Meet Our Co-Founders

We aim to create safe and supportive environments for students and educators alike, fostering resilience and well-being in schools.

Together, our Co-Founders, faculty, staff, board of directors, and partners share in the commitment to foster and sustain trauma-informed equity-focused community environments where all members feel valued, heard, supported, and empowered to achieve our Mission.

Executive Team and Staff

Our Story

In 2018, Resilient Futures was created

when three clinical psychologists united under a unified mission to cultivate safe, equitable, and resilient communities for every young person. These remarkable women are Dr. Laura McArthur, Dr. Eleonora Cahill, and Dr. Megan Brennan. 

Driven by their collective expertise and unwavering dedication, Resilient Futures was conceived to help bridge the gap in trauma-informed and equity-focused training within schools and youth-serving organizations. Together, Ellie, Laura, and Megan recognized that behind many youth behavioral challenges lie untold stories of adversity, where what appears as maladaptive behaviors are often survival mechanisms in disguise. Now the question was how to bring this knowledge, along with practical trauma-informed tools and strategies, to educators and community leaders - creating shifts in mindset, behaviors, and ultimately school culture - driving sustainable change.

Drawing from their extensive experience at acclaimed academic institutions such as the Harvard School of Education, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), UPenn, and more, the trio saw the urgent need for a dedicated nonprofit entity to cater fully to the clamoring demands for training and support from educational institutions nationwide.

As society grapples with the harsh realities of poverty, stress, racism, abuse & neglect, and other forms of trauma affecting our youth at alarming rates, Resilient Futures stands as a beacon of hope and healing. With each passing day, schools and organizations increasingly acknowledge the profound impact of trauma and inequity on their students, teachers, and everyone in the school community. Consequently, the demand for trauma-informed training and programming has surged. 5 years since its founding, Resilient Futures has trained 5,400+ educators and community leaders, subsequently impacting over 165,000 students across the country.

At the heart of their work remains the commitment to unraveling the intricate web of trauma, race, and poverty. Through comprehensive training and advocacy, Resilient Futures champions the cultivation of environments where safety, equity, and resilience flourish for all.

Our Board of Directors

  • Mary is a veteran in the Aurora Public School System after 32 years as an Educational Sign Language Interpreter, Educator, Teacher Coach, Assistant Principal, and Principal. During her time, Mary focused on planning and delivering rigorous, equitable, and culturally responsive instruction for all students, specifically those of color and living in poverty. Mary worked to disrupt the systemic inequities present in public schools until her retirement in 2019. Currently, she works for RISE Colorado as a School Partner Specialist.

  • Amy has over 20 years of finance and accounting experience and is currently a Finance Director at PwC. Her passion is in working with underserved communities to ensure they have the resources and platforms to thrive and have their voices heard. Amy continues to lend her financial acuity to the board of Resilient Futures and is an active community participant in racial healing and trauma-informed care work.

  • Stacey, a long-time member of the Aurora community, spent 28 years as an educator with Cherry Creek Schools before retiring in 2021. During her time she served as a school social worker, District PBIS Coordinator, Educational Equity Coordinator, and Director of Inclusive Excellence. Stacey is passionate about racial equity, racial healing, and racialized joy. She is committed to honoring the humanity of all people, by acknowledging and interrupting the predictable patterns of racialized inequalities and hierarchies.

  • Suvi has over 30 years’ of experience providing clinical assessment and treatment to children, adolescents, and their families with a specialization in the treatment of trauma. Suvi received her Master’s degree in Clinical Social Work from New York University in 1992 and has been an adjunct faculty member at the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work since 2002. Suvi is passionate about helping and healing individuals and communities who have experienced trauma and is excited to help with the wonderful work that Resilient Futures does to help make this happen!

  • Chris has more than 15 years of leadership experience in Human Resources and Employee Engagement. He is currently a Senior Director of Human Resources at Comcast. His purpose is growing and developing others, building workforce resiliency, advancing careers, and promoting a pay-it-forward culture. Chris has led and contributed to many community involvement initiatives and activities throughout his career, including Comcast Cares Day, United Way, and volunteer/service events in partnership with Employee Resource Groups.

Our Partners

Our work would not be possible without our Community-Based faculty. This network of providers brings expertise across early childhood, mental healthcare, race-based equity work, elementary, secondary, and higher education, and community leadership. They enact our practices in professional environments, offering teaching and implementation strategies that create sustainable community engagement through reciprocal learning and reflection.

Community-Based Faculty

Careers at Resilient Futures

Resilient Futures is fortunate to be actively growing our team during this time as we continue our mission through trauma-informed, equity-centered work designed to drive sustainable change. We always encourage passionate and talented professionals and community members to contact us to start a conversation!

Give to further our Mission

More than ever, our schools and youth-serving communities are in need of trauma-informed, equity-centered training and resources. Your tax-deductible gift will directly fund our program expansion efforts, enabling us to provide trauma-informed training and resources to a greater number of educators, schools, and youth-serving organizations.