Jan Navis is the support specialist for the training project, and is in charge of making sure the training sessions run smoothly. Jan has been involved with the project since February 2006. She has several years' experience in business management and human relations.

Contact Jan with any questions about Abuse and Neglect Prevention training registration, locations, dates, times.

Jan can be reached at (608) 264-6748 or jan.navis@dhfs.wisconsin.gov

Donna Cochems is a curriculum consultant and learning facilitator for the project. Donna retired from the Department of Health and Family Services' BQA in 2003 where she last served as chief of the Caregiver Regulation and Investigation Section. Donna also worked at the state level with economic support programs such as W-2, Medicaid, and Food Stamps.  Since 2004, she has worked part-time with UWO on projects including Senior Care and the Caregiver Background Check and Abuse Prevention Training.  Donna was also employed by Dane County Human Services as an economic support specialist and fraud investigator. 

Learning Facilitators

Carolynn Brown-Schoening, MS, graduated from the University of Maryland with a BS in Early Childhood Education and from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh with a MS in Counseling. She served as an educator for the Neenah Joint School District for 30 years and as an Ad Hoc Instructor in the Counselor Education Program, College of Education and Human Services for the University of Oshkosh for 14 years.  Currently, Carolynn provides training for adults through the UWO Center for Career Development and Employability Training. Her present volunteer activities include mediator for Conflict Resolution Center of Winnebago County and member of the Appleton Police Department VCR (Victim Crisis Response) team.

Trudy Hermsmeier, RN, conducts CNA training at East High School and the Central Wisconsin Center in Madison.

Karen Lindberg-Schuppe, MA, specializes in adult education. She is employed by the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh CCDET, and has been training with the Caregiver Project since the trainings began in 2005. Karen also has her own training company with a focus on hearing loss management. She and her husband live on the east shore of beautiful Lake Winnebago near Fond du Lac.

Catherine Lindsay has over 30 years experience in education and training, most recently for UW Oshkosh, Center for Career Development. During her career, she has worked with a wide range of audiences: employment and training professionals, health care providers, business managers, educators and line staff from many disciplines. Employing an interactive approach to training, Catherine strives to help participants connect training content to their work and lives for the sake of less stress and greater satisfaction.

Marybeth Schuster was the director of the Door County Child Support Agency for 19 years. During that time she was very active as a board member with HELP of Door County, Inc., a domestic abuse and crisis intervention agency. She also served for many years on the board of Legal Aid Society of Door County (LASDC). One mission of LASDC was to provide free civil legal representation to victims of domestic violence. Since Marybeth and her family moved to Eau Claire in 1999, she has been working for UWO CCDET as a DWD trainer - mostly in the child support arena. She was the primary author of the Child Support and Domestic Abuse Awareness training and facilitated many of the workshops. In her spare time, Marybeth enjoys decorating and redecorating her house - not always to her family's delight!