Community Solutions, Inc. - our name is our mission

Outcomes Overview

Training Staff Bios


CSI offers training sessions provided by professionals with a wide array of experience and backgrounds. Each session is tailored to meet the needs of our customers. The CSI faculty includes doctorate-level professors and clinicians, licensed clinical social workers, professional trainers and MINT (Motivational Interviewing founders Miller and Rolnick certification) trainers.

Training Staff

  • Lisa Brandes-Director of Training and Quality Assurance:  Ms. Brandes has twenty five years of experience in criminal justice and juvenile justice, being responsible for programs throughout the United States.  She is a certified trainer of Reasoning and Rehabilitation, Adult Substance Use Survey-revised, specializes in risk/need assessment instruments and implementation, targeting of criminogenic need factors in treatment, motivational interviewing and delivery of effective interventions.  Ms. Brandes designed state of the art quality assurance practices and tools currently used statewide in Connecticut.  Ms. Brandes is an Associate Trainer for the Cognitive Centre of Canada.     
  • Tiffany Parkhouse, MA-Quality Assurance and Training Manager: Ms Parkhouse is a Motivational Interviewing Network Trainer (MINT), a trainer for the Women’s Risk Needs Assessment (a gender specific LSI-r trailer) and a certified trainer of Reasoning and Rehabilitation.  She has extensive experience in risk/need assessment tools, female responsive training and consultation, manual driven curriculum and cognitive behavioral therapy.  Ms. Parkhouse is an Associate Trainer for the Cognitive Centre of Canada. 
  • Holly Varanelli-LCSW-Clinical Services Manager:  Ms. Varanelli is a Motivational Interviewing Network Trainer (MINT) and certified Adult Substance Use Survey-revised trainer.  She has extensive experience in risk/need assessment tools, gender responsive issues, trauma, mental health issues and cognitive behavioral therapy.   
  • Judy McCusker, MA-QA Coach and Trainer:  Ms. McCusker specializes in evidence based practices with youth, cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, assessment tools and instruments, vicarious trauma and domestic violence.  Ms. McCusker is a certified BSFT therapist and Cultural Competency expert. 
  • Dr. Ginnie Dalton-Taylor, Ph.D.-QA Coach and Trainer:   Dr. Taylor specializes in risk/need assessment instruments, mental health issues, eating disorders, motivational interviewing and gender specific programming.  She has provided clinical supervision in both adult and juvenile programming.  She is especially skilled in the administration and use of assessment instruments and female responsive interventions and services.
  • Aimee Markward, MS, ICAC, CAC-QA Coach and Trainer:  Ms. Markward specializes in quality assurance of both adult and youth interventions.  She is highly skilled in cognitive behavioral therapy, manual driven curriculums, substance abuse disorders, motivational interviewing and mental health disorders.    
  • Jessica Fraser-QA Coach and Trainer:  Ms Fraser is a certified trainer of Reasoning and Rehabilitation, with extensive experience in risk/need assessments, motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioral therapy.  She specializes in employment services, group facilitation and case management services. 
  • Cindy Peterson, MS-QA Coach and Trainer:  Ms Peterson specializes in evidence based practices with juveniles.  She is highly skilled in manual driven curriculums including ART, MET/CBT, Voices, Target and SOS.  She is internationally certified in Co-occurring Disorders and particularly adept at assessment and case planning.   
  • Tammy Rothschild-QA Coach and Trainer:  Ms. Rothschild conducts training and quality assurance in gender responsive programming, relational and strength-based programming and trauma.  She is highly skilled in all juvenile manual driven curriculum and motivational interviewing.     
  • Sherina Richard-QA Coach and Trainer:  Ms Richard specializes in risk/need assessments, cognitive behavioral therapy and motivational interviewing strategies.  She is highly skilled in group facilitation and manual driven curriculums.  
  • Dr. Damon Mitchell, Ph.D.-QA Coach and Trainer:  Dr. Mitchell is an Associate Professor in the Criminology Department at Central Connecticut State University.  He specializes in substance abuse, assessment, neuroscience of offenders and sex offender treatment.  He is a certified Adult Substance Use Survey-revised Trainer.
  • Dr. Raymond Tafrate-Ph.D.-QA Coach and Trainer:   Dr. Tafrate is the Chairperson of the Department of Criminology at Central Connecticut State University.  Dr. Tafrate is a Motivational Interviewing Network Trainer (MINT).  He is the author of numerous books on anger and specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy.
  • Dr. Michael Pantalon-Ph.D.-QA Coach and Trainer:  Dr. Pantalon is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine.  He is a Motivational Interviewing Network Trainer (MINT).  He specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy and substance abuse.    
  • Dr. Manuel Paris-Psy.D.-QA Coach and Trainer:  Dr. Paris is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Yale University School of Medicine and Director of Training, Latino Track at Yale.  He is a Motivational Interviewing Network Trainer (MINT).  Dr. Paris conducts R&R II-r training in Spanish and is endorsed by the Cognitive Centre of Canada.     
  • Dr. Luis Anez-Nava- Psy.D; Ed.S.-Bilingual QA Coach and Trainer:  Dr. Anez-Nava is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Yale University School of Medicine.  He is also the Director of Hispanic Services and Latino Behavioral Health System.  Dr. Anez-Nava specializes in behavioral health services for the Latino population. 
  • Dr.  Michelle Silva-Psy.D.-Bilingual QA Coach and Trainer:  Dr. Silva is the Associate Director of the Connecticut Latino Behavioral Health System and an instructor at Yale University School of Medicine.  She has extensive experience in motivational interviewing, client engagement strategies and behavioral health services. 
  • Dr. Luis Bedregal, Ph.D.-Bilingual QA Coach and Trainer:  Dr Bedregal is employed at Yale University as an Assistant Professor at Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health, the Hispanic Clinic of the Connecticut Mental Health Center and the School of Medicine.  Dr. Bedregal specializes in strength based practice, cultural responsiveness, addictions, the therapeutic alliance with the Latina/Latino population and research methods.
  • Richard Pavasaris-QA Coach and Trainer:  Mr. Pavasaris specializes in LSI/ASUS and case planning.  He is a certified Adult Substance Use Survey-revised Trainer. 
  • Tatum Wrobel-Quality Assurance Coach and Trainer:  Ms. Tatum Wrobel has been working in evidences based practices for juveniles, for the past 6 years. She is highly skilled in such curriculums as VOICES, MET/CBT, TARGET, ART, and Viewpoints. She is also a certified BSFT therapist. Tatum is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and maintains a small private practice.