Lisa is a Certified Child Life Specialist, educator, and co-founder of Cruise Cush™. With over 15 years of pediatric experience, she combines child development, psychosocial care, and healthcare innovation to create practical solutions that enhance the hospital experience for children, families, and healthcare teams.
Nishtha is currently a Graduate Researcher at California State University, Los Angeles, leading projects on child development and social-emotional resilience in the face of adversity. Nishtha is also a Child Life volunteer at the Painted Turtle medical camp, MemorialCare Miller Children & Women’s Hospital, and Shriners’ Children’s Southern California clinic.
Jessika is a Certified Child Life Specialist, researcher, educator, and Executive Director of the Child Life Academic Society (CLAS0. She serves as Assistant Professor of Practice at Vanderbilt University and maintains clinical practice in pediatric critical care at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. Her clinical and research interests include pediatric oncology, adolescents and young adults, pediatric intensive care, children with medical complexity, and end-of-life care with a particular focus on legacy building. A nationally recognized scholar and award-winning researcher, Jessika Boles is passionate about experiential learning, strengthening child life education pathways, and expanding the profession’s evidence base. Through CLAS, she advances the integration of teaching, research, and clinical practice while mentoring the next generation of child life professionals.
Colleen completed the MS Child Life program at Loma Linda University, attained certification, opened PlayWell Child Life Services in 2013. PlayWell is an on-site service for child patients, siblings, and children of adult patients. She has certifications in Thanatology, CT, Fellow in Thanatology and Grief Counseling, Certification for children and adolescents. She is contracted with community providers, active in local, state and national initiatives advocating for support of traumatized and bereaved children including SAMHSA, AHRQ Expert Panel.
Natalie is currently the Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) at Valley Presbyterian Hospital. Natalie is also currently a part-time lecturer at California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA) in the Department of Child and Family Studies and at California State University, Northridge in the Department of Child and Adolescent Development.
Jeanine is Program Director of Child Life and Pediatric Psychosocial Care at University of Minnesota and brings more than 30 years of experience in pediatric healthcare, education, and leadership. Her work is grounded in culturally competent, developmentally appropriate, family-centered care, with particular interest in helping Child Life Specialists foster lifelong positive health engagement through atraumatic care and therapeutic relationships. A longtime advocate for global child life development and professional education, Jeanine is committed to advancing evidence-based practice and academic excellence. Through her leadership in the Child Life Academic Society, where she serves as President, she supports initiatives that strengthen academic standards, enhance student experiences, and prepare future professionals to actively contribute to the field.
Misty is a pediatric registered nurse with over 15 years of experience. As co-founder and co-creator of Cruise Cush™, she is passionate about improving pediatric transport through innovative, child-friendly solutions that enhance comfort, support families, and create a more welcoming healthcare experience for children.
Varsha is a graduate research assistant at Vanderbilt University and UC Davis alumna, whose work focuses on the intersections of pediatric psychosocial care and medical complexity. Currently completing her child life internship at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, she will be eligible for certification in February2027.
Linda has been a Certified Child Life Specialist for more than 35 years with extensive clinical practice working with chronically ill, injured, and suspected child abuse and neglect children and families. Linda worked at UCLA Medical Center, Child Life Director at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and the Grossman Burn Center. Her clinical private practice has extended to the community providing trauma-grief support to victims of fatal family violence. Since graduating from Pacific Oaks College Linda has dedicated her career to advocating and addressing children’s grief and loss through her clinical practice and academic education. Linda is a specialized trainer in Grief and Loss training for Dept. of Mental Health. Previous part-time Adjunct Faculty at CSUN & Azusa Pacific University CL Master’s Program. Co-Founder and President of the California Association for Child Life Professionals. She devotes her spare time playing with her grandson.
Belinda is faculty at Sonoma State University and Eastern Washington University, providing academic instruction and advising for students in both graduate and undergraduate Child Life academic programs. With her doctorate in Educational Leadership and a specialization in Social Justice, Belinda has long been an advocate for students and our field as a whole. As the founder of Child Life Connection, Belinda has transitioned her focus to supporting the creation of academic programs within HBCUs and HSIs to support the need for representation in medical care, and to expanding internship offerings to see more CCLS jobs filled and to explore closer-to-home opportunities for students. She is a Founders Council member for the Child Life Academic Society (CLAS) and has contributed to several ACLP committees.
Carissa is a Certified Child Life Specialist, assistant professor, and counselor passionate about supporting children and families through grief, trauma, and life transitions. With more than 20 years of experience, she teaches graduate child life students at Azusa Pacific University and provides counseling in a community-centered private practice that helps children and adults feel seen, valued, and supported.
Charity has more than 25 years of experience as a CCLS in healthcare and community-based settings, including serving as Child Life Director at UC Irvine Medical Center. Since joining Azusa Pacific University in 2017, she has led the development of the Master of Science in Child Life program from its inception and currently serves as Department Chair of the Child Life Department in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences. Committed to advancing the child life profession, Charity is actively involved in higher education, interdisciplinary collaboration, and community partnerships. She is a Founders Council member for the Child Life Academic Society (CLAS), has contributed to several ACLP committees, and is a board member of CACLP
Elene is a Certified Child Life Specialist and assistant professor in the graduate child life program at Azusa Pacific University. With more than 10 years of experience, she specializes in medical play, procedural support, therapeutic interventions, and grief and loss. Elene is passionate about mentoring future child life specialists through compassionate, developmentally responsive, and evidence-based education and clinical training.
Sonia is a Certified Child Life Specialist at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, where she has supported children and families in the Emergency Department since 2012. Her work focuses on helping children across developmental stages and abilities cope with medical experiences.
In 2023, she founded S.D.M. Child Coping Services, a private practice providing community-based Child Life services focused on identifying psychosocial needs and guiding individualized, trauma-informed interventions. Through partnerships with Victims of Crime programs and District Attorney's Offices, she supports children and families impacted by violence, trauma, and loss. As a bilingual Spanish-speaking professional, she is committed to increasing access to culturally responsive care and services.
Jis a board-certified Art Therapist, specializing in pediatric medical settings, using creative expression to support children and families coping with illness, grief, and trauma. Jennifer earned a B.F.A from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in 2009 and a M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling in Art Therapy from Lesley University in 2017. Since relocating to Sacramento in 2019, Jennifer has worked with UC Davis Health, first at the Comprehensive Cancer Center Pediatric Infusion Room and later inpatient pediatrics at UC Davis Children’s Hospital, collaborating with interdisciplinary teams to enhance patient well-being through arts-based healing. Her additional training in mind-body stress reduction techniques, Opening Minds through Art, and Reiki informs her holistic approach to patient care. In addition to her clinical work, Jennifer co-facilitates Remembering Together and Young Adults Bereavement Art Group, providing opportunities for individuals to process loss through artistic expression. (preferred pronouns: she/her)
Marissa is a Certified Child Life Specialist, Reiki practitioner, and Registered Wonders and Worries Provider. Marisa graduated from UC Davis with a B.S. in Psychology then received her M.A. in Early Childhood Education with an Emphasis in Child Life in Hospitals from Mills College. Marisa was a volunteer student, and child life fellow at UC Davis Children’s Hospital before working at two Sacramento child life programs. Now working at the Comprehensive Cancer Center, Marisa is lead for Radiation Oncology and School Re-Entry program, while providing education and coping support to patients and families in the Pediatric Infusion Room. As a Co-Facilitator for Remembering Together, Marisa also helps children and teenagers cope with loss and bereavement in a support group. (preferred pronouns: she/her)
Tanya is the Chief Program Officer at Children’s Burn Foundation, working with a team of professionals to bring comprehensive care and services to child burn survivors and their families, partnering with more than 30 burn centers nationally. Children’s Burn Foundation also delivers an array of burn prevention education programs to the community in California, nationally and around the globe. Tanya has been with CBF for 16 years and in the nonprofit sector for 30 years. She holds a dual master’s degree from USC and HUC in Social Work and Jewish Communal Service. She is a proud mom of three teenagers.
Rose has been a child life specialist for 15 years and has worked in all departments of hospitals at three different institutions. Her current role is on the in-patient surgical and trauma unit at UCSF BCH-Oakland, and she regularly works with children affected by the child protective system. She is also the co-lead and creator of the UCSF BCH Youth Advisory Council.
Shani is a Certified Child Life Specialist with more than 20 years of experience supporting children and families coping with illness, trauma, grief, and loss. As the founder of Child Life Mommy, she partners with nonprofit organizations, hospice agencies, schools, and healthcare providers to expand access to community-based child life services and provides clinical supervision and mentorship to Certified Child Life Specialists.
Katie is an Associate Professor and Program Director of Children's Studies at Eastern Washington University. She teaches graduate and undergraduate child life courses and conducts research focused on child life practice and pediatric psychosocial experiences. She is passionate about preparing future child life specialists and advancing evidence-informed practice
Susan brings extensive expertise across clinical practice, pediatric hospice, and crisis response. As a Wonders and Worries provider, she supports families navigating serious illnesses and she delivers global psychosocial support through Operation Smile. Currently, she educates the next generation of specialists as an instructor with UCSB PaCE and Child Life Connection.
Lauren has worked in the music therapy profession for 12+ years, gaining experience in pediatrics, mental health, special education, and palliative/hospice. Her current role involves direct clinical work on UCSF BCH-Oakland hematology/oncology units and working with the trauma team. In addition to inpatient clinical work, she is also the co-chair lead for UCSF’s Diversity Equity and Inclusion-Anti Racism Council.
Jessica is a Child Life Specialist at Sutter Medical Center Sacramento and UC Davis Health. She earned her master’s degree in child life from Eastern Washington University where her thesis explored cultural competency in Child Life practice. Her interests include culturally responsive and family-centered pediatric care.
