Where Kids Thrive

Leadership Team

L. Michelle Codington, MS, LMFT

Executive Director/Co-Founder
 
Michelle is a dynamic clinician with 20 years of experience in counseling, mediation, leadership and consulting. She is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in NJ. Her diverse roles have included: therapy with families, children and couples; international adoption consulting; mediating for family court; and consulting/training for various businesses and non-profit organizations. Prior to founding the Thrive Program, Michelle was the Clinical Director of a statewide Intensive In-Community agency serving at-risk children and teens. During her tenure as Clinical Director, Ms. Codington supervised and mentored students from both bachelors and masters level programs while serving as a guest lecturer at local universities.  Additionally, she consulted with and supported 15 local Head Start programs serving children ages 2-4.
 
Michelle’s areas of specialty include: play therapy (with children, teens & families), trauma-informed care, behavioral issues with children/teens, brain development & behavior, parenting and sexuality.  Her experience in mental health includes various settings including inpatient, intensive group homes for victims of human trafficking, family court mediation, intensive in-home counseling, outpatient and private practice.
 
She has presented at both state and national conferences:
In 2013, she presented on working with children of mentally ill parents at the 26th Annual Children’s Mental Health Research & Policy Conference (sponsored by Children’s Mental Health Network & University of South Florida – Dept. of Child & Family Studies).
In 2014, she presented on Trauma, Attachment & the Brain at the New Jersey Children’s System of Care Conference (sponsored by Rutgers University and New Jersey Department of Children & Families).  She was recently invited back to present at the 28th Annual Children’s Mental Health Research & Policy Conference in March, 2015.

To see a list of experts by whom Michelle has been trained, click here.

Lorenzo McFadden

Director of Operations/Co-Founder

Lorenzo’s experience spans multiple industries including business & consulting, education and healthcare.  During his early career at Towers Perrin (Watson), his team did work for some of the top companies in the world such as Coca Cola, American Express, Nortel Networks, and the Nations Bank/Bank of America merger.
 
During his time in the corporate world, Lorenzo could often be found reading to youth and providing mentoring in Camden, NJ, where he was born.  His experience through his charitable efforts, inspired him to teach and work as a disciplinarian  in Camden during the course of 5 yrs. It was during this time, that he wrote and received approval for an after school program grant. The program spanned 5 counties and 12 schools with 90% of students experiencing improvement in math and literacy.

 

Lorenzo is a managing member of Quadrant Thinking Inc. of Medford, NJ, a consulting firm that offers strategic advice and analysis to businesses, churches and educational institutions to help them achieve specific business goals and objectives. He also serves as the program director for a Certified Nursing Assistant training program held at the Abigail House, in Camden, NJ. This program has resulted in over one hundred former unemployed or underemployed individuals being trained, with an 86% employment rate in the first year.

 

Lorenzo was particularly drawn to the mental health industry after observing the severe gap between what services children need versus what they actually receive.  This ultimately led him to co-found the THRIVE Program.

 

Angela Armendariz, MSW, LCSW

Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW since 2011); Certified CANS (Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths) Trainer; Certified TCP (Transformational Care Planning) trainer; Certified to provide the following Evidence Based Practices: Triple P (Positive Parenting Program) Levels 4 and 5, Strengthening Families, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Angela is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who comes to Thrive from California, bringing a wealth of knowledge to our program. She has over a decade of experience providing individual and family therapy to a diverse population of children, youth, and their families. Her expertise focuses on attachment, sexual abuse, trauma, foster care, and refugees.

Angela firmly believes in the power of strength-based and client-centered practice, and is devoted to creating opportunities for the people around her to achieve their own goals and exceed their own expectations for success. She is a passionate and caring therapist, dedicated to serving the underserved populations, using quality and evidence-based practices to help her families.