Sarah has her degree in social work from Metropolitan State University with an emphasis in child and adolescent mental health.

She has worked for Denver Department of Human Services Child Welfare for over 3 years as an ongoing social caseworker and currently holds a senior caseworker position in placement navigation. She has worked as a counselor at a residential treatment program for youth corrections, as a counselor for dual diagnosis adult men at a halfway house, and an independent living specialist for the disabled community/outreach specialist for individuals experiencing homelessness.

Sarah writes:

In my spare time, I spend most of my time with my two teenage daughters. I am a huge advocate for social justice issues which I spend a lot of my time supporting through peaceful protests, education, volunteer work, etc. I love camping, crafting, karaoke, road trip adventures, and dancing in my living room. My favorite place in the entire world is the Mojave Desert.

Sheila has been in her current role for the past five years. She oversees adoption
and permanency programs and supervises and supports counties across
the state. Sheila’s previous experience includes working on investigations,
adoptions, and family engagement. She has also worked as a probation officer
and in residential treatment.

Sheila holds a master’s degree in public administration from Penn State
University. She believes that you are never too old to need a family and
has always been a strong advocate for those she works with.

Timothy J. Eirich is an honors graduate of the Loyola University of Chicago School of Law. At Loyola, Tim was as a Philip H. Corboy Fellow (member of the National Trial Team), a Curt N. Rodin Fellow in advocacy, and a Civitas Childlaw Fellow. Tim was also an associate editor for the Children's Legal Rights Journal. Tim received his undergraduate degree from Santa Clara University where he majored in English and was a captain of the NCAA Division 1 Crew Team. Tim focuses his practice on adoption, child welfare, and guardianship cases. Tim represents prospective adoptive parents, foster parents, relatives, birth parents, and juveniles charged with delinquent acts. Tim is an experienced litigator who has tried over twenty-five jury trials, litigated dozens of contested hearings, and has argued in the front of both the Colorado Supreme Court and Court of Appeals. Tim litigated the ground-breaking case, both at the trial level and before the Colorado Supreme Court, that addressed the rights of foster parents and other caregivers in dependency and neglect cases. Tim has also received a number of awards recognizing his work. In 2012, Tim received the Excellence in Practice Award for a Juvenile Law Attorney at the Colorado Summit for Childen Youth and Families. In 2014, the Colorado State Foster Parent Association honored Tim with the Champion Award for work and efforts on behalf of Colorado’s foster parents. Also, in 2014, the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute awarded Tim the prestigious Angels in Adoption Award for his work in adoption and positive child welfare practices. Tim has handled dozens of private, public, and contested adoptions and has been recognized as a Fellow with the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. Tim has lectured frequently on the rights of foster parents and the child welfare system and is a regular presenter for the Colorado State Foster Parent Association. In addition to training foster parents and relative caregivers, Tim teaches trial skills to fellow attorneys as an instructor for the National Institute of Trial Advocacy (NITA). Prior to joining the Grob & Eirich, LLC, Tim was the Deputy Director of the Rocky Mountain Children's Law Center where he litigated some of the center's highest profile cases; represented foster parents, prospective adoptive parents, relative caregivers and juveniles; and supervised a multi-disciplinary staff of attorneys and social workers who served as guardians ad litem for abused and neglected children in Denver Juvenile Court. Prior to his time with the Children's Law Center, Tim was a trial attorney with the Office of the Colorado Public Defender where he represented adults and juveniles charged with felony offenses.

Eli Harwood is a licensed therapist, author, and educator who has more than 17 years of experience helping people process relational traumas and develop secure attachment relationships with their children and partners. Eli has three children, one husband, two cats, and an extraordinary number of plants.

Dr. Chaitra Wirta-Leiker is a licensed psychologist, international/transracial adoptee of color, and an adoptive parent. She specializes in providing mental health support focused on adoption, trauma, and racial identity work through her private practice based in Denver, Colorado. She is a frequent speaker and trainer at adoption agencies, camps, and conferences throughout the US, and the creator of the National Adoptee-Therapist Directory. She is also the author of “The Adoptee Self-Reflection Journal,” “The Adoptive Parent Self-Reflection Journal,” and the “Adoptees Like Me” illustrated series for elementary readers.

Dr. Chaitra Wirta-Leiker is a licensed psychologist, international/transracial adoptee of color, and an adoptive parent. She specializes in providing mental health support focused on adoption, trauma, and racial identity work through her private practice based in Denver, Colorado. She is a frequent speaker and trainer at adoption agencies, camps, and conferences throughout the US, and the creator of the National Adoptee-Therapist Directory. She is also the author of “The Adoptee Self-Reflection Journal,” “The Adoptive Parent Self-Reflection Journal,” and the “Adoptees Like Me” illustrated series for elementary readers.

Amber Lopez is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with an educational background in human development and family studies. Her passion lies at the intersection of trauma-informed care and behavior supports for individuals with disabilities, which led her to further explore the field of child welfare and foster care when she began providing behavior supports to children and teens in out-of-home placements. Amber is the Director of Youth Services at Envoi Associates, a child placement agency in Northern Colorado licensed for treatment and therapeutic foster care. As a BCBA, she has focused her professional development and continuing education on trauma-informed interventions, caregiver and support staff training, and the dissemination of behavior analysis beyond traditional ABA settings. She has a deep love for lifelong learning and actively seeks opportunities to expand her knowledge in behavior analysis, child welfare, and improving the lives of the individuals and families she works alongside.

Justin Carroll is a testament to the power of transformation. From his roots as a farm kid to becoming a fitness professional, his journey is one of dedication and passion. After honing his skills in sales within the agriculture industry, Justin made a bold move in 2019, relocating his family to Texas to pursue his dream of building a thriving training business.

Since then, Justin has made a significant impact by coaching over 100 clients, both in-person and online, on their health and fitness journey. His approach goes beyond physical training; he is committed to helping individuals cultivate a balanced lifestyle that encompasses both the mentality and internal health that is needed to attain optimal health.

Now, Justin is embarking on his next chapter, driven by his desire to empower others to be their own health advocate. He is adopting a hybrid functional nutrition approach that combines the nutritional science needs to support the body’s systems with the mental tools needed overcome self-limiting behaviors. Through his innovative methods, Justin aims to help people not only transform their bodies but also find peace of mind and fulfillment in their lives.

With Justin Carroll as your guide, you can expect a journey that challenges and inspires you to reach new heights of physical and mental well-being.--

Stacey Hansen is a dynamic speaker with a powerful story of resilience and triumph. As an adoptive parent to six children, three of whom came through Foster Care, she intimately understands the challenges of navigating trauma and adversity. Stacey has firsthand experience dealing with PTSD, RAD, and Autism within her family, and she's dedicated to sharing her insights and strategies for overcoming these obstacles.

With a background in Health Coaching, specializing in Trauma-Informed Care, Nutrition, and Yoga, Stacey empowers individuals to take charge of their well-being.

 She's passionate about helping people break free from old patterns, whether physical or mental, and create positive changes in their lives.

Stacey's workshops and coaching are highly practical and impactful. She works with various groups, including foster families, adoptive families, veterans, first responders, human trafficking survivors, and athletes, teaching techniques to release stored emotions and trauma through breath, movement, mindset, and nutrition.

Stacey Hansen brings a unique blend of personal experience and professional expertise to her speaking engagements, leaving audiences inspired and equipped to navigate their own journey towards healing and growth.

Dr. Chaitra Wirta-Leiker is a licensed psychologist, international/transracial adoptee of color, and an adoptive parent. She specializes in providing mental health support focused on adoption, trauma, and racial identity work through her private practice based in Denver, Colorado. She is a frequent speaker and trainer at adoption agencies, camps, and conferences throughout the US, and the creator of the National Adoptee-Therapist Directory. She is also the author of “The Adoptee Self-Reflection Journal,” “The Adoptive Parent Self-Reflection Journal,” and the “Adoptees Like Me” illustrated series for elementary readers.

Shari has a 30-year career as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She has been the Executive Director of several mental health facilities, is currently an adjunct professor, has a private practice, and is a consultant for treatment providers looking to implement evidence-based practices and trauma ingrained care. She is grateful for the opportunity to share expertise on mental health, epigenetics and trauma alongside her mother.

Since a young age, Shari has studied resiliency and the enduring self-sabotaging thoughts that are often the result of trauma. She is co-author of Which Way?, a memoir and psychological handbook on trauma for survivors, clinicians, and anyone who wants to understand and celebrate just how resilient the human spirit is.