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Our Team

Kathleen (Kathy) Orr, RN, BSN - Executive Director, Child Advocate, Researcher, Consultant, Speaker, Educator, Mother and Grandmother

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Kathy has been the Executive Director at Peaceful Households since 2013. As a community leader she researches and delivers educational programs that create awareness targeting childhood trauma, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), child neglect and abuse prevention. Her collaborative work at Peaceful Households bridges the gap between neuroscience research, social determinants, cultural norms and autonomous programs for the collective best interests of children and families.

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As an independent child advocate, Kathy has a unique blend of professional and life experiences working in healthcare, public health and education. Her personal and professional roles have exposed her to children and families from various backgrounds and circumstances through her involvement in:

  • Early childhood 

  • Public health nursing

  • School nursing

  • Health & Human services

  • Child fatality reviews

  • Critical care

  • Adolescent diabetic education

  • Oncology

  • Physical therapy

  • Supervised visitation

  • Juvenile justice

  • Homelessness

  • Abusive head trauma

  • Infant safe sleep

  • Foster care

Kathy is an active or past member of several state and local groups, including the Colorado ACE Collaborative, Alliance for Kids Council, Colorado Opportunity Project, Essentials for Childhood, Colorado Child Fatality Team, Not one More Child in El Paso County, Safe Kids, E-ISST and ISST Community Resource and System Provider, the National Organization of Safe State Alliance and served as a peer reviewer for NACCHO. She also led the Community Planning Grant awarded to Peaceful Households by the Colorado Department of Human Services for The Child Maltreatment Prevention Framework for Action.

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Augmenting her own experience, Kathy studies and incorporates the ever-evolving works of leading researchers into her curriculums and conferences. These include the findings of Rob Anda Ph.D., Bruce Perry MD, Ph.D., Martin Teicher MD, Ph.D., Bessel A. van der Kolk, MD, Nadine Burke-Harris, Beatrice Beebe, Ph.D., Phillip Fischer, Ph.D., Laura Porter, the Center of the Developing Child at Harvard University and more. She has trained directly under several of these individuals yet does not subscribe to any single philosophy; instead, she develops her curriculum based on all available research.

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Her advanced studies, work, and credentials include but are not limited to the following.

  • Trauma Responsive Practices in Education Trainer

  • ACE Master Trainer

  • Standard CANS Comprehensive and CANS Trainer

  • Tech Addiction & Digital Health in Children, Adolescents & Young Adults. Level 1 Certification

  • Multiple online and in-person education sessions led by Dr. Dan Siegel, Dr. Bruce Perry, Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, Dr. Rob Anda, and other leading experts in the field.

  • Motivational Interviewing

  • Working with Parents Involved in the Child Welfare System

  • Trauma-Responsive Guidelines for Behavior Plans and Classroom Management Systems

  • Reentry and Remote Trauma Responsive Frameworks and Strategies Flipping the Script for Student and  Staff SEL

  • Supports Finding True North to Support School Reentry Implementing Trauma Responsive Mental Health Supports

  • Countless local and national conferences, including routine attendance at the Boston International Trauma Conference 

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Today, Kathy helps individuals, organizations, and communities understand trauma and adversity through online and on-site education courses. These highly rated classes are designed for general and specific audiences such as schools, early childhood, juvenile justice, court personnel, and child and family services. Additionally, she operates a popular and highly successful training program that prepares others to educate people and communities on trauma and adversity. Until recently, when Covid-19 hit, she hosted a successful annual conference in the State of Colorado for several years.

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Colleen Head Batchelor, CEO, Resource Exchange - Board of Directors

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Colleen has worked in the field of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities for more than 30 years, including early intervention for infants and toddlers with developmental delays, early childhood mental health supports, respite for families of children with special needs, family support services, Medicaid Waivers and Case Management services.

 

Colleen holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology. Since moving to Colorado in 2001, Colleen has been involved in both Local and State Program Administration for Early Intervention and other early childhood services as well as Colorado Medicaid Waiver Services for children and adults with disabilities, including intellectual and developmental disabilities.

 

She is currently the Interim CEO at The Resource Exchange in Colorado Springs, an agency serving individuals with disabilities, delays and needs. The Resource Exchange serves more than 8400 individuals and has a staff of more than 400. Colleen is also an Adjunct Professor for the University of Northern Colorado, Early Childhood Special Education Master’s degree program teaching courses related to parent and professional partnerships.

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Paula K. Hergert, Masters in Education - Board of Directors

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For 35 years, Paula Hergert taught health and physical education to the youth in the Colorado Springs community. She was also a leader in developing curriculum to help teens to have positive mental, emotional, social, and physical health. Currently Paula is working for El Paso County Public Health as a Prevention and Policy Specialist. Her role is to work towards reducing bullying and suicide in the county through promoting connectedness, resiliency, and life skills. Paula has a master’s degree of Education of the Diverse Learner from the University of Phoenix.

Cindy Lau, Violence Prevention Regional Planner St, Mary-Corwin Health Foundation - Board of Directors

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Cindy has over twenty years of experience in organizational and program management.  Her last fourteen years were specifically devoted to nonprofits focusing on healthcare and/or family violence. During the past year, Cindy organized community coalitions in both Pueblo and Fremont Counties in support of the Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI) United Against Violence initiative.  

 

As the former Director of Domestic Violence Crisis Services at the YWCA of Pueblo, she was responsible for programs that provided shelter and support services to adults and children traumatized by the effects of domestic violence.

 

Cindy is the past Chair of the Pueblo Domestic Violence Task Force and previously served on the Live Well Pueblo Coalition, the Colorado Consumer Insurance Council, and Pueblo ARCH (Adult Resources for Care & Help).  She was appointed to the State Medical Assistance and Services Advisory council by the Governor of Colorado in November 2012. Cindy graduated Magna Cum Laude from Montclair State University with a B.A. in Communication Disorders and a minor in Education.

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Jessica Mars, LCSW - Board of Directors

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Jessica Mars is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has specialized on the impact of trauma on children, teens and families throughout her career.  She has over eight years of concentrated experience working directly with survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in her previous role as a Confidential Victims Advocate, Individual Trauma Therapist and Group Facilitator and Program Manager. In her time working with survivors she facilitated routine trainings for supporting agencies to help foster their understanding of these complex issues. Jessica spent several years working as a counselor for children and parents within the foster care and child protective systems and has a solid understanding of how these systems work. She is currently working at UCH Memorial Hospital as the Addiction Medicine Consulting Liaison and she also instructs for the Social Work Department at UCCS. Jessica trains parents, teachers and administrators on a diverse range of topics each year and enjoys helping them gain agency, knowledge and awareness about these important topics.  She is a certified ACE’s trainer and is currently training individuals within the medical system on suicide prevention, utilizing CAMS and QPR curriculums.  Jessica has a passion for educating and bringing awareness towards complex and difficult topics in her community and hopes to foster continued growth and understanding for individuals seeking out this knowledge. 

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James Orr - Board of Directors

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Jim is a recognized industry leader in the field of data and information management. His experience includes leading consulting practices and thought leadership initiatives for multiple software companies and his own consulting practice. During his career, he has provided data-centric solutions and expertise to agencies, enterprise, and mid-market organizations worldwide, spanning nearly every industry.

Mr. Orr earned a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan-Flint in 1989, is a founding member of the Data Governance Professional Organization and author of the book, Data Governance for the Executive.

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