Our Team
Sandra S. Lowe, BA, is the Founder, Executive Director, and Creator of the Parental Alienation Informed Disclosure (PAID) — a pioneering, evidence-based legal framework designed to educate, protect, and create systemic change for families navigating parental alienation, psychological abuse, and coercive control.
Sandra spent more than two decades as a mortgage professional, guiding borrowers through complex lending processes by translating regulatory frameworks, federal guidelines, and disclosure requirements into clear, actionable roadmaps. It was that deep familiarity with guidelines and structured accountability that inspired her to create the PAID — applying the same precision to family court that financial systems have long relied on to protect people from harm.
A certified trauma-informed, coercive-control ally, Sandra brings specialized expertise in parental alienation, post-separation abuse, domestic violence, coercive control, high-conflict family systems, and intergenerational dysfunction. Her lived experience and professional focus have made her a powerful advocate for reform within mental health, legal, and family court systems.
As Executive Director, Sandra oversees strategic planning, organizational development, and the design of educational resources that advance The Empowerment Community's mission — creating lasting, structural change that protects children and families for generations to come.
Executive Director & Creator, Parental Alienation Informed Disclosure
Sandra S. Lowe, BA
Joshua W. Marsden, MS
Director of Forensic Consulting & Research
Joshua W Marsden is an applied social and health psychologist and a doctoral candidate at Colorado State University. An active researcher and subject matter expert, he has published peer-reviewed articles on coercive control and parental alienation, and has presented his findings on these topics at both national and international conferences. His specialized expertise is recognized within the legal and mental health fields; he frequently serves as a forensic consultant and expert witness on family dynamics, trains mental health clinicians on the dynamics of parental alienation, and is an invited seminar speaker on the topic. His broader work focuses extensively on family systems, sibling relationships, and interpersonal conflict, aiming to bring evidence-based solutions to families and communities.
Joshua holds a master's degree in psychology and brings a strong background in higher education, having formerly served as a lecturer and academic instructor at Colorado State University. He also shares his expertise internationally as a guest lecturer for the University of Malta. Deeply committed to professional and community impact, he focuses on making complex behavioral data actionable and relevant for practitioners, legal frameworks, and organizational leadership.
Areas of Expertise
Applied Social Psychology: Extensive focus on family systems, sibling dynamics, coercive control, and parental alienation.
Forensic Consultation & Expert Testimony: Recognized authority in translating complex behavioral and psychological data for legal and judicial contexts.
Clinical Training & Speaking: Experienced in presenting research at national and international conferences and delivering specialized educational seminars for practicing mental health clinicians.
Scholarly Research & Publication: Proven track record of contributing scientific insights to the field of family dynamics and interpersonal conflict.
Education & Academic Experience
Ph.D. Candidate in Applied Social and Health Psychology | Colorado State University Expected Completion: 2026
Master's Degree in Psychology
Former Lecturer & Instructor | Colorado State University
Guest Lecturer | University of Malta
Publications
Peer-reviewed publications on Parental Alienation
Peer-reviewed publications on Coercive Control
Additional scholarly publications on family systems and interpersonal conflict
Nicolle Houtz, M.Ed
Director of Education
Nicolle Houtz is the Director of Education for The Empowerment Community, briinging over a decade of classroom experience to the role. She double majored in special education and elementary education at Southern Utah University, then went on to earn her M.Ed. through a joint program with Weber State University.
Nicolle taught sixth grade for eight years before stepping away from the classroom for 18 years to raise her six children. In 2017, she returned to teaching, working with kindergarten and first-grade students. Her deep background in both general and special education, combined with her firsthand experience raising a large family, gives her a unique and grounded perspective on childhood development and the needs of students and families alike. Nicolle has always been a strong advocate for the safety and well-being of children.
Mary Campbell, LCSW
Mary is a licensed clinical social worker with over 22 years of clinical experience, working with clients across the lifespan—from young children to adults navigating complex family dynamics. Her specialty lies in the treatment of attachment and trauma, where she draws on trauma-informed, evidence-based practices to help children and families heal and rebuild functional, secure relationships.
Before earning her Master's degree and clinical training at the University of Utah, Mary spent years engaged in international social advocacy, contributing to the development of child welfare and adoption laws designed to protect children and families across borders. That work brought her face to face with how cultural misunderstanding, poverty, and a lack of representation or legal knowledge can be exploited, creating openings for coercion and misrepresentation by those seeking advantage over the vulnerable. But it also showed her something else: that justice, however slow or obstructed, remains possible. Mary often reflects that while the timelines and mechanisms of justice are rarely within our control, advocacy always is—and that meaningful change follows when people choose to speak up and stay engaged.
That early conviction carried directly into her clinical work. Over two decades of practice, Mary has become increasingly focused on the rising trends of family estrangement and parental alienation, and the toll they take on children and the adults who love them. As both a treating clinician and a clinical supervisor, she is a vocal advocate within the mental health field for practices that honor clinical best standards while remaining deeply attuned to the individual's place within larger family and community systems—never treating a person in isolation from the relationships that shape them.
Outside the therapy room, Mary is happiest with the people she loves — family, friends, and the outdoors in equal measure. She's an avid hiker and explorer, a committed lifelong learner, and a passionate traveler who finds as much meaning in new landscapes as she does in new ideas. She is the proud mother of six adult children, who came to her family through both birth and adoption — a fact that speaks volumes about the breadth of her capacity to love and build family in all its forms.
Director of Clinical Affairs
Client List
Holloway Apartment
Elias & Wren
Maison Aurora
Kindred
Juno Wellness Spa
Cedar & Clay Studio