Milly Arbaje, LCSW
M.S. in Social Work & B.S. in Psychology, Boston College. LCSW
Milly has been leading Families First workshops since 2003 as a bi-lingual parent educator in both English and Spanish.  Milly has extensive experience facilitation professional trainings for various agencies throughout Greater Boston. She is currently the Director of the ABCD Parker Hill Neighborhood Service Center in Roxbury, MA.

Pam 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 Oliver W. Holmes Elementary School in Dorchester 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. In addition to her 12-year inner-city teaching experience, Lisa Bibuld has worked as a development specialist in early intervention and as a therapist for homeless women and children.

Shawne K. Blake, LSW
B.A. Liberal Arts, Vassar College
Shawne has been a Families First Leader since 2001. She has facilitated parent workshops in a variety of settings, including transitional environments and educational centers. Shawne is currently the Senior Mentor Supervisor for Dare Family Services, where she works with specialized foster parents and children.

Debra Broadley
M.A. in Counseling Psychology, Lesley University; B.S. in Education concentration in Special Education and Psychology, Baruch College, City University, NY, LMHC and CEIS
Deb 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. Deb has a private psychotherapy practice, specializing in 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 Buckler, M.Ed., is a licensed educational psychologist and parent educator with over 30 years of experience in the field of education and working with children and families in a variety of settings.  She currently serves as a Parent Program Consultant at the Stone Center. 

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 Dickerman
M.S. in Human Development and Family Support, Wheelock College; B.S. in Business and Psychology, Ithaca College
Nina has spent nearly 20 years educating parents and professionals working with families through workshops in the workplace, shelters, community organizations, national and local conferences, and schools.  Nina is currently adjunct faculty at Wheelock College in the graduate school.

Briget Evans, LICSW
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

M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education, Lesley University; B.A. in Adult Training and Development, UMass Boston

Marionette has taught in the Boston Public School System (BPS) for the past 17 years worked as Parent Coordinator/Trainer for BPS for 5 years.  She has served on the Board for the Children’s Museum, The Readiness Committee, The Transition to Kindergarten Committee, and the Kindergarten Curriculum Committee for BPS. Marionette’s additional experience includes 4 years working with families of abused and neglected children at The Department of Social Services (DSS) and 15 years as a Human Services Counselor and administrator providing drug addiction and rehabilitation services to families and individuals.

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.

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 served as a Latino Outreach Coordinator for Families First.

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

Lilly Marcelin has been involved in the areas of violence against women movement, family advocacy, immigrant rights , and human trafficking  for over two decades.  Born in Haiti,   she left her country at the age of 13 to attend Secondary school in Montreal in 1974.  She has been living in the US since 1978. Lilly has extensive experience in Violence Prevention and Safety Care, Immigrant Rights, Modern Day Slavery, Racism, anti-oppression and community organizing and empowerment.

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.

Maribel Molina

M. Ed. School Guidance Counselor, Boston University; B.A. in School Psychology, Universidad Nacional Pedro Henriquez Urena, D.R.
Maribel Molina worked for more than 10 years as a school psychologist in the Dominican Republic in addition to her private practice specializing in psychological testing and family therapy. She joined Families First a year ago and has conducted workshops on Positive Discipline, School Success, and Self-Image. Her areas of interest include supporting families and women facing transition and the role of faith in the well being of individuals and families.

Gail Parsons
M.S. in Infant and Toddler Development, Wheelock College; B.A. in Psychology, University of Rhode Island
Gail is the founder of LifeCycle Focus, a leading provider of customized work/life training, parent coaching, and wellness support services. LifeCycle Focus offers programs that empower individuals to tackle the full spectrum of life's challenges from work, health, personal finance, parenting, and family life responsibilities. Gail delivers seminars and workshops on a wide range of personal effectiveness topics, such as leadership skills, goal setting, innovation at work, communication, and conflict management. In addition, she offers training on child development, parenting, managing stress, balancing work and life, and helping older relatives. She has extensive experience leading and facilitating support groups and focus groups. These groups have been facilitated either in person, telephonically, or over the internet. She is one of five experts featured in a nationally marketed, multi-media CD-ROM financial guide entitled Quicken's Parents' Guide to Money. She has been interviewed and featured in the nationally syndicated column entitled Child Life. Her article entitled "Trust Funds Explained: How to Provide for Your Baby's Future" was published in the June, 2001 issue of Baby Years magazine. She resides in Boston with her husband and three children. 

Marta Rivera
B.A. in Political Science, Northeastern University
Marta 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. 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. 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, Wheelock College; B.A., Guilford College
Pat has led workshops in parenting topics, such as discipline, enhancing self-esteem, listening and parenting styles.  She has a passion for helping parents and professionals to address the full needs of children.  Having been a stepparent for 13 years, she has a particular interest in divorced parents and stepfamilies. 

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.

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. Yvette is also a trained mediator and conducts mediations in Family and Probate Court. 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.

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. Doug is a multi-cultural consultant with VISIONS, Inc., providing training and consultation to individuals and organizations addressing issues of multiculturalism. Prior to 2001, Doug spent 30 years as a public school educator (teacher, staff developer, principal) in several Boston-area school districts.