In recognition to the growing needs of the Executive Leadership within the field of CISM, ICISF Co-founders, Drs. Mitchell and Everly, and the Office of the Executive Director Mr. Donald Howell, have formed and designated the "ICISF Liaison Coordinators and Regional Liaisons"

The "ICISF's Liaison Coordinators" mission shall be the enhancement of communications and coordination of operational activities between the Executive Directors Office of ICISF and its affiliated CISM Teams worldwide. In turn, each ICISF Regional Liaison shall function as a conduit through the Liaison Coordinators for the timely flow of information and ideas designed to assist our affiliated CISM Team's Executive Leadership with information sharing, information gathering and problem resolution with CISM Team/Network development and administration.

This shall be accomplished by the designation of 3 "Liaison Coordinators" that will break the United States into 3 Regions: Eastern U.S., Mid-America and Western U.S. These 3 "Liaison Coordinators" in turn shall Coordinate 3 "Regional Liaisons" within their respective geographical regions.

To further assist ICISF and the Executive Directors Office, ICISF will also designate individual "International Liaisons" for Canada, the Caribbean, Europe, the South Pacific and Central/South America.

All positions shall be an appointment of two years serving solely at the pleasure of the ICISF Executive Director.

Whether you are just developing a CISM Team or currently functioning in a leadership position, we at ICISF encourage you to call on this wonderful resource to assist you with the many issues that arise from CISM Team development, administration, operation and co-ordination.

Jump to:
Eastern US
Region I - ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, RI, NJ, NY
Region II - PA, MD, DE, DC
Region III - VA, NC, SC, TN, MS, AL, GA, FL
Central US
Region IV - MI, WV, KY, OH
Region V - IN, IL, IA
Region VI - MO, KS, AR, OK, LA, TX, NM
Western US
Region VII - WI, MN, ND, SD, MT, ID, WY, NE
Region VIII - AK, WA, OR, NV, UT, AZ, CO
Region IX - CA, HI, Guam
Canada
Europe
Mexico & Central / South America
Caribbean
South Pacific & Australia

Eastern U.S. Liaison Coordinator - Peter Volkmann, MSW, CSW

Peter Volkmann, MSW, CSW is a social worker in NY and a Police Officer for the Town of Ossining PD. His work with ICISF includes an International Advisory Board Member and a Representative to the United Nations. He developed the "Law Enforcement Perspectives" course and is a trainer in the Group Crisis Intervention, Individual Crisis Intervention and Peer Support, and Advanced Group Crisis Intervention Courses for ICISF.

Contact Info:
47 Stuyvesant Place
Stuyvesant, New York 12171-1915
Phone: 845-227-3164
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Region I Liaison - Anne Balboni Psy.D., EMT I\C

Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey and New York

Anne is the state coordinator and clinical director of the Rhode Island Critical Incident Stress Management TEAM, Inc. She is an ICISF approved instructor for Group Crisis Intervention, Advanced Group Crisis Intervention, Individual Crisis Intervention and Peer Support and School CISM. As an educator, Anne has over forty years experience in the teaching field and twenty-eight years as an EMT.

Anne serves on the Rhode Island Task Force for Disaster Mental Health. Private practice includes CISM intervention, education and consultation with emergency service organizations, schools and industry. Anne holds certification with the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress and is a member of the International Association of Traumatic Stress Specialists.

Contact Info:
RI CISM TEAM, Inc.
22 Laura Circle
Cranston, RI 02920-3053
Home: 401-463-8748
Cell: 401-465-2897
Pager: 401-763-2778
Fax: 401-463-9464
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Region II Liaison - Lynn Ewing, MA

Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and District of Columbia

Lynn Ewing, MA, is the Program Coordinator for Delaware County, Pennsylvania CISM. She is also an instructor to undergraduate and graduate students at St. Joseph's University, the Medical College of Philadelphia and Hahnemann University where she teaches courses in stress and CISM. Additionally she is an approved ICISF instructor for the Group Crisis Intervention, Individual Crisis Intervention and Peer Support, Advanced Group Crisis Intervention, and CISM and Families courses. Lynn has graduate degrees in counseling psychology and is completing her doctorate in counseling. She has 20 years of emergency service experience as a firefighter/EMT and in the field of airline safety and crash rescue.

Contact Info:
Phone (Day): 610-565-8700
Phone (Night): 610-565-9575
Cell: 610-585-5554
Pager: 1-888-477-0242
Fax: 610-565-4141
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Region III Liaison - Natalie Duran  - Coordinator - TBA

Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Florida

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Mid - America U.S. Liaison Coordinator - Deb Boehme Ph.D.

Deb Boehme is the state coordinator for the New Mexico CISM Team and the Crisis Response Network. The New Mexico Team has been in place since 1988 and the Crisis Response Network (crisis response for all citizens who are not affiliated with EMS services) has been in place since 1998. Deb is a train the trainer for the Basic, Advanced and Peer Support courses sponsored by ICISF. She had been a member of the foundation for 8 years and teaches a variety of courses in New Mexico and nationwide.

Contact Info:
Work: 505-476-8209
Home: 505-856-7080
Cell: 505-412-1598
You can also contact her through Santa Fe Dispatch - a 24/7-dispatch center for CISM in New Mexico - 505-827-9384.
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Region IV Liaison - Linda King-Edrington

Michigan, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio

Linda King-Edrington is the Program Director for the Southwest Ohio CISM Team and chair of the Ohio CISM Network. The Southwest Ohio CISM Team is a 200 plus multi disciplined team serving 17 counties in southwest Ohio and providing services for over 900 plus providers and their families a year. She is a recognized International Critical Incident Stress Foundation Trainer for CISM Basic, Peer Support, and Individuals in Crises: Peer Support, Advanced CISM. School Crisis Response training courses. Linda recently retired from her career in public service that began in 1976 first as a volunteer and later as a paid firefighter and EMS (paramedic) provider. Linda has served on a variety of national, state, regional and county committees for pre-hospital health care. Currently, Linda works and volunteers as an educator in crisis management, families survival in public safety services, a parent educator, a member of the tri-state task force for effective CISM management and education and a retired chaplain for the Spiritual Care Department for Mercy Healthcare Partners. Linda is a Greater Cincinnati Red Cross Volunteer. Linda is a task force member for Cincinnati and Dayton Metropolitan Medical Response Systems for Weapons of Mass Destruction. Linda is also task force member for safe schools in southwest Ohio; she also served as a supporting writer and development for Kentucky and Ohio Safe Schools video, and contributor for the Kentucky Safe School Manual.

Contact Info:
Southwest Ohio CISM Team, Inc.
P.O. Box 62445
Cincinnati, OH 45262-0445
Work: 513-563-2172
Home: 513-742-1715
Cell: 513-520-1065
Pager: 513-844-9058
Fax: 513-417-8291
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Region V Liaison - Margie Conrad, BS

Indiana, Illinois and Iowa

Margie Conrad, BS serves as a consultant and mental health coordinator for the Polk County Mental Health Response Team sponsored by Polk County Health Services. The team mission is to help the community and individuals recognize and cope with the emotional aftershocks of disasters and critical incidents. She serves as International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF), Inc., Instructor and Regional Liaison for Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana.

Having been raised in an emergency services family, Margie has real life experience in the field of trauma. She has 25 years in a variety of settings providing peer counseling and crisis intervention. As a staff member of the American Red Cross, Margie spent 21 years with a focus on Central Critical Incident Stress Management Team/Disaster Mental Health, Program Development, and Volunteer Coordination. She also participated in the Enduring Family Program, providing services for Military and their Families. Margie has worked as a member of the Iowa Disaster Medical Assistance Team and supervised a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Mental Health Grant due to the Iowa flooding and tornado of 2010. Currently she is a proud member of the Iowa Disaster Behavior Health Response Team and the Iowa Mortuary Operational Response Team.

Contact Info:
Home: 515-224-9166
Cell: 515-480-6880
Fax: 515-643-5205
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Region VI Liaison - Vaughn Donaldson, B.C.E.T.S.

Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Texas and New Mexico

Vaughn Donaldson, B.C.E.T.S., is a District Chief with the Midland Fire Department a Licensed Paramedic who has worked in Emergency Medical Services since 1981. He serves as Coordinator of the Midland Fire Department CISM Team, President of the Permian Basin CISM Team and is an (ICISF) approved instructor for the Basic, Advanced, and Peer Support programs.

Contact Info:
Work: 432-560-5207
Home: 432-520-0713
Cell: 432-661-6543
Pager: 432-567-9106
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Western U.S. Liaison Coordinator - Pat Tritt, RN, MA

Pat is the Director of EMS and Trauma for HealthONE in Denver, Colorado. She has been actively involved in Emergency Medical Services and Trauma systems for over twenty years. She is responsible for the administration of a complex EMS medical direction system for metropolitan and rural areas and for a diverse EMS education program for all levels of prehospital providers. She also provides administrative direction for a Level II Trauma Center. Her experience and interests include program development and management. In 1985, she organized the Mayflower Critical Incident Stress Management Team, and continues as Team Coordinator. She has also coordinated the Colorado Critical Incident Stress Management Network since 1988. Pat has been active in lecturing in the areas of critical incident stress and CISM team training for over 15 years. She is an ICISF approved trainer for Basic and Advanced courses, is an ICISF faculty member and developed the CISM In The Healthcare Setting Course, and has trained CISM teams across the United States and has presented training programs in Canada and Australia. She is a Certified Trauma Responder and a contributing author on stress and EMS issues for numerous emergency services texts. Pat has received recognition from the State of Colorado for lifetime achievement and contributions to EMS and has received the 9 Who Care Award for her contributions as a leader of volunteer services in Colorado.

Contact Info:
Work: 303-788-6236
Home: 303-756-7852
Pager: 303-890-1980
Fax: 303-788-7656
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Region VII Liaison - Vacant - Coordinator TBA

Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming and Nebraska

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Region VIII Liaison - Thérése A. Cobb, M.S.W.

Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Arizona and Colorado

Thérése is an ICISF faculty member, recognized trainer and U.S. Western Region Representative for Family Support Programs. She is a clinical social worker and the C.E.O. of ProTAC, Tactical Awareness Consultants. She is a founding member and Vice President for the Tri-County CISM Network, Past President and current Treasurer of the Washington State CISM Network.

Contact Info:
Work: 509-943-1200 ext 2
Home: 509-946-0622
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Region IX Liaison - Tom Webb - Coordinator TBA

California, Hawaii and Guam

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Canada Liaison - Bob van Goethem, ACSW

Bob was educated at York University and the University of Toronto; his background is in Social Work.  In 1980, Bob joined Alberta Disaster Services as Director of their Emergency Social Services Branch.  He developed and delivered crisis intervention training for Alberta Mental Health. In 1985 he established the first Canadian CISM program in Alberta Canada and functioned as its Program Coordinator.  Bob is an ICISF approved instructor for the "CISM: Basic Group Crisis Intervention course, CISM: Advanced Group Crisis Intervention course, and the CISM: Individual Crisis Management & Peer Support course.  He is the recipient of ICISF's highest award for "Meritorious Service."

Contact Info:
RR # 2 
55001 Range Road, # 250 
St. Albert, Alberta T8N1M9 
Work: 780-975-4394 
Home: 780-973-5911 
Fax: 780-973-5911 
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European - Atle Dyregrov, Ph.D.

Dr. Atle Dyregrov is the director of Center for Crisis Psychology in Bergen, Norway. He is a clinical and research psychologist, holding memberships in the Norwegian Psychological Association as well as an associate membership in the American Psychological Association, and he is a board member of the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation and one of the founders of the European Society for Traumatic Stress Studies. He lectures both at the Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Psychology at Bergen University. His former positions include 4 years of clinical and research work at the Children's Hospital in Bergen, and 4 years at the University of Bergen. He has been the director for Center for Crisis Psychology since its formation in 1988.

Dr. Dyregrov is the author of numerous publications, journal articles and books including "Grief in children" published in 9 languages, "Disaster psychology", "Grief and care within schools" (co-author: Magne Raundalen), "Children and war " (co-authored with Magne Raundalen), "Children on the Intensive Care Unit" (co-authored with several others). and "Children and Trauma". His book on sleep "The little sleep book" was published in Norwegian in 2001 and will soon be out in the other Scandinavian languages. His book with the title: "Psychological debriefing: a leader's guide for small group crisis intervention" came out in Norwegian in 2002 and will soon be published by Chevron Publishing company in the US.

He has lectured extensively in the Scandinavian countries, as well as in Europe and the US. He has worked extensively as a consultant to different UN organizations, especially UNICEF in their work for children in war in Africa, the Middle East and former Yugoslavia, and UNHCR in developing staff support routines around the world.

His clinical work has covered areas such as: grief reactions in parents following the loss of a child, grief and trauma in children, organizing psychosocial disaster assistance, Critical Incident Stress Debriefing work with disaster-workers and other helpers, and work with children in war situations.

Contact Info:
Senter for Krisepsykologi AS
Fortunen 7
Bergen 5013
NORWAY

Phone:
011-47-55-120961
011-47-55-293940
011-47-55-297917
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Mexico & Central/South America Liaison - Jose Ignacio Jarero, Ed.D., Ph.D.

José Ignacio Jarero, Ed.D., Ph.D., C.T. He is an approved ICISF Trainer. Head of the Critical Incident Stress Management Hot Line Team (The Latin America Team). International Traumatology Institute Certified Instructor, Certified Tramatologist and Executive Director, Mexico's Training Site. Board Certified Expert in Traumatic Stress - Diplomate and Board Certified in Emergency Crisis Response of the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress.

He has been working during his professional life with survivors of traumatic events. The clients/patients with whom he has been working the most, are those who have suffered from: rape, assault, robbery, kidnapping, death of a relative and natural disasters.

In Regard to his work with survivors of natural disasters, Dr. Jarero is the Founder and President of the Asociacion Mexicana de Ayuda Mental en Crisis (Mexican Association of Crisis Therapy). The Association is a non-profit private organization whose members are mental health professionals trained for the prevention and treatment of traumatic stress and PTSD. The Association's Trauma-Treatment Team, led by Dr. Jarero, volunteers time and expertise to treat survivors of disasters in Mexico, Central and South America.

The Team also trains emergency and in situ personnel to identify and prevent compassion fatigue and to continue offering supportive services to the victims once the Team leaves.

Dr. Jarero was the EMDR-HAP El Salvador response Coordinator (2001). He is member of the Board of the HAP Sub committee for Latin America and Member of the Pan American Health Organization/ World Health Organization Task Team in the elaboration of the "Guide lines in mental health attention for disaster situations" (2001).

The Mexican Association for Crisis Therapy team has developed -under Dr. Jarero lead-, new protocols for work with children who survived natural disasters. Those protocols were designed following a psychotherapy integration model and were structured in a "play therapy" format following the principles of Creative Art Therapies (CAT). The protocols have been applied successfully to hundreds of children in Mexico, Central America and South America. The protocols mentioned have been distributed internationally through the EMDR academic community. You can see the protocols, CISM information in Spanish and Dr. Jarero's Trauma Treatment Team work in www.amamecrisis.com.mx

Contact Info:
Ignacio Jarero/Mexican As´n for Crisis Therapy.
Address in México: Bulevar de la luz 777, Jardines del Pedregal.
México City, 01900.
Sky Box in USA: 4405 N.W., 73 rd Ave. Suite 048-1524
Miami, Fl., 33166-6400
Telephones in México City:
Work: (52-55) 5148-4859
Fax: (52-55) 5568-9594
Home: (52-55) 5652-3355
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Caribbean Liaison - Doris DeCosta, CSW, CEAP

A trained social worker with 25+ years experience practicing with children, families and work organizations. Received her graduate training in social work from Columbia University and did her undergraduate training at Adelphi University. Also received training in Management from Hunter College Graduate School of Social Work. A Certified Social Worker (CSW) and a Certified Employee Assistance Professional (CEAP).

A leading expert in crisis management and EAP practice with emphasis on EAP program design and implementation, work/life balance, drug free workplace, mental health, change management and diversity issues. Conducts courses and seminars on behavioral risk management, change management, Human Resource development, diversity management, stress management and corporate crisis planning.

Currently the Manager of the Bermuda Hospitals Board Employee Assistance Program. She is responsible for establishing and developing the program; has assumed that post for the past ten years. Part of her role as Manager of the EAP has been the development and implementation of the Hospitals based SMID/CISM crisis team and program, substance abuse policy and program, change management initiatives, policy development as well as leading the hospitals Human Resources Accreditation team. In addition, provides clinical services to staff at the medical and psychiatric hospital on the island.

Currently serving as Commissioner of the Employee Assistance Certification Commission. Appointed in 1999. She is responsible for credentialing and policy issues for Employee Assistance Professionals. Author of "Advisement Guidelines for International Candidates Seeking Certification". Presently, certified trainer for the Foundation in the basic course and the individual crisis intervention course.

Currently consulting on disaster mental health and is responsible for developing the curriculum for training mental health and emergency service workers in the Caribbean in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). Has trained crisis teams in Bermuda, Turks and Caicos, Barbados, Tortola and the US Virgin Islands.

Contact Info:

EAP of Bermuda

133 Front St 2nd Floor
Hamilton HM12 
Bermuda
Work: 441-296-2648
Home: 441-293-4787
Fax: 441-296-3158
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South Pacific & Australia -  Tony Culnane

Dr Robyn Robinson is a Clinical Psychologist with extensive clinical experience in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Critical Incident Stress Management. She is Director of Trauma Support Consultants Pty Ltd and President/Co-Founder of the Critical Incident Stress Management Foundation Australia. In 1984, Dr Robinson undertook the then largest known empirical study into emergency service stress for Ambulance Services in Victoria, Australia. She subsequently completed a nine-year follow-up including international comparisons with nine countries, and an 18 year follow-up. In 1986 she established a 24-hour crisis counseling unit for ambulance officers and their families in Victoria, and in 1987 trained the first Australian Combined Emergency Service CISM team. She has since trained over 200 CISM/peer support teams in 7 countries and addressed audiences in 10 countries. Dr Robinson is on the advisory board of ICISF and an accredited trainer. She is also a credited trainer in Eye-Movement Desensitization-Reprocessing. In 1998 she was elected as a member of the Academy of Traumatology (Green Cross) .

Contact Info:
PO Box 554
Carlton South
Victoria 3053
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