By Laura Braden, CTIPP’s Director of Communications
As the Campaign for Trauma-Informed Policy & Practice (CTIPP) continues its mission to create a trauma-informed society in which all individuals, families, and communities have the opportunities and support necessary to thrive, we are pleased to welcome a new leadership team to CTIPP’s Board of Directors.
Lina E. Pasquale, was elected Board Chair in 2023 and has previously served as CTIPP’s vice chair, board member, and advisor. Lina succeeds Sandra Bloom, M.D., who has been chair since the organization was founded.
“I have known Lina for a long time and am delighted that she is now board chair. It is healthy for new leadership to emerge, and Lina’s skills support CTIPP as it continues to grow into a mature organization,” said Dr. Bloom.
Pasquale is a mission-driven leader with over 25 years of tenure in the social and human services sector, advancing positive youth development, traumatic stress studies, and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) awareness into practice across multi-service agencies. She has held senior and executive leadership roles in child welfare and community-based and residential services throughout her career, bridging theory into direct practice. She is the Executive Director of the Center for Trauma Resilient Communities and serves on the Executive Leadership Team of Crossnore Communities for Children.
“It has been an honor to serve the Campaign for Trauma-Informed Policy and Practice, whether as an advisor, board member, vice chair and now as chair,” said Pasquale. “We must continue to advance the community-centric, trauma-informed movement across all sectors throughout the U.S., creating a healthy society for all. I am honored to stand alongside CTIPP’s Board of Directors, Executive Director, and an incredible team of staff working to advance the mission of CTIPP and doing so by honoring the collective wisdom and protecting it through bold leadership and action.”
Other board changes include the election of:
Clarencetine (Teena) Brooks, Vice Chair. Teena serves as the Assistant Director of the Office of Consumer Affairs at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and as an Adjunct Lecturer at Columbia University’s School of Social Work. Teena is passionate about genuine inclusion and engaging with diverse lived experiences in planning, development, advocacy, and implementation.
Laura Porter, Secretary. Porter is co-founder of ACE Interface, LLC, working with Dr. Robert Anda to develop and disseminate educational products and empowerment strategies that help leaders dramatically improve population health. For 15 years, she directed the Washington State Family Policy Council and Office of ACE partnerships, and their work informs a unique model for improving the capacity of communities to deliver stunning results for a small investment (called Self Healing Communities).
Dave Ellis, Board Treasurer. Ellis was the first-ever Executive Director of the Office of Resilience housed in the New Jersey Department of Children and Families. He is a Certified Master Trainer on the impact of trauma and NEAR science. Also, he trains groups on equity and inclusion, strategic planning, community engagement, and trauma and trauma-responsive/healing-centered care. He passionately advocates engaging community voices in decision-making practices and policy development.
We appreciate and honor the time and wisdom offered by those who have served on the executive committee to date We are grateful for the contributions of Andy Blanche, Dan Press, David Shern, Diane Wagenhaus, Jesse Kohler, Marsha Morgan, Megan Corrado, Sandy Bloom, and Suzanne O’Connor over the first eight years of CTIPP’s history.
Jesse will continue to support the executive committee as executive director, and Sandy will continue to support the executive committee in her new role as the past chair.
"For the first time in our eight-year history, CTIPP’s Executive Committee is comprised of different folks from when we were founded. We celebrate this step as the mark of a healthy and sustainable organization,” said Kohler.
Our new executive committee members' collective experience and passion will enable us to continue expanding our impact. With their guidance, we look forward to continuing CTIPP’s work to activate, advocate, and educate across the trauma-informed movement to work toward a better future for all.