Brenda Plante is a family leader from New Hampshire and a national parent partner with the Children’s Trust Fund Alliance. While Brenda’s early professional career in management with a national utility did not lead directly to family engagement work, her personal lived experience ultimately became the foundation for her advocacy and leadership. In 2011, Brenda
Melissa Zimmerman is a dedicated family advocate in her community who lives in Phoenix, Arizona, with her 17-year-old son and her husband. She has 13 years’ sobriety. When previously involved with the Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS), she successfully navigated the child welfare system and behavioral health system to reunite with her son. Her
For over 25 years, Paula Bibbs-Samuels has worked with and for children and families: advocating, being a voice, and supporting policy and practice that enhances the whole family, children, parents, kin, and community. She serves as a volunteer for the Lubbock Region 1 Parent Support Group and local and state church organizations in her Texas community.
Michael Cupeles, CCAP, is a fatherhood and family systems leader, national consultant, facilitator, and advocate whose work centers on strengthening the systems that support fathers, children, and families. His professional and lived experience spans early childhood education, father engagement, family voice, child and family well-being, primary prevention, domestic violence prevention, and community-based support. Michael serves
Queva Hubbard is a dedicated advocate and support specialist, leveraging her personal experiences to uplift her community. As a certified peer support specialist and comprehensive community support worker in New Mexico, Queva has guided individuals through challenges similar to those she has faced, including incarceration, addiction, and family separation. Her extensive experience spans roles such
