Speaker Biographies
Cassie Anderson: Cassie Anderson is a citizen of the Chippewa-Cree Tribe from Rocky Boy, Montana. Currently, she is the Program and Support Services Director for the Healing Lodge of the Seven Nations. She obtained her Masters of Science Degree in Criminology from Portland State University. Cassie has been working in the Social Services field for 20 years. Her experience ranges from Medicaid Services, At-risk youth work, Child Welfare, Child Protective Services, Non-Profit, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion work, Domestic Violence/Prevention, Management and most recently Adolescent Residential Treatment Services. Cassie has a wealth of knowledge with federal, state, and tribal laws, as well as, partnerships throughout each entity. Cassie’s current position requires her to be innovative and a strategic change-agent in order to ensure successful outcomes for our most vulnerable populations.
Meghan Fitzgerald: Meghan Fitzgerald is the current Family Treatment Court Training Coordinator with the Administrative Offices if the Courts (AOC). Meghan came to AOC with a PhD in Spider Behavior from the University of Wisconsin Madison and a B.S. in Biological Sciences from the University of North Carolina Greensboro. She has trained more than 100 student employees virtually and in person, taught pre-nursing students how to identify bacterial strains & how a neuron uses chemicals to send messages; and has helped new freshman design experiments using spiders, hissing cockroaches, and honeybees. She has been a Guardian ad Litem since 2017, is a child abuse survivor, and is passionate about making the dependency system safer, more equitable, and a place where families can learn to thrive.
Manisha Jackson: My name is Manisha and I’m a Family Recovery Support Specialist (FRSS), with Family Treatment Court (FTC) in King County, who graduated FTC in August of 2015. In September 2015, I started working for the Parents 4 Parents(P4P) program, in Seattle, as a Parent Ally. After working with P4P for a year, I became the lead Parent Ally. In October of 2018, I completed the Certified Peer Counselor training and received a certificate. In December of 2019, I started working with FTC as a FRSS. I recently completed the Recovery Coach training, which gives me the extra tools and skills, I need to support parents in recovery. I have two children, a daughter, and a younger son. My daughter was born in November 2011. One month later, a dependency case was opened because of substance use. My daughter was placed with my mother. I was devastated. I lost custody of my daughter and had to move out of my mother’s home so my daughter could stay there. I became homeless and my life went in a downward spiral. I engaged in services, but I also continued to use. My attorney told me about a program called Family Treatment Court (FTC). I was reluctant to join FTC and felt like I was setting myself up for failure because I had never completed anything I started. With encouragement from my attorney, I entered FTC in February of 2012. While in FTC, I went to church, three inpatient treatment facilities, attended mental health counseling, trauma therapy, outpatient treatment and various sober support meetings. I received a lot of support and encouragement from the P4P Coordinator, my family, friends, and FTC. The only thing I had to change was everything! I wanted to be the mother that I blessed to be. With help, my mess has turned into my message. Through my experience with navigating the dependency system and the work I do in the FTC Program, I can help others traverse the substance use, mental health, and housing systems as well as how to obtain employment and educational resources. Today I’m able to give to others, what was freely given to me! I’m living proof, that “People Change, Families Reunite!”
Adrian Johnson: Adrian Johnson is a Senior Research Associate with the Washington State Center for Court Research (WSCCR), and works as part of the Office of Court Innovation’s (OCI) Family and Youth Justice Program’s Family Treatment Court (FTC) team. Prior to joining the WA State AOC, Adrian worked for NPC Research, one of the country’s foremost provider of assessment, evaluation, and feedback for treatment courts, where he worked for over a decade. His work primarily entailed engaging with treatment courts across the US, leading site visits, interviewing team members and participants, providing technical assistance, and helping courts implement and sustain Best Practices. Before NPC, Adrian was the coordinator of a drug/reentry court, and also worked for the State Courts Office of Missouri.
Julie Lowery: Julie Lowery serves as the Family Treatment Court Project Manager. Prior to coming to AOC, Julie worked at Pierce County Juvenile Court and Coordinated Care where she lead several collaborative efforts resulting in improvements in child welfare. The career accomplishment she is most proud of is launching the first Parents for Parents program in Washington in 2005. Julie is dedicated to improving systems in order to best serve and support families.
Dawn Marie Rubio:
Dawn Marie Rubio has worked on behalf of state courts for her entire 30-year legal career. She joined the Washington Administrative Office of the Courts as State Court Administrator on January 1, 2019.
Previously, Dawn Marie worked with the Utah Administrative Office of the Courts, where she served as the Juvenile Court Administrator for Utah’s statewide Juvenile Court and was appointed as Utah’s Commissioner for the Interstate Commission for Juveniles. Dawn Marie also worked as the Assistant Director of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts. For 11 years, she was a Principal Court Management Consultant with the National Center for State Courts, and she directed national, state, and local projects improving court organization, processes, and court operations involving children, families, and problem-solving courts. She received NCSC’s 2006 Staff Excellence Award.
Dawn Marie earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Juris Doctor from the University of Florida. She is a trained mediator, a member of the Florida Bar Association, a fellow of the Court Executive Development Program of the Institute for Court Management, and the recipient of the 2006 NCSC Staff Excellence Award.
Mishka Terplan: Mishka Terplan is board certified in both obstetrics and gynecology and in addiction medicine. His primary clinical, research, public health, and advocacy interests lie along the intersections of reproductive and behavioral health. He is Medical Director at Friends Research Institute and adjunct faculty at the University of California, San Francisco where he is a substance Use Warmline clinician for the National Clinician Consultation Center.
Linda Spearman: My name is Linda Spearman, I work for Triumph which is located in Yakima, WA. I am an SUDP with degrees/certificates in SUD, Psychology and Ethnics Studies. Studied under Don Coyhis who wrote the Medicine Wheel 12 Step program so therefore I can teach it. I have worked in Yakima County in this field since 2004 – 2005. I have been a SUD liaison with FTC based in Yakima for many years serving clients that are involved in our facility, many times answering questions if needed when there is not a liaison there from other companies to represent their clients involved that day in staffing or court. The first part of my career I was located on the Yakama Reservation serving from youth to Elders both male and female. I moved to the city of Yakima 13 years ago when I started working for Triumph. I teach Level I relapse prevention and Level II.I Intensive Outpatient for women only. I love working in the outpatient field as I get to see the end result of the clients that graduate from the program. I teach the White Bison / Medicine Wheel 12 Step program and Time Out For Me which teaches women of caring for themselves, boundaries, how to say no and believing on oneself. This is something that is not the norm that Is being taught. It brings a totally different flavor to the people that have been in treatment many times over. It is set such as they speak/share on their whole life not just the using years. In my groups the clients have full interaction with most days writing on the board dealing with whatever the topic of the day is. I believe that everyone can achieve and keep recovery in their life. It is my passion to teach them in a way that they will/can remember as I am on their level with my teachings. On a personal note I am of Seneca descent with ancestors being from the Wolf Tribe. I am a Spiritual person, enjoy making medicine bags, basket weaving, beading, dream catchers and teaching others when I have the time.
Gia Valentine: Gia is the Administrative Secretary for the Family Treatment Court Grant. She graduated from the University of Washington with a Bachelors in Law, Societies and Justice in 2021, and is starting graduate school in the fall to pursue a Masters in Community Development and Urban Studies.
Kelly Warner-King, JD: Kelly is the Manager of the Family & Youth Justice Programs at the Administrative Office of the Courts. An attorney with extensive legal and policy experience in child welfare and education, Kelly leads programs that improve court systems to promote thriving families and equitable court communities. Previously, she served as Director of the Court Improvement Training Academy (CITA), where she developed and delivered training for judicial officers and court partners and facilitated interdisciplinary court improvement efforts. Kelly serves on a variety of state-level workgroups to improve the administration of justice in child welfare. Kelly’s experience includes work in the dependency court system as an attorney for parents and children, the manager of the King County Family Treatment Court and the coordinator of the Supporting Early Connections program for the Center for Children & Youth Justice. She was also the first Legal Ombuds in the Washington State Office of the Education Ombuds and worked as an education policy analyst with the RAND Corporation. Kelly received her law degree from New York University, where she focused on juvenile rights and representation, and her undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia.
Jeff Yellow Owl: Jeff Yellow Owl, LICSW, an enrolled member of the Blackfeet Tribe (Northwest Montana), has been serving families in Indian Country since 1991 as a clinical social worker, public speaker, behavioral therapist and minister. Jeff and his wife Prudence currently reside in Billings, MT. He currently works at the Indian Health Service-Crow Service Unit in Crow Agency, MT as a clinical social worker. They have 6 adult children and 8 grandchildren.
The impact of trauma is painful, complex and difficult; that’s why many avoid reaching out for help and stay stuck in addictions. Jeff personally understands that type of pain. At age of 18 he left the Blackfeet Reservation for Seattle, an unexpected ‘culture-shock’ experience. For 12 years the big-city became a cultural transition that helped re-shape his world view. His story is one of healing and redemption. From his personal and professional experience, Jeff brings hope to the listener by presenting in a simple and practical way that helps the listener understand ‘how’ healing can happen.
