I began my career at Wellpoint Care in 2009. The diversity of the work that I do ensures that no day is like any other. I have the opportunity to lead teams who are focused on supporting the work of our mission – because they understand that ultimately the work we do, whether internally or externally, impacts the families we are here to serve. Wellpoint Care has created an environment that allows me to thrive professionally, while supporting my work-life balance in the various seasons of both my professional and personal life. We are allowed opportunity to be innovative and creative together in how we achieve goals while never losing sight of our mission. It’s encouraging to see the result of the organization listening to feedback by providing space for us to come together as an agency and have conversations around diversity, equity and inclusion, and then be a part of the work towards change.

I am a first-generation Puerto Rican, born in the United States and first in my family to have graduated college and continued on to receive master’s degree. I’m bilingual and fully fluent in Spanish. I oversee the Mentoring Program and am a part many other diversity-related committees. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my loved ones, reading, volunteering and being outside.

Elizabeth (Liz) Davison is a Licensed Professional Counselor with more than 15 years of experience. Liz has experience working in a variety of treatment settings including intensive outpatient, partial hospitalization, school based and traditional outpatient care. Liz is certified in DBT as well as trained in the CAMS suicide intervention. She uses a variety of treatment techinques including:CBT, DBT, TFCBT, ARC, and Motivational Interviewing. Her clinical focus is on clients who struggle with suicidal and self harming thoughts and behaviors as well as those who have experienced trauma and live with dissociative symptoms. Liz believes that change starts when people feel seen and understood on a deep level and she works to partner with her clients to help them better understand themselves and overcome the challenges they may be facing. Liz’s current role is a clinical supervisor for therapists in both Project Thrive and our School Based Mental Health services.

Angela D’Fantis is a Child and Family Well-being Program Manager. She has 20+ years of experience in the Milwaukee child welfare system.  This includes case management, mentoring, training and other leadership roles. Angela works with various teams within the CFWB program. The goals of her team include permanency, placement, placement stability and crisis management. Angela is also an instructor at the university of WI-Milwaukee in the Helen Bader School of Social welfare in the graduate and undergraduate programs.

Tim Grove serves as the Senior Director of Trauma Informed Strategy and Practice at Wellpoint Care Network. Tim has more than 25 years of experience in the social service field in a variety of programs and roles. Tim has been a Mentor with Dr. Bruce Perry’s Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT), is a master trainer of ACE Interface and is the creator of Wellpoint Care’s Trauma Informed Care (TIC) curriculum, 7 Essential Ingredients (7ei). In addition to leading the TIC efforts across all Wellpoint Care programs, Tim has been providing training and consulting on trauma, ACEs, secondary trauma/caregiver capacity and related topics for 15 years.  Tim has worked with and trained a diverse group of professionals – including judges, police officers, juvenile justice and child welfare staff, hospitals and healthcare staff, child development staff, veteran groups, college/university staff and professors, Boys and Girls Clubs, Religious Groups, Correctional staff, employers/employment staff and many others.

Tim and the Wellpoint Care team’s work has been highlighted in various radio and television projects, including a 2018 60 Minutes segment with special correspondent Oprah Winfrey and a three-year research study on the effectiveness of 7ei in child welfare published by the Journal of Child Custody in 2019.

Melanie Heindl, DAT, ATR-BC, LPC, is a doctor of art therapy and licensed professional counselor providing clinical supervision within the outpatient clinic. Melanie has over a decade of experience working in mental health services with individuals from infants to elders in community, outpatient, and in-home settings. Melanie believes that the creative process can be inherently therapeutic, providing alternative ways of communication while also being regulatory in nature. Melanie finds a strengths-based, person-centered approach to be most beneficial to her therapeutic work but also takes into consideration the social and systemic issues clients face. Melanie has significant training in clinical supervision, reflective practice, the Neurosequential Model, anti-oppressive practice, and other trauma-informed modalities.

Carey Jacobsen is a Licensed Professional Counselor with over 20 years of experience, focusing on community-based, school-based, and trauma-focused clinical work. Carey’s background is in art therapy and engaging multiple modalities to meet the mental health needs of children and families. Her experience includes direct clinical work with children, from infants through adulthood, teachers and education administrators, early childhood providers, offering mental health consultation and professional develpopment training. Utilizing a person-centered approach to therapy allows full engagement of the person in the therapy experience. Carey has significant training in the neurodevelopmental impact of trauma and multiple evidence based practices, as well as reflective supervision and trauma informed supervision. Her current role is providing Clinical oversight to multiple programs, developing strategic goals, grant writing and operationalizing and monitoring for excellence. Carey is passionate about bringing equitable access to quality mental health services to all by bringing the service to the people and adjusting the service delivery to meet the needs of the recipient.

Kaitlin “Katie” Kyle MS, LPC-IT, I received my Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. My goal is to create a warm, safe and compassionate environment for adolescents to regulate, relate and reason. I am dedicated to helping youth, families and their school community with conflict resolution, communication, boundaries, and concerns. My therapy room is a collaborative environment and open to each individual’s unique needs. Within my practice, I utilize evidence-based methods and ascribe to a culturally-humble, trauma informed, client-centered style of treatment. My theoretical orientation is influenced by Attachment Theory, Neurosequential Model, Play Therapy and Narrative approaches to treatment.

Corey Norlander is the Lieutenant of Criminal Investigations at the Sheboygan County Sheriff’s Office. He is currently in his 30th year in law enforcement, having served as a patrol officer, School Resource Officer, and then detective before becoming a supervisor in the detective group.

His work in sensitive crimes investigations and multi-disciplinary team development has brought him to an unintended recognition and understanding of trauma on victims and responders. In addition to serving in law enforcement, he serves as Co-Chair on the Attorney General’s Sexual Assault Response Team and trains for the Wisconsin Department of Justice and Wellpoint Care Network.

Shameka has 10 years of experience working in Human Resources and Training & Development. She has a deep commitment to life-long learning and enjoys sharing knowledge and learning from others, as she believes that education makes the world a better place. Shameka has devoted her career to serving as a resource to people wanting to learn or better educate themselves on diversity, equity, inclusion, leadership and soft-skill-building topics. After joining Wellpoint Care Network and learning the Trauma Informed Care framework, Shameka quickly developed a passion for sharing with anyone she encounters, because she knows that this framework can be applicable to almost any environment.

Julie Scott, LPC is the site supervisor of the NM program for Wellpoint Care Network. Julie is a licensed professional counselor. She’s certified in the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics™ (NMT) and is certified as a Phase II/Train-The-Trainer for NMT. Julie provides the on-going training and maintenance requirements for individuals to maintain their NMT certification. In addition, Julie provides consultation for schools, professionals, and families working to support children in their care who have been affected by trauma through both the clinical mental health and NM lens. In addition, Julie’s work includes being a facilitator and developer for trainings in Trauma Informed Care, Trauma Sensitive Schools, and specific trauma-related topics.

Katie Twardosz is a Permanency Recruitment Liaison that has been working in child welfare since 2016 and has experience in many areas of the child welfare system including foster care, case management, initial assessment, and permanency consultation. Katie works with children and caregivers to match children in out-of-home care with adoptive resources and helps in the search for kinship relationships and placements. Katie is part of the Historical Trauma Workgroup at Wellpoint Care Network and has led internal learning opportunities on topics such as Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and the Indian Child Welfare Act.

Katie is a Native American descendant from the Potawatomi Tribe and is a part of the Native American community here in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Katie is passionate about the Indian Child Welfare Act and transracial adoption issues that have impacted the Native American community for many years.

My Story

“We cannot think of being acceptable to others until we have first proven acceptable to ourselves.” ― Malcolm X

Sonja Williams is an accomplished leader with 25 years of talent optimization, diversity, equity and inclusion, and organizational devlopment experience. She leads the delivery of innovative and equitable employee-centered services for Wellpoint Care Network’s workforce. Driven by a desire to support the work of community-based organizations with compelling missions, she has performed impactful work at organizations such as Acelero Learning, the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, American Cancer Society, Milwaukee County and Next Door. Sonja actively serves on the boards of Vision Forward and Triangle of Hope as a volunteer in her efforts to support the Greater Milwaukee community.

Education & Experience

Wellpoint Care employee since 2021. Master’s Degree in Administrative Leadership from University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration from University of Wisconsin – Whitewater.