Midwest U.S. Conscious Discipline Instructors
- 4th-6th Grade Teachers
- Administrative Training/Coaching
- Bilingual/Spanish
- Childcare Administrators
- Classroom Coaching
- Early Head Start Administration
- Elementary School Administration
- Elementary School Teachers
- Foster Care
- Head Start Administration
- Head Start Teachers
- Infant/Toddler Teachers
- Kindergarten - 2nd
- Mental Health Professionals
- Middle School 6th-8th
- Middle/High School Administration
- Mission Expansion
- Other Areas of Specialization
- Parents
- PreK/K Teachers
- Preschool/Childcare Teachers
- School-wide Implementation
- Special Needs
- Training/Coaching
- Upper Elementary - 3rd-5th
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Melissa Chrisman
Certified InstructorAs a young girl, Melissa knew education was her calling. Born and raised in Dayton, Ohio, she attended the University of Dayton where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in education preK-3rd grade and a master’s degree in special education.
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Laura Abbe
Certified InstructorLaura works with early childhood professionals and parents to help them create an environment of optimal social and emotional growth for children. She is passionate about supporting adults by offering the safety and connection they inherently need, yet may not have experienced fully in their own childhood. Laura builds her life’s work on the concept that offering to others what we need (or have needed) creates a path of healing and a sense of peace through which we are empowered to positively impact the lives of children, students, families, communities and world.
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Amanda Spight
Certified InstructorAmanda Spight is a presenter who thrives on creating spaces where all stakeholders feel safe to show up as their whole selves and supporting leaders in doing the same within their communities. She is a wife, a mother, a dynamic leader and an authentic presenter.
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Jinny Datema
Certified InstructorJinny is an influential advocate for mental health, social emotional learning and trauma-informed practices. She draws on her professional background as well as life experiences to deliver relatable, useable information about using Conscious Discipline to create a foundation of protective factors that guard against and heal trauma. Jinny is known for her ability to present deep concepts with calmness, compassion, the ability to meet adults/children exactly where they are, and steadfast positive intent.
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Cristen Sassi
Certified InstructorCristen Sassi is an energetic presenter, trainer and coach with a passion for working with educators and students who experience behavioral challenges that stem from trauma or chronic stress. Her substantial understanding of child development, sensory integration, sensory processing, neuroscience, trauma-informed approaches and Conscious Discipline provides a foundation from which she helps adults and children reach their fullest potential.
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Tabatha Rosproy
Certified InstructorTabatha is a career early childhood educator with 12+ years of experience working in Head Start, center-based early education, home-based services for birth through three years old and as a public school preK teacher. She is known for helping create a unique preschool program housed in a retirement community and nursing home, where students interact with community residents who serve as volunteer “grandmas” and “grandpas.”
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Beth Schendel
Certified InstructorBeth is a dynamic trainer who works extensively with early childhood educators, instructional coaches, administrators and leadership teams to embed Conscious Discipline into their educational cultures. Beth’s expertise builds on more than fifteen years in the field of education as a childcare and preschool teacher, an instructional coach and a principal.
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Jennie Gries
Certified InstructorJennie excels in leading teams in Conscious Discipline implementation and has served as the Conscious Discipline Action Team Leader in her school for the past 10 years. Her school has maintained a “Significantly Exceeds Expectations” ranking for the Wisconsin State School Report Card since reaching fidelity with Conscious Discipline and hosted a Conscious Discipline National 2-Day Event as a model school in 2021.
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Nicole Langston
Certified InstructorNicole Langston, an educator with over 17 years of experience and mother of four, discovered Conscious Discipline when she first became a principal. Nicole has worked as a Director of Early Childhood, principal, and elementary teacher while also leading Parents as Teachers, Gifted and Talented, Head Start and pregnant and parenting teens. She has an Ed.S in Education Policy and Analysis from the University of Missouri, a M.Ed from William Woods University, and a B.A. in Early Childhood Education from Missouri State University.
