Mary has led the Association for Training on Trauma and Attachment in Children (ATTACh) in Minneapolis, Minnesota since 2011. During her tenure, Ms. McGowan has implemented multiple comprehensive training for parents and professionals which have been shared to thousands in North America.

She continues to raise awareness on a national level of how early abuse and neglect impact our youth and families. Ms. McGowan served as a post-adoption specialist for North American Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC) doing successful grass roots recruitment for foster and adoptive families for 10 years. She has earned accolades as the National Education Manager for the Professional Association of Treatment Homes (PATH) and is an experienced trainer who teaches and consults locally and nationally. Mary holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with minors in Community Violence Prevention and Child Development from Metropolitan State University, and a master’s candidate in Counseling and Psychological Services from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota. Mary earned several certifications including Therapeutic Crisis Intervention for Family Based Placements (TCIF) from Cornell University, and is a Nationally Certified Family Group Decision Making Facilitator (FGDM).

Ms. McGowan has fostered many children over 26 years and is a single adoptive parent of 5 youth ranging from 13-22 years old. She was a Guardian ad Litem (CASA) for 5 years and has experience with advocacy and success in obtaining services necessary for children in crisis. Mary shares her vast experience in an engaging and practical manner. Her real-life stories of parenting and working with children have been presented to parents and professionals from over 50 countries and across the United States.