Child Life Clinical Intern Supervisor Course (Cohort 7)

Jenny Brandt is a Child Life Supervisor at St Louis Children's Hospital where she oversees the child life assistant team, activity areas and newer child life specialists that join the department. Prior to moving into leadership, Jenny was a clinical child life specialist for 16 years, covering both inpatient and outpatient units and served as the internship coordinator for 13 of those years. Jenny holds a master's degree in Family and Consumer Science with an emphasis in Child Life. Jenny has volunteered with the ACLP on the Internship Accreditation Task Force, Internship Accreditation Oversight Committee, Education and Training Committee and the Child Life Journal Review committee. Jenny lives in St Louis, MO with her husband and two sons.

Stephanie Whitten is a Clinical Assistant Professor and the Child Life Clinical Coordinator at the University of Georgia, where she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in the Department of Human Development and Family Science. She earned her master’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Alabama. A Certified Child Life Specialist since 2013, Stephanie built much of her clinical career at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, specializing in oncology and neurology/neurosurgery. With over a decade of experience teaching, supervising, and mentoring child life students, she remains committed to sharing her knowledge and passion for the field through both academic and professional roles. Her clinical and research interests focus on inclusive teaching strategies, grief and loss, and the role of child life specialists in animal-assisted interventions.

Megan O’Connell has been working with children and families for 20 years.  Megan holds a master’s degree in Child Development with a Child Life emphasis from Erikson Institute.  She became a Certified Child Life Specialist in 2011 and currently works as a CCLS III and the Family Advisory Council Liaison at Rush Children’s Hospital.  In her career, Megan has also worked outside the hospital setting for non-profits and universities.  Megan is an active member of the ACLP, where she has done five national conference presentations, a webinar and was most recently the chair of the 2023 ACLP conference.  She is currently an adjunct professor at Erikson Institute.  She lives in Oak Park, Illinois with her family.