Facilitators

Alisha Day is a Drag Performer from Newark, NJ.  She is here to turn this mother out! Alisha Day is a versatile performer. She can perform comedy, spoken word, ballads, dance numbers with ease. There's no putting this queen in a box, she'd bust right out anyway! You can follow Alisha on all social media platforms @Alishadayqueen.

Social Media:

@Alishadayqueen

Ana is currently an undergraduate student at Rutgers University-Newark studying public and nonprofit Administration. She is currently the mentorship coordinator for the West Side High School Mentorship Program. As the previous social media coordinator for the Office of Violence Prevention and Victim Assistance she is well versed in activism surrounding sexual assault and rape culture. She is an aspiring public service professional and is always advocating for her Latinx roots in every space. 

Angela is a Licensed Psychologist specializing in mood and trauma related difficulties.  Angela joined the Rutgers University Newark Counseling Center in August 2019 as a trauma-focused therapist.  Angela is most passionate about helping individuals build their resiliency, coping and empowerment after enduring traumatic experiences.  She provides her clients with a balance of acceptance and change to help them build a life worth living: Accepting current circumstances and experiences, while at the same time building skills to change problematic behaviors.  In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, traveling, and laughing (at her favorite comedy shows and trying her own comedy routines).  

Website: 

http://counseling.newark.rutgers.edu/

Dr. Anice Thomas is the Executive Director of Student Health & Wellness and Director of the Counseling Center at Rutgers University-Newark. Dr. Thomas completed her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with specialization in Multicultural Community Clinical Psychology. She earned her undergraduate degree from Rutgers College and her doctorate from The California School of Professional Psychology. Dr. Thomas has years of experience providing mental health treatment, consultation, and supervision in community and school-based mental health settings, engaging and teaching graduate students in academia, and operating a thriving private practice. Dr. Thomas is passionate about multicultural psychology and seeks to support her clients as they navigate the complexities of life while honoring and exploring their multi-faceted identities. She is the mental health consultant for a multi-site early childhood program in Essex County, and maintains a small private practice focused on young adults, couples and families. Dr. Thomas believes that allowing the cultural and spiritual context of the client to emerge is a necessary factor for therapeutic change, relationship building, and well-being. Dr. Thomas continues to seek opportunities to build her own cultural competency and believes learning is a continual, lifelong process.  

Website: 

http://counseling.newark.rutgers.edu/

Barbaros has been in the field of addiction/recovery for over 18 years.  He has vast experiences working directly with individuals struggling with substance use disorders.  He is the Director of the Alcohol and Other Drug Assistance Program at Rutgers-Newark for over the last 3 years.  He oversees that campuses collegiate recovery program which has grown yearly.

Facebook:

@run4recov

Instagram:

run.4.recovery

Email:

run4recovery@rutgers.edu

Candice L.  Johnson is the Director of Student Activities and Leadership Development at Ringling College of Art and Design. She has been a dancer since she was two years old. She grew up learning jazz, ballet, tap, hula, baton, and acrobatics. She went to Savannah Arts Academy for Dance in high school and continued her dance studies at the Joffrey Ballet School in New York City for Contemporary Ballet. Candice Recently taught tap and jazz at The Onyx Studio 2: The Artistry of Dance in Sarasota, FL. She hopes to share simple and fun dances with the world.

The Rev. Carla Christopher is an LGBTQ celebrating and racial justice oriented pastor ordained in the ELCA (Lutheran) tradition. She is also a published author, a former Poet Laureate of York, PA, and an equity and inclusion trainer based in central Pennsylvania. 

Website: 

https://www.carlachristopher.com/ 

Originally from Columbus, Ohio, Curtis is a 2012 alumni of Ringling College of Art & Design. Curtis has a passion for: photography, design and getting to know new people.

Website:

www.curtisandersonphoto.com 

Instagram:

@curtisandersonphotography

Danielle is currently serving as the Clinical Social Work Intern with the Office for Violence Prevention and Victim Assistance (VPVA) on the Rutgers University Newark campus. Danielle has worked as a Board Certified Music Therapist since 2013 serving various populations, such as those with mental illness, individuals in a correctional setting, and children and families who have been affected by interpersonal violence. She will be finished with her Master’s degree in Social Work and Certificate in Violence against Women and Children from Rutgers University in August of 2020. 

Instagram:

@run_vpva

Deborah (Debbie) Eato was born in New Brunswick, NJ and raised in Highland Park, NJ. She started experimenting with drugs and alcohol at age 12 and continued using throughout her music career as a drummer. After using for over 30 years, Debbie went into treatment, got clean at age 47 and now has over 16 years clean.

Debbie is an active member of a 12 step recovery program, attending meetings regularly, serving in different leadership roles, giving support and guidance to other women in the program and volunteering her time and resources in the recovery community.

Debbie previously worked in collections and accounts receivables at two local companies and currently works as an independent contractor. Debbie is a grateful recovering addict and enjoys sharing the message of hope to addicts who still suffers from the disease of addiction.

In 1993, Helen Neal-Ali began speaking to women about life crises she had coped with and overcome. Through her company, Life Changing Consulting & Associates, she has motivated clients of several non-profit organizations, including Alpha House of Tampa, DACCO, The Work Release Center, Mercy House, and The Spring of Tampa Bay; one of her most requested workshop is "Health Realization" personal and community empowerment training. Helen shared this principle-based understanding in her work with three universities: the University of Minnesota, Fort Valley State University and West Virginia University. In 1996, she was appointed Regional Representative of the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence: Region #3. She received the 1997 Gayle Bertelstein Award for speeches on behalf of The Spring of Tampa Bay, the 1998 TOBA Unsung Hero Award, and the 1998 Amigas Award from The Peace Power Foundation.

In 1996 she started working with youth groups teaching children how to listen to the wisdom inside of them to make better choices.  She went on to be the Hillsborough County and Polk County School Districts Director Of In Home Tutoring from 2003 until 2010.

In 2004 she wrote her first book Okay Forever A Book of Hope to encourage women going through Domestic Violence.

Since 2018 Helen has been working with several nonprofit agencies in the Sarasota and Bradenton area. To name a few Women’s Resources Center, Center of Religious Tolerance, Sarasota Strong, New College and Sarasota Housing Authority.  She has worked with their clients teaching the to empower the wisdom they have inside of them to be the best that they can be. Her Letting Go Of A Traumatic Past Workshop is her most popular workshop.

Website: 

www.srqstrong.org 

Facebook Personal: 

https://www.facebook.com/hnealali

Facebook Sarasota Strong: 

Sarasota Strong

One of the most memorable lessons Henaz learned as a kid was: don’t touch the plants after sundown; they need sleep, too! This lesson stuck with her: all living beings are interconnected and worthy of respect. This value guided her to pursue healing through yoga, acupuncture, and social justice. 

She graduated from Barnard College with a Bachelor's degree in Political Science and Human Rights and then pursued a graduate degree in acupuncture from the Eastern School of Acupuncture and Traditional Medicine in NJ. She studied to be a yoga instructor at the Yoga Institute in Mumbai, India and at Starseed Yoga in Montclair, NJ. She has studied advanced Ayurvedic Pulse Diagnosis and Marma Chikitsa with Dr. Vasant Lad of the Ayurvedic Institute, NM. Henaz is certified in ReikiLevel 2. For two decades, Henaz has been working with youth and adults on issues of identity and social justice and for one on healing bodies and minds through acupuncture and yoga.

Henaz firmly believes that our liberation is intertwined and that our healing is at our fingertips and in our breath—this was the first needle. Seeing the results of acupuncture and the miracles bodies perform when given the space and reminders to do so, humbles her. Passionately, compassionately, intuitively, and wholesomely: this is how Henaz connects with her clients and helps support them on their path to healing.

Website: 

Flow Acupuncture, LLC: 

www.flowheals.com

Facebook: 

www.facebook.com/acupunctureflow

Instagram:

www.instagram.com/flow_acupuncture/

James earned his Bachelor’s of Arts in Psychology degree from Kean University and his Masters of Social Work degree from Rutgers University with a concentration in substance abuse and mental health. As a dually licensed psychotherapist, James’ clinical experience has been challenging, enriched, and rewarding. His main interest includes the understanding the impact of complex trauma/PTSD within intersecting and marginalized communities. James has been fortunate to have been part of establishing many programs new programs in the state most recently, the Men’s Trauma program with Penn Medicine Princeton House in Eatontown, NJ.

When James is not attending a seminar or training to advance his skills or reading up on the latest trauma informed treatments, he takes interest in Tae Kwon Do and Yoga in the community to increase his own mind-body connection. James is also a lover of traveling and has been to various places including Barcelona, Paris, Montreal, Arizona, New Orleans, and Texas. Some of his favorite authors include shame researcher Brene Brown, trauma specialists Judith Herman and Bessel Van Der Kolk, as well as crime novelist James Patterson.

Dr. Janet is a Community Psychiatrist in Sarasota, Florida.  She is on the frontline battling the emotional and economic impact of mental illness. She holds a M.D. from the University of Louisville, completed her psychiatric residency at New York Medical College and obtained an MPH from Columbia University “s Mailman School of Public Health in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. She had a column in Family Circle Magazine, “Ask Dr. Janet”.  Dr. Janet is also frequently featured on ABC “Good Morning America” and NBC  “The Today Show” and CNN.  She is a former host of the Discovery Health/OWN series, “Facing Trauma” and was the Guest Care Director for “The Jeremy Kyle Show”. She is a Recommender of Medical Cannabis for Florida and New York. Dr. Janet is a Medical Cannabis Educator & host of the podcast, “Sex, Lies & Medical Cannabis with Dr. Janet”.

Lida is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Clinical Drug and Alcohol Counselor who specializes in addictions and recovery. Lida joined the Rutgers University-Newark Counseling Center in June 2017 as a Recovery Specialist. She is passionate about working with others to develop self-awareness, compassion, and a deeper sense of inner wisdom using a strengths based approach that honors a person’s identities, beliefs, and values. Her professional interests include addictions recovery, treatment of depression and anxiety, trauma, emotion regulation, and development of healthy interpersonal relationships. For fun she enjoys dancing to her own beat, trying new cuisines, travel, and tending to her little garden. 

Website: 

http://counseling.newark.rutgers.edu/

Lorena Gaibor is on the faculty of the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Social Work where she also coordinates the Latinx Social Work Certificate Program. Prior to teaching her field experience included directing community programs, neighborhood redevelopment, and advocacy on affordable housing and immigration reform. As a transplant from the east coast, it took Lorena time to adjust to life in CO as a Latina. Race relations are very different in CO from what they are in NJ/NY where Lorena was born and raised. The racial segregation and racialization, that Lorena experienced in CO, has led her on a path of decolonizing and Anti-Racism work which relates to the presentation that she will make as part of this mental health series. As a Rutgers alum, Lorena is happy to return to her Jersey Girl roots by presenting with other Rutgers and Garden State friends on the important and expansive topic of Community Healing Spaces. When Lorena is not working on immigration, anti-racism, and Latinx social work, she can be found meditating or hanging out with her grounding BIPOC community of friends to balance the heaviness of the focus on systemic oppression work that she does.

Magaly J. Rosado is a versatile creative artist. She has 8 years of beauty and SFX makeup experience. She is also a very empathic soul who just wants everyone to flourish into their most radiant selves. She loves to express her creatively through her art.  She started as a painter before it all. Now she paints on people’s faces. She is happy to share some of her knowledge and skills with everyone! 

Website:

https://mrockz19.wixsite.com/magzfxdome

Website Store: 

Buenas Vibras 

Social Media: 

@magzfxdome

Taylor currently serves as the Education and Programming Coordinator with the Office for Violence Prevention and Victim Assistance (VPVA) at Rutgers University Biomedical and Health Sciences. She worked as the Rutgers Newark VPVA Prevention Education Coordinator for two years and served as a Confidential Sexual Violence Advocate for the Middlesex County Center for Empowerment. She finds passion in public speaking and violence prevention, and is a two time TEDx Speaker and RAINN Speaker Bureau member.

Website:

tayloramiller.wixsite.com/mysite

Instagram &Twitter: 

@RBHS_VPVA

Tyree is an impactful writer, marketer, and entrepreneur who helps independent journalism and small business owners in New Orleans connect with the world. His titles include Publisher, Chief Marketing Officer, Author, and Content Creator. His areas of expertise also include Event Production, Operations Management, and Creative Writing.

Website:

http://www.tcworthy.com/

Instagram:

@sirworthywrites 

Vasudev is a Licensed Psychologist specializing in anxiety, depression, stress, trauma, grief and loss, and alcohol/substance abuse. He offers a shared space in which change happens through a genuine, transparent, and healing relationship. He fosters a multicultural awareness to enrich our perspective and promote healthy change – Integrating one’s identities brings clarity to create new life opportunities. Vasudev’s experience with mindfulness-based techniques has helped people understand stress and thrive in challenges. Vasudev’s mindful approach may also encourage growth through spiritual awareness, tapping into one’s innate wisdom to bring new perspectives to life situations.

Website: 

http://counseling.newark.rutgers.edu/

Yoleidy Rosario is an Afro-Dominican trans educator, consultant and artist. Ze holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theater from Dickinson College and a Masters of Arts in Higher Education with a concentration in Student Affairs and Multicultural Education from Messiah College. Throughout ze's career, which include leadership positions such as Associate Dean of Students and Director for the Center of Diversity and Inclusion at Ringling College of Art and Design, ze has created, implemented and facilitated intercultural and intersectional programs, trainings and workshops that address important social justice issues through the interdisciplinary investigation of indigenous and diasporic cultures, histories, narratives, peoples, geographies, identities, arts and restorative justice. 

Website:

mosaicmovements.org

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/MosaicMovementsOrg

Instagram:

MosaicMovements