Carol Biddle, MSW

Carol is Executive Director and co-founder of Kinship Center. Carol’s career includes four decades in child welfare and children’s mental health. She received her MSW from the University of Georgia.

Carol has guided the development, continuous refinement, and dissemination of ACT since it was introduced in 1993.

Carol Bishop, LMFT

Carol is co-founder and Division Director for Northern California of Kinship Center. She has worked as a social worker, supervisor and administrator since 1965.

Carol trains both professionals and parents, and consults in several areas of agency practice and administration.

Charles Chambers

Charles is a Program Director for Kinship Center's Family Ties program.  Charles has over ten years experience in kinship care support services.

Charles is recognized for his expertise in kin care, human services and Medi-Cal, and speaks statewide on the challenges facing families.

Margaret Creek

Margaret Creek is a Clinical Supervisor and therapist for Kinship Center. As a Board Certified art therapist, Margaret uses art to facilitate the therapeutic process in her work with foster and adopted children and their families.

Margaret is an ACT Facilitator, and also conducts trainings and workshops in the areas of art therapy and non-verbal interventions.

Relinidis Lorie Diaz, LMFT

Relindis is a Program Coordinator at Kinship Center. Relindis counsels children of all ages, specializing in diverse famlies and the birth to five population.

She is both a parent and professional educator, and was previously an adjunct professor in CSU Fresno’s graduate counseling program.

Valerie Golden, LCSW

Valerie is a Clinical Social Worker for the California Department of Corrections, and also maintains a private practice, working with children and families. Valerie has over 25 years of work experience that includes juvenile institutions, probation, women’s recovery, and child welfare services.

Valerie is an ACT Facilitator for Kinship Center. She also presents on multiculturalism and diversity.

Ron Huxley, LMFT

Ron is a Clinic Director at Kinship Center. He has worked in the mental health field since 1990 as a clinician, advocate and educator. He has an MS degree from CSU Fresno.

Ron is an ACT Facilitator, and an educator of both professionals and parents.  He is the author of the book, “Love and Limits: Achieving a Balance in Parenting,” and has traveled nationally speaking on parenting and anger management topics.

Grace Katzenstein, LCSW

Grace is a Clinical Supervisor at Kinship Center, with over 30 years experience as a therapist and clinical social worker. Her focus for the past several years has been primarily on working with foster and adoptive families.

Grace is an educator for parents and professionals on a variety of topics. She is also a yoga teacher for children, and leads weekly children's yoga groups at Kinship Center.

Ben Madia

Allison Davis Maxon, MFT

Allison is Division Director for Southern California of Kinship Center, and is an educator and therapist. She has a passion for integrating the science of attachment theory into helping families heal.

Allison is an ACT Facilitator. She also develops customized curriculum in a broad range of specialized topic areas.

Laura Ornelas, LCSW

Laura is a Regional Mental Health Director for Kinship Center. She has worked in foster care and adoptions since 1994 as a social worker, therapist and mental health director. She has an MSW from University of Southern California.

Laura trains both professionals and parents, and is also an ACT Facilitator.

Cynthia Roe, LCSW

Cynthia, a Clinical Supervisor for Kinship Center, has worked in the fields of foster care and adoption since 1986. She holds an MSW from the University of Southern California.

Cynthia is an ACT Facilitator, and also trains professionals and parents on both a local and national basis.

Sharon Kaplan Roszia, MS

Sharon is Kinship Center’s Emissary for the Education Institute.  She entered the adoption field in 1963, and has received national awards, including Child Advocate of the Year and the Congressional Angel in Adoption.

Sharon is both a co-founder and Facilitator of ACT. She lectures extensively domestically and abroad, and is the author of two books.

Del Stewart, LCSW

Del is Regional Executive Director for Mental Health Services and Wraparound at Kinship Center. She has  worked with foster and adoptive children and their families in the community for more than 25 years.

Del has been an affiliate professor at local universities and colleges, training and supervising graduate students and interns. She is also an ACT Facilitator for Kinship Center.

Gayle Ward, MA

Gayle is a Senior Social Worker with Kinship Center, specializing in foster care and adoption. She entered the field in 1976

Gayle has been an ACT Facilitator for over ten years. She is also a lead parent educator at Kinship Center, with a focus on supporting parents and children through the challenging stages that come with the making of a new family.

Graham Wright, MSW

Graham is the architect and Program Director for Kinship Center’s Adoption Wraparound and regional Post Adoption Services programs. Working in child welfare since 1971, he was also president of the California Adoption Agency Association for several years.

Graham presents statewide on Wraparound, adoption and foster care issues.

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Please contact the Education Institute of Kinship Center for information about having one of our faculty members create custom curriculum for you or present at your event.

Ph 831-455-9965 or 800-4KINSHIP