https://www.healyoungminds.com/speakers-1 daily 0.75 2025-11-18 https://www.healyoungminds.com/speakers-1/blog-post-title-two-49rtj-mswkl monthly 0.5 2025-11-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6906773b97c86c33d62e552d/e82fb38e-8a5d-4adf-b8e3-fda49f66606c/Headshot+Sharon+Cooper.jpg Speakers - Dr. Sharon W. Cooper, MD, FAAP - Developmental & Forensic Pediatrician and Child Protection Expert Dr. Sharon Cooper is the CEO of Developmental & Forensic Pediatrics, P.A., a consulting firm which provides medical care to children with developmental disabilities, and provides medical care, research and training, and expert witness testimony in cases of child maltreatment. Dr. Cooper spent 21 years in the United States Army, retiring as a Colonel. Dr. Cooper holds faculty positions at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill-School of Medicine and the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. She serves on the boards of several national and international organizations focused on violence against children. Dr. Cooper has lectured both nationally and internationally in well over 300 conferences, including many federal justice agencies, the National Judicial College, the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children, INTERPOL, and academic conferences focused on Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. She has provided extensive training to representatives of more than 45 countries whose hotlines are focused on the rescue and identification of child and adolescent victims of sexual exploitation Dr. Cooper is the lead author of two comprehensive texts on child sexual exploitation and is co-author of a book focused on the complexity of investigation, discovery and recovery of missing children and adults. She served on the International Working Group which published the landmark Survivor Survey of victims of abusive images, sponsored by the Canadian Centre for Child Protection. She has testified before the United States Congress, the European Commission, the Manitoba Legislature, the Italian Senate and the Russian Duma (Parliament). Dr. Cooper has worked with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children providing victim-centered training for more than a decade and presently serves on the Board of Directors. Dr. Cooper served on the National Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence at the request of the Attorney General of the United States. She also served as a member of the bipartisan Homeland Security Advisory Council on Children and Families for Customs and Border Protection regarding migrating populations from the Northern Triangle. Dr. Cooper is the Executive Producer of the documentary Not Just Pictures, which delves into the extraordinary victim impact of abusive images and other types of sexual exploitation. https://www.healyoungminds.com/speakers-1/blog-post-title-two-49rtj-mswkl-6xyz9 monthly 0.5 2025-11-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6906773b97c86c33d62e552d/3e31a3f4-ace9-4c27-945b-dd5dfb4a0f91/Headshot+Melea+Stephens.jpeg Speakers - Melea Stephens LPC, MMFT - Licensed Therapist and Sexual Exploitation Prevention Leader Melea Stephens, LPC, MMFT, is a dedicated marriage and family therapist with over 25 years of experience in private practice. In addition to her clinical work, she is a passionate activist against sexual exploitation in her home state of Alabama. As a board member of the National Center on Sexual Exploitation and the founder of a local nonprofit, she is committed to protecting the current generation of children from the dangers of sexual exploitation through prevention, education, and legislative initiatives. After witnessing the profound negative effects of hardcore pornography on both children and adults in her care, Melea felt compelled to raise awareness about the unrecognized health and societal impacts of this illegal material. Since 2012, Melea has organized numerous city and statewide events, as well as public awareness campaigns. She frequently collaborates with anti-trafficking leaders to promote education and support the needs of survivors of sexual exploitation. Through partnerships with local leaders and with the support of the National Center on Sexual Exploitation, she played a pivotal role in launching the nation’s first emergency treatment program for pediatric survivors of sex trafficking at UAB Hospital. Melea is also a sought-after speaker on topics such as the public health crisis of pornography and fostering sexual intimacy in marriage. She was instrumental in the 2020 passage of the Alabama Resolution to Declare Pornography a Public Health Crisis and the 2025 enactment of the Alabama Children’s Device Protection Bill. Originally hailing from the Birmingham area, Melea received her B.A. in Human Development and Family Studies from Samford University before obtaining her Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Abilene Christian University in Texas. Melea envisions a future where the scourge of sexual exploitation is entirely eradicated, driven by a society that has become intolerant of its profound harms and injustices. She believes that through ongoing awareness, education, and advocacy that day is within reach. https://www.healyoungminds.com/speakers-1/blog-post-title-two-49rtj-mswkl-6xyz9-3sz5m monthly 0.5 2025-11-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6906773b97c86c33d62e552d/2dba5cf4-370b-43da-8f12-82613741a6fe/Headshot+Heidi+Olson.png Speakers - Heidi Olson, RN, MSN, CPN, SANE-P - Forensic Nurse, Educator, and Anti-Trafficking Expert Heidi Olson, RN, MSN, CPN, SANE-P, is a Certified Pediatric Nurse and Pediatric Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, as well as the Founder and President of Paradigm Shift Training and Consulting, which equips healthcare professionals to identify and respond to victims of human trafficking and exploitation. She has extensive nursing experience, including leading a large forensic program in Kansas City, where she conducted and reviewed over 1,500 forensic exams of children who were victims of crime and trained hundreds of staff members. Heidi implemented an evidence-based screening tool that has helped identify hundreds of exploited children in emergency department settings. She has testified at a briefing on Capitol Hill, at the United Nations, and submitted an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court in 2025, highlighting how pornography is harming children and influencing sexual violence. An international speaker and expert witness, Heidi has been featured in award-winning documentaries like Vulnerable Innocence and was honored with the Cry Purple Award in 2023 for her anti-trafficking efforts. As a survivor of sexual abuse, Heidi is passionate about supporting others on their healing journeys and remains a powerful voice for vulnerable children worldwide. https://www.healyoungminds.com/speakers-1/blog-post-title-two-49rtj-mswkl-6xyz9-3sz5m-j5tp2 monthly 0.5 2025-11-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6906773b97c86c33d62e552d/b07861de-2446-4d09-b935-984127793c0c/Headshot+Kristen+Jenson.jpg Speakers - Kristen A. Jenson, MA - Child Digital Safety Advocate and Best-Selling Author Kristen A. Jenson is the founder of Defend Young Minds®, owner and CEO of Glen Cove Press™, and #1 best-selling author of the Good Pictures Bad Pictures read-aloud books, which have translations in a dozen languages and are now augmented by the Good Pictures Bad Pictures Guidebook for Counseling Kids which supports child therapists and educators. Kristen’s work also includes the Brain Defense: Digital Safety® curriculum and an upcoming new Good Pictures Bad Pictures Guide for Girls book. Kristen is a positive voice for raising empowered, resilient, screen-smart kids who know how and why to reject pornography. She instills hope and confidence and leaves her audiences with pragmatic advice they can act on immediately to defend young minds. Kristen has raised her strong voice at international conferences and symposiums such as the United Nations Civil Societies Conference and the National Coalition to End Sexual Exploitation Global Summit. She has testified before the Washington State Senate Law and Justice Committee on the public health crisis of pornography, and she is a trusted guest on a variety of media platforms as she speaks up for defending children from pornography and all forms of sexual exploitation. Kristen received her bachelor’s degree in English Literature and her master’s degree in Organizational Communication. She is a mother of three and grandmother of three, and currently lives with her husband in Washington State. You can follow her work at DefendYoungMinds.com or on social media platforms @DefendYoungMinds. https://www.healyoungminds.com/speakers-1/blog-post-title-two-49rtj monthly 0.5 2025-11-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6906773b97c86c33d62e552d/daad9358-24aa-4a20-99ef-3108aa761966/Headshot+Shelby_DeBause.jpg Speakers - Shelby DeBause, MA, LMFT, CTTP - Clinical Director of Genesis Counseling Center, Licensed Therapist & Child Welfare Advocate Shelby DeBause has been in the counseling field since 1999, and currently serves as the Clinical Director of Genesis Counseling Center, a large Christian therapy practice. She also maintains a caseload of clients with various therapeutic issues, including mood, personality, and trauma. Shelby DeBause received her Master’s degree from Appalachian State University, and completed a two-year residency at a psychiatric hospital in the D.C. area. She has also worked in the fields of foster care and at a residential treatment center for adolescents. She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and has been with Genesis since its start in 2006. She served as the Clinical Director for Genesis. Ms. DeBause has served as a Collaborating Field Trials Investigator for the American Psychiatric Association, and an elected board member of the Virginia Association of Marriage and Family Therapy. She is currently a clinical member and fellow of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy. She is a state-certified supervisor in Virginia, and offers supervision to residents in counseling and MFT. Shelby DeBause is also a published children’s book author whose works, focused on helping children understand body boundaries and impulse control, can be found at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. These publications were a result of Shelby’s concerns about trauma to children occurring at the hands of other children, and she has an intense passion and commitment to the prevention of child exposure to pornography. https://www.healyoungminds.com/speakers-1/blog-post-title-one-cbl6w monthly 0.5 2025-11-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6906773b97c86c33d62e552d/1762176246549-3ZM58MRX7O7QMXTZMSEK/Bryan+Goza.png Speakers - Detective Bryan Goza - Human Trafficking & Digital Forensics Specialist Detective Bryan Goza was born and raised in Brookhaven, MS. He graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi in 2000 with BA in English and Certification to teach Secondary Education. In June 2008, after a year as a Reserve Officer in Cleveland, MS, Detective Goza graduated from MDCC Law Enforcement Training Academy in Moorehead, MS. He worked as a Patrol Officer in Cleveland, MS until 2012 when he relocated to Montgomery, AL and joined the Montgomery Police Department. In 2015 Detective Goza was moved to the Special Victims Unit at MPD. In 2018, in addition to SVU, he added Digital Forensics Examiner to his role at Montgomery Police Department and continues in both capacities today. Detective Goza was promoted to Corporal in 2020 and in 2022 he joined the Department of Homeland Security as a Human Trafficking Task Force Officer. Detective Goza has received multiple awards through police work including Officer of the Year in 2018 for a Child Exploitation investigation and, in November 2022, he received an award for his role in a commercial sex trafficking investigation. Detective Goza lives in Montgomery, AL with his wife of eight years, Daisy, and their son Zeppelin. (Yes, after the band.) https://www.healyoungminds.com/speakers-1/blog-post-title-two-49rtj-mswkl-6xyz9-3sz5m-j5tp2-nhr7m monthly 0.5 2025-11-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6906773b97c86c33d62e552d/52fe71e3-ee21-43aa-98ff-a3f7afb9ae26/deb.png Speakers - Debra Schneider, MSW - Executive Director of CHIPS Center & Child Abuse Prevention Advocate Debra Schneider serves as the Executive Director of the Children's Hospital Intervention and Prevention Services (CHIPS) Center, an outpatient facility at Children's of Alabama. Since its establishment in 1995, the CHIPS Center has been dedicated to providing support, hope, and healing for children and families impacted by suspected abuse and neglect. Under Deborah leadership, the center offers a comprehensive range of critical services, including forensic medical evaluations, social work support, counseling, and prevention education. She is actively engaged in community outreach, traveling to schools throughout Jefferson, Shelby, and St. Clair counties to educate children on how to recognize and report abuse. A key focus of this initiative is to raise awareness that abuse is most often perpetrated by someone the child knows. Debra is committed to fostering a safe and welcoming environment for young victims. Her approach is holistic, ensuring that children and their families receive not only expert clinical care but also compassionate support, including advocacy in legal proceedings. Her dedication is evident in her long-term connections with former patients, underscoring her profound and lasting impact on their lives. https://www.healyoungminds.com/home daily 1.0 2026-01-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6906773b97c86c33d62e552d/aee05f3d-1602-4701-be91-c17601ce3802/child-2024-10-17-05-58-41-utc.jpg https://www.healyoungminds.com/welcome daily 0.75 2025-11-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f6921261d2ba54c43b3193/1677103642338-K072GIAXC7OKSPTICJL1/Stocksy_comp_1959238.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f6921261d2ba54c43b3193/1677103642346-VQ9PD6XD77PQJT5LEGMA/Stocksy_comp_1937562.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63f6921261d2ba54c43b3193/1677103642352-DK4JF1HB0I3ZY2Y878BC/Stocksy_comp_1959231.jpg https://www.healyoungminds.com/speakers-and-schedule daily 0.75 2026-02-12 https://www.healyoungminds.com/hotel-and-parking daily 0.75 2025-11-06 https://www.healyoungminds.com/code-of-conduct daily 0.75 2025-12-12 https://www.healyoungminds.com/grievance-policy daily 0.75 2025-12-12 https://www.healyoungminds.com/registration daily 0.75 2025-12-12