Presenters 2026
Latoya Fernandez is a restorative justice practitioner, peace builder and educator with 15 years of experience advancing equity and community healing. She is a consultant for the Connecticut School-Based Diversion Initiative (SBDI) and founder of Beyond Circles, a restorative practices hub dedicated to training, dialogue, and healing-centered work. A national leader in restorative justice, and Presidential Lifetime Achievement award recipient, LaToya has facilitated dialogues, training and policy building with k-12 schools, higher education, and communities across the U.S. Her practice centers on decolonizing restorative approaches by integrating African ancestral traditions, somatic healing, and community accountability. Through initiatives like the Sankofa Circle model, LaToya works to create psychologically safe spaces rooted in empathy, accountability, and belonging. She is committed to building bridges between systems and communities and to advancing restorative justice as a pathway to liberation.
Dr. Miriam Miller (she/her) is a learner, teacher-educator, researcher, and storyteller, committed to working alongside educators to embed social and emotional learning (SEL), well-being, and racial justice into their practice. Miriam brings her passion for teaching and learning and her experience as a classroom educator, administrator, researcher, and teacher-educator to her role as the Director of Educator Content and Programming at LiberatED. She is also an Adjunct Professor in Educational Counseling, Psychology, and Special Education at the University of British Columbia.
Dr. Shauna Tominey (she/her) is an Associate Professor in Human Development and Family Sciences at Oregon State University and the state coordinator for the Oregon Parenting Education Collaborative. As a former early childhood teacher and parenting educator, Shauna blends practical experience with research to develop programs that promote social and emotional skills for children, youth, and adults. She is the author of “Creating Compassionate Kids: Essential Conversations to Have With Young Children,” a contributor for PBS Kids for Parents, and a founding member of LiberatED. Her favorite moments come from spending time with her family, learning something new from the community, and shared moments that help us see humanity in one another.
Shawna Viola Washington, CT Network for Children and Youth – Shawna has been with the Network since 2018, beginning her work as a Research Intern and now working as the Quality and Engagement Coordinator. She is interested in addressing issues of social inequity in the community and has recently developed an interest in addressing disparities in the after-school field and workforce. The thing she loves most about her work is engaging with afterschool staff, helping to provide tools and empowering resources that make their lives and jobs more manageable. She’s currently pursuing her master’s in Community Psychology at Central Connecticut State University, hoping to enhance her skill set to better serve the afterschool community.
Malik Champlain – Malik Champlain is an author, educator, and proud dad who believes in the power of stories to build confidence and connection. He is the co-author of Mason’s Big Hair Adventure, a children’s book inspired by real family moments that celebrates self-love, identity, and emotional growth. Through his work with families, schools, and communities, Malik helps children feel seen, supported, and proud of who they are one story at a time.
Jennifer Vendetti, LMSW, CEIM, PMH-C, UCONN Health – Jennifer is social worker and parent educator at UConn Health Parenting and the Mind over Mood Initiative specializing in the transition to parenthood, perinatal and infant and early childhood mental health and early childhood parenting. A passionate group facilitator, Jennifer teaches Circle of Security Parenting and Learn Infant Massage curricula. Jennifer is co-founder of the Connecticut Chapter of Postpartum Support International (PSI CT). She is a member of the Connecticut Association for Infant Mental Health’s Promotion & Education Advisory Committee.
Jennifer is a co-author of Caring for Connecticut’s Children: Handbooks for Parents and Caregivers available through the Child Health and Development Institute. Jennifer has coordinated the two signature PSI Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorder trainings in Connecticut in 2015 and 2018 and has been involved in numerous community organizing, coalition building and professional developmental activities related to the development of a perinatal mental health infrastructure in our state. She co-authored a Child Health and Development IMPACT brief on addressing perinatal mental health in the pediatric setting. Jennifer is passionate about promoting secure attachment and well-being among CT families.
Elisa Laudati, SERC – Elisa’s work as an educator on creating inclusive, equitable school communities that nurture wellbeing and meaningful participation for all learners. With a background in psychology and advanced degrees in school psychology, she began her career as a K–12 school psychologist before moving into higher education, where she coached teachers and families in implementing social-emotional learning approaches. She later directed an academic support program, developing a coaching model that strengthened executive functioning and learning strategies for neurodiverse students.
At SERC, Elisa partners with educators, families, and communities to advance practices that support diverse learners across social, emotional, behavioral, and academic domains. Her work includes training in IEP quality, PPT leadership, and addressing disproportionality for students with disabilities. She also co-facilitates statewide initiatives integrating PBIS, SEL, trauma-informed care, and UDL within MTSS frameworks. Across roles within SERC, Elisa strives to center, identity and equity for exceptional learners, racially, culturally and linguistically diverse students, and the LGBTQIA+ community.
Eben McKnight, SERC – Since 2012, Eben has served as a consultant at the State Education Resource Center (SERC), whose mission is to promote “Equity and Excellence in Education.” In this role, Eben supports the implementation of multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS), providing training and technical assistance to schools across Connecticut, and facilitating conversations on the intersection of behavior and racial equity. Prior to joining SERC, Eben worked as a school-based coach and later as a district coordinator for Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS). His extensive experience in promoting positive behavior and creating supportive learning environments informs his current work as an educational consultant and co-coordinator of Connecticut PBIS, where he continues to influence and enhance educational practices statewide. Eben holds a master’s degree in special education from the University of Connecticut and a B.A. in communications from Western Connecticut State University.
Elaine Gallas, LPC, Newtown Wellness Collective – Elaine has been a mental health therapist for over 10 years. She emphasizes work on nervous system regulation to alleviate symptoms and achieve optimal brain functioning. Her goal is to help individuals expand their window of capacity and step into their power by connecting to one’s inner wisdom through somatic embodiment, paving the way for inner spaciousness, peace, and harmony. Elaine blends top-down (cognitive processing and making meaning of personal experiences) and bottom-up processing (nervous system regulation/body work) to help with achieving overall wellbeing. The stressors of life rest in the body and by involving somatic work in the healing process, the door for true transformation opens. Learn more about Elaine in Psychology Today.