OUR TEAM

It is a privilege to be part of a client’s journey to healing. Knowing that we are helping clients reshape their lives and have a positive effect on our community strengthens our enthusiasm for this unique organization.

Our staff, Board of Directors, and volunteers believe in ChildSafe’s mission and vision

Our therapists see new and ongoing clients by appointment.
Please call our main office at 970-472-4133 to get in touch with them or to schedule an intake.

Admin Team

Kathleen Baumgardner
Val Macri-Lind
Tim Alexander
Cathy Jones
Sami Jack
Nicki Hughes

Therapy Team

Jana Carson
Marian Febvre
Melissa Garcia
Morgan Hayes
Kathy Jordan
Brianna Mai
Olivia Bescak
Eveline Marks
Isabella Svreck
Gretchen Kontz
Chloe Voiles
McKenna Whitley

Board of Directors​

ChildSafe is a 501(c)(3) corporation governed by a Board of Directors that makes policy and manages the organization's operations. Among the Board's important functions are strategic planning, financial oversight, and fundraising. Directors serve three-year terms and are chosen for their proven knowledge, special accomplishments, and differing perspectives.

We are currently seeking new board members. Check out the job description and application below:

BOD Job Description
BOD Application

2024 Officers

Remi Nelson, President
Adams Bank & Trust

Ashley Weber, Vice President
Bolz CPA, LLC

Corey Rosenberg, VP of Grant Funding
Colorado State University

Brandon Harris, Treasurer
Plante Moran

Lindsay Lucas, Secretary
Colorado Department of Human Services

Mary Burrell, Past President
NoCo Real Producers

2024 Directors

Nicole Johnson
CO Vision Real Estate Group

Katy Schneider
Visit Fort Collins

Lindsay Reilly
Reilly & Vandenberg, LLC

Lindsay Lucas
Colorado Department of Human Services

Barbara Cohen
Community Member

Sami Martinez
ServPro

Kathleen Baumgardner

Executive Director

Kathleen joined ChildSafe in 2022 after returning from 5 years in Hawaiʻi. For many years prior to that, she lived, worked, and volunteered in Fort Collins and is a co-founder of the nonprofit FoCo Cafe. Her background is in strategic communications for nonprofits but also in higher education, where she has held leadership positions at Knox College, Colorado State University, and University of Hawaiʻi. Kathleen and her husband Jeff love to hike, bird, take in live music, and they both seek out work with purpose. It is the energizing and satisfying work of helping others that pushes Kathleen outside her comfort zone and onto stages, large and small, to tell stories of impact, healing, and community-building. Kathleen shares, “Join me for a tour of ChildSafe so I might share our rich stories with you.”

Val Macri-Lind, MS, LMFT

Clinical Director, EMDR Practitioner

Val has been a therapist with ChildSafe since 1986 and is a co-founder of ChildSafe. She specializes in play therapy for children who have been sexually abused, and in the treatment of non-offending parents. Val is also ChildSafe’s Clinical Director and she supervises and trains staff therapists, plans and coordinates therapy programs, and conducts new client intakes.

Val was honored with the 2013 Norma Anderson Excellence Award. Presented by the State of Colorado Division of Criminal Justice Sex Offender Management Award, this award recognizes her lifelong commitment to treating sexually abused children.

She was also honored with the District Attorney’s 2011 Victim Service Award of Distinction for the development and implementation of innovative victim service programs and projects. The award recognizes an individual or organization that has clearly brought new and improved programs, services, delivery methods or other innovation to enhance victim services for the citizens of Larimer or Jackson Counties.

Tim Alexander

Business Operations Director

Tim joined ChildSafe in 2015 after relocating from St. Augustine, FL, where he served as the Operations Director at EPIC Behavioral Healthcare for more than 13 years. Tim manages the administrative functions of ChildSafe, including the finance, information technology, facilities, data/outcome management systems and policies/procedures. He has a combined 21 years of experience in the non-profit, behavioral health and faith-based communities.

Cathy Jones

Marketing & Community Engagement Director

Cathy is a marketing and events professional with over 20 years of experience and an emphasis on nonprofit work. She manages our marketing and events, creating experiences that bring more donors to ChildSafe. Cathy is a CSU alumnae and lives in Fort Collins with her husband and two boys, though her hometown of Lawrence, KS means she still occasionally says “Rock Chalk”.

Sami Jack

Office Coordinator

Sami is a dedicated administrative professional with four years of experience in mental health administration and human services. In her role as Office Coordinator, Sami works by coordinating the daily office operations, supervising undergraduate interns, managing administrative office duties, organizing groups and classes, hosting volunteer days, and being a friendly face at the front desk. After her time working at Larimer County Human Services, she gained an understanding of the challenges faced in the mental health sector and she strives to make a positive impact in the lives of individuals and families within the community.

Nicki Hughes

Billing Coordinator

Bio Coming Soon

Jana Carson, MS, LMFT

Trauma Specialist, Lead Therapist / Terapeuta Bilingue

Jana graduated from Colorado State University in 2018 with a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. She has experience working with Spanish-speakers and people with trauma histories. As an Internal Family Systems Level I therapist, she helps clients discover different parts of themselves that carry burdens, and she works with clients to understand, show compassion towards, and heal these parts. She also has training in EMDR, Neurofeedback, Synergetic Play Therapy, and PACT Level I.

Marian Febvre, MEd, LPC

Trauma Specialist, EMDR Practitioner

Marian has been a therapist with ChildSafe since 1998. She specializes in therapy for adolescents who have been sexually abused, non-offending parents of abuse victims, and adults abused as children. She has many previous years of experience teaching adolescents and helping at-risk students.

Melissa Garcia, MS, LPC

Assistant Program Director
Trauma Specialist, Neurofeedback, EMDR Practitioner

Melissa earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Colorado State University in 2010. She earned her Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Walden University in 2015. She has a professional background in working with children and teens who have experienced trauma. She also has experience working closely with caregivers to help their children heal. Melissa is EMDR trained and is a Neurofeedback practitioner. She is trained in CBT, play therapy, DBT, and sand tray therapy. She also co-facilitates the Caregivers’ Group and often teaches the Parenting Class.

Morgan Hayes, MA, LPC, NCC

Trauma Specialist, EMDR Practitioner

Morgan received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Colorado State University in 2015 and her Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of Northern Colorado in 2020. She has professional experience providing a variety of nonprofit mental health services since 2014. Her career has ranged widely from coaching children and families to providing case management and crisis counseling for adults at a community mental health center. Morgan has completed a variety of training in areas such as Play Therapy and EMDR, she is a continuous learner who works hard to broaden her clinical scope. Morgan co-facilitates Middle School and Parenting Support Groups and is passionate about working with trauma survivors and their families ages 10 & up.

Kathy Jordan, MSW, LCSW, CCTP

Trauma Therapist

Kathy has lived in Northern Colorado for over 36 years and is originally from the BIG 10 Buckeye state of Ohio. For over 3 decades she has assisted and worked with clients who have experienced trauma. Kathy has a master’s in social work and Certificate in Rural Communities from Western New Mexico University and is a Certified Synergetic Play Therapist, from the Synergetic Play Therapy Institute in Boulder, Colorado. Currently, she is attending EMDR training. She is blessed and appreciates being afforded the opportunity to be part of an amazing and passionate staff that provides essential trauma- informed services to the communities of Northern Colorado. Kathy focuses on the individual and their strengths, integrating somatic and mindfulness practices into their lives to deal with the difficult thoughts, feelings, and behaviors to provide a whole-person approach to wellness. She enjoys family, friends, golf, fishing, and cooking.

Brianna Mai, MA, MFT-C, LPCC

Trauma Therapist

Brianna Mai earned her Bachelor’s degree from Colorado State University in Human Development and Families Studies in December, 2016. After a few years of working in and outside of the field, Brianna returned to school to earn her Master’s Degree in Couple and Family Therapy from the University of Colorado, Denver and graduated in December, 2022. She has worked and volunteered in various roles to support, coach, and serve children with a history of trauma and their families. Brianna also completed her clinical internship here at ChildSafe for a year prior to graduating and joining the team. She is a systems trained therapist who is passionate about providing a space where her clients can experience safety and accomplish their goals. Brianna is trained in EMDR, play therapy, emotionally focused therapy and offers attachment-based family therapy through a model called Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP). Brianna enjoys working with children and adults and has a special passion for working with couples and families. She is also currently involved in facilitating the trauma-informed parenting class and mom’s group.

Olivia Bescak, MA, LPCC

Trauma Therapist

Olivia Bescak obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Cognitive Science from Salisbury University in May 2021. Her commitment to excellence led her to pursue further studies, culminating in the attainment of her Master’s Degree in Mental Health and Wellness Counseling from New York University Steinhardt in May 2023. Alongside her academic pursuits, Olivia has contributed her expertise in various capacities to support children and their families, with a notable year-long clinical internship at ChildSafe preceding her integration into our dedicated team. Olivia is a child-centric therapist, driven by a deep passion for creating a secure space where her clients can achieve their goals. With additional training planned in EMDR by the close of 2023 and a strong foundation in play therapy and person-centered therapy, Olivia’s skill set continues to expand. Her dedication extends to working with children of all age groups, and currently, she plays a pivotal role in facilitating our parenting classes and leading the Elementary girls group at ChildSafe.

Eveline Marks, MA, LSW

Trauma Therapist

Eveline Marks is a recent Colorado transplant and Licensed Social Worker. She received her Master’s Degree in Social Work from Texas State University in December 2022, and her B.A. in Holistic Health from Western Michigan University back in 2017. Between her graduate school internships and current professional resume, Eveline has experience working with children, adolescents, and adults experiencing a variety of health & mental health concerns, including: domestic violence, sexual abuse and assault, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, chronic mental illness, child exploitation, and human trafficking. She is committed to meeting people where they are, and finding creative ways to provide clinical interventions & advocacy for clients through trauma-informed cognitive-behavioral therapy, DBT, mindfulness practice, play-therapy, and art or music-assisted therapy. Eveline is currently engaged in co-facilitating the Adolescent group here at ChildSafe, and will soon be co-facilitating the AVAC group as well.

Isabella Svrcek, MS, LPCC, NCC

Bilingual Trauma Therapist

Isabella earned her Clinical Mental Health Counseling Master’s degree from Tarleton State University. She has a professional background in PHP, IOP, and university counseling settings. In her practice, she uses CBT, play therapy, sand tray therapy, expressive arts and DBT techniques. Isabella is passionate about working with clients of all ages and diverse backgrounds. She also co-facilitates the Elementary girls group, and teaches the Parenting class in English and Spanish.

Gretchen Kontz, MA, LPCC

Trauma Therapist, EMDR Practitioner

Gretchen holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and Elementary Education from Wilkes University (2001) and a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health from Adams State University (2024). She specializes in trauma-informed care and has experience working with individuals of all ages who have a history of trauma. Gretchen adopts a person-centered approach, incorporating Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), mindfulness practices, somatic therapy, and trauma-informed cognitive-behavioral therapy to establish a safe and supportive environment for her clients. Gretchen’s goal is to provide a nurturing space for clients to work towards their goals and find inner strength and resilience.

Chloe Voiles, MSW

Bilingual Trauma Therapist

Chloe Voiles received her Master’s Degree in Social Work from Ohio University in August of 2024, and her B.A. in Early Childhood Education from the University of Northern Colorado in December of 2019. She has a professional background in teaching, special education support, and advocacy for trauma informed practices in the justice system. Chloe has experience with children with Autism and ADHD, and is working towards a specialization in her therapeutic practice working with neurodivergent youth. During her masters program and clinical internship at ChildSafe she has learned interventions using play therapy, synergetic and mindfulness practices, sand tray therapy, and trauma-informed cognitive behavioral therapy. Chloe is currently building and co-facilitating the Neurodivergent Social Skills group here at ChildSafe.

McKenna Whitley, MSW, SWC

Trauma Therapist

McKenna Whitley received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Georgia College & State University in May of 2022. Upon returning to school, she obtained her Master of Social Work with a certificate in Advanced Clinical Behavioral Health from Colorado State University in May of 2024. McKenna has experience in a variety of positions, providing support to families and children, including a year long internship at ChildSafe before joining the team in June of 2024. McKenna enjoys working with children and adolescents and is committed to providing a safe therapeutic space where healing can begin. She has foundational training in play therapy and client-centered therapy and will only continue to grow her skillset.