.
Alejandra Hernandez
B.A. in Educational Psychology and Masters in Communications
Alejandra has worked with parents and students in the Boston Public Schools as Lead Parent Coordinator, Student Coordinator, and most recently as the Family and Community Outreach Coordinator at the Warren Prescott School in Charlestown. Alejandra serves as a Latino Outreach Coordinator for Families First.
Charmain F. Jackman
Ph. D. & M.S. in Counseling Psychology, University of Southern Mississippi; B.A. in Psychology & Business Administration, University of Dubuque
Dr. Jackman is a Licensed Psychologist who has worked as a therapist with children, adolescents, and families for almost 10 years. She currently provides psychological evaluations in a juvenille court and is a Clinical Psychologist at a Boston Public School. Dr. Jackman also has a special interest in working with children of divorce, families involved with social services, and issues of cultural diversity. In addition to her work as a parent educator for Families First, she is actively involved in curriculum writing, serves as a Leader Representative on Families First's Diversity Committee, and is Leader Liaison to the Board of Directors.
Rosalyn Levy
B.S. in Elementary Education, Slippery Rock State College
Rosalyn has worked with families for over 30 years, primarily victims of domestic violence. She has facilitated trainings and discussion groups on a statewide basis.
Malvina Libsch
M.Ed., University of Massachusetts; B.A. in Psychology and Gerontology
Malvina was a social worker for many years and has developed and implemented elementary school curriculum. She has led workshops focusing on many aspects of parenting including communication, self-esteem, discipline and risky behaviors.
Milagros Lopez-Ramirez
Lilly Marcelin
Susan Marx
M.S. in Education, California State College at Long Beach
Susan has over 11 years of experience leading workshops for parents and professional on topics such as positive discipline, communication, self-esteem and quality parenting.
Adam Mintz
M.A. in Psychology, Seattle University; B.A., Connecticut College
Adam is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Trainer, and proud father of two young tykes. He has worked with children and families in a variety of environments for over 15 years. He brings with him a good sense of humor, humility and the belief that men can make a difference in the lives of children and those that care for them both personally and professionally.
Maribel Molina
Jo-Anne Luppino Ochalla, M.S.W., LICSW
M.S.S.W. in Social Work, Columbia University School of Social Work; B.A. in Social Work, The Catholic University of America
In addition to leading workshops at Families First, Jo-Anne is a facilitator and trainer for the Department of Social Services. She has been working with children and families for over 18 years.
Gail Parsons
M.S. in Infant and Toddler Development, Wheelock College; B.A. in Psychology, University of Rhode Island
Gail has provided counseling to families nationwide on a wide range of child development issues, such as child safety, sleep and bedtime routines, approaches to discipline, separation anxiety, and age appropriate activities. She is one of five experts featured in a nationally marketed and multi-media CD-ROM financial guide entitled Quicken's Parents' Guide to Money and has been interviewed and featured in the nationally syndicated column entitled Child Life. Currently, Gail delivers seminars and workshops on child development, parenting, working women's issues and stress management. She has extensive experience leading and facilitating support groups and focus groups. She resides in Boston with her husband and three children.
Marta Rivera
B.A. in Political Science, Northeastern University
n May 2005, Marta Rivera joined the Boston Centers for Youth & Families as the Director of Capacity Building & Community Partnerships. She is responsible for developing and managing new initiatives for broadening and deepening collaborative relationships with outside organizations. She is an active member of a number of civic organizations and serves on the board of Sociedad Latina, where she is the Chair. Marta's entire professional life is a reflection of her deep commitment to being an advocate for disenfranchised communities of Boston, particularly Mission Hill where she grew up. She is also passionate about issues involving youth and Latinos. Marta has a fifteen-year-old daughter, and is a single parent. Through her work and volunteer service to community-based organizations, Marta strives to make a significant difference and contribution to the future of Boston.
La Verne R. Saunders
M.S. in Rehabilitation Counseling, Northeastern University; B.S.N. & R.N., Howard University
After 25 years in direct service and management positions in human service organizations, La Verne now utilizes her educational, professional, spiritual, and life experiences as a training specialist and consultant.
Haji Shearer, LSW
B.A., Management of Human Services, University of Massachusetts
Haji has been working in the field of family support since 1993 and is an experienced group facilitator. He currently directs a statewide fatherhood initiative and is a sought after trainer on issues relating to fatherhood and co-parenting.
Candelaria Silva-Collins
Candelaria Silva is a writer, trainer/facilitator, and cultural economic development activist. She is founding director of ACT (Arts, Culture & Trade) Roxbury Consortium (www.actroxbury.org), the cultural economic development program of Madison Park Development Corporation. ACT Roxbury uses arts and culture as vehicles for economic development by sponsoring the Roxbury Arts Series. A skilled speaker and facilitator, Candelaria has 20+ years of experience designing and presenting parenting education and professional development programs to parents, educators, and other staff from a wide range of cultural, educational and economic backgrounds. She has facilitated staff retreats, train-the-trainer seminars, and given diversity training and presentations to dozens of groups at numerous conferences.
Pat Stabler
M.A. in Child and Family Studies (candidate), Wheelock College; B.A., Guilford College
Pat has led training workshops in her work in the corporate world, while raising 1 child, 2 stepchildren and a foster child. She is completing a Masters at Wheelock College in Child and Family Studies.
Marcia Strauss
Nicole St.Victor
M.A. in Leadership, Policy and Administration, Wheelock College; B.A. in Law, Paris II University of Law and Social Sciences; B.A. in Early Childhood and Elementary Education, Elie Dubois School of Teaching, Haiti
Nicole is the Director of Early Childhood Services for the Catholic Charities/Haitian Multi Service Center in Dorchester. She has been developing and teaching parenting workshops for over 15 years.
Marcy Tannenbaum-Fox, LCSW
M.Ed. in Counseling Psychology,Boston University
Marcy has been working with single parents, two-parent families, couples and groups focusing on a variety of parenting issues, including balancing work and family, stress management, career management and assertiveness training. She is the parent of a nine year-old son.
Yvette Thomas
B.A. in Family and Community Services, University of Massachusetts
Yvette has been working in the field of human services for over 20 years with a strong emphasis on work to build and strengthen family bonds. She currently conducts workshops for Families First on Positive Parenting, Love and Limits, Pre-Teens and Teens, and Toddlers. Yvette is also a trained mediator and conducts mediations in Family and Probate Court. During the school year, Yvette works as a mediation coordinator in a high school. As a trainer and mediator, Yvette has worked with teenagers, teen parents, homeless parents, parents raising children in urban areas as well as with prisoners, non profit and corporate employees. Her experience is quite eclectic and she comes to Families First with a lot of knowledge, experience and a love for the work she is doing.
Doug Weinstock
M. ED, Harvard Graduate School of Education; B.A., Harvard University
Doug Weinstock has worked with Families First since 2001 as a leader/trainer of parenting and professional workshops (and former member of the Diversity Committee). Additionally, he is a mulitucultural consultant with VISIONS, Inc., providing training and consultation to individuals and organizations addressing issues of multiculturalism; and he works both as part-time coordinator and course/workshop instructor with Empowering Multicultural Initiatives, a collaborative of suburban Boston school systems. Prior to 2001, Doug spent 30 years as a public school educator (teacher, staff developer, principal) in several Boston-area school districts. Doug is a father of four and grandfather of two.
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