Our 2026 Speakers
Dr. David Anderson
Keynote Speaker
Dr. David Anderson, founder and executive director of Safe Families for Children!
Founded in 2003, Safe Families for Children is an evidence-based, community-driven nonprofit that seeks to reframe how families are cared for and supported when facing challenging and unmanageable circumstances. Dr. Anderson has spent over 20 years working to ensure that children and families are supported within their communities.
Dr. John Hutton
Keynote Speaker
Dr. John S. Hutton is a pediatrician and researcher at UT Southwestern and Children’s Health, Dallas, TX. He is also former Director of the Reading and Literacy Discovery Center at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. He owned blue manatee children’s bookstore for almost 20 years, then donated via a “Golden Ticket” in 2019 to create the non-profit Blue Manatee Literacy Project. He is also the founder of blue manatee press, which originated to support a community advocacy project during his pediatric residency training.
“Dr. John’s” research involves exploring the effect of the home reading environment and screen-based media on early brain development using MRI, and has been the first in the world to document relationships with brain structure and function prior to kindergarten. He is also a pioneer in developing children's books for pediatric health literacy promotion and early literacy screening (The Reading House), several distributed via statewide infant health campaigns, benefiting non-profit groups, and found superior to usual guidance in clinical trials. His goal is to improve the general and health literacy of families from all backgrounds, not just because it’s lovely and wonderful, but because it builds brains and bonds.
Dr. John is passionate about better understanding the rising influence of digital media on young children, and the importance of a solid foundation in language, human connection and creative play. His health-themed series Baby Unplugged and Love Baby Healthy have been distributed to millions of families worldwide. He has won numerous awards for his research and writing, lectures widely across the US, and attended writing workshops in Iowa City and Squaw Valley, CA.
He lives with his family in Dallas, Texas and visits his grownup children and grandson in Cincinnati and other locales.
Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge
Keynote Speaker
Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge is a licensed therapist, certified school psychologist, and leading expert in nervous system and emotional dysregulation. With more than 30 years of clinical experience, she has helped thousands of families and analyzed over 10,000 brain maps, identifying patterns that drive behavioral challenges, family stress, and treatment resistance. Her neuroscience-informed work focuses on how regulation impacts outcomes across home, school, and care systems.
Dr. Roseann is a three-time bestselling author, host of the top 1% podcast Dysregulated Kids with more than two million downloads, and a sought-after speaker for organizations focused on early childhood, education, and family strengthening. Her forthcoming book, The Dysregulated Kid (Page Two, 2026), expands on her work helping families and professionals calm the nervous system first—creating safer, more connected environments where children can regulate, learn, and thrive.
Brandy Carlson-Moore, MSW
Keynote Speaker
Jennifer Behnam
Speaker
Jennifer Behnam is the President of BRITE Consulting Services, LLC, where she partners with government agencies and nonprofit organizations to strengthen child welfare systems through strategic planning, program development, and systems reform. With more than 25 years of experience in child welfare leadership, Jennifer is passionate about advancing prevention efforts, strengthening families and communities, and creating more trauma-informed environments. Her work focuses on preventing unnecessary foster care, partnering with youth and parents to co-create meaningful systems change, and expanding the use of trauma-informed practices to promote healing and lasting change for children, families, and communities.
Christina Romero
Speaker
Christina Romero is a fierce advocate, a devoted mother of four, a proud grandmother, and the unwavering heart behind the transformation of countless lives. With boundless love, she not only raised her own children but also embraced the responsibility of nurturing her sister’s three children, embodying the true meaning of family and resilience. Armed with an associate degree in science and a passion fueled by personal experience with the child welfare system, Christina began her advocacy journey in Florida as a Parent Leader. What started as a mission born of necessity evolved into a lifelong purpose to reimagine systems of care and bring voice, dignity, and justice to families too often overlooked. As a founding member of the Family Engagement Advocacy Council (FEAC) in Broward County, Christina is a beacon for equity and inclusion. Her partnership with Bridge Builders ensures that community voices are not just heard, but honored. Through her monthly Community Café, she brings families, leaders, and changemakers together in powerful dialogue, sparking connection and shared purpose. Today, as Executive Director of Parent Advocates for Transformation and Healing (PATH), she leads with courage and compassion, working tirelessly to dismantle oppressive structures and build a future rooted in healing, belonging, and strength. Christina’s voice echoes across local, state, and national platforms. From Bridge Builders to the Birth Parent National Network (BPNN), Thriving Families Safer Children (TFSC), and the Birth Parent Advisory Committee (BPAC), she is a force for change. Her leadership on the Broward County Racial Equity Task Force, where she chairs the Housing Committee, reflects her deep commitment to justice, stability, and opportunity for all. Driven by love and purpose, Christina Romero is not just advocating for change, she is leading it. Her vision is bold, her heart is full, and her impact is generational.
Bruce "BJ" Develle, LCSW
Speaker
Debra Dhaity
Speaker
Debra Dhaity graduated from Florida International University, where she earned a Master of Public Health with a concentration in Maternal and Child Health. She is a first-generation Haitian American raised in South Florida and is passionate about community work and advocacy for families and children. Through her role as the Maternal and Child Health Associate at The Children’s Movement of Florida, Debra helps strengthen maternal and child health and early childhood systems by building partnerships across sectors. She collaborates with families, parents, educators, and community-based organizations by amplifying community perspectives to advance solutions that address social and structural factors shaping maternal and child health.
Daniela Borroto
Speaker
Daniela Borroto is passionate about advancing solutions in early childhood systems to ensure every child in Florida thrives in the first five years. As Director of Policy within The Children’s Movement of Florida, her role entails the development and execution of the organization’s policy agenda to advance early childhood priorities across Florida. This includes shaping and promoting policy positions related to early learning, child health, and family support; and ensuring the Movement’s policy efforts align with its mission to prioritize children’s well-being in the first five years. She holds a bachelor’s degree in public policy and a master’s degree in education policy and evaluation from Florida State University.
Laura Girlando
Speaker
Laura Girlando has worked in the Infant & Early Childhood field for over 10 years, supporting young children and caregivers in navigating dependency-based transitions such as separation, reunification, and adoption. Laura is a Rostered Child-Parent Psychotherapy provider, Licensed Mental Health Counselor, and Qualified Supervisor in the State of Florida. Additionally, Laura is actively involved in supporting the professional development of clinicians serving the Treasure Coast (Martin, St. Lucie, & Indian River Counties). In her current role, Laura acts as a Clinical Consultant for Tykes & Teens’ Infant Mental Health Program. Laura is an Endorsed Reflective Supervisor and Infant Mental Health Specialist (IMFS) with the Florida Association for Infant Mental Health (FAIMH). In 2026, she began providing Reflective Supervision/Consultation (RSC) via FAIMH's "Pay-it-Forward" Model, providing free monthly support to Infant/Family Specialists (IFS) of various Infant/Early Childhood roles, across the state. Laura is also a sister, daughter, wife, and mother to an enthusiastic 6-year-old daughter.
Charlotte Diaz
Speaker
Charlotte Diaz is a Registered Mental Health Counseling Intern specializing in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health, with over 8 years of experience in the field, including work in geriatric mental health and behavior analysis for Autism and infant feeding challenges. Since August 2022, she has served as a clinician at Tykes & Teens, providing community-based care in Martin County, FL. Charlotte is part of Florida's 10th Training Cohort for Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP), serving families navigating trauma, reunification, and high-risk environments, particularly within child welfare systems. Endorsed by the Florida Association for Infant Mental Health (FAIMH) since September 2025, Charlotte is passionate about strengthening caregiver-child relationships through culturally responsive, play-based, and relationship-focused care. Charlotte is also a partner and proud mother of three daughters.
Mindy Taylor, MSN, MNM, APRN
Speaker
Mindy Taylor, MSN, MNM, APRN, is the Child Safety and Prevention Lead at the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County, where she leads the Preventable Child Death Initiative and the Sleep Baby Safely program. With a background in pediatric nursing and more than 15 years of experience in nonprofit and public-sector leadership, she brings a practical, systems-focused approach to child injury prevention.
In her role, Mindy works closely with fire rescue, EMS, hospitals, public health, and community partners to align training, education, and data around evidence-based prevention strategies, including safe infant sleep and water safety. She oversees the development of professional training and community education campaigns designed to translate public health evidence into real-world practice.
Mindy holds a Master of Science in Nursing and a Master of Nonprofit Management and is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse in Florida. Her work focuses on strengthening cross-sector collaboration and reducing preventable infant and child deaths through education, systems change, and frontline engagement
Michael Fussner, MA, BCBA, LBA
Speaker
Michael Fussner is the founder of Fussner Strategic Solutions (FSS), a consulting firm specializing in program evaluation, data analysis, strategic planning, and organizational behavior management. With a strong background in behavioral health, education, and applied behavior analysis, Michael brings a unique perspective to my work, leveraging my expertise to support small and growing organizations. Since its inception in 2019, FSS has been dedicated to empowering nonprofits across Florida by providing them with the tools and insights needed to make informed decisions and achieve sustainable growth. Our mission is to foster equity and community-led development through high-quality evaluation and data services.