Child Life Clinical Intern Supervisor Course (Cohort 8)

Michelle Mathews is a Certified Child Life Specialist working at Huntsville Hospital for Women and Children. Clinically, she provides services in pre-op and radiology. Additionally, she is the student coordinator for both pre-internship and internship learners, helping to create the program in 2002. To engage in learning new skills, Michelle became the secondary handler to one of the facility dogs in the Canines for Coping program at Huntsville Hospital.  Michelle holds a master's degree in Human Development and Family Studies with an emphasis in Child Life. Her interests and focus are derived from her strong belief for the support of both students and supervisors alike.  Born from this desire, she led the creation of the Southeastern Association of Child Life Professionals in 2017 and continues to be supportive in several roles.  Michelle lives in Huntsville, Alabama with her husband, the comings and goings of four step-children, and a menagerie of animals.

Kristy Berksza is a Senior Child Life Specialist at Newton-Wellesley Hospital where she has worked for almost 20 years. Though her primary role has been on the pediatric inpatient unit, Kristy has worked in all the areas served by child life throughout the hospital and was instrumental in program expansion to the perioperative area many years ago.  In addition to her clinical work, Kristy coordinates the student education programs at the hospital.  She has also volunteered with the ACLP on the Education and Training Committee as well as the original Practicum Task Force and has been a presenter at the ACLP Annual Conference. As you may imagine, Kristy’s current child life passions lie in student education and supervisor support.  She holds a Master’s Degree in Child Life and Family-Centered Care, an Organizational Leadership certificate, and is a Certified Child Life Specialist. Kristy lives just outside of Boston, MA with her husband and two children.

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.