Georgia Conference on Child Abuse Prevention

Deven Rudy-Johnson(she/her), MSW, doesn't just train others on trauma-informed care—she lives the mission. Adopted as an infant, that early experience of systemic intervention shaped her lifelong commitment to transforming child welfare from the inside out. With almost two  decades of experience in mental health and child welfare—including eight years working in and being a lead staff at Georgia's Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities—Deven blends hands-on crisis intervention skills with macro-level policy advocacy. She is a trauma-informed trainer who empowers families, adult supporters, adolescents, and transition-aged youth to thrive using practical DBT skills, strengths-based approaches, and legislative action. Her unique certifications span Darkness to Light facilitator, Together Facing the Challenge Therapeutic Foster Care trainer, Therapeutic Game Master (using tabletop RPGs), SAFE Home Study writer, and trained as a Therapeutic West African Drumming instructor. Deven holds a BSW from Carthage College and an MSW from the University of Denver.Deven’s work aims to equip adults and youth to co-create solutions—not just survive systems.And Yes, she really does combine lessons she's learned from providing therapy, impacting policy, leadership, D&D, and drumming—and it works.