Dispatches from Within – Youth Speak Out

Gabriel Maisonnave joined WFDD as the Education Program Manager in the fall of 2017.He has his MA in Media and Journalism with a certificate in Peace and Conflict Resolution at UNC-Chapel Hill. At WFDD, Gabriel manages HIVE®, which is WFDD’s education program, and works with around 200 middle and high school students (and sometimes adults too) every year giving them the tools to share stories that are important to them.

Dr. Wanda Boone is a member of influential national, statewide and local committees that will further advance the goals of Together for Resilient Youth's comprehensive prevention action plan to reduce the outcomes of drug use and misuse that can be linked to crime, school suspensions, health, mental health, addiction, suicide attempts and accidental overdoses. In addition to her work at Together for Resilient Youth, Wanda holds many leadership roles including: Co-founder of the East Durham Children's Initiative, Member of the Governor's Task Force on Substance Use and Gangs, Co-chair on the Mayor's Poverty Reduction Initiative Public Safety and Health Subcommittees, Chair of the Health Committee of the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People and Member of the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America and NC Health Disparities Workgroup.

Dr. Dawn O’Malley serves as Senior Director of Clinical Services at Crossnore Communities for Children. She is a North Carolina Licensed Psychologist and has more than 30 years of experience working with children and their families. She has led the implementation of trauma-informed care for multiple agencies specializing in both residential and community-based treatment. Dr. O’Malley is a Mentor for the Child Trauma Academy, and serves as a trainer and mentor to clinicians engaged in the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics certification process. Dr. O'Malley joined the Crossnore family in 2021.

Dr. Linda Nicolotti is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics and the section head of Pediatric Psychology and Behavioral Health at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist. She is a pediatric psychologist with clinical specialization in working with children, adolescents, young adults, caregivers and families, including medically complex patients. Dr. Nicolotti directs the Pediatric Medical Coping Clinic and the Pediatric Psychology Consultation/Liaison Service at Brenner Children’s Hospital. As the Director of Pediatric Psychology Training, she enjoys the training and education of psychology and medical learners. Her research areas of interest include integrated care and psychogastroenterology.