ART Training
Wisconsin Child Welfare Professional Development System (Madison, WI)
8010 Excelsior Dr. Ste 100, Madison, WI.
October 22nd and 23rd
Meet the trainers
BEN DOBSON - Rock County
Ben Dobson graduated from University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee with a Bachelor of Community Engagement & Education. Ben has been employed in a variety of positions at Rock County Human Services Department since 2004. Currently, Ben works as a Youth Justice Supervisor supervising Youth Justice staff working in the field. Prior work experience includes working at Rock County Youth Service’s Center, working in the Youth Development & Diversion Programs, Children’s Long-Term Support Case Manager, Children’s Long-Term Support Supervisor, and currently as the before mentioned Youth Justice Supervisor. Ben has a strong understanding of adolescent brain development, and the impact trauma has on youth and their families. Ben strives to build partnerships with local Law Enforcement agencies to ensure youth are being treated in a fair and equitable manner. Ben also coordinates CPS Substantiation Appeals and is an active member of the Child Death Review Panel in Rock County.
JAMIE ORR - Fond du Lac County
Jamie Orr graduated from Marian University in 2016 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work, minoring in Therapeutic Arts and Psychology. She is a certified Social Worker. Jamie has completed Basic Intake Worker Training and does a substantial amount of on-call work for Fond du Lac County Juvenile Court Services. She has been employed with Fond du Lac County for two years as a Youth Justice Ongoing Social Worker. Prior to this, she worked for the WI DOC as a Corrections Social Worker at Oshkosh Correctional Institution working with individuals incarcerated for sexual offenses and other crimes. While she enjoyed the work she did at Oshkosh Correctional Institution, her passion was working with juveniles. This began during her internship with Fond du Lac County and prior professional positions at local group homes, as well as a private agency for youth with behavioral challenges. Jamie is trained in Thinking for a Change, Motivational Interviewing, Carey Guides/BITS, and Squabbles (Conflict Resolution). Jamie also co-facilitates an Anger Management/Life Skills curriculum to moderate and high-risk youth. When she is not at work, Jamie enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and creating things with her Cricut.
MANDA YOUNG - Chippewa County
Manda Young graduated from UW-Madison with a Bachelor of Psychology and Legal Studies and a Certificate of Criminal Justice. Manda is a certified Social Worker. She has been employed with the Chippewa County Department of Human Services for four and a half years as an Ongoing Youth Justice Social Worker. Prior to her work as a social worker, Manda was the Program Coordinator for the Eau Claire County S.P.A.R.K. (Supporting Positive Actions, Resilience, and Knowledge) Program, which was an alternative to detention program which helped divert youth from secure detention holds. While working at S.P.A.R.K., Manda developed a strong passion for facilitating groups and providing youth with new skills and tools to increase their strengths and improve their areas of need. Manda currently facilitates Aggression Replacement Training and Girls..Moving On at Chippewa County and is excited for this opportunity to train other facilitators for ART. In her free time, Manda enjoys hiking, camping, and spending time outside with her family.
MELISSA ZARCZYNSKI - Dodge County
In 2001, Melissa received her Bachelor of Social Work degree from the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee. Melissa is a Social Worker with 23 years of experience working in Dodge County, she is currently an Ongoing Social Worker for Youth Justice. In 2024, Melissa became a certified ART trainer. Additionally, she was a member of the WJCIA board of Directors from 2014-2022 and is looking forward to providing quality training opportunities with the association.
MICKALA FERGE - Lincoln County
Mickala Ferge has a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Psychology, and an emphasis in Juvenile Corrections. Mickala is also a licensed Social Worker. Mickala has been working in the youth justice field since 2015. She started as a Resident Care Staff at Orion Group Home in Platteville, WI and after graduation, took a job as a Youth Counselor and later a Social Worker at Lincoln Hills School for the WI Dept. of Corrections, Division of Juvenile Corrections. In 2018, Mickala began with the Lincoln County Department of Social Services, first as an Ongoing Social Worker and now currently holds the position of Child Welfare Manager. Mickala has a passion for empowering youth and fostering positive change within her community. Having initially been trained in and taught ART in her position at Lincoln Hills School, Mickala is excited to extend this impact beyond her local community and train other professionals in ART statewide. In her free time, Mickala enjoys spending time outside with her family and traveling to warm vacation destinations.
SOPHIA WIDOWSKI - Lincoln County
Sofia Widowski graduated from the University of Wisconsin Madison and has a Bachelor’s Degree. Sofia is also a licensed Social Worker. and has been working in the youth justice field since 2019. Sofia has been employed at Lincoln County Social Services and has worked as the youth justice initial, and ongoing worker. Sofia has a passion for her work and is always looking for new opportunities to support youth. In her free time, Sofia enjoys spending time outside (in the summertime) with her family.
LAUREN COWELL - Outagamie County
Lauren Cowell is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Social Work. Since 2010, she has worked in various Wisconsin County-based positions serving vulnerable youth and their families. Having started her career in Child Protective Services, followed by a transition to direct clinical practice with youth, and most recently serving as a supervisor in Youth Justice for the past 6 years; Lauren has a plethora of experience serving system involved children, youth, and their families. In her current supervisory role with Outagamie County, Lauren promotes the philosophy of case managers being the intervention through their relationships with consumers, motivational impacts, and specialized skillsets. Lauren believes that meeting families where they are at is essential to the change process, and having a seat at the table during consumers’ most vulnerable moments of need is a privilege that many professionals never get to experience. In her free time, Lauren enjoys spending time with her husband and children, often camping, hiking, or being outdoors.
Nicki Laudolff has been working in the youth justice field since 2002. She started as a Youth Counselor at Southern Oaks Girls School for the WI Dept. of Corrections, Division of Juvenile Corrections. After promoting to Youth Counselor – Advanced, she moved to the Madison area and became a Juvenile Probation and Parole Agent. Nicki then promoted to Corrections Field Supervisor, which entailed supervising Juvenile Probation and Parole Agents and Youth Counselors, as well as running The Grow Academy in its first 3.5 years. The Grow Academy is a non-secure, short term residential program for male youth in the state. At the beginning of 2018, Nicki accepted the position of Youth Justice Curriculum Coordinator through the Wisconsin Child Welfare Professional Development System in the School of Social Work at UW-Madison, where she trains county social workers in WI Statutes and custody intake across the state. Nicki has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Family Studies and a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology, with an emphasis in Counseling and a specialization in Children and Adolescents. Nicki has a passion for working with youth and families that are working through past trauma and striving towards a more positive and safe future. She and her partner love spending time in their yard with their dogs, feeding the wild birds, and gathering fresh eggs from their chickens. She enjoys spending time traveling with her trusty beagle/terrier mix companion – Nala, camping at her off-grid cabin, and reading in her hammock.