Speaker Info

Asantewaa Boykin is the Daughter of Valerie Boykin, the Granddaughter of Bertha Brandy and Gladys Boykin, and the Great-Granddaughter of Nonnie Boykin and Drucella Bluford. Her poetry and art combine her love of words, storytelling, and resistance. Asantewaa is the Co-founder of APTP (Anti Police-Terror Project) an organization committed to the eradication of police terror.  Along with a brave group of organizers and medical professionals, Asantewaa developed Mental Health First (MH FIRST), a mobile mental health crisis response team aimed at minimizing police contact with those in the midst of a mental health crisis.  

Jaimeo Brown (pronounced jah-mayo) has established himself as one of the preeminent drummers, composers and educators and has worked with artists such as Stevie Wonder, Carlos Santana, Bobby Hutcherson, and Wynton Marsalis.  As a Music Ambassador for the U.S. State Department, Jaimeo shared his extensive experience as a performer and educator, with students across Europe, Eastern Asia and Africa.   His work as a bandleader has been featured in The Chronicle of Higher Education, Billboard, Downbeat magazine, The New York Times, Fox News, The Guardian (UK), and Modern Drummer magazine   

Kevin Cokley, Ph.D. is the Psychology and University Diversity and Social Transformation Professor at the University of Michigan where he serves as Associate Chair of Diversity Initiatives for the Dept. of Psychology. He is past Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Black Psychology and received the Scholarship Award from the Assoc. of Black Psychologists. He authored “The Myth of Black Anti-Intellectualism” (2014) that challenges the notion that African American students are anti-intellectual.  He edited “Making Black Lives Matter: Confronting Anti-Black Racism” (2021) and “The Impostor Phenomenon: Psychological Research, Theory, and Interventions (2024).

Tara Collins, MD, MPH is a psychiatrist, yoga teacher, and Ayurvedic Wellness Counselor.  She also co-leads a monthly dream interpretation seminar with psychiatrists and therapists in the community.  

Gricelda Correa Martinez, B.A., CHW, is Chief Programs Officer for On the Margins. With a BA in Women's Health and multiple associate degrees, she has dedicated her career to reproductive justice and health education, working with Santa Rosa Community Health and other coalitions. She is passionate about healing from generational and community trauma through mind-body techniques rooted in ancestral practices.  

Craig Coss is a local fine artist, illustrator, and storyteller whose paintings have been exhibited in northern CA museums and galleries. The diverse scope of his work ranges from the official Game of Thrones Tarot for HBO to painted Earth shrines given to Mt. Tam as an apology for the ecological abuse humans have inflicted on the land. He teaches drawing and painting courses at College of Marin where he is interested in helping students heal the art traumas blocking so many of us from drawing, painting, and using our hands to make things.  

Mark DeHart is a second year student at College of Marin working on a degree in advanced manufacturing sciences.  He is the ICC representative for COM's Rising Scholars Program   

 Giuseppe Dezza is a photographer and journalist who is engaged in culture, arts, and historical memory. He is the director of Espacio Comunicaciones LLC, a media company that promotes cultural expression on mental health and documentation. Dezza also serves as the director of Espacio Revista Magazine, a publication focused on cultural, artistic, and historical topics

Daniela (Danny) Domínguez, PsyD, is an Associate Professor at the University of San Francisco and the Founder and CEO of On the Margins. She is a licensed psychologist and professional clinical counselor specializing in liberation psychology, anti-racism, and migrant justice. Her work focuses on supporting BIPOC communities in coping with stress and fostering resilience for positive health outcomes.  

Ana Frias-Bravo, LMFT works at SF State University and has a private psychotherapy practice, Casa Colibri Healing. Ana provides bilingual therapy to adults and adolescents and presents free offerings to her community, emphasizing collaboration, holistic wellness, and collective healing. As a former undocumented immigrant from a marginalized socioeconomic background, Ana has a passion and commitment to serve her community through social justice and equity lenses, creating dignified and safe spaces to heal and thrive.    

Tealy Gapinski is the Lead Gardener at COM's Indian Valley Organic Farm and a College of Marin alumni. She has over 8 years of experience working on the farm and a bachelors degree from UC Davis in Sustainable Agriculture and food systems. Tealy is passionate about using regenerative practices to give back to the land that feeds us. She is driven by her goal to address food insecurity at the College and local community by making fresh organic produce more accessible and affordable for all.  

Saeeda Hafiz, B.B.A, Certified Yoga Instructor & Holistic Health Educator, is the author of The Healing: One Woman’s Journey from Poverty to Inner Riches. She is a yoga teacher and wellness expert in the Bay Area, a graduate of Temple University and has appeared on national and international multimedia programming.  Saeeda has applied her self-care techniques to overcome adverse childhood experiences and traumas to create overall good mental, physical and spiritual health.     

Taryn Hwang is a high school student, social justice activist, and avid crafter. She serves on the Youth Leadership Team for AAPI Youth Rising, a student-led organization dedicated to educating about AAPI history and uniting against hate-fueled violence. Taryn is a firm believer in the importance of cultural awareness and community context in devising strategies for addressing mental health needs, especially for teens. She was recently invited to participate in the White House Initiative on AANHPI Mental Health Convening and the White House Initiative on AANHPI National Policy Summit.  

LaTajah Lassus is a dynamic Afro-Latina from Miami, Florida, currently attending Clark Atlanta University. She is pursuing a Master's in Social Work with the aim of developing programs and resources to support the holistic well-being of marginalized communities through creative arts therapy. In her free time, LaTajah enjoys being in nature, performing, curating events, and collaborating with nonprofits to educate & empower individuals, children & families to connect with their mind, body and spirit.      

Connie Mann (she/her), LMFT is the Regional Director of Behavioral Health Marin County and Suicide Prevention Hotline.  She joined Buckelew Programs in 2003 and rose to Senior Management Team role in 2021. Connie has 20 years of nonprofit and behavioral health social service organization experience. She earned her masters from Sonoma State University specializing in sexual trauma, domestic violence, PTSD, individual, couple, and family therapy, and multicultural counseling. Her certifications include Eastern, Western, and Indigenous Psychology, WRAP training, and Triple P parent education.      

Carmen McNeil, Ph.D., with over 25 years in higher education, has been a pivotal advocate for equity and inclusion through programs like the Puente Project and Umoja. Her research on "The Psychology of Menstruation" and founding of Period of Empowerment highlight her innovative approach. Recently honored as the Diablo Valley College 2024 Distinguished Faculty Lecturer, Dr. Carmen continues to inspire through her dedication to scholarship, empowerment, and dismantling menstrual stigma.    

Cary McQueen (she/her) is the founder and executive director of Art With Impact (AWI) and a firm believer that art is the answer (regardless of the question). She considers mental health to be the foundation of social justice and, through AWI, works to create learning environments exploring this through the power of art and creativity. In previous professional incarnations, Cary was the Executive Director of the Center for Arts Management and Technology at Carnegie Mellon University. She has worked as a consultant to nonprofit arts organizations to create programs and strategies engaging art enthusiasts in meaningful ways.      

Through 25 years of working and facilitating with schools and nonprofits, Eva Jo Meyers has come to understand that being “a teacher” doesn’t mean being at the head of a classroom, being “a leader” doesn’t mean making all of the decisions, and being “an expert” doesn't mean knowing everything. What makes a great teacher, leader or expert is the ability to transform the people sitting in the room into teachers, leaders, and experts. She is passionate about helping people understand how to steward the organizations, classrooms, and people they lead so that all voices are heard, everyone feels valued, and each person can make meaningful contributions.    

Linda Noel is a Native Californian of the Koyungkowi tribe who grew up in Willits, CA. The former Poet Laureate of Ukiah has presented her work at the Redwood Coast Writers Conference, the Watershed Project, The Conference of American Indians; Humboldt State University, Santa Rosa Junior College and the Grace Hudson Museum. Her recent work has been published in The Dirt is Red Here, by Heyday Books.     

Teresa Reiko Perales (she/they/elle), M.Ed, also known as Tea, is College of Marin’s Equity and Activities Coordinator for the Office of Student Activities & Advocacy and the Chair of the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Action Committee (IDEA). Their intersectional identities, including their Japanese and Mexican heritage, being a queer non-binary person of color, and growing up in a racially and socioeconomically diverse extended family, shaped their passion and commitment to creating equitable, just, and healing communities.      

Johann Webber is a junior at Stanford Online High School residing in the Bay Area. He is pursuing his passion for finance and economics as a board member in training for the finance director position at the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) organization. Johann’s commitment to understanding the intricacies of financial systems drives his involvement. Johann is also an avid robotics enthusiast and engages in high school VEX robotics competitions. He has won several awards for Robotics including the 2022 Design Award at the VEX Robotics World Championship.    

Mavi Pilloton (they/them), M.Ed, is an educator, program director/designer, facilitator, and public speaker who serves as a Health Program Manager for the Transgender, Gender-Diverse, Intersex (TGI) Unit at the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). Mavi grew up in and currently lives in Marin; prior to their role at CDPH, they served as the Director of the Training Institute at The Spahr Center, a local organization that served the LGBTQ+ and HIV communities. Mavi has been a keynote speaker or guest presenter at the USF, Marin 9 to 25's Quarterly Summit, the Marin Wellness Fair, Marin County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services Pride Event, and more.  

Capri Price was born and raised in Marin county. She grew up in Marin city, is a mother of two, and a member of the Rising Scholars Program at the College of Marin.  She will be receiving a third degree in 2025. Her goal is to become a physical therapist working with disabled children who are confined to a wheelchair.       

Lisa Bonta Sumii, LCSW, CMPC, brings a high level of expertise to the athlete mental health space from both a clinical and performance focus. She works with elite youth athletes, collegiate student athletes, Olympians/Olympic hopefuls, professional athletes, coaches, teams, and the entire sport ecosystem. Lisa is the first-ever Mental Performance Coach for the Oakland Roots Sports Club, a men’s professional soccer team in the USL, working alongside other coaches on the Technical Team as well as the Sports Medicine staff.    

Susan Rahman, PhD is a Behavioral Science faculty member at the College of Marin. She also serves as the Rising Scholar faculty coordinator, club advisor, and Juvenile Justice program director at the Marin Juvenile Hall.   

Jahmeer is a published academic co-author; "Using Cross-Cultural Collaboration to Establish a Working Coalition for An Equitable COVID-19 Vaccine Program" is listed in over 250 academic articles worldwide and is registered in the National Library of Medicine. Jahmeer was selected for the Global Fellow Echoing Green award, a fellowship supporting social innovators; the previous winner of this award was Michelle Obama. During the onset of the COVID pandemic, Jahmeer founded the Marin County Cooperation Team (MCCT) to address a critical need for continued adherence to the Community School Model. Jahmeer and MCCT were awarded the $1,300,000 C.R.I.S.E.S Act grant, a pilot grant program providing stability, safety, and culturally informed, appropriate responses to immediate emergencies such as a mental health crisis, people experiencing homelessness, intimate partner violence, and natural disasters.     

Kim Shuck is the author of ten solo books, co-author of two books, and significant contributing author for five more books. She has been involved in editing two volumes of other people's poetry and one of another person's prose. Shuck is assistant editor, co-editor, editor or edit curious for another seven anthologies of poetry. She has provided cover art for nine books. Her personal book fort is well underway. Kim is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. If all of this is starting to sound a bit humorless, she is a proud Indiginerd who spends a fair amount of time gaming and reading graphic novels. She appears on a mural, at least one tattoo, and served as the 7th Poet Laureate of San Francisco. Shuck judges contests, serves on boards, has been awarded things, has some degrees, and other literary and artistic pocket lint. Her latest solo collection of poetry is Pick a Garnet to Sleep In.   

Ari Sifuentes (she/her), M.A., is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with a private practice specializing in adolescent and LGBTQIA+ mental health. Her practice in Kentfield supports queer, trans, and gender expansive tweens, teens, and adults across Marin County and California. Previously, Ari served as Director of Mental Health at The Spahr Center, Marin County’s former LGBTQIA+ center.  She is committed to creating therapeutic spaces that are not just "LGBTQIA-friendly," but whole-heartedly queer and trans affirming.  

Phoebe Smith is a veteran K-12 teacher of 18 years and a facilitator of special curricula related to health education, mental health wellness, community building, mediation, and restorative practices for individuals and large groups. Phoebe earned a Master’s in Public Health, Community Organization and in Education, Curriculum Development. She specializes in coaching and guiding academic and organizational leaders, staff, students, communities and families through the restorative practices healing and community building process.  

Aimee Suzara is a Filipino-American poet, playwright, and performer based in Oakland. Her mission is to create and help others create poetic and theatrical work about race, gender, and the body to provoke dialogue and social change.  Her poetry and plays have been produced, adapted, and published widely, and she has collaborated with a variety of choreographers, musicians and dance companies for multidisciplinary productions.  

Sam Tsemberis, PhD is a clinical-community psychologist who developed the Housing First program based on the belief that housing is a basic human right.  He is the Founder and CEO of the Pathways Housing First Institute and Clinical Associate Professor in the UCLA Department of Psychiatry.  He has published numerous articles and two books on topics of homelessness, mental illness, and addiction and received recognition from the National Alliance to End Homelessness, American Psychiatric and American Psychological Associations, the government of Canada.  This year he was recognized on the TIME100 list of the world’s most influential people.

Keenan Webster has been learning and performing traditional West African music and instruments of the Mandinka and the Mande speaking peoples of West Africa for decades.  He performs and lectures about their influences on American music and its connections to the banjo. He also plays Native American flute.  

Khalid White (He/Him/His), Ed.D. is an award-winner in the fields of Education, Film and Literature. A career educator, Khalid began educating California’s youth and young adults in 2004. Presently, he is an African American Studies Professor at San Jose City College, located in heart of Silicon Valley. Khalid serves in the intersections of education, public health, and community, advancing education, empowerment, and equity.  

Jasmine Young is a portrait and documentary photographer, independent filmmaker, and College of Marin alumni. Her objective is to foster community engagement and creativity through her work capturing the stories and essence of those she photographs. She is also the founder of Prism People, a platform for creative expression and collaboration.  Visit her online at prismpeoplemagazine.com and on Instagram @prismpeoplemag. 

Manuel X. Zamarripa, Ph.D., LPC-S is the co-director and co-founder of the Institute of Chicana/o/x Psychology based in Austin, TX.  Dr. Zamarripa is a trained psychologist, clinician, college dean, and danzante who has been featured on NPR and in the L.A. Times. In 2023, Dr. Zamarripa was awarded a Presidential Citation as a worthy contributor to the field of psychology by the American Psychological Association for his advancement of Chicana/o/x Psychology.    

Karina Ochoa was born and raised in Marin county and is the daughter of two immigrant parents. This is her second year at College of Marin where she is majoring in Sociology. She is applying to transfer this semester and wants to study law at either UC Berkeley or UC Davis.  Her dream job is to be a lawyer for immigration.

Marcelino joined AHF via Impulse, an affinity group promoting sexual and lifestyle wellness using modern social approaches to support and connect gay men. Prior, he worked as an HIV/ Hep. C test counselor. After completing a Masters in Public Health, he worked for the UCSD Anti-Viral Research Center and then conducted research on mobile health interventions at SD State Univ. Marcelino worked for the DoD HIV/AIDS Prevention Program, the implementing agency for the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, leading operational coordination for South Sudan, Zambia, Uganda, Rwanda, and Djibouti. He joined AHF as the Regional Director of HCC Operations in 2022 and was later named the first Western Bureau Chief.