Presenters:Danielle Groton, PhD, MSW, MPAAtensia Earp-Bowen, LCSWDanielle N. Hartman, MNMAisha T. McDonald, LMHCJessica Munday, MHAJessica Rodriguez, CFREDate/Time:Course Opens: Monday, January 19, 2026 at 9 amCourse Closes: Friday, April 10, 2026Location: Online – on-demand Cost: $1300; $1170 Early Bird until January 5, 2026A limited number of seats have been reserved for students, FAU Social Work alumni and FAU Social Work Field Instructors and Coordinators with a special $1050 rate until January 5, 2026. Please email the Professional Development Coordinator at SocialWorkProDev@fau.edu to request the discount code.CEUs: 40Description: Behavioral health professionals are often promoted to top-tier positions within their agencies without having learned the essentials of effective leadership. Feedback from our graduates and community leaders is that, while enthusiastic about leading their teams, they quickly realize the need for formal leadership training so they can avoid unnecessary mistakes and successfully lead in an increasingly complex environment.This course empowers providers to identify their natural strengths and build on existing skill sets while helping them lay the foundation for effectively leading within their organization. Through engaging course content tailored for behavioral health professionals, participants will learn the ins and outs of personnel management, which includes things like recruiting and retaining high-quality employees, conducting performance evaluations, shifting unhelpful organizational norms, and providing culturally responsive, anti-oppressive leadership.Participants will learn how to increase the financial sustainability of their organization and ensure that their agency’s actions align with its mission and purpose – this includes things like creating a strategic plan, navigating income statements, building and managing a strong Board of Directors, and learning the basics of fundraising and marketing.Finally, participants will learn how to look beyond direct clinical services to further engage the broader community, which includes building a volunteer network, creating opportunities for advocacy and grassroots organizing, and becoming changemakers within their neighborhoods.Whether you are ascending the ranks within your current agency, looking to apply your clinical skills in a different capacity, or even exploring the possibility of starting your own nonprofit organization, this Leadership Certificate provides providers with tangible skills and applied learning opportunities that will help them maximize their impact, improve outcomes within their agencies, and empower them to confidently take the next step forward in their behavioral health careers.How It Works: This fully-online 40-hour certificate course is designed to provide attendees with maximum flexibility. New course content is unlocked each week, and attendees can access course materials, videos, and readings at their convenience. Weekly milestones ensure attendees are staying on track and making progress towards course completion.Learning Objectives: At the completion of each course unit participants will be able to:Discuss the effects of emotional intelligence and purposeful leadership in the workplace Discuss the role of executive leadership in the governance process Formulate a plan for empowering personnel Demonstrate strategies for navigating and challenging agency norms Apply an anti-oppressive framework to agency leadership Foster effective interdisciplinary collaboration through community engagement and advocacy Demonstrate effective and novel strategies for marketing and fundraising Develop strategic plans that will be supported by agency stakeholdersDon’t miss out! Registration closes on January 21, 2026!About the Presenters:Danielle Groton earned her PhD in Social Work and MSW and MPA from Florida State University. While residing in Tallahassee, Dr. Groton worked in homeless services for 8 years. While starting in case management, she quickly found interest in more macro level areas of practice and began special event coordination, grant writing, data quality assurance, and personnel management in transitional and permanent housing programs. She was a transition specialist for a merger between two homeless-serving agencies, creating workflows, job descriptions, and training for employees at the new agency. Since arriving at the Sandler School of Social Work, Dr. Groton has been an executive board member on the Homeless and Housing Alliance, is serving on the research committee for the county’s Securing Our Future Initiative, and was named Florida Atlantic University’s Distinguished Teacher of the Year. Dr. Groton’s research includes program evaluations and qualitative inquiry related to people experiencing homelessness and the agencies that provide homeless-specific services.Atensia Earp-Bowen is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who received her Master’s in Social Work from the University of South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina and her Bachelor’s of Social Work from Limestone College in Gaffney, South Carolina. Her experience spans from South Carolina to Florida, where she has been a resident since 2012. Atensia’s leadership spans from managing staff and budgets for peer programs, medical case management, housing case management, LGBTQ+, and FQHC (Federally Qualified Health Center) programs for eligible participants, to the development and implementation of SOAR (SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery) and Youth Mental Health First Aid throughout Broward County. In these roles she trained case managers, teachers, supervisors, and other agency/organizational employees. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Palm Beach County chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, where she chairs the Fundraising and Development committee and serves on the Outreach and Education committee.Danielle N. Hartman joined Ruth & Norman Rales Jewish Family Services (JFS) as President and CEO in March 2010. Under her leadership, the operating budget has grown to over $20M and legacy gifts have grown to $15M. Since joining the organization, she has focused on diversifying the way the agency is funded, specifically by growing programs which generate fees, and strengthening community partnerships to expand services. Danielle received her M.S. in Nonprofit Management from FAU in 2010 and was recognized by FAU in 2017 as a Distinguished Alumna. In addition to her role at JFS, she currently is active on the Board of Advisors for the FAU Sandler School of Social Work and the United Way’s Palm Beach County Hungry Relief Advisory Committee. She is a past Board Member of the National Association of Jewish Human Service Agencies (NJHSA) and has presented at several conferences on a variety of topics including women in the workforce, diversifying revenue streams, and governance.Aisha T. McDonald is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Certified Trauma and Resiliency Expert. She has worked in the social services field for over 12 years in a variety of capacities ranging from advocacy, direct service, and macro-focused positions. She is also a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging expert who aims to address the systemic barriers to equity in our community. Throughout her varied roles, Aisha has worked with marginalized populations within South Florida specifically those with severe and persistent mental illness, the forensic population in the criminal justice system and those incarcerated in local jail facilities, individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders, youth in the welfare system and those in the department of juvenile justice, and individuals who are involuntarily hospitalized under Florida’s Baker Act and Marchman Act laws. She currently works for United Way of Broward County as the Director of Training Initiatives where she facilitates and moderates community-wide trainings and professional development workshops focused on mental health awareness and education, racial and cultural trauma, substance use issues, as well as diversity, inclusion and social equity. Aisha also serves as a Suicidologist for the American Association of Suicidology where she conducts Psychological Autopsy trainings for national and international groups. She has worked with FAU Sandler School of Social Work for a number of years to offer professional development workshops such as these in order to enhance professional and clinical skills for our community agencies and providers.Jessica Munday, MHA, is a serial entrepreneur with a passion for helping the greater good. In 2021, Jessica co-founded Cloud Nine Nonprofit Advisors based in South Florida with her long-time friend and colleague, Jessica Rodriguez, to help nonprofits transcend the challenges they face. As an entrepreneur and 25-year seasoned professional in the nonprofit sector, Jessica enjoys working closely with nonprofit leaders to ensure the organization is following the guiding principles and best practices that help nonprofits thrive. In addition to strategic planning and marketing communications, Jessica enjoys developing brands, plans and relationships to help businesses and nonprofits accomplish their goals and cultivate their brand presence in the markets they serve. Jessica earned her undergraduate degree in business management and marketing from the University of North Carolina at Asheville and her master’s degree in healthcare administration from the Medical University of South Carolina. She is the president of the Charleston Chapter of the global Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) and a national board member of CreateAthon. Jessica is also the CEO and founder of Trio Solutions Inc. (TRIO), a full-service marketing agency based in Charleston, SC. Jessica and her husband, Capt. Jamie Holcombe are co-owners of Full Circle Fishing Charters, a sport fishing and boat concierge business. They live on Johns Island, SC with their children, David, Hannah and Hudson.Jessica Rodriguez is the co-founder and managing partner of Cloud Nine Nonprofit Advisors, a company dedicated to inspiring and cultivating growth for their clients. Based in Fort Lauderdale with a satellite office in Charleston, SC, Rodriguez is the driving force behind Cloud Nine, leading its day-to-day operations. Through witnessing her parents’ commitment to giving back, Rodriguez became motivated to fulfill the needs of the community at an early age. For 15 years, Rodriguez enthusiastically and effectively oversaw fundraising, marketing, and communications for several renowned nonprofits across Broward County, Fla. Rodriguez’s greatest strength is her ability to amplify and strengthen teams as well as connect changemakers to help nonprofits thrive. Shortly after graduating from UNC Chapel Hill in 2003, she relocated to Charleston, SC with the innate desire to professionally support the nonprofit sector in a way that was both impactful and revisionary. This move united Rodriguez and Jessica Munday, nearly 20 years later culminating in her greatest professional success, co-founding Cloud 9. Rodriguez is married to Mario, and is a mother to Emma and Mario Jr. As for professional achievements, Rodriguez was honored as the 211 Broward Executive Development Leader of the Year in 2016 and was recently appointed to the Broward College Foundation Board of Directors. She is a Certified Fund Raising Executive. Rodriguez consistently ensures that the values of joy, integrity, empathy and success are always felt in her professional sphere.