• Community Members

• Elected Officials 

• Students

• Clinical Practitioners

• Domestic Violence Workers

• Education and Early Childhood Providers

• Organizations working in systems change

• Public Health

• Others interested in ACEs & trauma

Chan M. Hellman, Ph.D

Chan’s research is focused on the application of hope theory to those impacted by trauma and adversity.  He is also interested in the impact of prevention and intervention services on increasing and sustaining client hope. Read more...

Chan M. Hellman is a professor of social work at the University of Oklahoma and Director of The Hope Research Center.  He has written more than 150 scientific publications and has presented at numerous national and international conferences worldwide.  Chan also presented his work on hope with TEDx in the Spring of 2021.  Chan’s research is focused on hope as a psychological strength helping children and adults overcome trauma and adversity.  This research informed the development of the “Hope Centered and Trauma Informed®” training program. Chan is the co-author of the award-winning book “Hope Rising:  How the Science of Hope Can Change Your Life” with his co-author Casey Gwinn published by Morgan James.

Helena Lopez, J.D.

Lopez is a recognized leader in the foster care field with unique expertise in remote and rural communities. She serves as an advocate for the isolated and serves on multiple county and state boards. 
Read more...

Helena Lopez's service to children in need began when she was a child.  At 10 years old, Lopez's mother opened three group homes for teenage foster youth, where she regularly spent time with residents and would, eventually, become a Case Manager.  After law school, Lopez worked in real estate law in San Francisco, California until she received a fateful call. The County of San Bernardino needed an agency in Barstow, no providers would travel to the remote, rural high desert. Her mother needed Lopez's tenacity and leadership to build A Greater Hope. Lopez agreed, using her expertise in management, contracts and research to serve as Executive Director for 17 years before being appointed Chief Executive Officer in January of 2019. Under Lopez's leadership, the organization grew to four locations with multiple programs and over 50 employees, the largest provider of families for foster children in San Bernardino County. Since 2002, over 6,000 children have found loving homes through A Greater Hope. A recognized leader in the foster care field, with unique expertise in remote and rural communities, Lopez serves as an advocate for the isolated. She serves on multiple county and state boards, she is President-elect for the California Alliance for Children and Family Services, former President of the Inland Empire Alliance, and Chair of the Inland Empire Association of Foster Family Agencies. In these leadership positions, Lopez voices the needs of foster children and families languishing in rural desert communities. Voices that otherwise would go unheard. Lopez holds a Bachelor's in Business from Loyola Marymount University, a Master's in Business Administration, and a Juris Doctorate.

Fritzi Horstman

Horstman is the Founder and Executive Director of the Compassion Prison Project (CPP), an organization dedicated to bringing compassion, childhood trauma awareness and creative inspiration to all men and women living and working in prisons.
Read more...

Fritzi Horstman is the Founder and Executive Director of the Compassion Prison Project (CPP) an organization dedicated to bringing compassion, childhood trauma awareness and creative inspiration to all men and women living and working in prisons. With 95% of the incarcerated men and women eventually returning home, Fritzi believes it is imperative that we address the chronic mental health issues in prison with common sense, compassion and urgency. In 2020 Fritzi directed "Step Inside the Circle" at California State Prison - Los Angeles County with 235 incarcerated men. The video has reached nearly 3 million views worldwide and has attracted over 900 volunteers to CPP. Fritzi and the team at CPP are creating a 6-part series entitled "Trauma Talks" to be distributed to prisons in the US and abroad. Fritzi produced HBO's "The Defiant Ones" directed by Allen Hughes which has garnered several awards including a Grammy for Best Music Film. Her first feature, "Take A Number," which she wrote, produced, and directed, debuted at the Slamdance festival and premiered on HBO. Fritzi studied at New York University's summer film program and received a Bachelor of Arts in Film and English from Vassar College.