Focus 2018: Workshop Session VI Presenters

Safe Place Corporate Relationships (SP)
Presenters: Mike Guinan, Regional Vice President of Restaurant Operations; and Shawna Jones, Regional Director of Restaurant Operations, White Castle Corporation

Mike Guinan has worked in many roles since he started at White Castle more than 30 years ago. He began behind the counter learning the grill, dressing sandwiches, and cleaning while he was still in high school. Guinan rapidly moved up into more prominent roles as shift manager, Castle supervisor, regional assistant director, and was recently promoted to regional vice president of restaurant operations. In his current position, Guinan leads six regions of the country, 225 restaurant locations, and has over a thousand members on his team. He enjoys building relationships and helping others grow as leaders. Guinan also revels in helping people to be all they can be and says that is one of his greatest rewards at White Castle.

Through the years, Guinan has attended seminars, workshops, and worked with business leaders to learn more about the restaurant industry. He currently lives in the south suburbs of Chicago with his family and where he grew up. Guinan is also an avid runner completing several marathons. He is on the Illinois Restaurant Association Board, the Illinois Chamber of Commerce Board, and gives his time to the Autism Foundation.

Shawna Jones presently serves as Regional Director of Restaurant Operations with responsibilities for overseeing the Louisville and Nashville Regions. She is accountable for the operations, growth, and profitability for both regions and for contributing to the overall profitability and growth of White Castle System, Inc. Jones has been with White Castle since 1977. She began her journey in the Louisville Region as a team member behind the counter and worked her way up through the ranks. In 2008, she was transferred with a promotion to the Indianapolis Region as an Area Supervisor. She returned to the Louisville Region in 2012 and promoted to Regional Director of Restaurant Operations of both the Louisville and Nashville regions in 2013.

Jones serves on the board of YMCA Safe Place Services, a nonprofit charitable organization that targets and supports young teens and bridges a relationship between teens and parents. She also contributes her time and money to Kosair Children Hospital, Dare to Care Food bank, YMCA Safe Place Services, and the Kid Center for Pediatric Therapies.

Working with the Transgender and Gender Non-conforming Youth (TC)
Presenter: Corbin Hannah, Youth Development Coordinator, YMCA Safe Place Services

Corbin Hannah holds a Master's in Social Work from Indiana University.  For the past two years, they have worked with homeless and unstably housed youth and young adults at Safe Place Services in Louisville, Kentucky.  Corbin is passionate about creating safe and accepting places for all youth and young adults.

Shhh… Please Don’t Tell – The Dynamics of Secrets (YE)
Presenter: Tammy Hopper, Chief Strategic Initiatives Officer, National Safe Place Network

Tammy L. Hopper brings more than 25 years of experience as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker to her role at National Safe Place Network. This experience includes basic center, transitional living program, and street outreach program management. She has also worked on an inpatient psychiatric unit for youth, served as a member of a Mobile Crisis Unit, and worked as a therapist for a project dedicated to preventing sexual abuse of Appalachian Children. She has served as the Chair of the National Council on Youth Policy and spent 20 years as a member of the National Safe Place Advisory Board. Hopper is also a member of the first class of Certified Grants Professionals, recognized by the American Association of Grant Professionals.

Hopper is an advocate and enthusiastic believer in youth development and is committed to working with individuals and organizations that embrace the power and promise that comes from partnering with youth. 

Executive Leader Conversations (OD)
Presenter: Laurie Jackson, National Safe Place Network – Louisville, KY

Laurie Jackson is the President/CEO for National Safe Place Network, which also administers the Runaway and Homeless Youth Training and Technical Assistance Center (RHYTTAC) cooperative agreement. She joined the organization in June 2010 and has been active with the Safe Place program for more than 15 years. She served as Associate Executive Director for Synergy Services, Inc. in Kansas City, Missouri. Jackson was with Synergy Services for 19 years and prior to that she worked for several years with Cedars Youth Services in Lincoln, Nebraska. She has been active with local, regional, state, and national efforts in the areas of runaway and homeless youth, child welfare, and domestic violence. 

Jackson holds an Executive Master's Degree in Business Administration from the University of Missouri Kansas City and a Bachelor's Degree in Social Work from the University of Nebraska Kearney. She serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the National Network for Youth and is dedicated to bringing awareness to the issues of runaway and homeless youth.

Research in Practice Settings: Working toward Effective Services (PD)
Presenter: Kim Frierson, Training Specialist, National Safe Place Network

Kim Frierson assists in coordinating RHYTTAC training opportunities, creating and researching content for trainings, and planning the annual RHYTTAC conference. Previously, she spent six years as a case manager at YMCA Safe Place Services youth shelter in Louisville, Kentucky. Frierson is currently pursuing her Doctor of Social Work at Tulane University. In addition to her role with RHYTTAC, Frierson contracts with the University of Louisville as a facilitator on a Pregnancy Prevention grant funded by the Department for Health and Human Services and has spent the past six years as a sexual health educator with the university and other local agencies.