Thomas Argueta is a Social Service Worker who has been in the Social Services for the last 12 years & I am an alumni of Conestoga College. I have supported youth & adults in various environments, including treatment centres, foster care programs, schools, and youth programs. I have contributed to the youth of many different backgrounds including youth with mental health concerns, Autism, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, and addictions amongst others. I have experience coaching football & one on one coaching through self-development programs. Currently, I am a Program Facilitator for the Inspiring Minds Program with CTI. 

Tammy Bays studied social work at Centennial College and Ryerson University. She started her career working as a substitute teacher for children and adults with Autism and Down syndrome.

For the last 15 years, she has been working frontline within the housing and homeless sector. She has worked in various capacities such as an outreach worker, counsellor, facilitator of training for clients in recovery, and frontline staff, and she is now presently a supervisor.

She has extensive experience working with refugees, women and children fleeing domestic abuse and clients with mental health and addictions. Her specialty is in relapse prevention, harm reduction, overdose prevention, crisis intervention and de-escalation. She is presently facilitating De-escalation and Physical intervention training across all City of Toronto shelters.

Nicki Casseres has over 35 years of experience in the mental health sector, specializing in crisis intervention, counselling, training, and community education.

Nicki currently serves as the Senior Manager of Training and Education at the Gerstein Crisis Centre in Toronto. In this role, she develops and leads comprehensive training programs, workshops, and outreach initiatives focused on mental health crisis intervention and community support. She also develops and delivers onboarding training for Toronto Community Crisis Services.

Additionally, Nicki is a Certified Trainer in Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) and SafeTALK through LivingWorks. She is also a Training Consultant and T4T Coach for LivingWorks’ ASIST program. Nicki regularly facilitates workshops on crisis intervention, anger management and de-escalation, work strategies, and mental health first aid.

Nicki collaborates extensively with community organizations, educational institutions, and corporate groups, and is deeply committed to enhancing mental health awareness, improving crisis response, and supporting the well-being of diverse communities.

Kadine Cooper is an award-winning Executive Coach, Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC), Master Trainer, Speaker, and former HR leader with nearly 20 years of experience helping leaders grow, thrive, and step confidently into new opportunities. She has coached thousands of leaders across industries, guiding them to strengthen their presence, influence, and impact.

Recognized as one of Toronto’s Top 15 Coaches and Canada’s Top 100 Black Women to Watch, Kadine has been featured on CP24, The Globe and Mail, and named a LinkedIn Top Career Expert to Follow. Known for her engaging, down-to-earth style, she brings a mix of practical strategies and inspiring energy that helps teams connect, collaborate, and perform at their best.

Dr. Adam Ellis is an award-winning researcher, educator and music artist. Dr. Ellis’ research agenda has two primary pillars. In the first pillar, and drawing on his lived experience (i.e., “street/gang life”), Dr. Ellis’ exploratory research utilizes storytelling/arts-based methods to challenge and rewrite the knowledge that has been created about marginalized/criminalized and racialized peoples. His work provides a novel understanding into how macro/systemic level oppression can lead to community/personal level harm/trauma and subsequent street/gang formation as a means of survival and resistance. In the second pillar Dr. Ellis’ work has sought to challenge, disrupt and transform the Eurocentric/elitist research and pedagogical models that exist in Western society. To expose the deep inequalities that exist in research about the “streets/gangs” Dr. Ellis published his first book entitled Thug Criminology: A Call to Action (UofT Press). This collaborative project centralizes the voices of insider/insider street/gang scholars and challenges mainstream research methods and pedagogy about street life. Dr. Ellis has published extensively in peer reviewed journals and is currently working on his second book Know(the)Ledge: Reimagining the Academy through Lived Experience/Urban Arts Led Knowledge. Dr. Ellis is consistently called upon by government officials and community stakeholders for his innovative knowledge which has subsequently led to a number of presentations, workshops, keynotes and symposiums around the globe. 

Tom Fulgosi has worked in the social services field for 25 years. My background is in addictions and harm reduction. I am a certified addiction counsellor. For the past 20 years, I have worked in all aspects of harm reduction, and case management contributed to the development and implementation of a risk reduction program for crack cocaine addicted homeless men, supervised front line staff in one of North America’s largest men’s hostels, and helped establish a High Needs Program specifically tailored to homeless men in crisis. More recently, I provide training to Seaton House front line staff. For 6 years I led a team of five housing/outreach workers utilizing the Housing First model and providing follow up supports to newly housed men in the community.

I currently work in a Managed Alcohol Program in the Annex/Infirmary Program of Seaton House where we strive to reduce the risks associated with the use of both non palatable and palatable alcohol, chaotic substance use and providing a safe environment to meet our clients where they are at. 

I am also the lead trainer in Crisis Intervention and Physical Interventions skills for Seaton House. I train through and with the Canadian Training Institute and have been doing so for the past 15 years.

Specialties: Harm Reduction, Counselling, Leading Teams, Crisis Intervention, Training and Education. 

Dr. Obadia is a MINT certified Motivational Interviewing trainer with extensive experience teaching Motivational Interviewing, Behaviour Change, and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. She teaches research methodology and health behaviour change at the University of Toronto.

Alison is a registered social worker with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers. She has two decades of experience in the field and has had the opportunity to practice social work in three different countries. Alison is a Community Crisis Worker at the Gerstein Crisis Centre and is a certified LivingWorks ASIST trainer. She is experienced in developing and facilitating workshops relating to topics such as suicide prevention, crisis intervention, case management and mental health awareness.

As an award-winning scholar, Jessica Rumboldt brings a deep commitment to education, community engagement, and systems change—grounded in the principles of relationality, cultural humility, and accountability. She is a woman of mixed Mi’kmaq (maternal and paternal) and European settler ancestry and a proud member of the Newfoundland Indigenous Peoples Alliance (NIPA), an affiliate of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples. Her work is rooted in meaningful engagement, research, pedagogy, curriculum development, and relationship-building.

With extensive experience working within diverse institutions and organizations, Jessica has collaborated with senior leaders, stakeholders, and individuals to co-create programs, policies, and learning spaces that honour Indigenous perspectives and lived realities. She thrives in roles that allow her to develop tools and resources that are not only culturally grounded but also responsive to the impacts of colonization, systemic harm, and intergenerational trauma.

Jessica’s academic background includes a Master’s degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice Policy, a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Criminal Justice and Public Policy (with minors in Sociology and Family Studies), and a Diploma in Psychology. She is in the final stages of her Ph.D. in Gender, Feminist, and Women’s Studies at York University, with plans to graduate in 2026. She has also completed research with the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness, where she led national story-gathering projects focused on First Nations homelessness and service provision for Indigenous youth. She has extensive training in the ethical conduct of research.

John Sawdon has extensive experience in providing training to human service and criminal justice-based agencies throughout Canada. He teaches Team Building, Organizational Development (OD), Basic Skills Training for Residential and Human Service Workers, Crisis Intervention and Prevention and Cross-Cultural Awareness. He is a member of the (SEITAR) International Society for Intercultural Training and Research and the NTL Institute for Applied Behavioural Sciences OD network.

Butch Snider has over thirty five years of experience teaching courses like Crisis Intervention, Stress, Health and Wellness programs, and Personal and Subject Protection skills, Subject Control skills, martial arts and physical fitness. Butch was National Master trainer for verbal and physical crisis intervention training programs at Correctional Services Canada.

Amy has worked in the mental health field for over 10 years providing crisis intervention and addictions counselling. With her BA in psychology, Amy continues to help individuals with their interpersonal development. Amy is a certified Life Coach and Resiliency Expert and facilitates trainings in the areas of Resiliency & Self-Care, Trauma-Informed Care, Crisis Intervention, Vicarious Trauma and Community Worker Safety Strategies. Whether it be facilitating, working in the field or in her private practice, Amy’s passion for teaching and inspiring others to reach their full potential is at the heart of her drive. 

Keith Sweeney is a highly skilled and dedicated trainer at the Canadian Training Institute, specializing in Verbal De-escalation, Crisis Intervention, and Physical Self Defense and Protection.  

Born and raised in the bustling city of Toronto, Canada, Keith’s interest in helping people emerged at a young age. His innate empathy and desire to make a positive impact led him to pursue a career in the field of training and development.

As Keith continued to excel in his role, his passion for fitness also became evident. He was an avid gym-goer and embraced a disciplined fitness routine, recognizing the benefits of physical health in maintaining mental and emotional well-being. This passion for fitness not only strengthened his own resolve but also inspired those around him to lead healthier lifestyles.

As a trainer, Keith thrived in creating a safe and engaging learning environment for his clients. His ability to connect with individuals from diverse backgrounds and instill confidence in them was remarkable. Keith firmly believed that effective training went beyond imparting knowledge; it was about empowering individuals with the tools they needed to navigate difficult situations with grace and professionalism.

Outside of work, Keith’s love for traveling took him to various corners of the globe. Exploring different cultures and experiences broadened his perspective and enriched his training methodologies. He incorporated lessons from his travels into his training programs, encouraging his clients to embrace open-mindedness and cultural sensitivity.