Michael Christy
Executive Director
Michael Christy serves as the Executive Director of the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Michigan (CACMI), a statewide network Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs) that serves more than 10,000 children and families every year. He began working with CACMI August 2017. His mission is to help ensure that every child in the state has access if needed to an integrated response to child abuse allegations and ongoing trauma-informed services. Michael is actively involved in working with local, statewide, and national partners to promote and support the CAC/MDT model. Michael has more than a decade of non-profit leadership experience. In previous roles with a statewide behavioral health provider, he led a number of initiatives with multidisciplinary teams to improve patient care, including efforts to introduce trauma-sensitive care environments. Michael earned his MBA from the DeVos Graduate School at Northwood University. He lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan with his wife and their 3 children, 2 dogs, and a cat.
Joshua Bissell
Program Director
As the Program Director for the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Michigan (CACMI) team, Joshua is committed to providing support to CAC staff across the state. In addition to preparation for (re)accreditation, this support will range from on-site training to phone consultations, active troubleshooting of difficult dilemmas and real-time discussions to help meet the needs of all CAC staff. His personal mission is one of accessibility and accountability and to ensure that every CAC staff person has an opportunity for professional development and growth as experts in their field. In a previous life, Joshua worked as a licensed social worker in the state of Louisiana developing a social services program embedded within the New Orleans Police Department Special Victims Section. He spent years working with the Child Abuse, Adult Sex Crimes, and Domestic Violence units and also served as a forensic interviewer and case manager at the New Orleans Children’s Advocacy Center. He received undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Sociology and his master’s degree in social work at Tulane University. In his free time, he enjoys disc golfing and board games and likes to write short stories in the genre of science fiction and fantasy.
Amelia Siders, Ph.D. LP
Director of Clinical Practice Development and Education
As the Director of Clinical Practice Development and Education for CAC-MI, Amelia helps to support the clinical and victim advocacy operations of Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs) in Michigan. Amelia’s duties include: providing clinical consultation, giving onboarding support for new victim advocates and clinicians at CACs, operational support for established CACs and internship programs, development of training curriculum and materials based on the needs of and for use at CACs, and development and facilitation of peer review/support programs for advocates and clinicians. Amelia’s goal is to make training, practice, and support easily accessible so that CAC staff can focus on providing current state of the art, evidenced -based services to victims and families. Prior to working with CAC-MI, Amelia was the Program Director for the Traverse Bay Children’s Advocacy Center. She received her BA in Psychology from the University of Michigan and her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology. In her free time, Amelia enjoys being the “best” Auntie to her two nieces, cooking for friends and family, and spending time with her dog Jeeves and two cats.
Aricka Gannon
Administrative Project Coordinator
Aricka Gannon is the Administrative Project Coordinator for the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Michigan. Her previous experience includes social media marketing and communications, copy-writing, and event planning. Aricka earned a bachelor’s degree in Legal Studies from Grand Valley State University and most recently served on the board for the Heartside Business Association. In her free time, she enjoys reading and writing, traveling, and visiting restaurants around Grand Rapids.
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Our Board of Directors
Nyse Holloman, Chair
Melissa Werkman, Vice Chair
Scott Dzurka, Treasurer
Allison Benczkowski, Secretary
Alex Brace
Amber Depuydt-Goodlock
Cynthia Morley
Darcy Fluharty
Dr. Dena Nazer
Jamie Rossow
Kathleen Sweeney
Kimberly Ruppel
Lori Antkoviak
Melanie Richards
Michelle Waskevich
Rebecca Yuncker
Tricia Schuster
Our CAC Members
Safe Harbor Children’s Advocacy Center, Allegan County
CAN Council Great Lakes Bay Region, Arenac & Bay County
Safe Harbor Children’s Advocacy Center, Barry County
Children’s Advocacy Center of Southwest Michigan, Berrien County
Children’s Advocacy Center, Calhoun County
Northern Michigan Children’s Assessment Center, Crawford, Iosco, Oscoda, Ogemaw, & Roscommon County
The Voices for Children Advocacy Center, Genesee County
Child Advocacy Center, Gratiot County
Small Talk Children’s Advocacy Center, Ingham County
Isabella County Child Advocacy Center, Isabella County
Children’s Advocacy Center of Jackson County, Jackson County
Children’s Advocacy Center of Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo County
Children’s Advocacy Center of Kent County, Kent County
Child Advocacy Center of Lapeer County, Lapeer County
Traverse Bay Children’s Advocacy Center, Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau, & Wexford County
Care House of Macomb County, Macomb County
Manistee County Child Advocacy Center, Manistee County
Safe & Sound Child Protection and Advocacy Center, Midland County
Northern Michigan Mobile Child Advocacy Center, Alger, Claire, Delta, Gladwin, Missaukee, Menominee, & Schoolcraft County
IM Safe Child Advocacy Center, Ionia and Montcalm
Child Abuse Council of Muskegon County, Muskegon County
Care House of Oakland County, Oakland County
Children’s Advocacy Center of Ottawa County, Ottawa County
Children’s Advocacy Center of Northeast Michigan, Alcona, Alpena, Montmorency & Presque Isle County
CAN Council Great Lakes Bay Region, Saginaw County
Sanilac County Child Advocacy Center, Sanilac County
The Voices for Children Advocacy Center, Shiawassee County
Blue Water Area Child Advocacy Center, St. Clair County
Child Advocacy Center of Tuscola, Tuscola County
Washtenaw Child Advocacy Center, Washtenaw County
Kids-Talk Children’s Advocacy Center, Wayne County (Detroit)
Kids-Talk Children’s Advocacy Center, Wayne County (Southgate)
