Beryl Cohen, MSW Executive Director NASW-Indiana Chapter
Ms. Cohen currently serves as the Executive Director of NASW Indiana Chapter. In this position, she is responsible for the day-to-day running of the chapter with approximately 1900 members. Under her direction, the Chapter provides member services, training and educational opportunities around the state. The Chapter also works to ensure that state licensing laws are maintained in a way that supports the integrity and growth of the profession, and monitors legislation that can impact the social work profession, social workers and the clients served.
Ms. Cohen has more than two decades of experience in public policy, advocacy and legislative work in Indiana. This includes working as the public policy coordinator at Prevent Child Abuse Indiana in the mid-90s. She also ran a project at the Indiana Coalition on Housing and Homeless Issues, where her work focused on changing policies to better support families and individuals as they moved from welfare to work. She moved from working for non-profits to state government in the early 2000s and served under Governor O’Bannon and Governor Kernan running the majority of the state’s poverty programs.
Jara Dillingham, MSW
Jara Dillingham, MSW, LCSW is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Social Work Department at the University of Southern Indiana. She has worked in academia since 2012, currently teaching undergraduate skills courses along with courses related to child abuse and neglect and child welfare practices. She is interested in online teaching practices and the role of technology in education and social work practice, mental health and sports, along with management and leadership practices. Professor Dillingham has presented at conferences since 2015 at local, state, and national levels and has publications related to online education and technology in social work practice.
Jervai Dumas, MSW, LCSW, MSW
Jervai Dumas, LCSW, of Gary, Indiana, is a licensed clinical social worker with over a decade of experience spanning healthcare, mental health, substance use treatment, trauma-informed care, and academic practice. She earned her undergraduate degree from Indiana University Bloomington (2008) and her MSW from Loyola University Chicago (2011). Jervai has served as an adjunct instructor at Indiana University Northwest for nine years, teaching in both the BSW and MSW programs with a focus on clinical application and ethical practice.
Her career reflects a deep commitment to restorative care and operational excellence. She has led multidisciplinary teams, guided the restructuring of clinical programming, and strengthened compliance systems across mental and behavioral health care settings.
As a clinical director and leader, Jervai has mentored interns and emerging professionals across disciplines—including LSWs, LCSWs, and mental health psychology students—fostering trauma-informed, strengths-based practice.
In 2023, she was recognized as one of the Most Influential Women in Healthcare in Northwest Indiana and received the IUN Founders Day Teaching Award.
Her leadership and dedication are marked by a passion for mentorship, strength based-integrated care, and community transformation.
Stephanie Hirons, DNP, RN, LMHC, PMH-BC
Dr. Stephanie Hirons is the Director of Behavioral Health at Ascension St. Vincent. She is a board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse and a licensed mental health counselor. Stephanie has bachelors' degrees in nursing and psychology, a master's degree in clinical mental health counseling, and a doctorate degree in nursing (health systems leadership). Stephanie is passionate about trauma processing, the mental health of healthcare workers, and suicide prevention.
Cyndie Kieffer, MSW
Cyndie Kieffer is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Illinois and Indiana. She is also a Certified Professional Practitioner in Animal Assisted Play Therapy-Instructor and an AutPlay provider. Cyndie has worked alongside her dogs since 2002 in a variety of settings including in private practice, nursing homes, hospice and as an advocate. Cyndie authored the childrens books, “Jack the Brave” as well as “SuperNorm and the Recess Rescue” and a chapter entitled, “To the Rescue: How Animals can Assist People Diagnosed with Autism” in the book, “A Spectrum of Solutions for Clients with Autism” edited by Rachel Bedard and Lorna Hecker. She has spoken on the topic of Animal Assisted Interventions at the international, national, and state level. She was awarded the Kirrie Award in 2023 by the International Institute for Animal Assisted Play Therapy ®️ for her work in this field. She enjoys sharing her dogs, Cliff and Norm with her community through Pet Partners. Cyndie serves as the Treasurer for the International Association for Animal Assisted Play Therapy and is a member of the International Institute for Animal Assisted Play Therapy Certification Board.
Anne Kelly, Ph.D
Anne Kelly, Ph.D. is a Suicide Postvention Technician with over two decades of experience in suicide prevention and postvention. She specializes in program development, evaluation, and strategic leadership, conducting psychological autopsies to understand suicide risk factors and inform targeted strategies. Anne is a Certified QPR and Adult Mental Health First Aid Trainer and serves as Board Chair of the National Association of Retrospective Fatality Analysis. She also chairs the Community Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Coalition in Mitchell, SD, and serves on the Board of Lost&Found, a nonprofit focused on reducing suicide risk among young people. She has participated in state advisory boards and legislative task forces in South Dakota. Previously, Anne was Dean of the College of Business, Education, and Social Science and Chair of the Department of Psychology at Dakota Wesleyan University, where she had taught since 2000. She earned her M.A. and Ph.D. in experimental psychology from the University of Nevada, Reno.
Mark Luzader, MSW, LCSW
Mark Luzader, LCSW is a USI Social Work alumnus, graduating in 2006 with his MSW. Since 1999 he has worked in a variety of settings including: direct care, acute inpatient and residential, schools, and community mental health. He transitioned into private practice in 2010 and is the co-founder of Nurtured Hope Counseling, specializing in both neurodivergence and trauma.
Robin Miller, MSW
Robin Miller, MSW, LCSW, ACSW, is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Social Work and the Director of Practicum Education at Purdue University Northwest. In this role, she oversees the competency-based internship sequence, ensuring students are prepared for ethical, reflective, and professional social work practice.
Robin has played a key role in introducing and advancing the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT) in Northwest Indiana and within the PNW social work program. NMT provides a neurodevelopmentally informed framework for assessing the impact of trauma and adverse experiences and for selecting interventions that align with an individual’s developmental needs.
In addition to her academic leadership, Robin maintains a private counseling practice specializing in the treatment of complex trauma. She also partners with a local police department, applying the Neurosequential Model to support officer wellness and enhance trauma-informed approaches within law enforcement.
Jillian Moon, MSW
Jillian Moon is a practicing Licensed Clinical Social Worker and owner of Touchstone Therapy, LLC. Touchstone Therapy’s mission since its establishment in 2021 has been to provide high quality, holistic mental health care to southwestern Indiana by ensuring access to the most effective treatments available. Jillian received a Bachelors Degree in Psychology in 2011 and a Masters Degree in Social Work in 2017, working as a Case Manager and Supervisor in child welfare and serving in the Indiana National Guard in between. Jillian spent several years before Touchstone's establishment working in substance abuse treatment and school social work. In 2023, Jillian turned her love of horses into part of her mission to bring healing to her community by creating an Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy program within Touchstone Therapy. She and her horse Kay, along with other kind horse and human soles, help clients build strong relationships, heal past trauma, and build confidence. Jillian looks forward to continuing to grow Touchstone’s reach and impact by continuing to bring the most up-to-date mental health treatments to rural Indiana and expanding the reach of the equine therapy program through increased accessibility.
Dr. Alexis A. Nelson, PhD, MSW, LSW, LCCC
Dr. Nelson is the Founder and CEO of Be Exceptional Support Together (B.E.S.T.), an initiative promoting neurodiversity inclusion and empowerment. A Licensed Clinical Christian Coach and Maxwell Certified Trainer, she has over 20 years of experience in social work, program development, and advocacy for individuals with exceptional abilities. Dr. Nelson developed the R.A.I.S.E. Model (Resources, Advocacy, Integration, Support, Empowerment) to equip professionals and families in addressing stigma, bridging service gaps, and building inclusive pathways from school to adulthood in disenfranchised communities.
Lindsey Saltzman, MSW
Lindsey Saltzman, LCSW obtained her Master’s of Social Work degree in 2013 from the University of Southern Indiana and has since worked in a variety of settings focusing on crisis intervention and trauma therapy. Lindsey now owns her own private practice, Equinox Counseling and Consulting, LLC, focusing exclusively on therapy services for first responders, medical professionals, and trauma survivors.
Janet Schnell, MSW
Mrs. Janet Schnell, MSW, LCSW, completed her master's degree in social work in 2010 at the University of Southern Indiana. She is a suicide postvention subject matter expert for the Defense Suicide Prevention Office (DSPO). Mrs. Schnell is a founding Retrospective Fatality Analysis Consultant (RFA-C) member. She is an expert in suicide prevention, intervention, and addressing depression, anxiety, and substance abuse following a suicide. Mrs. Schnell has received numerous awards for her activism in suicide prevention from county, state, and federal agencies. She serves as the President of Survivors of Suicide of Dubois County (SOS) and has been honored with the prestigious Torchbearer Award by the Indiana Suicide Prevention Network. As a certified master trainer for the Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) program, Mrs. Schnell also trains individuals in Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). She leads one of the first teams in Indiana in Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors (LOSS), paving the way to offering resources and hope after a suspected suicide death. As a public speaker, Mrs. Schnell shares her personal journey as a suicide loss survivor, which motivated her to become a social worker after her brother's death by suicide.
Mandy Sims, BSW
Mandy Sims, BSW serves as Dr. Zelenko’s assistant at the Center for Social Justice Education. She is the President of the BSW Club and Vice President of Phi Alpha at the University of Southern Indiana, where she will graduate with her Bachelor of Social Work in May 2026. Mandy’s professional interests focus on macro-level social work, emphasizing youth empowerment through life and soft skills development, and fostering strong community engagement early and often. She is passionate about building collaborative relationships that connect students, organizations, and communities to promote sustainable social change.
Mark D. Storms, BSW, CSAC, CPRC
Mark D. Storms, BSW, CSAC, CPRC, is the Director of Courage House, a structured residential recovery home for men, and founder of Courage Living, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting individuals and families affected by substance use disorder. With years of experience in recovery support, peer coaching, and community development, he regularly leads trainings on harm reduction and overdose prevention. Mark’s work emphasizes resilience, empowerment, and the vital role of social workers in saving lives.
Katie Vinci, MSW
Katie Vinci LCW is a proud alumnus of University of Southern Indiana where she completed her bachelors and master’s in social work. During her time at USI Katie was a Graduate Assistant for the Master of Social Work program and president of a student organization that worked to eradicate sexual/domestic violence on campus. Katie currently works as the Lead Therapist for a School-Based team at Adult and Child Health. Katie has a passion for working with children experiencing neurodivergence and trauma.
Summer Wilderman, DSW
Summer Wilderman, BA, MSW, LCSW, DSW, has clinical experience with adults, teens, the elderly, substance use, mental health, and leadership. Since 2008, she has been teaching, advising, and administering at the community college and university levels. She has a diverse list of experiences, but is most passionate about teaching, ADEI, and organizational culture. Her current role at USI is Assistant Professor of Social Work. Dr. Wilderman has been presenting her work in person since 2012 and virtually since 2019 at local, state, national, and international levels. Her publications have focused on field education, licensure, and supervision.
Jean Zelenko, PhD in Social Work, MSW
Jean Zelenko, PhD, LCSW is an Assistant Professor in Social Work at the University of Southern Indiana and serves as the Director of the Center for Social Justice Education. She earned her PhD in Social work from the Raymond A. Kent School of Social Work and Family Science at the University of Louisville and holds a Master of Social Work from the University of Southern Indiana. Dr. Zelenko has maintained clinical licensure since 2007 and currently practices in her private practice in Newburgh, Indiana. Her work aims to bridge academic scholarship, clinical practice, and social justice advocacy.