Emotional Safety: Staff Communication, Education, and Training Pillar

Jenaya Gordon is the manager of the Child Life Department at Children's Hospital Colorado. As a Certified Child Life Specialist, she has worked with children and families in the emergency department, pediatric intensive care unit, neurosurgery unit, and inpatient surgical/trauma unit. Jenaya’s presentations address such topics as emotionally safe pediatric care, trauma-focused medical play, understanding and responding to children in crisis, trauma processing, and trauma-informed care. She authored the paper Emotional Safety in Pediatrics and was a contributing author in the Handbook of Medical Play Therapy and Child Life. Jenaya is a former board member with the Association of Child Life Professionals and continues to contribute her time as a committee member.

Anna is a proud Certified Child Life Specialist with 22 years of healthcare experience. She currently serves as the Director of Transformation and Experience at Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital and Health Network in Tacoma, Washington. She leads Patient and Staff Experience, Family-Centered Care, Child Life Services, Complex Primary Care, and Palliative Care. Anna holds a Master of Science in Human Development from Pacific Oaks College and a Bachelor of Arts in Child Development from North Dakota State University. 

Brianne graduated with her master’s degree in child life from the University of La Verne after completing her internship at CHOC in 2006. Following her internship, she joined CHOC as a certified child life specialist and has been serving the organization for fifteen years. Brianne worked in oncology, intensive care, and surgical services and then spent time as the department’s first clinical educator. She moved into the role as manager of child life and creative arts in 2017.  Brianne joined the ACLP’s Patient and Family Experience Committee in 2019 and now serves as Chair-Elect.