Trainers

MattO1

Matt Obert, LCSW

Matt Obert, President and CEO of Chaddock brings over 30 years of experience in behavioral health. He holds a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Illinois and an Executive Leadership certificate from the University of Michigan. During his 16 years at Chaddock, Matt undertook diverse pivotal roles, including Director of Quality Assurance, Director of Operations, Facilities and Technology, Executive Director of Chaddock Attachment and Trauma Services, and Vice President of the Chaddock Family of Organizations. His multifaceted expertise and unwavering commitment to excellence have been instrumental in shaping the organization's trajectory.

Prior to joining Chaddock, he led initiatives at the State of Missouri Department of Mental Health, making significant contributions to regional behavioral health services. Outside of work, he and his wife Amy are deeply involved in community service, reflecting their commitment to making a difference. 

Josh - Square

Josh Carlson, LCSW

Josh Carlson is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Executive Director of The Knowledge Center at Chaddock. He oversees the training and consultation endeavors TKC offers and is one of the lead trainers. Josh’s areas of expertise are training and coaching related to trauma-informed schools and managing secondary trauma through self-care. He offers workshops in both private and public schools and has spoken regionally and nationally on these topics.

Josh combines his over 17 years of experience at Chaddock with humor and fun that engages his audiences as they learn. He has a Masters in Social Work from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Josh is trained and certified in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) as well as Structured Psychotherapy for Adolescents Responding to Chronic Stress (SPARCS). Josh loves being a father to his four children and you will also find him volunteering at the local Community Theater as an actor in plays and musicals.

Coffee with Josh

Kristy Ruggles

Kirsty Ruggles, MS

Kirsty Ruggles has worked with children and families at Chaddock for over 8 years within Outpatient Services, Residential Services, Chaddock’s Special Education School, and now as a Lead Trainer for The Knowledge Center. Kirsty’s experience has made her one of our top trainers. Kirsty’s expertise lies in the areas of Trauma-Informed Schools, Trauma-Informed, Relationship-Focused Interventions, School and District Culture Changes, Early Child Development, Attachment and Developmental Trauma, and Parent-Child Interventions. She has successfully trained individuals throughout the state of Illinois in all education settings, from early childhood up to district-level, and has spoken regionally and nationally on these topics. Prior to her work at Chaddock, Kirsty worked with children and families in both the U.S.A. and U.K. Outside of work, you can find Kirsty spending time with her family or hiking with her dogs.

Facebook Group: Trauma-Informed Relationship Focused Schools

Jenna Kelly

Jenna Kelly, LCSW, I/ECMH-c

Jenna Kelly has extensive experience in working as a therapist, consultant, trainer and supervisor in children and family mental health services. She is the host of our Attachment Theory in Action podcast. Jenna is passionate about helping increase security and healing for children and families while supporting the professionals who work with families through reflective practice. She has a post-graduate certificate in Infant/Parent Mental Health. She has consulted multiple school and early childhood programs and helps lead a statewide early childhood mental health consultation program called Caregiver Connections in Illinois. She has presented at multiple state and national conferences on various mental health and trauma-related topics. She is a registered yoga teacher and also has a strong passion in using mindfulness and body work to help heal from trauma and stress. 

Attachment Theory in Action Podcast