STEM ILLINOIS

Karen Crawford Simms is an experienced consultant, trainer, facilitator, and coach.  She has a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. She has spent over 30 years advocating for individuals and families who have been marginalized because of ethnicity, gender, health, or socioeconomic status.  She’s the founder Trauma & Resilience Initiative, Inc. a not for profit that coordinates the Community Violence Response effort in Champaign County and coordinates the CU Trauma & Resilience Initiative which is a part of the Champaign County Community Coalition. The goals of these efforts are to reduce the impact of adverse community experiences by healing and repairing those who have been impacted by trauma; and to advocate for more trauma-informed practices, policies, and principles.

 

She is a licensed mental health counselor with a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Christian Theological Seminary. She has expertise in trauma-informed care, culturally responsive practices, positive youth development, outcome-based planning, collaborative processes, and implementing evidence-based practices.

 

Currently, she also is the owner/founder of Meridian K Consulting & Counseling Services, which helps individuals reach their highest potential through the provision of results-oriented, culturally responsive, system-oriented, evidence- and trauma-informed services for individuals, families, organizations, and groups. Providing targeted training and technical assistance to schools, community organizations, law enforcement, local governments, civic organizations, not for profits, and many others.

 

Before starting her own consulting practice, she was the Wraparound, Training, and Technical Assistance Coordinator for federally funded Systems of Care initiative, the ACCESS Initiative. The ACCESS Initiative provided comprehensive coordinated services and support for significant social, emotional, and/or behavioral challenges. The effort primarily worked to improve outcomes for low income and/or youth of color. Before that, she created and directed a nationally recognized youth peer-to-peer leadership program, the Peer Ambassadors, peer to peer intervention program for youth involved or at risk for involvement with the juvenile justice system. She has also created the Woman to Woman program which was identified as an evidence-based practice and replicated throughout the State of Indiana.

Karen is committed to helping organizations, schools, groups, and communities implement policies procedures, and practices that engender feelings of safety, trustworthiness, collaboration, power-sharing, empowerment, equality, and justice.

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