MISSION
The Association for Infant Mental Health in Ohio (AIMHiOhio) promotes healthy relationships in the lives of very young children by supporting those who serve and care for them.
VISION
The Association is an active, engaged network promoting credentialing opportunities, educational experiences and influencing public policy to strengthen the social emotional well being of very young children.
OUR GOALS
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Kristine Snell, BSSW, MSW, LISW-S, CEIM, is the current president of the AIMHiOhio Board of Directors and provides outpatient therapy at The Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy in Columbus, Ohio. Kristine earned a BS in Social Work from The Ohio State University and a master’s degree in Clinical Social Work from Michigan State University. While at Michigan State University, Kristine was awarded the Interdepartmental Graduate Specialization in Infant Studies (IGSIS) certificate and received clinical training in infant mental health at the Ingham Counseling Center program for Infant Mental Health. Kristine has extensive training experience in group counseling skills with La Leche League International where she was a Master Trainer for the Eastern United States and Canadian programs and served as a La Leche League Leader in Ohio and Michigan for 14 years. While in Michigan, Kristine provided adoption consultation services for both international and domestic adoptions, specializing in open adoption facilitation. Also in Michigan, Kristine joined the staff at The Center for Family Health with the Maternal-Infant Support Team. Kristine received grants to start a fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) training series for nurses and a screening clinic for FAS at the Center for Family Health in Jackson, Michigan. Kristine left Michigan to join the staff at The Achievement Centers for Children, Highland Hill, Ohio to implement the Early Childhood Mental Health program in 2001. While there she was awarded Employee of The Year, the NAMI Mental Health Hero award. Kristine also received the Ohio Innovative Practices in Mental Health grant to create a video presentation capturing the collaborative interagency work that provides funding for infant massage classes for families in Cuyahoga County. Kristine received her certification in infant massage (C.E. I.M.) in 1999 through Infant Massage USA and is a past member of the board of directors with IMUSA.
John Kinsel has provided Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health services to very young children and their caregivers as a clinician, consultant, trainer, and advocate for 40 years. He offers training and consultation related to the mental health, social, and emotional needs and development of children ages birth through age five. His clients have included Head Start, Early Intervention, Early Childhood Education, and mental health programs. His specializations include Infant Mental Health, Young Child Trauma, Attachment, and Autistic Spectrum Disorder. He has previously served as the Director of Mental Health at Miami Valley Child Development Centers, Inc. and Director, Clinical Supervisor, and Therapist with Young Children’s Assessment and Treatment Services at Samaritan Behavioral Health. John holds a Master of Science in Family Relations & Child Development from Oklahoma State University and Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education & Teaching from University of Maryland.
Twinkle French Schottke is a dynamic force in the realm of infant and child well-being. As the co-founder and Director of Moms2B with The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Twinkle spearheaded a groundbreaking community-based education program. Focused on empowering pregnant moms for healthier babies, the initiative expanded its impact from central Ohio to Dayton, addressing areas with the highest rates of infant mortality. With a wealth of experience spanning two decades at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Twinkle played diverse roles, championing the welfare of babies and young children in the community. Armed with a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Special Education and a certificate in Infant Mental Health, she brings a specialized skill set to the table.
Twinkle’s influence extends beyond borders as she served as a Consultant for Zero to Three with Military Projects. Her expertise shines as she conducted trainings at military bases nationwide, enlightening professionals on the effects of deployment, grief, loss, trauma, injury, and reunification on infants and young children. A trailblazer in the field, Twinkle holds the title of Past President of the Association of Infant Mental Health in Ohio (AIMHiOhio). Her commitment is further reflected in her active participation on the Governor’s Early Childhood Advisory Council and the Groundwork Advisory Board. Passionate about growing infant mental health in Ohio, Twinkle envisions a future where every newborn is welcomed into the world and finds a nurturing space in someone’s heart to flourish. Her journey is marked by a relentless pursuit of ensuring each child’s well-being from the very start.
Delaney Jones is a graduate of the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences where she studied Community Practice for Social Change. Delaney’s professional and educational background, focused in the area of young child/ family wellbeing, intertwines a micro-level study and practice (child behavior, family dynamics, trauma), with a macro-level focus and practice (policy and program development). Delaney currently serves as the Community Coordinator for the Safe Babies Program in Cuyahoga County where she is working alongside local child welfare, judicial, and social services leadership to plan, implement, develop, execute, and evaluate the Safe Babies program model. She is currently a Groundwork Ohio 2024 Early Childhood Fellow.
Dr. William Mosier is a Professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences and Graduate Education Institute at Istanbul Gelişim University and Medical Director at the Iradem Merkez Rehabilitation Center which serves the children of Syrian refugees in Istanbul, Turkey and Director of Research for the Lynda A. Cohen Center for the Study of Child Development and Behavioral Health Clinic in Dayton, OH. He completed a Doctorate in Counselor Education & Curriculum Development in Higher Education from the University of Southern California and a Doctorate in Medicine from the Universidad Central del Este in the Dominican Republic. Dr. Mosier completed post-doctoral training in Psychiatry at the University of Nebraska-College of Medicine and is a diplomate in Psychology with the American Board of Psychological Specialties and American Board of Forensic Medicine. He is also Professor Emeritus of the American College of Disability Analysts. Dr. Mosier is the author of over 100 peer-reviewed publications and has presented over 100 seminars at international and national conferences in English & Spanish on topics related to health, education, child development and mental health. Dr. Mosier served 20 years in the U.S. Military as an International Health Specialist on Humanitarian and Disaster Relief Missions throughout Latin America, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. He received the 2020 Early Childhood Teacher Educator of the Year Award from the National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators.
Ross Glen Chandler Nunamaker who goes by Chad, is an Ohio licensed teacher, holds a Bachelor’s in Early Childhood Education from Wright State University, a Master’s in Early Childhood Leadership & Advocacy from University of Dayton, a Certificate in Financial Success for Nonprofits from Cornell University, a Certificate in Early Education Leadership from the Zaentz Professional Learning Academy at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and is a PhD candidate specializing in Early Childhood Education at Concordia University Chicago. Chad’s research interests are at the intersection of adult-child interactions, parent & teacher education, infant & early childhood mental health, and prevention science. Chadis Executive Director, Director of Training, and Mental Health Specialist at The Lynda A. Cohen Center for the Study of Child Development; Executive Director and Communication Manager at Southwest Ohio AEYC; Clinical Supervisor at Western Governors University; and Adjunct Faculty at University of Dayton and University of Cincinnati. He has previously been a Fellow with the Partnerships in Prevention Science Institute at Iowa State University, an Ohio Early Childhood Leadership Fellow with Groundwork Ohio, and Field Assessor at the Crane Center for Early Childhood Research & Policy at The Ohio State University.
Katrina Ruege is the Clinical Manager for the Early Childhood Mental Health Program at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Katrina received her M.Ed. in Clinical Counseling in 2001 from Kent State University and has worked with young children and their families ever since. Katrina has led the effort of rostering ECMH clinicians in Child Parent Psychotherapy and has assisted in bringing five CPP Learning Collaboratives to Ohio. She is the ECMH clinical lead for the current SAMHSA grant, which is training therapists from rural areas in CPP, developing a collaboration with Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services to provide trauma treatment for immigrant and refugees, and training therapists in Perinatal Child Parent Psychotherapy (for pregnant mothers) while integrating services with our local home visiting program. Katrina previously led a pilot for Zero to Three’s new Early Connections Parenting Café and adapted a local parenting group for early childhood parents, offering quicker access to care for families on waitlists. Over the past 20-plus years, Katrina has received training in a variety of models in addition to CPP, including Incredible Years Parent, Child, Classroom and Baby, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, Triple P, and Newborn Behavioral Observation (NBO). She has assisted in creating and developing multiple ECMH programs in the Central Ohio area.
Kate Shanks, LISW-S, is the Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) Manager for Hopewell Health Centers, Inc. in Southeastern Ohio. She received her undergraduate degree from Ohio Wesleyan University and her Masters in Social Work degree from The Ohio State University. Kate manages the IECMH Team which provides mental health treatment to children 0-6 and their families as well as women experiencing Perinatal Mood Disorders in 9 counties across Southeast Ohio. The Team also provides consultation within daycares, preschools, early intervention, primary care and recovery settings in up to 24 Appalachian counties within Ohio.
Dr. Jane Sites has spent her career focused on the realities of stressors in children’s lives and the need to provide programming that would promote their optimal development. She has utilized her training in Social Work, child development, child care administration, parent education and rights, child welfare, and the impact of disabilities to develop successful programs. Early in her career, she became aware of the issues of violence toward children and families, which led to her research, and then the funding awards necessary to start programs to help victims heal from the losses and grief caused by maltreatment and violence. Dr. Sites is the innovative developer and director of the highly successful program called, TIP [Therapeutic Interagency Preschool Program] which began in response to the deaths of two preschool children who were in the custody of a county Children’s Services Department. Dr. Sites was asked to design a community “safety net” around our most vulnerable children, those with abuse and unknown permanent custody plans. For 28 years, TIP has offered unique, wrap-around services and evidence-based outcomes for children with serious histories of abuse. TIP has now been replicated throughout Ohio and Pennsylvania (8 sites). TIP was awarded statewide recognition in 2006 as Ohio‘s Most Effective Early Mental Health Program. Most recently, she has served as the Clinical Director of the newly developed Post-Traumatic Healing Center, and the Baby TIP programs in the Division of Psychiatry of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.
Dr. Maria Stamatakos is an Assistant Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the Lead Child Psychiatrist for the Early Childhood Mental Health Program at Big Lots Behavioral Health Nationwide Children’s Hospital. In this position Maria provides psychiatric evaluation, medication management and consultation for children under the age of six. Together with Kristopher West, PhD, they have created and expanded Early Childhood Mental Health services provided through Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
Dr. Stamatakos’ other responsibilities include supervising residents, fellows and medical students. She graduated from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine in 2003 and completed residency training in 2008 in General Psychiatry, Pediatrics, and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Board Certified in Pediatrics, 2008. Board Certified in General Psychiatry, 2010. Board Certified in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 2011. Prior to employment at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Maria was an Assistant Professor in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.
Dr. Janeece Warfield is a Professor in the School of Professional Psychology, Director of the Doctoral Internship Program, Director for the Center for Child & Adolescent Violence Prevention, and Director of Early Childhood Services at Wright State University. She specializes in therapeutic services and assessment with infants and children, developmental disabilities, and children with chronic illness. She also has expertise in play therapy, violence prevention, trauma, and multicultural/diversity training. She is member of APA, ABPsi, and DAPA, as well as has leadership and membership in other professional organizations, such as the Association of Play Therapy, Association for Infant Mental Health in Ohio, and APA’s ACT program.
Dr. Kristopher West is the Clinical Director for the Early Childhood Mental Health Program at Nationwide Children’s Hospital (NCH) and an Associate Professor in the department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. He obtained his M.S. and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Kentucky and his undergraduate degree from Wittenberg University. As a clinical psychologist, Dr. West’s interests have been primarily focused on the area of trauma treatment and trauma-informed care across the lifespan. He has consulted with and worked for a diverse set of adult and child serving systems focused on improving access and evidence-based care and on developing strategies to drive intervention to the earliest years of life. He has been involved in child-serving system level partnership and collaboration, including obtaining federal, state, regional and local funding. Dr. West has been at NCH for the past almost 20 years supporting an extensive Early Childhood Mental Health program that provides full continuum of promotion, prevention and treatment services for families and children pre-natal through kindergarten and a consultation, screening and assessment program for children with behavioral health needs within a local child welfare system.
Anyone who works with, cares for, or has infants and toddlers, and has an interest in their healthy development, has an interest in infant and toddler mental health.