As a chronically late student, Danny Bauer once told his Chemistry teacher a fib about saving an entire girl scout troop from a burning building to get out of a tardy. Danny is not sure if it was the very made up story, the very real cookie he offered his teacher, or a combination of both that got him out of a detention that day … That experience taught him it pays to develop your storytelling skills. Danny has been telling stories since then, most recently on the Better Leaders Better Schools podcast, ranked in the TOP 0.5% of 3 million global podcasts, and via his bestselling books. Danny’s mission is to help Ruckus Makers Do School Different™.
Robert Beltz has devoted over two decades to public education. In that time of service, he has served in his roles of classroom teacher, English Language Development (ELD) specialist, consultant, and county ESL leader. He has earned advanced certifications in Trauma Responsiveness, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, Applied Educational Neuroscience, and English as a Second Language. This unique intersectionality has allowed him to build his craft around relational safety in the schools while maintaining authentic connections with students and families long after leaving his classroom. Robert is passionate about engaging in the complexities of social emotional learning, advocating for marginalized populations, creating systems of collective care for adults, and collaborating with experts who are also committed to bringing about radical systemic change. He has presented this work at many local, state, and national conferences including the WIDA National Conference, the National ESEA Conference, The Trauma Informed Educators Network Conference, and the Leader In Me Symposium. Currently, Robert is researching the neuro physical changes that may occur in refugee and immigrant students, as well as in other children who are displaced from their environments. At the center of this work is the nature of identify in the developing brain, and the adults’ role in validating and affirming this identity for each and every student in their care. As is true for all applied educational neuroscience, this work begins with the adults. Robert engages deeply with local, state, national and international colleagues in a variety of learning environments. He has traveled to Africa several times where he has advocated for relational safety while confronting abuses and inequities, and has volunteered with SELO, an American-Ukrainian collaborative that promotes cultural awareness and co-regulation. Robert graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education from Wayne State University and a Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics from Eastern Michigan University. He has since gone on to earn endorsements and certifications from Starr Commonwealth, Oakland University, Cornell University, and Butler University. Robert is a lifelong resident of Southeast Michigan, where he currently resides with his wife, Nicole. Together with their three children and their silver lab, they prefer to spend time outside, biking, kayaking, and traveling to new places.
Rick and Doris Bowman come to us from a base on both the West Coast in Oregon and East Coast in North Carolina. Nationally regarded expert trainers, consultants and speakers on topics of trauma-informed and resilience practices, Bowman Consulting Group is known for their content solidly anchored in the most current trauma, neuroscience and coherence research, and translating these into actionable practices for educators and mental health providers across the country. Their banner training “Your FBA is a Fantasy! Creating Trauma-Informed, Brain-Based, Skill-Focused FBAs & Behavior Plans That Improve Emotional, Behavioral & Academic Functioning and Build Resilience” has taken them to states all across the country, and put them in front of participants from around the globe via Zoom. Rick’s background includes a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology and a career in the mental health field in roles such as clinician, director, and consultant, followed by the second half of his career which was spent as a public school administrator in roles such as Principal, Alternative Education Coordinator, and Student Services Director. Doris’s background includes a bachelor’s in Elementary Education, Master’s in Special Education, and Administrative Licensure. Her career was primarily spent running district-wide programs for students qualifying for services under emotional/behavioral criteria, followed by a role of District-Wide Behavior Specialist. Additional certifications held by Rick and Doris include: Certified Trainer in the Collaborative Problem Solving® approach Certified Trauma & Resilience Practitioners, Clinical & Education Certified Trainers in “The Coherence Advantage®” – HeartMath Resilience Program Certified “Resilient Heart®” Practitioners in Trauma-Informed HeartMath Certified HeartMath “Stress & Well-Being Assessment®” Provider Certified Parent Coaching Institute Parent Coach Rick and Doris dedicate themselves to ensuring that no district is too large or too small to be able to make sound, actionable trauma-informed training attainable for their staff. Their passion is that actionable trauma-informed and resilience practices would become available to all adults working with or parenting children whose nervous systems are impacted by trauma or adversity, and require application of approaches that honor attachment, regulation, brain state, and cognitive growth & development research and principles.
Sarah Buffie, MSW, LSW, serves as the visionary founding director of Soul Bird Consulting, propelled by the profound conviction that nothing heals quite like supportive relationships. Specializing in Trauma-Responsive Care, Sarah actively seeks to dismantle existing paradigms by fostering empathy and understanding of the intricate effects of trauma. Drawing upon two decades of experience in human services and community building, she channels a deep-seated passion for felt-safety and belonging into her work. Sarah holds a Master's in Social Work and her academic journey was marked by a self-directed focus on Polyvagal Theory, Positive Psychology, and Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness practices, solidifying her commitment to innovative and holistic healing approaches. Rooted in an upbringing marked by service, hospitality, and generosity, Sarah continued her family legacy post-studies, spending transformative years in an Americorps program, Public Allies, in Cincinnati and another two with the Peace Corps in Namibia, Africa. These experiences enriched her understanding of the inherent value of interdependence and community connections. In her latest chapter, Sarah delves deeper into body-based practices, completing the first cohort of the Polyvagal Certificate Course through the Polyvagal Institute. She is now a certified Laughter Yoga Instructor and a SAH Method practitioner (Somatic Activated Healing). These modalities enable her to show up as a more fully integrated self. Grounded in the belief that healing requires feeling, she champions a trauma-informed approach, guiding others out of their heads and into their bodies. Sarah sees this lineage as a gift to those she serves daily—families, educators, and human service professionals seeking solace, and communities craving play, practice, and regulation. Join her on this transformative path, where felt-safety, belonging, regulation, and rootedness in our common humanity.
Julia Handelman is the Co-Executive Director of Wellity Education, where she works to empower educators across the country with strategies to teach movement, mindset, and mindfulness. As a former elementary school teacher, and curriculum writer, she understands the unique stressors schools face. As a Fund for Teachers Fellow, Julia studied at the Atma Darshan Yogashrarm in Bangalore India, where she learned strategies for well-being, such as gratitude, rhythmic movement, and emotional regulation. She works to teach students how to maximize their potential and prioritize their well-being by integrating wellness instruction into their school day. Julia received a Master of Arts in Curriculum and Teaching from Teachers College at Columbia University, and a Bachelor of Arts from Oberlin College. She is a highly regarded speaker on this topic and has presented locally and nationally.
Betsy Muller, MBA, ACAP-EFT, CEHP, Certified Virtual Educator is a holistic health leader, Master Trainer of Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), and best-selling author who has helped thousands discover their full potential through life balance in action. She is a teacher and mentor who inspires clients to work competently and ethically with a buffet of healing modalities, plus she’s an expert in EFT as well as the many factors required to run a successful holistic business. As an intuitive healer and accredited Master Trainer of Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), she integrates decades of conventional healthcare and business leadership to provide practical, cost-effective options for vibrant living, emotional health, and proactive aging. She is also trainer and dog mom to Serena and Peroni, two lovable therapy dogs who visit memory care residents several times each week. In June 2017, Betsy herself experienced serious emotional trauma firsthand when her husband George suffered a sudden cardiac arrest, emergency rescue and significant brain injury while they were vacationing in Michigan. Together they faced a grim diagnosis, weeks in the ICU and long months of separation while he lived at a neurological rehabilitation facility. Betsy’s love for her husband, the power of modern medicine, integrative healing methods, faith, friends, and the power of many prayers came together so that George experienced a complete recovery. A book sharing this healing journey, The Comeback – An Energy Makeover Love Story, was published in 2019.
Dr. Packard holds a Ph.D. in Psychology, a master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling, and a bachelor's degree in business administration. For over 23 years Dr. Packard has used intuitive-based practices and conducted research focused on the importance of social support/connection and emotional management. Dr. Packard has worked in a variety of inpatient and community mental health settings throughout her career. Most recently, Francine has worked with private and state universities such as the University of Mount Union and Youngstown State University in creating, expanding, and supervising clinical mental health services for emerging adults, staff, and faculty. Within these settings, Dr. Packard has also provided quality clinical supervision to master’s level counselors in training and social workers in training. Dr. Packard is an EMDR Consultant, and an Independent Heartmath® Certified Trainer. She is also certified as an Advanced Grief Counseling Specialist, Koru® Mindfulness Instructor, Expressive Arts Therapist, registered energy worker, and Registered Yoga Teacher RYT-200. In addition to her clinical and research background, Dr. Packard was appointed to the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Regulatory Board from 2007-2010. In this capacity, Dr. Packard served as the Chairperson of the Continuing Education Steering Committee, along with creating and overseeing the out-of-state endorsement process. Dr. Packard strives to provide an all-inclusive safe space for professionals to grow personally and professionally.
RACHEL SORG
Beginning her journey as a stay-at-home mother of a child with complex needs, Rachel has spent the past decade helping families have a better experience when seeking help and support from the child and family serving systems. Armed with firsthand experience, Rachel began her work in the Ohio Family and Children First space as a local county Wraparound Coordinator for her home county and quickly became an expert in system navigation and the implementation of the Wraparound planning model. Currently, she is a consult, trainer and subject matter expert in High Fidelity Wraparound, Care Coordination, and System of Care for CWRU Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health Center of Excellence and Pressley Ridge Behavioral Health Agency.