August 2025 CPS & CPPS Community of Practice
Christy Sprotte, Ed.S., CPPS, is currently a parent peer advocate supporting families whose children have significant mental health needs. As a former school psychologist, she has over 20 years of experience in assessing and supporting neurodivergent youth with Autism, ADHD, and related needs. Christy is also a certified mindfulness teacher who supports families in promoting more peace + presence in their homes by teaching skills to promote nervous system regulation. Christy is a Midwest mom to two amazing neurodivergent children. She loves crafting, cats, and coffee (not necessarily in that order).
You play a powerful role in walking alongside parents of neurodivergent youth—offering connection, hope, and lived wisdom. This presentation will deepen your understanding of neurodivergence, and the complex challenges families often face, from emotional regulation struggles to navigating medical and educational systems that can feel overwhelming and isolating.
We will explore how nervous system dysregulation impacts both neurodivergent children and their caregivers, and discover trauma-informed, practical tools you can use—and share—to support co-regulation, build resilience, and foster a sense of calm and connection. We’ll also cover key school-based supports, including IEPs and 504 plans, and ways to empower parents as effective advocates within the educational system.
Ideal for parent peer specialists, peer specialists, community advocates, and clinicians working with neurodivergent families, this interactive session offers hands-on tools, real-life scenarios, and space for reflection.
Feedback Survey/CEH Information:
We invite you to please fill out the evaluation survey link (click here) if you attended this community of practice gathering or if you watch the recording. The survey will close at 4:30pm on Thursday, September 4th. Certificates of Participation will be sent to those completing the evaluation form by 4:30pm on September 11th, 2025. No evaluation surveys will be accepted for CEH credit after the evaluation survey’s closing date/time.
This website is managed and maintained by staff at Access to Independence working on the Wisconsin Peer Specialist Employment Initiative. The words, views, and values presented herein are not necessarily representative of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
July 2025 CPS & CPPS Community of Practice
Felica Turner-Walton is a Certified Peer Specialist, Certified Parent Peer Specialist Trainer, Maternal Mental Health Peer Support Specialist, Grief Specialist, and Grief Educator. She is a mother, advocate, and healer who has transformed personal pain into professional purpose. Drawing from her lived experience with profound loss, mental health challenges, and the complexities of parenting through grief, Felica stands at the powerful intersection of peer support, maternal mental health, and grief education.
After the devastating loss of her son Zaire, Felica’s world was reshaped by the weight of sorrow and the pressure to keep going for her family, for herself, and for the legacy of her child. Instead of allowing that pain to consume her, she chose to channel it creating sacred spaces for other mothers and families navigating similar storms. Her work is not just professional; it is personal, spiritual, and deeply rooted in community care.
Felica specializes in trauma-informed, culturally responsive support that centers the lived experiences of Black families, birthing people, and caregivers. Through her roles as a peer and parent peer specialist trainer, she equips others with the tools to hold space, validate pain, and foster resilience especially in systems that have historically failed marginalized communities.
Whether she’s leading trainings on emotional regulation and systemic navigation, providing peer-based grief support, or advocating for maternal mental health equity, Felica brings authenticity, courage, and unwavering compassion to every encounter. Her approach is grounded in radical empathy, mutual respect, and the unwavering belief that people heal in connection not in isolation.
Felica is the founder of Zaire’s Carriage, a grief-informed initiative that honors her son’s life and supports mothers who feel silenced by stigma, shame, or sorrow. Her motto “Zaire’s carriage is empty but filled with love and hope” is a testament to the transformative power of grief when held with dignity and purpose.
Felica’s voice is not just one of experience; it is one of leadership, education, and generational healing.
This presentation explores the powerful connection between peer support and grief support through a culturally responsive, trauma-informed lens. Rooted in lived experience and community healing, it examines how peer-led approaches can hold space for complex grief especially within marginalized populations. Attendees will gain insight into how peer support frameworks enhance emotional validation, reduce isolation, and empower individuals navigating loss. We’ll explore how grief shows up across systems, how peer relationships can be a lifeline, and why intersectionality matters in designing support that is inclusive, accessible, and effective.
Ideal for peer specialists, parent peer professionals, grief counselors, and community advocates, this presentation offers practical tools, reflective discussion, and a call to action: to hold space where healing, advocacy, and lived experience meet.
Feedback Survey/CEH Information:
We invite you to please fill out the evaluation survey link (click here) if you attended this community of practice gathering or if you watch the recording. The survey will close at 4:30pm on Thursday, July 31st. Certificates of Participation will be sent to those completing the evaluation form by 4:30pm on August 7th, 2025. No evaluation surveys will be accepted for CEH credit after the evaluation survey’s closing date/time.
This website is managed and maintained by staff at Access to Independence working on the Wisconsin Peer Specialist Employment Initiative. The words, views, and values presented herein are not necessarily representative of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
May 2025 CPS & CPPS Community of Practice
Paula Buege is a dedicated professional with a profound commitment to empowering and supporting lived experience experts in driving transformative change. Drawing from her own lived expertise in multiple systems, Paula’s career objective is to meet the needs of constituents served by fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment. She aims to ensure that the insights and perspectives of lived experience experts are integral to shaping policies and practices that promote recovery and well-being.
Paula has been training those with lived experience to become Wisconsin Certified Peer and Parent Peer Specialists. She continues to consult and train agencies, organizations, and individuals related to mental health, substance use, serving families, child welfare, juvenile justice, and criminal justice. Paula infuses her lived experience and wellness journey into her work, sharing over 25 years of experience in multiple roles and systems to support others on their wellness journey.
Lynn Maday-Bigboy serves as a peer coordinator who brings her own lived experience with mental health and substance use to her work. You can often find her in the community, collaborating with others to amplify the voices of those with lived experience while exemplifying peer values. As a member of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and part of the turtle clan, she embraces her role as both a teacher and a helper.
Join us for an informative and engaging gathering on Ethics and Boundaries for Certified Parent Peer Specialists. This session will explore the critical role ethics play in supporting families, as well as the importance of establishing and maintaining healthy professional boundaries while upholding the highest ethical standards in their practice.
Feedback Survey/CEH Information:
We invite you to please fill out the evaluation survey link (click here) if you attended this community of practice gathering or if you watch the recording. The survey will close at 4:30pm on Thursday, June 12th. Certificates of Participation will be sent to those completing the evaluation form by 4:30pm on June 19th, 2025. No evaluation surveys will be accepted for CEH credit after the evaluation survey’s closing date/time.
This website is managed and maintained by staff at Access to Independence working on the Wisconsin Peer Specialist Employment Initiative. The words, views, and values presented herein are not necessarily representative of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
April 2025 CPS & CPPS Community of Practice
I am an enrolled tribal member of the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Anishinaabe and a proud boarding school survivor. My journey has been shaped by personal encounters with the deep-seated effects of historical and intergenerational trauma, as well as the powerful process of recovery and healing. These lived experiences have fueled my passion for reclaiming our community’s strength, culture, and connection to the land. Driven by a commitment to holistic wellness and community revitalization, I am dedicated to restoring our traditional roles in the production and processing of resources within tribal nations. My work focuses on integrating regenerative agriculture practices, eco/agro therapies, and eco-friendly recreation into our community’s fabric. I believe that by weaving these elements with our cultural values and practices, we can foster sustainable development, support mental and emotional healing, and reconnect with the wisdom of our ancestors. My aspiration is to go beyond personal recovery, to inspire collective healing and empowerment within our community. I envision a future where our people are thriving, our land is restored, and our traditional practices are honored and upheld. Through this presentation, I hope to shed light on our past, ignite discussions about our present challenges, and inspire action towards a more resilient and self-determined future for the Lac Courte Oreilles community.
**This presentation is part two**
“Trespassing at Home” delves deep into the layered history of odaawaa-zaaga’iganiing aka Lac Courte Oreilles examining the profound effects of historical traumas and how they reverberate in the present. This journey begins with the arrival of French fur traders and settlers, marking the beginning of sustained foreign contact, and traces a timeline of significant events that have shaped the socio-cultural and economic landscape of Sawyer County. Through this comprehensive historical timeline, we will explore key moments such as forced relocations, the introduction of boarding schools, the loss of traditional lands and practices, and the erosion of community sovereignty. This legacy of displacement and cultural suppression has set the stage for the current crises facing the community, including the devastating impact of the opioid epidemic. The presentation will provide an in-depth analysis of how these historical traumas have interwoven with contemporary challenges, creating complex layers of trauma that persist within the community today. By understanding this timeline and the cumulative effect of these events, participants will gain a clearer perspective on the ongoing resilience of the LCO community and the path toward healing and revitalization.
Feedback Survey/CEH Information:
We invite you to please fill out the evaluation survey link (click here) if you attended this community of practice gathering or if you watch the recording. The survey will close at 4:30pm on Thursday, April 24th. Certificates of Participation will be sent to those completing the evaluation form by 4:30pm on May 1st, 2025. No evaluation surveys will be accepted for CEH credit after the evaluation survey’s closing date/time.
This website is managed and maintained by staff at Access to Independence working on the Wisconsin Peer Specialist Employment Initiative. The words, views, and values presented herein are not necessarily representative of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
March 2025 CPS & CPPS Community of Practice
Objectives to this community of practice gathering: To increase understanding of peer support within institutions; its power, value, connection, and intersectionality. Increase collaboration between those who serve and those we serve. Advocating for expanding peer support throughout all carceral systems.
Feedback Survey/CEH Information:
We invite you to please fill out the evaluation survey link (click here) if you attended this community of practice gathering or if you watch the recording. The survey will close at 4:30pm on Thursday, April 3rd. Certificates of Participation will be sent to those completing the evaluation form by 4:30pm on April 10th, 2025. No evaluation surveys will be accepted for CEH credit after the evaluation survey’s closing date/time.
This website is managed and maintained by staff at Access to Independence working on the Wisconsin Peer Specialist Employment Initiative. The words, views, and values presented herein are not necessarily representative of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
