FLYY’s Team

Jordan Rozeske, LCSW
Director of Mental Health Programs
jordan@flyy.org

Jordan Rozeske, MSW, LCSW has worked in the mental health field in many different capacities for 
the past 13 years. After receiving her Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Illinois,
 she moved to Colorado where she tried several jobs in the mental health field and ultimately became the Clinical Director and lead therapist at San Juan Wilderness, a therapeutic wilderness program serving court involved and “at risk” youth. Living and working in the mountains became a love and a passion, as did working with teens in this naturally therapeutic setting. In late 2010, Jordan relocated to Madison, WI and has been employed at FLYY since 2012. Jordan has held many different positions at FLYY over the years and is currently FLYY’s Director of Mental Health Programs. This position includes overseeing the Clinical Services and Service Facilitation programs at FLYY as well as seeing her own clients for individual therapy and skill development. Jordan brings a skill set to FLYY that includes prior work with Children/Family Services, Community Mental Health, Family and Individual Therapy, and Case Management. She specializes in working with complex family systems, teens, young adults, adoption and foster care issues, complex trauma, attachment disorders and grief and loss. Her techniques include, but are not limited to: CBT, DBT, TFCBT principles, guided imagery, mindfulness, strength’s based family systems work and art and experiential based therapies. Jordan loves to use nature and “alternative techniques” when working with clients and usually holds most of her sessions outside of the office to aid in the client’s mental, emotional, social, and spiritual growth process.

Jessie Kushner
Co-founder
jessie@flyy.org

Jessie Kushner has worked with teens, young adults, families, and professionals for almost 30 years through employment at Outward Bound and other wilderness programs within the juvenile corrections system. While at Outward Bound, Jessie developed curriculum and directed the Intercept Program for at-risk teens and families, pioneered programming for at-risk teen girls, instructed numerous semester courses for college-aged students, and introduced and implemented restorative justice principles and practices into the educational curriculum nationwide. Jessie has worked in numerous roles for both wilderness and urban centers within the Outward Bound system across the United States, and was honored to participate in a facilitator training with Outward Bound Center for Peacebuilding. Jessie has also served as a national staff trainer for Outward Bound.

In 2011, Jessie co-founded the non-profit Forward Learning Youth & Young Adults (FLYY) to help youth and families that were marginalized, overlooked, and not effectively reached by or able to access existing community resources. This innovative program combined key components for healing that are rarely if ever offered together through a single organization: a lengthy wilderness expedition, parent skill development and support groups, as well as critical, post-expedition aftercare located at a drop-in center. The curriculum for programming centered around a restorative framework and practices. At FLYY, Jessie has held multiple roles: Co-Founder, Executive Director, Course Director, Field Instructor, Staff Trainer, Parent Group Facilitator, Circle Keeper, Mediator, and Mentor. Beginning in 2015, Jessie partnered with experienced Native American professionals whom helped FLYY elevate its required cultural competency to support Native American teens and families. Subsequently, Jessie and the FLYY team spearheaded “FLYY Tribal”, which was characterized as a multi-faceted wilderness program with added culturally responsive components for Native American youth and families. Running year-round for six-years, FLYY’s wilderness expedition program offered high-risk youth and families a way to discover and develop character and resiliency, and proved to be a life-changing catalyst for hundreds of individuals and their families throughout the state of Wisconsin.

Best known for her work in building rapport with diverse populations, Jessie uses restorative justice principles in a variety of applications to facilitate dialogues around difficult topics. She believes that all people need the opportunity to tell their story, and be seen, heard, valued, and understood. Jessie provides the positive support necessary to help people understand themselves, their relationships, and their surroundings with courage and integrity. Jessie works from an empathetic, trauma-informed, and holistic perspective offering people the opportunity to discover their own resiliency and worth. Jessie is experienced and skilled at developing effective and creative curriculum geared at impacting positive change and healing opportunities for youth, young adults, and families. Additionally, she works collaboratively to develop a clear vision for curriculum implementation, risk management, and program delivery for both large and small-scale projects.

Jessie has extensive training and expertise in the areas of: rapport; conflict management and transformation; restorative justice principles and practices; curriculum development, design, and implementation; communication; racial justice; group culture; family systems; assessment; violence prevention; and risk management. She has worked in the wilderness in all seasons in a variety of landscapes and regions of the United States, community service organizations, urban community centers, and with numerous companies and organizations. Jessie received her B.A. in Outdoor Education in 1993, is a Wilderness First Responder, and is CPR & SCAN-MRT certified. She also received her training as a mediator at from the UW-Wisconsin Continuing Studies, and as a Circle Keeper from the Minnesota Department of Education & Legal Rights Center.

Tarek Said
Executive Director
tarek@flyy.org

For twelve years, Tarek has managed operations at several large and small nonprofit organizations and in 2010 founded Giving Root, a business which helped NGOs enhance their potential through the use of technology and Constituent Relationship Management applications. Tarek credits an early career stint of managing financial development projects at the Chicago-based YMCA national resource office as the catalyst to a future in institutional fundraising and nonprofit management. He is committed to helping underserved youth through individualizing and personalizing learning systems and through providing trauma informed practices. Tarek has a passion and a lengthy track record for helping a variety of progressive and innovative nonprofits reach their goals and fulfill their missions across the United States. Tarek has a B.A. in Communications from John Carroll University, and in 2011, completed the Nonprofit Management Certificate Program at Northwestern University.

Lucy McLellan, LPC, RDT-BCT
Clinical Director and Psychotherapist
lucy@flyy.org

Lucy McLellan, RDT-BCT, LPC is a drama therapist and professional counselor with extensive experience of supporting trauma affected children and teens. Lucy began her clinical career in NYC, facilitating groups for communities affected by complex trauma. On arrival in Madison, Lucy continued her trauma-informed practice, working with survivors of child sexual abuse and their non-offending caregivers. Lucy also training in the domain of maternal mental health and attachment theory.  Alongside her creative arts therapy tools, Lucy is a certified practitioner of Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Child Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) and employs mindfulness techniques in her work with clients of all ages. Lucy is the Membership Chair of the North American Drama Therapy Association (NADTA).

Jessi Sweazy, LCSW
Service Facilitation Director
jessi.sweazy@flyy.org

Jessi Sweazy has worked as a social worker in a variety of settings over the past 15+ years including residential treatment, home-based services, and community outreach. During her tenure as a social worker, she has served a diverse range of clients including system-involved youth and their families, homeless youth and young adults, and at-risk mothers. Jessi holds a Master’s degree in Social Work from Indiana University South Bend with a specialization in mental health and substance use, and has had extensive training in trauma-informed care. She uses a broad range of treatment modalities including TF-CBT, Motivational Interviewing, CBT, mindfulness techniques, and clinical case management. When working with clients, Jessi strives to empower each individual to discover their potential and develop a clearer path to healing.

Catie Beck, LCSW
Psychotherapist
catie@flyy.org

Catie Beck gained a broad range of experience providing mental health services to diverse, at-risk, underserved populations in the medical setting for the first six years of her career. Having worked with individuals across the life-span, addressing everything from family conflict and lifestyle change, to substance abuse and severe and persistent mental illness, she found her passion in trauma based work, helping people finding healing and self acceptance. Catie enjoys working with youth and their families, helping them to build resilience and connection. Identity development, Mindfulness, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Motivational Interviewing and Exposure Theory are examples of modalities Catie frequently uses in her work with clients, within a trauma informed approach. Catie provides therapy in English and Spanish, having earned her undergraduate degree in Spanish at UW-Madison. She then went on to complete her Masters in Social Work at UW-Madison. Outside of work, Catie enjoys many hobbies and interests including spending time with her family, pets & friends, being in nature and on the water, sports, dancing, cooking, creating and laughing.

Sam Contreras, SAC-IT
Skills Coach and Service Facilitator
sam@flyy.org

Sam graduated from Edgewood College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Clinical and Substance Abuse Counseling Psychology along with Human Services. He has worked in both Dublin, Ireland at Coolmine Therapeutic Communities and in Madison, Wisconsin at Connections Counseling; serving clients of all ages, races, genders, and other intersectional identities. In order to help clients reach their treatment goals, he utilizes a holistic, strengths-based approach wherein he focuses on the connections between body, mind, and environment. Sam also enjoys hiking, swimming, reading, writing, cooking, playing video and board games, music, and working with animals.

Kate Essenburg, CAPSW
Service Facilitator
kate.essenburg@flyy.org

Kate Essenburg has worked in case management, applied behavioral therapy, trauma focused therapies and play therapy. Kate received her Masters of Social Work from UW–Madison and currently works as a trauma-focused child therapist. As a Service Facilitator, Kate recognizes clients as the experts of their own lives and uses a person-centered approach to understand client needs and the services they will most benefit from. Kate enjoys bringing humor, creativity and a strengths-based approach to her work with children, adults and families.

Cecilia Goldschmidt, LCSW
Psychotherapist
cecilia@flyy.org

Cecilia has worked in case management, received her Masters of Social Work from UW – Madison, and currently works as a therapist. She enjoys a wide variety of activities and enjoys working with people of all ages. As a Life Skills Coach, Cecilia’s main priority is to learn about her client’s interests and strengths in order to make progress towards goals. Cecilia brings creativity, fun, and connection with whomever she works with.

Dylan Heemstra, MS, MFT
Skills Coach
dylan@flyy.org

Dylan recently received his Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Edgewood College; where he also obtained his BS in Clinical Counseling Psychology and played college basketball. Over the past year Dylan has worked at two of Wisconsin’s correctional institutions working with men individually while also creating and facilitating DBT groups. Being an ISSA certified fitness trainer and a former horticulturalist, Dylan believes strongly in the balance between mind and body; personally identifying the natural world as essential to both. He enjoys hiking anywhere, but especially somewhere that has a waterfall within earshot. Dylan works with clients to feel empowered and confident in their own abilities by using therapeutic approaches such as DBT, Narrative therapy, Solution-Focused therapy, and mindfulness in combination with creating positive life experiences together.

Ciara Krueger, M.Ed., LPC-IT
Skills Coach and Referral Coordinator
ciara@flyy.org

Ciara Kreuger graduated from Lindsey Wilson College out of Columbia Kentucky where she received her master’s degree in education majoring in Counseling and Human Development and is working towards full licensure as a Professional Counselor. Ciara have had endless opportunities to better assist and protect the people of our nation. Ciara transitioned into the helping profession after nine years of Military service due to her compassion of wanting to serve others. Ciara has had experience serving survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Also, Ciara has experience with working with adolescents and families, offering support and providing tools to better assist with one’s mental wellness. Ciara practices from a non-judgmental, empathetic, and genuine approach as she respects the power of one’s narrative. She utilizes various treatment models to better assist the client’s she serves as she believes in treating the whole person as each individual is unique and no one story is the same. Ciara enjoy physical fitness, listening to music, traveling, and immersing herself into new cultural experiences. Her favorite inspirational quote by Bob Marley that she adheres to daily is that of, “When one door is closed, don’t you know, another is open” (Bob Marley, 1980).

Erica Lancaster, LPC
Psychotherapist
erica@flyy.org

Erica Lancaster, MA, LPC has worked with young adults and adults in many capacities over the past nine years- leading backpacking and kayaking trips or through post-wilderness therapeutic work and her therapy private practice. Erica earned her Master’s degree in Transpersonal Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in Wilderness Therapy from Naropa University in Boulder, CO. She uses mindfulness as her foundation and integrates modalities including DBT, acceptance and commitment therapy, and somatic trauma therapy. She is a 200 hour yoga teacher, reiki level I certified, and a wilderness first responder. Erica’s passion in life is empowering others to see their infinite wisdom through therapeutic healing.

Brook Landeo, LCSW
Skills Coach
brook@flyy.org

Brook Landeo enjoys being outdoors and taking care of her amazing alpaca farm. Some of her hobbies include helping others through her social work degree, traveling to South America, and playing basketball. One thing she loves about working at FLYY is the opportunity get to teach life skills to individuals in a fun way.

Kate Lauth, LCSW, SAC-IT
Psychotherapist
kate@flyy.org

Kate is originally from Minneapolis, MN and grew up spending summers in northern Minnesota and Michigan. Kate went to Oberlin College and studied Anthropology and Environmental Studies. She lived in Durango, Colorado for three years and worked at a wilderness therapy program with adolescents and young adults. Kate received her Masters in Social Work at UW-Madison and works as a family therapist with a passion for working with adolescents and their families. Kate enjoys yoga, canoeing, riding bikes, playing board games, swimming, cooking, and skiing.

Maria Liebl, LMFT
Bilingual Psychotherapist
maria@flyy.org

Maria Liebl is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who has provided therapy in both English and Spanish for many years. She has specialized in work with children and their families and loves helping parents and guardians create a more conscious and joyful parenting experience for themselves. Maria is passionate about helping people who have experienced trauma, and enjoys helping those who are dealing with anxiety, depression, or perhaps are just going through a rough moment or a heavy transition in their lives. Maria uses many different modalities of therapy, including art therapy, play therapy, EMDR, mindfulness, and cognitive behavioral therapy among others.

Nate Olson, LMFT
Psychotherapist and Skills Coach
nate@flyy.org

Nate’s background includes experiences in non-hierarchical business operations, outdoor education, indigenous traditions and ceremony, involvement with Men’s groups, work with the prison population, and hospice volunteering. Nate graduated from Edgewood College’s Marriage and Family Therapy program in 2017. As a therapist-intern at The Family Center in Madison during this time, he had the honor of working with men and women, youth, couples, and families.  Nate’s supportive style is positive, experiential, and solution-focused, and involves mindfulness, self-compassion, and self-leadership. As a mentor and coach, he aims to build autonomy, connection, and authentic sense of self. Nate considers it a privilege to work with his clients.

Mary Patterson, R-DMT
Skills Coach
mary@flyy.org

Mary Lynn Patterson, MA, R-DMT is pursuing board certification in Dance/Movement Therapy and professional counseling licensure (LPC). After graduating from Drexel University’s Creative Arts Therapy Department in Philadelphia she returns to her home state of Wisconsin. While at Drexel University, she received a master of arts degree in Dance/Movement Therapy & Counseling. Mary is a University of Wisconsin-Madison alumna where she completed a bachelor of fine arts degree in dance. Throughout her graduate education, Mary worked in the field of dance/movement therapy serving populations from children to adult in behavioral health, mental health, substance use disorders, schools, and community-based settings. In Philadelphia Mary worked closely with the Drexel Dornsife Center for Community Partnerships as a lead teacher for community dance and movement classes. Mary is also pursuing creative ventures as a freelance dancer and collaborative choreographer. 

Nicole Stubbe, MS MFT-IT
Service Facilitator
nicole@flyy.org

Nicole is a born and raised Wisconsin-ite who has lived and worked in different areas of the state. She completed her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Creative Writing at UW- Eau Claire and spent a several years working in the mental health field before going back and completing her Masters degree in Marriage and Family Therapy at Edgewood College. Nicole has always enjoyed working with the adolescent and young adult population, including those with strong behavioral challenges. Her work experience includes time in group homes, staffed foster homes, and Northwest Passage residential treatment center. She also completed her internship with Transitions Behavioral Health doing in-home therapy and mentorship and working on CCS teams. Nicole loves to use DBT, CBT, and narrative based approaches in her work and loves the systems-based approach that CCS and in-home therapy can provide. She is currently working as a skills coach and CCS service facilitator within FLYY. 

Tina Toltzien, SWTC
Service Facilitator
tina@flyy.org

Tina Toltzien has a background teaching young children and school aged kids as well as working with adults as an academic advisor and career counselor. These experiences have given her the gift of great patience and the unique ability to meet people where they are at. She has also interned with Dane County in the CCS intake unit. She completed her BS in Clinical Counseling Psychology at Edgewood College and is currently a Master’s level student of Social Work with an emphasis in Mental Health at Clarke University. She enjoys traveling, spending time outdoors, trail running and hiking with her dog, Marley. She is a Service Facilitator with FLYY.

Wolly Wollinger, MS, MFT
Skills Coach
wolly@flyy.org

Wolly Wollinger received his Master’s Degree in Marriage & Family Therapy from Edgewood College, where he also received a Bachelor’s Degree in Interpersonal & Organizational Communication. Wolly worked as an interning therapist with The Family Center and Briarpatch Youth Services, allowing him to develop a community partnership with La Follette High School. He has also spent years serving folks with different abilities in a variety of roles. Wolly is a warm and caring professional whose strengths-based, curiosity-centered approach provides a comfortable setting for potentially uncomfortable work. FLYY’s values of community, coping, and finding new perspectives are deeply connected to Wolly’s work. Wolly has many interests, some of which includes humor, the outdoors, and the arts.