Dr. Christine Cocchiola, DSW, LCSW

Dr. Christine M. Cocchiola is an expert on the experiences of adult and child victims of coercive control. A college professor teaching social work, she received her doctorate in clinical social work from New York University working under the tutelage of Dr. Evan Stark. She presents nationally and internationally on the concept of coercive control with a focus on educating professionals, advocates, and protective parents, on the experiences of children and best intervention strategies for adult and child victims of coercive control/narcissistic abuse. She is the creator of The Protective Parenting Program, a therapeutic evidence based attachment focused program for parents of children harmed by abusers.

For more information: https://www.coercivecontrolconsulting.com/about/

David Mandel, MA, LPC, CEO Safe & Together Institute

With over 35 years’ experience in the domestic violence and child welfare fields, David is the creator of the Safe & Together Model, a transformational approach to changing how systems and practitioners respond to domestic violence when children are involved. He has identified how a perpetrator pattern-based approach can improve the ability to partner with survivors, intervene with perpetrators as parents, and improve outcomes for children.

David is the founder of the Safe & Together Institute, which works with governments and NGOs across the globe, including Canada, the US, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Europe. Through their live training, organizational consulting, e-learning, and trainer certification, the Safe & Together Institute provides organizations and systems with a wide range of practice change tools. Currently, the Institute supports almost 300 Certified Trainers and 80 Partner Agencies worldwide. The Model has proven its relevance to multiple sectors, including family court, substance use, law enforcement, mental health, multi-agency efforts, and other disciplines.

David has written or co-written numerous journal articles, book chapters, and white papers, including his most recent one on the alignment of the Safe & Together Model with the children’s best interest framework. The Institute’s work is regularly the subject of research studies, including a current project examining the relevance of the Model in a First Nation context in Australia. He has just published his first book, “Stop Blaming Mothers and Ignoring Fathers: How to Transform the Way We Keep Children Safe from Domestic Violence,” which is available online through Amazon.com.

For more information: www.safeandtogetherinstitute.com

Laura Silva, M.S., LPC

Laura Silva is the Manager and Bilingual Clinician for Latinx DV Services at The Center for Family Justice, where she has been advocating for survivors of domestic violence since 2019. With over a decade of experience in advocacy and mental health, she specializes in trauma-informed counseling, crisis intervention, and culturally responsive care. She holds a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of Bridgeport and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Guadalajara.

In her role, Laura oversees the Latinx Community Services department, ensuring Spanish-speaking survivors receive comprehensive support. She provides clinical counseling, develops trauma-informed programs, and collaborates with community partners to expand resources for marginalized communities.

Committed to breaking barriers to mental health access, Laura empowers survivors through culturally competent care, education, and advocacy. Her work focuses on  fostering resilience and ensuring survivors receive the right  support at the right time.

Kayte Cwikla-Masas, Chief Program Officer, The Center for Family Justice

Kayte Cwikla-Masas has been with The Center for Family Justice for seventeen years, where she currently serves as Chief Program Officer. She holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in criminal justice from the University of New Haven.

Kayte began her advocacy career at the Bridgeport Golden Hill Courthouse as a Family Violence Victim Advocate, supporting victims in collaboration with the domestic violence docket. She later supervised the criminal and civil court Family Violence Victim Advocates before transitioning to the Child Advocacy Center (CAC). In her current role, she coordinates forensic interviews and multidisciplinary team activities for child abuse investigations. Under her leadership, the CAC has expanded to include onsite clinical services and enhanced family advocacy.

As the Lethality Assessment Program coordinator, Kayte plays a key role in partnering with local law enforcement. She has served on the Task Force to Study the State’s Response to Minors Exposed to Domestic Violence and is POST-certified to train law enforcement on domestic violence and child abuse. She also co-chairs the Executive Committee of the Greater Bridgeport Multidisciplinary Team and oversees several critical service units, including Domestic and Sexual Violence Community Advocacy, Latine Domestic Violence Community Services, Crisis Services, and the Civil and Criminal Legal Advocacy Programs.

Kayte’s dedication has been recognized through multiple honors, including Westfair Communication’s “40 Under 40” award in 2017 and the Connecticut Children’s Alliance “Hero Award” in 2023 for her work with the Greater Bridgeport Multidisciplinary Team.

For more information: https://centerforfamilyjustice.org/about/leadership/