Meet Our Team

Stephanie is originally from Wisconsin and earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology at the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire.

She is passionate about helping others and loves working in an environment that fosters equality and understanding.

In her free time, Stephanie enjoys traveling, salsa dancing, and spending summer days on the lake.

Liz identifies as an Indian woman and was raised in Minneapolis, MN. She worked in group homes, daycares, and many odd jobs until she got her degree at 30yrs old. She has served the twin cities for 2 years through her work in social services and SUD education. She has a AA degree from Minneapolis Community and Technical College, and (BSW) Bachelors of Social Work from Bemidji State University and wants to pursue her Masters degree in social work to become dual licensed with an LGSW or LMSW.

Liz is passionate about substance abuse and mental health stigma among marginalized communities. She enjoys working in challenging jobs where she can learn and grow the most. She began and interned at her first counseling job consisted of inpatient and outpatient clients where had severe mental health, criminal pasts, dually diagnosed and had multiple barriers. She strives to help find healing, and wellness through their recovery journey through human connection with the willingness to evolve.

She is a lover of of animals and has volunteered at many animal shelter throughout her life for over 10 years. She has two rescued dogs, loves to explore new places with friends and go to concerts.

Hablo español, trabajo con niños y adultos. Guatemalan native with 13 years of experience working with all ages. My work is always centered on the person’s needs and personal goals, I’m trained in Stand Tray Therapy, and my therapeutic orientation is more experiential with existential influences.

I have a special interest in working with immigrant communities from around the world, helping them with cultural shock adaptation, and understanding the role their mental health plays in their life.

I was born in Guadalajara Mexico and immigrated to the US in the 90s and have lived in Minneapolis since 1997. My Professional background is in technology sales and project management.

I really enjoy making new relationships and working towards closing gaps in everyday life with the technology we have available.

Hello, I am an Act Six Scholar and I recently graduated Bethany Lutheran College. I am a recent graduate, graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree with an emphasis in Computer Science. During my 4 years at Bethany, I have invested my time in making meaningful relationships and learning new transferable skills such leadership, being adaptable, and being dependable. I was born and raised in California. Growing up as a Hmong America, I want to give back to my Hmong community and serve others outside of that. I understand that there is a significant disparity between the elders and the youth. I want to build something that will bridge the gap between the two while inspiring the youth to pursue higher education, showing them, they too have an opportunity. And so, as an Act Six Scholar, and a recent graduate at Bethany Lutheran College, I aspire to motivate others by setting an example, to be a role model by being a lifelong learner and being a good communicator so that I can build more and better meaningful relationships, while being accountable and committed.

Nicole is a native of Minnesota. Nicole has been working in the mental health field for over 15 years.

Nicole works with adults and provides supportive services focused on increasing independence and self-confidence for all.

Benjamin is a native of Brooklyn Park, MN. He currently resides in rural Pine City where he provides both individual/family CTSS services to surrounding communities within a 50-mile radius for the last 12yrs.

During this time he’s established himself within the tri County area (Isanti, Chisago, Kanabec ) as the preferred Practitioner. Benjamin also contributes his time, resources, and energy to developing social skills groups within the communities he serves.

Courtney has been working with Minnesota CarePartner for three years as a Mental Health Practitioner providing home- and community-based services to clients with mental illness. Along with this experience, she has an extensive background in delivering quality care to clients in the home health/group home setting as a Direct Support Professional. The types of clientele that would receive her care had a wide variety of health issues which include both mental and physical needs.

Courtney continues to find reward in assisting her clients at Minnesota CarePartner. She will continue to gain knowledge in the field of mental health and offer her professional services throughout the north metro/metro areas. Language or Cultural Specialty: English

Hello! Tashi Delek! My name is Tenzin, I am a Tibetan American and have been raised in Minnesota for most of my life. I graduated with a Bachelor’s in Social Work from the University of Minnesota Duluth in 2022. Mental health and mindfulness are topics I am very passionate about, I strive to make an impact and help my community foster positive & healthy relationships with themselves and others.

My professional experience includes Personal Care Assistant, Job Coach, intern for the Little Learners program at Northwoods Children’s Services, and intern for the CTSS program at the Human Development Center. My work style involves a compassionate, holistic, person-centered approach to my clients. This involves understanding and viewing an individual as a whole, taking into account how all factors of their life impact their mental health and overall well-being.

I have an interest in mind-body connection as well as sound healing, which I hope to incorporate into my practice as I expand my knowledge on these topics. When I am not working I enjoy spending time with my family, creating art, and trying new foods!!

Judy is a native of Tennessee but moved to MN in 1983. She has worked in social services on and off since 1985 primarily working with children and families. She sees family as her top priority both her own and helping others to strengthen their own families.

Judy has most of her experience working with children and adults to learn skills to improve their ability to regulate emotions to make life easier and to function independently. She loves travel, family, and dogs (she has 2 very goofy Great Danes).

Hello! My name is Veronica Swen and I am currently working as a Parenting Coach in Families Forward position with MNCP. I graduated from the University of Minnesota Duluth with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and Criminology and a Minor in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. I have participated in many groups and community services through which I have come to understand the importance and excitement for helping people.

Also, gained other experiences and knowledge from working with people who are mentally impaired. Also gained experience from working with people from different racial groups. I am passionate about helping people and building a meaningful, respectful, and impactful community where people will feel safe and equal without them being judged on the color of their skills, race, sexual orientation, sexual identity, nationality, and so forth. Also passionate about helping people find solutions to their problems.

Another fun fact about me is, I am a certified CPR and a Sexual Assault Advocate.

Bao’s passion in mental health and healing stems from understanding her nuanced experience being a queer 2nd generation Hmong refugee in America. She facilitates peacemaking circles through their new healing business, Rooted Healing, Voices Centered to empower affinity groups like her Asian American Pacific Islander-identifying women cohort to harness their voices and strengths to heal from intergenerational trauma and suffering. They are trained as a Mind Body Medicine Practitioner from the Center for Mind Body Medicine and approach healing from a Nonviolent Communication lens. Bao believes that with love, compassion, empathy, care, safety, and community support, we can all heal to live presently for ourselves and others. Bao focuses on rest and care with inspirations from her family, friends, pets and the Hmong community. They are spiritually connected to animals and nature.

Kahmiyah is currently working towards receiving her MA from Saint Marys University and is expected to graduate in Spring 2021. She utilizes a humanistic approach that includes aspects of CBT, strengths-based, and person-centered approaches.

Kahmiyah believes it is important for clients to feel empowered in their therapeutic journey and toward reaching their full potential. Kahmiyah is passionate about working with children and families in underserved communities. As well as actively working towards closing the accessibility gap in mental health services and the disparity gap in education in these communities.

Kahmiyah enjoys collecting and growing house plants, as well as learning more about plant/nature-based therapy. She is striving towards being able to merge her passion for children and mental health with plants/nature.

Ahmisa is a proud first-generation college graduate, holding a Bachelor’s in Political Science and a Master’s in Social Work. Throughout her academic and professional experiences, she has notably valued working with young folx, diverse communities, women’s mental health, sexual health, justice-involved folx, recovery health, and grief and loss. She has over a decade of DEI and advocacy experience, which informs her profound appreciation for learning about the unique and intersectional events that have shaped each person’s life.

Although continually building her repertoire, Ahmisa has a multifaceted, client-centered, trauma-informed, and strengths-based approach — pulling from several modalities depending on an individual’s needs. Her goal is to collaborate with and empower each individual she works with to make life-long, sustainable, and fulfilling adjustments in their lives.

When Ahmisa is not working, she enjoys arts- and culturally-based events, watching teen dramas with her daughter, spinning cotton candy, and being out in nature with her pups and family.

Hi, my name is Suzana I’m originally from Cape Verde. It’s an archipelago of 10 islands on the west coast of Africa. I grew up in Rome until I was 19, that’s when I moved back home for a short period before starting my higher education in Brazil as a Psychologist in 2005. Being exposed to so many different cultures, languages and environments allowed me to develop a sense of community that push me to recreate familiarity around myself and others.

I identify myself as a migrant, feminist, psychoanalyst-trained, researcher. I earned a Doctoral Degree in Psychosociology of Communities and Social Ecology in 2020. My research involves mobility, mental health, and clinical practice with forced migration. As a consultant, I was part of institutional projects involving mental health care with vulnerable populations. I speak 6 different languages in order to communicate with my patients.

Fun facts: I’m a mom of two exceptional teenagers and when I’m not working, I like to take my dog out for long walks. I love music, plants, dogs, and cats.

Markela is a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin but enjoyed the early education she received in Minnesota. She returned as a young adult to complete her Bachelor’s in Child Psychology from the University of Minnesota and her Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy from Northcentral University.

Markela has a passion for disrupting dysfunctional intergenerational patterns and hands-on experience in providing care/services to individuals/children/families with trauma and special needs. Markela uses a custom Integrative Therapy approach to heal and empower the marginalized as well as providing them with the appropriate tools/strategies to take on an ever-changing World.

Markela is continuing to further her education in specialized areas of interest as she works toward licensure. Markela loves to travel and would one day like to share her knowledge and expertise abroad.

Sara has been living in the Twin Cities area her whole life. She has experience with children and families through relationship-based and cross-cultural work. Her educational background is in Developmental Psychology and Spanish Studies and is a current Master of Social Work Student at Augsburg University in her final and clinical year. She is multilingual in Vietnamese and Spanish and passionate about learning new words from different languages and learning about other cultural practices and trying new foods! Sara wants to continue her career to provide culturally responsive care and advocacy work that focuses on social justice and anti-oppressive practices to holistically support others.

Originally from Nairobi, Kenya, Mureithi has been living in Minnesota since 2002. He has worked for more than 15 years in social services and education. He is accomplished in areas of research. Mureithi takes a person-centered approach- trying to understand clients within their family, community, and cultural contexts- with a particular interest on how intersectional identities influence a person’s self-identity.

Mureithi has a BA in Psychology from Metropolitan State University, an MA in Community Psychology from Metropolitan State University, and an MA in Counseling Psychology from the University of Saint Thomas.

Throughout their career, George (they/them) has worked and advocated alongside folks from historically oppressed and marginalized communities, including folks navigating the US immigration system, survivors of torture, folks with disabilities, and folks experiencing a wide range of mental health and socio-economic and political barriers. George is particularly passionate about the intersection of immigration law, disability rights, and mental health.

George also really likes goats. George earned a BA in Francophone Studies and Global Development from Seattle Pacific University and a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Washington. George is also certified in TESOL and holds a post-graduate certificate in Global Mental Health from Harvard University (HPRT).

George tries to speak French, but only sometimes succeeds. When not at work, George can be found at home with their one cat, one husband, two dogs, and MANY plants. Cheese is their favorite food group.

Mariah Mirbel Nelson is a Family Support Specialist in the Family Based Recovery program. Mariah received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Social Justice from the University of Northwestern St. Paul. During her time at Northwestern, Mariah received the 2020 President’s Student Leadership award from Minnesota Campus Compact, led student organizations, and advocated for racial justice.

Mariah has served on the board of St. Louis Park Family Services Collaborative and was inducted into the Governor and Lt. Governor’s Young Women’s Initiative in 2022. Mariah has been working with children and families for over 4 years from childcare teacher to family services case management. Due to her personal story, Mariah is passionate about family preservation and pursuing social justice and reform within the child welfare system. Mariah brings her values of dignity, excellence, and justice to her culturally responsive work with families.

On the weekends, you will find Mariah spending time with her dog, Nala Obama, exploring the cities trying to find something sweet to eat, or reading a good book. A fun fact about Mariah is that she and her fraternal twin were born in Haiti.

Betty is a native of St. Paul, Minnesota, and grew up in Frogtown. She completed her Bachelor’s degree at the University of Minnesota, majoring in sociology. She is pursuing her Master’s degree in clinical social work at St. Kate’s to serve her community more efficiently as a future social worker.

She hopes to work with families and children and help them improve their social skills in their community. Betty has had various jobs that helped mold her and her expertise around working with the BIPOC and Asian American community. She hopes to bring her experiences to better use as a family support specialist and Minnesota CarePartner.

I am originally from Texas. I received my Bachelor’s in Business at Texas A&M University-Central Texas and received my Master’s in Public Health from Liberty University. My mission is to see people get off medications due to chronic diseases and thrive in life in a healthy and safe way.

The quote I live by in life is, ” Never giving up and pushing forward will unlock all the potential we are cable of”. My drive and goals are to see people in their journey from start, to transition, to transformation. No one’s journey is the same, and it is rewarding to see people achieve their health goals.

Abby is an Andover, MN native. She completed her bachelor’s in psychology with minors in developmental psychology and public health in the Spring of 2020. During her undergraduate experience, she worked in a research lab that examined adverse childhood experiences and how they play a role in shaping who we become.

Since her graduation, she has been working with individuals in the social services field working with individuals that have a serious persistent mental illness and chemical dependency history through providing ARMHS and is currently providing Mental Health Case Management services.

Abby is currently in a master’s program to obtain her LADC and LPCC licensure with the goal to assist those that are currently incarcerated or have been incarcerated to grow, accomplish their goals, heal, and work on dismantling and fixing the predatory justice system. Abby’s experience brings perspective on ways to empower clients that are involved in mental health court, strategies to help them grow, and provide another outlook.

I started my spiritual Yoga path seven years ago, but my healing journey began with my mother. My mother, like my ancestors, was rooted in holistic healing and energy from the earth and its most natural form. I want to share and reclaim ancestral knowledge and remember the way of healing that has existed for thousands of years. Through Yoga, I created a space to heal and with it, I want to provide others with that space to heal.

I have certification for RYT-200 and will be receiving my RYT-500 certification at the end of June. I have Yoga certification specialties in anxiety, depression, eating disorders, body image, trauma, and chemical dependency. Currently, I’m in my graduate program for Marriage and Family Therapy at UW-Stout. In creating balance in my life, I enjoy doing yoga, meditation, biking, swimming, paddle boarding, and walking with nature.

A fun fact about me, I’ve been biking year-round for nine years now!

Wren (they/them) was born & raised in Minnesota. Wren is a nonbinary trans woman with intimate knowledge & experience in mental/chemical health recovery. They graduated from Metro State with a B.S in Alcohol & Drug Counseling and hold board-certified LADC licensure. Wren’s personal and professional experience includes nearly a decade of working with folks living with severe/persistent mental illness, folks who are unhoused, folks living with disability & TBI, folks with children, people who use drugs, people in recovery, parents in recovery, survivors of domestic violence, people who are neurodiverse/ASD/ADHD, and folks experience so-called hallucinations and/or psychosis. Wren believes in walking alongside & fighting for clients, with a commitment to truly person-centered care, they utilize motivational interviewing, DBT skills, psychoeducation, self-regulation skills, resilience-building, and application of Minority Stress theorem in their work for clients to build autonomy, connection, and a sustainable life worth living. Alongside their professional work, Wren is a musician, an artist, a nerd, an ardent harm reductionist, and an advocate for the LGBTQIA2S+ community at large.

Sydney was born and raised in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. She has been living in the Twin cities for the last 5 years and is a BSW student at Saint Catherine University. She is also minoring in Psychology and Chemical Dependency Counseling.  Once graduated, Sydney plans to attend graduate school to pursue her MSW. She has been working in the mental health field for about 2 years in supportive apartments and group homes. Sydney is looking forward to pursing her license in alcohol and drug counseling. She is a fast learner and is looking forward to furthering her knowledge in substance use and co-occurring disorders.

My name is Trista Miest and I was born in Mason City, Iowa. I moved quite a bit as a child, but I mostly grew up in Minnesota. I completed college in Mankato, MN where I obtained my Bachelor of Science degree in Human Services.

I am passionate about human services and I have worked in the field for over 10 years. My most recent experience has been in case management in the Twin Cities.

In my free time, I enjoy spending time with family/friends, hiking, and photography.  

Koya Siebie is a biologist from Atlanta, Georgia. She earned her degree from Georgia State University and relocated to Minnesota in 2019 to further her healthcare career. Her transition into birth work began in 2019 with the birth of her goddaughter and she has since completed training with Enlightened Mama.

She is currently pursuing her Master of Public Health at Saint Mary’s University, and Evidence Based Childbirth education certification with Holistic Continuum. Koya’s passion for birth work and accessibility for all led to the creation of Birthin’ Black LLC; a collective of birth workers who emphasize fighting disparities in minority groups.

Birthin’ Black services persons of all races, abilities, sexual orientations, and socioeconomic backgrounds. I aim to provide my clients with adequate education, advocacy, and preparation for their birthing experience.