C.V.
PROFILE
As a clinician, researcher, and educator, I strive to work as a collaborative community builder, in developing and maintaining leadership approaches to maximize clients and patients’ wellbeing and community-oriented health and outcomes. I am an aspiring humanist with nurtured and developing ethical interests in biodiversity and bio-universality, global justice and responsibility, basic human rights, resilient human relations, and hope. I advocate for intentional interaction between cultural heritages and healthy communities. I am dedicated to architecting, maintaining, and maximizing components and tools needed to foster growth, adaptability, and health in individuals, families, and communities.
EDUCATION
2024 Couple and Family Therapy Doctoral Program, Psychological & Quantitative Foundations, UNIVERSITY OF IOWA, Iowa City, IA
2024 Graduate College Teaching Certificate, Social Sciences, College of Education, UNIVERSITY OF IOWA, Iowa City, IA
2021 Master of Marriage and Family Therapy, MOUNT MERCY UNIVERSITY, Cedar Rapids, IA
2017 Bachelor of Liberal Studies (BLS), Human Relations Emphasis, UNIVERSITY OF IOWA, Iowa City, IA
2017 Non-Profit Management Certificate, UNIVERSITY OF IOWA, Iowa City, IA
2012 Associate of Arts, Liberal Arts Studies, KIRKWOOD COMMUNITY COLLEGE, Cedar Rapids, IA
CURRENT AND ONGOING WORK
The Israeli-Palestinian Arabs Conflict, 2017
“Oglala Lakota on Muddy Rough Roads:” Exploring cultural constraints, identity, resilience, and counselling in postcolonial America, 2021
Humanistic ontology: clinician vulnerability, humility, and advocacy, 2021(Clinical Demonstration and Position)
Intersectional Black Feminism and the Black Woman Experience with Relationship Distress, 2021
Storying the healing: Collaborative narrative as treatment for transgenerational trauma amongst the Ioway People, 2021
Fostering change through dialogical narrative paradigm and metalevel psychological reconstructionism, 2022
Implications of refugee families' transnational intersectionality and identities for intercultural psychotherapy outcomes, 2022
A family systems approach to intercultural psychosocial interventions with refugee families: Theoretical analysis, 2022
WORK AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
MERCY FAMILY COUSELING
04/23 Counselor
Mercy Family Counseling provides services that address a wide range of individual, couple, and family issues. Families who have concerns about their children's behavioral, emotional, or adjustment problems, attention or learning difficulties may seek help at Mercy Family Counseling. Marital difficulties, anxiety, depression, grief, and family issues are also addressed by the experienced counseling staff. Mercy Family Counseling is committed to providing accessible evaluation and counseling that is designed to enhance the dignity and individuality of people.
UNIVERSITY OF IOWA, College of Public Health, Epidemiology
04/23 Problems Management Plus (PM+) Trainer
LINN COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH, Sexual Health Alliance Committee
10/23 Advising Member
MATTHEW 25, Community Development Committee,
05/23 Advising Member
MOUNT MERCY UNIVERSITY, The Olson MFT Clinic
01/23 Clinical Supervision Internship
SIXTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT, Department of Correctional Services, Cultural Competency Advisory Committee
10/22 Advising Member
The Sixth District's advisory committees have been established according to Chapter 905 of the Code of Iowa. They act in an advisory capacity to the Director and the Board of Directors on matters pertaining to the planning, operation, and other pertinent functions in the district. The Cultural Competency Advisory Committee was established in 2008, and its purpose is to assist the district with being more culturally competent.
ALLIANT INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY, Marriage and Family Therapy Program, Clinical Practicum
08/2022 - 05/2023 Adjunct Professor
UNIVERSITY OF IOWA
08/22 - 05/2024 Teaching Assistant
Courses
Spring23 - CSED:4195:0EXV Ethics in Human Relations & Counseling: This course will examine morality and ethics and assist students in the development of an effective decision-making framework for use in both personal and professional interactions. This course is designed primarily for undergraduate students pursuing a minor in Human Relations as well as students who are interested in the study of ethics.
Spring23 - CSED:4173:0EXV Trauma Across the Lifespan: Trauma across the lifespan is designed to facilitate understanding of trauma-related disorders and appropriate counseling strategies for clients with trauma.
Spring23 - SW:1022:0001 Social Justice and Social Welfare in US (Teaching Practicum): This course examines the history of social welfare in the United States; how the current welfare system emerged; steps that were historically taken and are currently occurring to address social injustices including poverty, discrimination, and various forms of violence. The course provides an introduction to social justice and social welfare as well as cultural and personal values for students in a variety of disciplines. It also introduces students to the undergraduate major in social work.
Fall 22 - CSED:4173:0EXV Trauma Across the Lifespan: Trauma across the lifespan is designed to facilitate understanding of trauma-related disorders and appropriate counseling strategies for clients with trauma.
08/21 – 06/22 Graduate Research Assistant
As a graduate research Assistant, I assist the Couple and Family Therapy faculty with ongoing projects to maintain standard regulation and accreditation.
08/21 Therapist - UIHC LGBTQ+ Clinic
Providing ongoing psychotherapy and WPATH standardized Assessments.
FOUNDATION 2
08/22 - 01/23 Mobile Crisis Outreach Counselor (MCO)
Providing counseling, safety interventions, and clinically relevant assessments/procedures to clients on crisis dispatches.
MOUNT MERCY UNIVERSITY,
TANAGER PLACE
09/20 - 09/21 Intern Therapist
As an intern therapist, I am working in an apprenticeship position through collaboration and observation to develop a clearer understanding of modalities, dynamics, and procedural requirements and expectations at Tanager Place.
MOUNT MERCY UNIVERSITY
Counselling Center
09/20 – 08/21 Intern Therapist
As an intern therapist, I work collaboratively with students to deconstruct their academic and personal life narratives, assess preferred narratives, and identify goals and objectives to minimize anxiety and maximize outcomes that fit current lifestyle.
The Olson MFT Clinic
10/19 – 08/21 Research Assistant
As a Research Assistant at the Olson Clinic, I assist the Clinical Director with creating research codes, maintaining records, processing intake records, creating clients’ anonymity, entering codified data, and generating research objectives.
06/20 – 08/21 Intern Therapist/Clinician
As a student therapist at the Olson MFT Clinic, I adhere to the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapist's Code of Ethics and am supervised by seasoned professional therapists. The Gerald and Audrey Olson Marriage & Family Therapy Clinic (Olson MFT Clinic) connects Marriage and Family Therapy graduate students at Mount Mercy University's CRST Graduate Center with individuals, couples, and families in the Cedar Rapids area seeking therapeutic mental health services.
KIRKWOOD COMMUNITY COLLEGE
2018 – 2020 Kirkwood Food Pantry Coordinator
As a pantry volunteer, I coordinate and overview transportation accessibility. I process, pick up, shop, load, and unload HACAP orders, and other items as needed. I assist staff members with planning, coordinating, stocking, and organizing pantry items.
Additionally, I serve students receiving food items, and attend to other duties as assigned.
2012 – 2020 Mail Services Provider
As a mailroom servicer, I am responsible for mail and parcel distribution to all Kirkwood entities. The job requires a high level of customer service, administrative and educational setting skills as well as mail and parcel processing knowledge.
2016 - 2017 Student Mentor, Community College Initiatives
A CCI Student mentor is responsible for the smooth transition of the CCI students into their new environment as well as providing all necessary support and information for a successful stay and program completion.
JAZZ 88.3 KCCK
2014 – 2017 Program Producer & Host
As a radio producer, I created, produced, and hosted the international fusion jazz show “TropicalHeat”. Drawing on my background as a Disc Jockey and avid multicultural being, my aim was to promote cultural multiplicity via a musical program that spoke only one language: the language of music.
CATHERINE MCAULEY CENTER
2018 – 2020 Refugee & Immigrant Services
As a volunteer at the Catherine McAuley Center, I participate in welcoming refugee families and individual at the airport, providing housewarming services, including but not limited to, cleaning, fixing, and providing items necessary for basic living. Additionally, I process, HACAP/donation items and produces as needed.
FEED IOWA FIRST
2015 – 2022 Produce Preparation Specialist
Drawing from her experience as a war veteran, Sonia Kendrick turned to “food revolution” as a therapy not only for herself but also for the communities suffering from resource inaccessibility. As a volunteer, I am a willful accessory to implement Sonia’s food revolution that aims to grow farmers, fresh and sustainable produces to feed Iowa one community at a time.
FOREIGN LINKS AROUND THE GLOBE (FLAG)
2015 – 2016, 2022 - 2023 Local Coordinator
A local coordinator is responsible for recruiting families and pairing them with exchange student at a high school level. The coordinator also provides support to both families and students during the transition as well as with different school and volunteer activities.
COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
2012 – 2013 Intern Office Assistant
As an intern at CCID, I assisted the Director of global studies with students’ placement; and office duties including and not limited to data entry, faxing, phone calls, applications processing, and diverse administrative duties.
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
Knowledgeable of R-Studio
Knowledgeable of SAS
Knowledgeable of IBM SPSS
Social Justice Award (2022), Couple and Family Therapy Program, University of Iowa
Difference Award (2018) – Kirkwood Community College
Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training
OSHA 10 & Refresher Certification
Heart-Saver First Aid CPR Certification – American Heart Association
Asbestos Awareness Certification
Mental Health First Aid USA Certification – National Council for Behavioral Health
Knowledgeable of SEVIS, the Department of Homeland Security Systems and Current Immigration Regulations
Knowledgeable of Blackbaud: The Raiser’s Edge Fundraising Software
Knowledgeable of Microsoft Vista and Windows XP Professional/Home Edition
Knowledgeable of Microsoft Office Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Office Picture Manager
Class D-Chauffeur Endorsement 2L – State of Iowa
Motivated and enthusiastic about developing healthy relations with others
Effective working alone, and as a cooperative team member
Drawing, painting, performing arts
Backpacking, Camping, Biking, hiking, canoeing,
Meditation, Yoga, Baha'i practitioner
French (Academic Language): Well spoken, well written, and well understood
German: Academically studied / averagely written / Speaking requires substantial exposure and practice
Ethnic Dialects multilingual, average proficiency