The Elephant in the Room: Addressing Trauma in Your Organization 

Kiera McGillivray is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and the chief program officer for school-based initiatives with Children & Families First (CFF). She is trained in several trauma-focused modalities including Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR), Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Trauma-Informed Yoga, Trauma Focused Expressive Arts Therapy, and Child-Centered Play Therapy with Neurorelational Emphasis. McGillivray has more than eight years of experience working with children and families in settings ranging from couple and family outpatient therapy to school-based counseling.

McGillivray earned her master’s in marriage and family therapy from University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where she later served as an adjunct instructor teaching undergraduate students on Contemporary Families. She is published in internationally peer-reviewed journals on the topics of trauma and children, and has presented to military personnel, clinicians, educators, law enforcement, and victim service professionals on trauma, children, EDI, resilience, and ethics. McGillivray is also a clinical supervisor, advisor to the LeadU and Workforce Resilience initiatives at CCF, and co-chair of the Brain Science Training Institute at CCF.

Shannon Fisch is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Delaware and is the compliance & accreditation manager for Children & Families First. Fisch received her post graduate certification in trauma from Widener University and her nonprofit management certification from University of Delaware. Fisch is certified in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and trained in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and several other trauma-informed treatment models.

Fisch has presented to clinicians, educators, public defenders, and human services personnel on the topic of trauma, adverse childhood experiences, and resilience. She is also a trainer for multiple evidence-based treatment and case management models. Fisch is an avid volunteer in her profession, currently serving as secretary and previously serving as the treasurer and president for the National Association of Social Workers – Delaware Chapter. Fisch is also a clinical supervisor and co-chair of the Brain Science Training Institute.