UCAAN is led by academics, clinicians, researchers, and staff from two world renowned campuses who have vast expertise in medicine, community health, and higher education.
Executive Leadership
Dr. Shannon Thyne
Co-Principal Investigator
UCLA Chief of Pediatrics
Dr. Shannon Thyne
Co-Principal Investigator UCLA Chief of Pediatrics
Executive LeadershipDr. Shannon Thyne is a Co-Principal Investigator at UCAAN. She is a Vice-Chair in the Department of Pediatrics, Chief of Pediatrics at Olive View-UCLA Medical Center, and Director of Pediatrics for the LA County Department of Health Services. She is also a board-certified pediatrician with leadership experience in clinical operations, medical education, and clinical care for children and youth in the safety net.
Her clinical and academic areas of focus include asthma, foster care, childhood adversity/resilience, and behavioral health.
Dr. Thyne earned a B.A. in Psychology from Yale College and an M.D. from Brown University. She completed her residency at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and served as a Pediatric Chief Resident at San Francisco General Hospital.
Dr. Edward Machtinger
Co-Principal Investigator
UCSF Professor of Medicine
Dr. Edward Machtinger
Co-Principal Investigator UCSF Professor of Medicine
Executive LeadershipDr. Edward Machtinger is a Co-Principal Investigator at UCAAN; he is also a Principal Investigator and Co-director of the California ACEs Learning and Quality Improvement Collaborative (CALQIC). He is a Professor of Medicine and Director of the Center to Advance Trauma-informed Health Care (CTHC) and the Women’s HIV Program (WHP) at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).
The current focus of his research and clinical innovation is integrating and evaluating responses to childhood and adult trauma into the traditional health system and developing the field of trauma-informed health care.
Dr. Machtinger earned a B.A. in Classical Texts and Latin American Studies from New York University and an M.D. from Harvard University. He completed his residency at UCSF.
Dr. Mikah Owen
Co-Principal Investigator
Senior Director, Clinical and Academic Programs & Health Equity
Dr. Mikah Owen
Co-Principal Investigator Senior Director, Clinical and Academic Programs & Health Equity
Executive LeadershipBased in the Sacramento area, Dr. Owen was an adviser to the ACEs Aware initiative before joining UCAAN as Senior Director of Clinical & Academic Programs, Health Equity. Prior to joining UCAAN, Dr. Owen was an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at UC Davis Health System.
Dr. Owen earned an MD at UCSF, completed his Pediatric Residency at UC Davis, and completed his fellowship in Community and Societal Pediatrics at the University of Florida College of Medicine – Jacksonville. He recently completed the Pozen-Commonwealth Fund Fellowship in Health Equity Leadership at Yale University.
Emily Williams
Chief Executive Officer
Emily Williams
Chief Executive Officer
Executive LeadershipEmily C. Williams is the CEO of UCAAN. For six years, she served as a senior adviser for the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Second District, shaping budget, legislative, equity and human services policy for the largest County in the nation and oversaw child welfare, education, social services and workforce development initiatives for the district’s two million constituents. Prior to joining the County, Emily worked for the City of Los Angeles as deputy chief of staff to former City Councilmember (now U.S. Representative) Tony Cárdenas (CA-29) and as a civilian commander for the Los Angeles Fire Department.
Emily earned a B.A. in Political Science from UCLA and an M.P.P. from the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, where she was recognized as Alumna of the Year and currently serves as a Senior Fellow.
Chief Financial Officer
Armen Carapetian
Chief Financial Officer
Executive Leadership
Paula Murphy, MS
Director of Communications
Paula Murphy, MS
Director of Communications
Executive LeadershipPaula Murphy is the Director of Communications for UCAAN. Based in San Francisco, she has more than two decades of higher education and non-profit communications experience. She has led communications efforts at multiple UC campuses, including UCSF, UC Berkeley and the UC Office of the President.
Aaron Norr, PhD
Senior CAP Director, Education and Training
Aaron Norr, PhD
Senior CAP Director, Education and Training
Education and Training, Executive LeadershipDr. Aaron Norr is the Senior CAP Director of Education and Training at UCAAN. He is also an Investigator with the VA Veterans Integrated Services Networks (VISNs) 20 Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center and a licensed clinical psychologist. Prior to joining UCAAN, he served as the Deputy Director of Education at the VA Puget Sound Healthcare System in Seattle, WA.
His clinical and academic areas of focus include post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety/mood disorders, suicide, and the use of technology in behavioral health training and treatment.
Dr. Norr earned a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Washington, and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Florida State University. He completed his doctoral internship and mental illness clinical research fellowship at VA Puget Sound.
Special Adviser
Jeff Sheehy
Special Adviser
Executive LeadershipSpecial Adviser Jeff Sheehy is based in San Francisco. He brings his public policy and healthcare expertise from serving as then-Mayor Gavin Newsom’s HIV/AIDS adviser, as a Governing Board member of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, and also as a member of the SF Board of Supervisors.
Nina Thompson
Innovation Lab (iLab) Director, iLab
Nina Thompson
Innovation Lab (iLab) Director, iLab
Clinical Implementation Team, Executive LeadershipNina oversaw the ACEs Aware-funded ACEs-LA Network of Care, a collaborative effort between LA County stakeholders, DHS, and the state to build community resilience. The ACEs-LA Network of Care team was responsible for the implementation of ACE screening and response at DHS, the largest health system in California. Nina is co-leading the UCAAN iLab, which provides technical assistance to clinics across California; development, testing, and deployment of products created by the iLab and Pilot Projects; and examines the impact of ACE implementation at a large health system. As Special Projects Lead, Nina works closely with UCAAN stakeholders on training and claims data collection, analysis, and reporting. Nina graduated from UC Berkeley and has more than twenty years of experience in project management, data analytics, grants management, and community engagement.
Cheryl Wold, MPH
Chief of Operations
Cheryl Wold, MPH
Chief of Operations
Executive LeadershipCheryl Wold, MPH, is Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Director, bringing program leadership experience to UCAAN’s team. Before joining UCAAN, Cheryl was Senior Director of Training and Strategic Initiatives at Essential Access Health, responsible for partnerships, contracts and grants, and budgets. Previously, Cheryl was Chief of Health Assessment/Chief Epidemiologist at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, directing all Los Angeles County Health Surveys, the analysis and dissemination of public health data and reports, population-based indicators, and performance metrics for 8 years.
Cheryl brings to UCAAN operations 12 years as a principal consultant to organizations and private foundations, including managing complex, multi-sector initiatives, evaluations, and data and technology innovations.
Cheryl earned her MPH at Boston University. She is especially motivated to improve conditions for children and families to thrive and advancing health equity.
Executive Operations and Program Administration
Natalie Anz, MPA-HA
Executive Assistant, Clinical & Academic Programs
Natalie Anz, MPA-HA
Executive Assistant, Clinical & Academic Programs
Executive Operations and Program AdministrationNatalie Anz, MPA-HA, graduated from California State University of Northridge (CSUN), earning her Bachelor’s degree in Health Administration and a Master’s degree in Public Administration, with a certificate in Health Administration. Natalie has worked at UCLA Health for over four years, with her current role as Executive Assistant at UCAAN. In Natalie’s free time, she enjoys working out, playing the piano, and video games.
Wendy Barrera, MPH
Data Director
Wendy Barrera, MPH
Data Director
Executive Operations and Program AdministrationWendy Barrera is the Data Director for UCAAN. Wendy previously served as the Senior Data Analyst for the Research and Evaluation team at the UCLA Division of Population Behavioral Health where she leveraged her expertise in data strategy, data collection and analysis, and project management to support the implementation and evaluation of military-, school-, and health system-based programs and interventions.
Wendy earned her MPH in Epidemiology from Columbia University. She is passionate about improving the health and well-being of underserved populations through data- and technology-driven efforts.
Laura Jung, MPH
Operations Administrator, Clinical & Academic Programs
Laura Jung, MPH
Operations Administrator, Clinical & Academic Programs
Executive Operations and Program AdministrationGabriela Márquez
Project Coordinator, Vendors and Contractors
Gabriela Márquez
Project Coordinator, Vendors and Contractors
Executive Operations and Program AdministrationGabriela Márquez is the Project Director at UCAAN. For ten years, she served as a Deputy Chief of Staff for the 29th Congressional District, managing district office operations, implementing strategies for social services in diverse communities for over 700,000 constituents, managing a budget of over $300,000, helping shape legislation, and created collaborative partnerships at the local, state, national and international levels, resulting in an array of services for the district.
Gabriela earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Guadalajara Mexico and received a certification of equivalency awarded by regionally accredited colleges and universities in the United States from the International Education Research Foundation, Inc.
Gahliema Martin
Accounting Clerk
Gahliema Martin
Accounting Clerk
Executive Operations and Program AdministrationGahliema Martin is the Accounting Clerk at UCAAN. She worked in the finance department for community-based projects such as The Heart & Stroke Foundation of Southern Africa and Allies for Every Child. She has developed a passion for making a difference and being part of the change the world needs, as we screen, treat, and heal we strive together to make a better world for our children.
Kelly Muir
Deputy Chief Financial Officer
Kelly Muir
Deputy Chief Financial Officer
Executive Operations and Program AdministrationKelly Muir is the Deputy CFO for UCAAN. As a member of UCAAN’s finance team, Kelly performs various roles for the organization, including budgetary projections and analysis, vendor invoicing oversight, contract drafting and review, and overall organizational support.
Kelly earned a B.S. in Finance & Management from Georgetown University. He also earned his J.D. and LL.M. (in Taxation) from Loyola Law of Los Angeles. Prior to his work with UCAAN, Kelly worked in the fixed income sector for investment management for Western Asset Management, performed tax credit analyses for Deloitte Tax, and represented his clients’ tax interests in private legal practice.
Erika Ramirez, MPH
Administrative Specialist
Erika Ramirez, MPH
Administrative Specialist
Executive Operations and Program AdministrationErika Ramirez (she/her) is a Program Administrative Specialist on the Clinical and Academic Programs (CAP) team at UCAAN. She supports project management for online trainings as well as other various projects within the CAP department. Erika earned a Master of Public Health degree with a focus in health services and policy from USC where she worked on creating policy recommendations for understanding, preventing, and responding to sexual violence on college campuses.
Hallie Young, MPH
Outreach and Engagement Manager
Hallie Young, MPH
Outreach and Engagement Manager
Executive Operations and Program AdministrationHallie Young, MPH, is the Outreach and Engagement Manager at UCAAN. Hallie previously served as the Social Impact Coordinator at Headspace Health, spearheading corporate social responsibility initiatives to improve mental health outcomes for young people across the country. Prior to joining Headspace, Hallie worked on the ACEs Aware initiative, supporting communications strategy, elevating community stories, and engaging key stakeholders.
Hallie has worked for private, public, and nonprofit organizations to manage programs and build successful partnerships, with a focus on improving child and family well-being. Hallie holds an MPH in Community Health Sciences from UCLA. She is passionate about developing equitable systems that support families to thrive.
Education and Training
Ana Amador, LCSW
Assistant Director, Education and Training
Ana Amador, LCSW
Assistant Director, Education and Training
Education and TrainingAna Amador is the Assistant Director of the UCAAN Education and Training Team. She is an associate clinical social worker who specializes in providing bilingual, evidenced-based outpatient mental health services to children and families. Ana takes a present-centered and person-centered approach, utilizing techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy. She utilizes evidence-based treatments for trauma, including Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy, and Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation.
Ana has many years of experience working in community mental health and has worked in close collaboration with outside agencies to meet the multiple needs of vulnerable children and families from the child welfare system. Ana is passionate about supporting healing and well-being on an individual and collective level and is a strong believer that recovery is possible. Ana also serves as a Trainer for the UCLA Prevention Center of Excellence, to help educate the Los Angeles County workforce on trauma and resilience informed care.
Claudia Avalos-Garcia, LMFT
Curriculum Developer
Claudia Avalos-Garcia, LMFT
Curriculum Developer
Education and TrainingClaudia Avalos-Garcia is a Curriculum Developer for the UCAAN Education and Training Team and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist specializing in providing evidence-based outpatient mental health services in English and Spanish to Transitional-Aged Youth, college students, and adults. Her theoretical approach is eclectic: focusing on Cognitive Behavioral and Cognitive Processing Therapies, Narrative, Solution-Focused, and Post-Modern modalities. Claudia has over fifteen years of experience working in community-based mental health services including employment support, case management, and psychotherapy in various settings, such as outpatient, field-based, in-home, and school-based services servicing communities in need.
Claudia is very passionate about destigmatizing mental health in all communities and works to empower and motivate individuals to strengthen their confidence in self-discovery. Claudia also serves as a Clinical Trainer and Curriculum Developer at the UCLA Prevention Center of Excellence, providing professional development to professionals in health care, mental health, and various other settings. She does this through evidence-based trainings designed to improve community mental health and well-being from a trauma and resilience-informed lens, understanding the impact of toxic stress, recognizing and strengthening protective factors, and resiliency.
Susan Finley, EdD
Curriculum Developer
Susan Finley, EdD
Curriculum Developer
Education and TrainingDr. Susan Finley serves as a curriculum developer for the UCAAN Education and Training Team. She brings nearly two decades of experience working in higher education. As an associate professor, she teaches psychology at the graduate and undergraduate levels for colleges and universities in New York and Southern California. Dr. Finley has also worked as a career counselor and tele-mental health provider. She is actively involved in the community doing mental health advocacy work and has completed trainings at the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center. Her research interests include distance education, telehealth, mindfulness, and resilience. Her formal training is equity-centered and trauma-informed.
Bahareh Gordon, MD
CAP Director, Fellowships
Bahareh Gordon, MD
CAP Director, Fellowships
Education and TrainingAshley Johnson, MS
Communications Director, Education and Training
Ashley Johnson, MS
Communications Director, Education and Training
Education and TrainingAshley Johnson is the Director of Communications for the UCLA-UCSF ACEs Aware Family Resilience Network (UCAAN) Education and Training Team. She is also the Director of Communications with the UCLA Division of Population Behavioral Health and UCLA Prevention Center of Excellence. Ashley’s work focuses on creating program assets, marketing materials, and reports that are effective and engaging for community members, professionals, and providers. Ashley earned a B.S. in Kinesiology from California State University, Fullerton and an M.S. in Health and Strategic Communications from Chapman University.
Gustavo Loera, MA
Curriculum Developer
Gustavo Loera, MA
Curriculum Developer
Education and TrainingGustavo Loera is a curriculum developer for the UCAAN Education and Training team. Gustavo is a dedicated educator, researcher, and technical assistance provider with over 20 years of experience in designing and implementing impactful programs and strategies to promote mental health wellness and workforce development. He has worked with school districts, colleges and universities, government agencies, counties, and community-based organizations on prevention, early identification and early intervention. Gustavo is skilled in fostering inclusivity, diversity, and equity to ensure every person fully participates in community life. Gustavo has an EdD in K-12 educational leadership from the University of Southern California, an MA in clinical psychology and a BA with a double major in psychology and Mexican-American Studies from California State University, Dominguez Hills.
Charles Martin, EdD
eLearning Specialist
Charles Martin, EdD
eLearning Specialist
Education and TrainingDr. Charles Martin serves as an e-learning specialist for the UCAAN Education and Training team. Dr. Martin is a distinguished educator with a focus on e-learning, curriculum design, and language education. He earned his doctorate in Educational Technology from the University of Florida, centering his research on language acquisition, leadership, and e-learning. Dr. Martin has partnered with esteemed organizations such as the United States Army, Microsoft, and Discovery Collective, designing and implementing digital learning experiences for students, educators, and clients alike. He has contributed to instructional design and teaching efforts at the University of California, Riverside, and Morningside University.
Dr. Martin possesses a unique talent for crafting compelling curricula and delivering engaging learning experiences that cater to diverse learners. He holds a BA in History and an MEd in Middle Childhood Education from Georgia State University, as well as an administrative certificate in School Administration from the University of Southern California. Outside of his professional life, he cherishes spending time with his wife and daughter and exploring new destinations through travel.
Catherine Mogil, Psy.D.
Adviser
Catherine Mogil, Psy.D.
Adviser
Education and TrainingDr. Catherine Mogil serves as a special adviser to the UCAAN Education and Training team. Dr. Mogil works with children of all developmental stages and has been involved in several intervention development and translational research projects examining the efficacy of parent-assisted interventions for infants and toddlers in foster care, school-aged children with developmental disabilities, and adolescents with Autism Spectrum and other disorders. Dr. Mogil consulted for the National Military Family Association and was invited to co-chair NATO’s Human Factors Panel Research and Technology Task Group on the impact of military life on children in military families. Dr. Mogil is also an Associate Clinical Professor at UCLA and the co-director of the UCLA Prevention Center of Excellence.
Shwe Ainsi Nemyo
Communications Specialist
Shwe Ainsi Nemyo
Communications Specialist
Education and TrainingShwe Nemyo is a Communications Specialist for the UCAAN Education and Training team and the UCLA Health Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior. Shwe comes with a background in marketing communications and health care IT. Shwe received her bachelor’s in public health policy and business management from the University of California, Irvine.
Paulina Nguyen
eLearning Specialist
Paulina Nguyen
eLearning Specialist
Education and TrainingPaulina is an eLearning Specialist with UCAAN, where she leverages her Bachelor of Science in Community and Public Health from CSU Dominguez Hills. Her extensive experience spans higher education, health care, and ABA therapy, allowing her to expertly lead, design, and implement a variety of courses. Her areas of expertise include biological sciences, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices, as well as onboarding and employee engagement. She previously worked at USC, where she successfully led, designed, and facilitated training and development events for thousands of employees, from ground-level staff to upper management. She is passionate about continuously honing her skills in education and training.
Aaron Norr, PhD
Senior CAP Director, Education and Training
Aaron Norr, PhD
Senior CAP Director, Education and Training
Education and Training, Executive LeadershipDr. Aaron Norr is the Senior CAP Director of Education and Training at UCAAN. He is also an Investigator with the VA Veterans Integrated Services Networks (VISNs) 20 Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center and a licensed clinical psychologist. Prior to joining UCAAN, he served as the Deputy Director of Education at the VA Puget Sound Healthcare System in Seattle, WA.
His clinical and academic areas of focus include post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety/mood disorders, suicide, and the use of technology in behavioral health training and treatment.
Dr. Norr earned a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Washington, and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Florida State University. He completed his doctoral internship and mental illness clinical research fellowship at VA Puget Sound.
Elizabeth (Liz) Ollen, PhD
Director of Online Learning
Elizabeth (Liz) Ollen, PhD
Director of Online Learning
Education and TrainingDr. Elizabeth Ollen is the Director of Online Learning at UCAAN. Dr. Ollen oversees the planning and management of the online training resources for the ACEs Aware initiative (ACEs Aware Learning Center). Dr. Ollen is also a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in supporting children and adolescents who have experienced trauma and serves as the clinical director of the UCLA EMPWR Program.
Alejandra Plasencia
Training Coordinator
Alejandra Plasencia
Training Coordinator
Education and TrainingAlejandra Plasencia is a Training Coordinator in the UCAAN Education and Training Department and the UCLA Prevention Center of Excellence. Her first role at UCLA was that of a Program Assistant. Prior to joining UCLA, she provided behavioral and academic support to children with special needs in elementary school as an adult assistant and then as a teacher assistant. During her undergraduate studies at California State University, Northridge (CSUN), Alejandra earned a B.A. degree in Psychology.
David Plasencia
Translation Coordinator
David Plasencia
Translation Coordinator
Education and TrainingDavid Plasencia is the translation coordinator in the UCAAN Education and Training Department, UCLA Department of Psychiatry Division of Population Behavioral Health (DPBH), and UCLA Prevention Center of Excellence. He is a military veteran who served in the Marine Corps for six years. David earned his B.A in Linguistics with a minor in translation from the University of California, Long Beach (CSULB). He not only assists with translation of materials but also oversees the translation and cultural competence team that assures that all materials are culturally appropriate and maintain objectives when translated to another language.
Keyla Ruiz
Program Assistant
Keyla Ruiz
Program Assistant
Education and TrainingKeyla Ruiz is a Program Assistant in the UCAAN Education and Training Department and the UCLA Prevention Center of Excellence. Prior to working at UCLA, Keyla worked at the MADRES Center at the University of Southern California (USC) in a research study that investigated how environmental health factors affected maternal and child health outcomes. She has experience in psychology research and in higher education programs focused on guiding first-generation college students. Keyla earned a B.S. in Psychological and Brain Sciences with a minor in Applied Psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB).
Tiffany Santana
Program Coordinator
Tiffany Santana
Program Coordinator
Education and TrainingTiffany Santana is a Program Coordinator for UCAAN and the UCLA Prevention Center of Excellence. For five years she has worked under the Division of Population Behavioral Health within the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA. Prior to joining UCLA, Tiffany worked at EF Academy, an international boarding school located in New York, and also interned at an early intervention and prevention occupational therapy clinic working with children ages 0-5. As Program Coordinator, Tiffany works closely with the UCAAN Education and Training Department to promote and launch webinars on the ACEs Aware Learning Center. Tiffany earned a B.S. in Kinesiology with a minor in Health Science from the California State University, Fullerton.
Christine Thang, MD
Director, Education & Training
Christine Thang, MD
Director, Education & Training
Education and TrainingChristine Thang, MD is an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Division of General Pediatrics at UCLA. She completed her undergraduate, medical school, and residency training at UCLA. In addition, she completed a two-year medical education fellowship at UCLA and is a current Educational Scholars Program fellow of the Academic Pediatric Association. She is the Education and Training Director for UCAAN.
Paola Tiburcio
Communications Specialist
Paola Tiburcio
Communications Specialist
Education and TrainingPaola Tiburcio is a program assistant in the UCAAN Education and Training Department and a Communications Specialist at the UCLA Department of Psychiatry Division of Population Behavioral Health (DPBH). Paola brings more than five years’ experience in administration, related to education and training development to her role. Prior to working at UCLA, Paola was a training administrator with the Department of Homeland Security.
Alison Wood
Data Analyst
Alison Wood
Data Analyst
Education and TrainingAlison Wood is a Data Analyst in the UCAAN Education and Training Department and the UCLA Division of Population Behavioral Health. She previously worked as a research coordinator at the USC Brain and Creativity Institute, where her work concentrated on exploring the impact of music education on child development. Alison earned a BA in Psychology from Beloit College and an MPH in Biostatistics and Epidemiology from USC.
Clinical Implementation Team
Chris Bradley, PhD
Director, Clinics & Community
Chris Bradley, PhD
Director, Clinics & Community
Clinical Implementation TeamChris Bradley is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist specializing in clinical work with families who have experienced trauma, and the implementation and training of trauma-informed care and ACE screening in primary care settings.
Chris was a practice coach for the California ACEs Learning and Quality Improvement Collaborative (CALQIC), where she helped develop an evidence-based framework for ACE screening and response called Trauma Informed inquiry for Adversity, Distress, and Strengths, or TRIADS, led by Dr. Alicia Lieberman. This relational framework helps healthcare team members talk with patients in the context of a trusting healing relationship. She worked with Dr. Lieberman at the Child Trauma Research Program at San Francisco General Hospital/UCSF, and with Dr. Nadine Burke Harris at the Center for Youth Wellness. Chris is a NorCal native and lives in San Francisco with her husband.
Tanya Marin-Lopez
Community Navigator and Clinic Implementation Lead, iLab
Tanya Marin-Lopez
Community Navigator and Clinic Implementation Lead, iLab
Clinical Implementation TeamTanya earned her B.S. in Public Health at Cal State University Northridge, with a minor in Lactation, and is currently pursuing her MPH at UCLA. Prior to joining UCAAN, Tanya supported ACE screening and response implementation across multiple Los Angeles County DHS clinics for the ACEs Aware-funded ACEs-LA Network of Care, a collaborative effort between LA County stakeholders, DHS, and the state to build community resilience. She was responsible for clinic data reporting and quality improvement, as well as coordinating ACEs-LA’s Lunch and Learn webinars. Tanya also has experience translating ACEs materials into Spanish and is a member of UCAAN’s Spanish Language and Cultural Competence committee.
Nicole Morales
Project Coordinator, Pilot Projects
Nicole Morales
Project Coordinator, Pilot Projects
Clinical Implementation TeamNicole “Nikki” Morales has worked within the LA County Department of Health Services for the last 5
years; starting as an intern in Dr. Adam Schickedanz’s Medical Financial Partnership program. As an
ACEs-LA Community Navigator, Nikki collaborates with DHS clinical staff and CBO partners to strengthen
responses to ACE screening at DHS clinics. She coordinates all activities of the NoC’s CBO Advisory Board
(CAB). She is also UCAAN’s UCLA-based Pilot Projects coordinator, responsible for communication and
reporting. Nikki earned her B.A. in Anthropology from UCLA in the spring of 2020, with a focus in
sociocultural anthropology.Josh Parsons
Data Management and IT Lead, iLab
Josh Parsons
Data Management and IT Lead, iLab
Clinical Implementation TeamJosh joined UCAAN after completing a graduate program at UCLA where he studied healthcare policy and management. He has experience combining data analysis with program design and implementation, and he managed Smartsheet project management infrastructure and the Network of Care data dashboard for LA Department of Health Services clinics and community partners for the ACEs Aware-funded ACEs-LA Network of Care, a collaborative effort between LA County stakeholders, DHS, and the state to build community resilience. Josh works closely with ACEs-LA Network of Care referral platform partner, One Degree, to monitor and optimize the closed-loop-referral system and improve user experience. Josh teaches Excel fundamentals at Cal State University Northridge and lectures on Autism Self-Advocacy at UCLA.
Julie Ruedaflores
Community Navigator and CBO Engagement Lead, iLab
Julie Ruedaflores
Community Navigator and CBO Engagement Lead, iLab
Clinical Implementation TeamJulie works with community-based organizations providing support and training as they enter the ACEs Aware-funded ACEs-LA Network of Care, a collaborative effort between LA County stakeholders, DHS, and the state to build community resilience. Julie spent the past few years working at the Pasadena Public Health Department (PPHD) where she was instrumental in providing COVID-19 vaccine outreach to the most vulnerable populations in the Pasadena area. Prior to her work at PPHD she spent more than 18 years working closely with families and children on the Autism spectrum. She provided direct Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) training, IEP advocacy and other Autism-related services to students and families. Julie has also worked on Autism-related studies in the San Francisco Bay area, funded by the Environmental Investigations Branch of the California Department of Public Health and the National Institute of Mental Health. Julie earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology at California State University Long Beach.
Jamie Ruiz
Community Navigator and Billing Expert, iLab
Jamie Ruiz
Community Navigator and Billing Expert, iLab
Clinical Implementation TeamJamie earned her B.S. in Public Health at Cal State University Northridge. She is currently pursuing her MPH at UCLA, focusing on Health Policy and Management. Jamie joined UCAAN to support ACE screening and response implementation across multiple Los Angeles County Department of Human Services (DHS) clinics. Additionally, Jamie provides technical assistance related to billing for ACE screen claims to clinics across California. Jamie is also the author of Thank You for Sharing, a Book about Feelings, a book for children published by the ACEs Aware-funded ACEs-LA Network of Care, a collaborative effort between LA County stakeholders, DHS, and the state to build community resilience.
Amy Shekarchi, MD, MPH
Director, Clinical & Academic Programs (Pilots)
Amy Shekarchi, MD, MPH
Director, Clinical & Academic Programs (Pilots)
Clinical Implementation TeamAmy Shekarchi, MD, MPH, is a pediatrician at several Los Angeles County Health Services clinics, and is the Interim Director of Pediatrics for the High Desert Health Group. She attended medical school at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, pediatric residency at UCLA, and completed a Maternal-Child Health fellowship and MPH program while working for Los Angeles County. She has dedicated her non-clinical work to clinical improvements and projects that address social and behavioral health needs for children and families in Los Angeles. Through this work, she became a clinical leader in the California ACEs Learning and Quality Improvement Collaborative (CALQIC), Co-founder and co-director of the ACEs-LA group tasked with instituting ACE screening and network building across LA County Health Services clinics and helped lead the formation of UCAAN.
Leena Singh, DrPH, MPH
Director, Clinics & Community
Leena Singh, DrPH, MPH
Director, Clinics & Community
Clinical Implementation TeamLeena Singh, DrPH, MPH is a public health leader with expertise in program design and strategy, clinical technical assistance, research, evaluation, and training in the areas of adolescent sexual health and childhood adversity. She currently is a Lead Coach and Adviser for the Training & Implementation Department at UCAAN.
Dr. Singh was previously a Coach & Consultant for the California ACEs Learning and Quality Improvement Collaborative (CALQIC), a statewide learning collaborative led by the UCSF Center to Advance Trauma-Informed Healthcare and the Center for Care Innovations. She received her Master of Public Health (MPH) degree from Columbia University and holds a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) degree from the University of California, Berkeley.
Nina Thompson
Innovation Lab (iLab) Director, iLab
Nina Thompson
Innovation Lab (iLab) Director, iLab
Clinical Implementation Team, Executive LeadershipNina oversaw the ACEs Aware-funded ACEs-LA Network of Care, a collaborative effort between LA County stakeholders, DHS, and the state to build community resilience. The ACEs-LA Network of Care team was responsible for the implementation of ACE screening and response at DHS, the largest health system in California. Nina is co-leading the UCAAN iLab, which provides technical assistance to clinics across California; development, testing, and deployment of products created by the iLab and Pilot Projects; and examines the impact of ACE implementation at a large health system. As Special Projects Lead, Nina works closely with UCAAN stakeholders on training and claims data collection, analysis, and reporting. Nina graduated from UC Berkeley and has more than twenty years of experience in project management, data analytics, grants management, and community engagement.
Academic Advisers
Rachel Gilgoff, MD
Adviser
Rachel Gilgoff, MD
Adviser
Academic Advisers at UCAANAs a board-certified general pediatrician, child abuse pediatrician, and integrative medicine specialist, Dr. Gilgoff brings a multidisciplinary approach to ACEs, toxic stress, healing, and well-being. Over the course of her career, she has been a co-investigator of the Pediatric ACEs Screening and Resilience Study (PEARLS), the Medical Director of the Clinical Innovations and Research Team within Center for Youth Wellness, and co-founder of the National Committee on Asthma and Toxic Stress. She co-developed the Resiliency Clinic, a group clinic intervention model to treat toxic stress, and more recently, co-created VITAL: Relational Health, a free, on-line learning series on the science and practice of relational health.
Dr. Gilgoff is currently an adviser with the California Aces Aware Initiative, an Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, and a co-PI on “Systems-based, Multidisciplinary Assessment of Adversity and Toxic Stress for Individualized Care (The SYSTEMAATIC Project),” an ACEs and Precision Medicine research project through the California Initiative to Advance Precision Medicine (CIAPM). She is dedicated to addressing health issues resulting from child abuse and toxic stress, creating systems of care that incorporate the science of stress biology and wellness, and collaborating across sectors to develop multidisciplinary, integrative, human-centered, and holistic approaches to healing.
Sara Johnson, MD
Adviser
Sara Johnson, MD
Adviser
Academic Advisers at UCAANSara Johnson, MD leads efforts to advance trauma-informed care in reproductive health and translate the science of resilience and adversity into clinical practice and policy. Dr. Johnson serves as an adviser to UCAAN on training and strategy for reproductive health.
A practicing obstetrician gynecologist at La Clínica de la Raza in Oakland, she led the organization’s California ACEs Learning and Quality Improvement Collaborative (CALQIC) project, which implemented prenatal ACE screening, and with an ACEs Aware grant developed a supplemental training entitled, ACE Screening and Trauma-Informed Care in Reproductive Health.
She is the lead author of recent recommendations from the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative, “Addressing Adverse Childhood and Adult Experiences During Prenatal Care,” published in the June 2023 edition of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Krista Kotz, PhD, MPH
Adviser
Krista Kotz, PhD, MPH
Adviser
Academic Advisers at UCAANDr. Krista Kotz is an Executive Adviser for Clinical and Academic Programs at UCAAN. For 15 years she served as the Program Director for Kaiser Permanente Northern California’s Family Violence Prevention Program, providing strategic direction, training, and support to physician-led multidisciplinary teams in 45+ medical facilities. She also contributed to strategy development for KPNC’s response to ACEs. Since spring of 2020, Dr. Kotz has consulted for ACEs Aware, including contributing as a major author to Roadmap for Resilience: The California Surgeon General’s Report on Adverse Childhood Experiences, Toxic Stress, and Health, leading the training review and accreditation process, and advising on a range of ACEs Aware educational tools and resources. Dr. Kotz earned a B.S. in Nutrition and Dietetics, a Master of Public Health Nutrition, and a Ph.D. in Nutrition with a minor in Epidemiology at the University of Minnesota.
Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, UCLA
Jeffrey Gassen, PhD
Postdoctoral Scholar
Jeffrey Gassen, PhD
Postdoctoral Scholar
Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, UCLADr. Jeffrey Gassen is a Postdoctoral Scholar at the UCLA-UCSF ACEs Aware Family Resilience Network (UCAAN) focused on analyzing data related to ACE screening, response, and prevention, as well as risk stratification, segmentation, and tiering.
His research areas of focus include social determinants of health, the developmental origins of health and disease, interactions between immune function and stress physiology, and multivariate statistical methods.
Dr. Gassen earned a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Nebraska-Omaha, and both an M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology (Quantitative Methods minor) from Texas Christian University. He previously worked as a Postdoctoral Scholar in the Laboratory for Evolutionary Medicine at Baylor University.
George Slavich, PhD
Director, Evaluation & Evidence for UCAAN
George Slavich, PhD
Director, Evaluation & Evidence for UCAAN Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences
Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, UCLADr. George Slavich directs the Evaluation and Evidence Department for UCAAN. He is Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at UCLA and a Research Scientist at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, where he directs the UCLA Laboratory for Stress Assessment and Research. He also directs the California Stress, Trauma, and Resilience Network and Global Belonging Collaborative, and is Associate Director of the NIA Stress Measurement Network. His work focuses on the conceptualization, assessment, and management of stress, and on psychological and biological mechanisms linking stress and health.
Dr. Slavich completed undergraduate and graduate coursework in psychology and communication at Stanford University, received his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Oregon, and was a clinical psychology intern at McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School. He subsequently completed three years of post-doctoral training in psychoneuroimmunology at UCSF and UCLA.
Department of Pediatrics, UCSF
Gabriela Escobar
Program Coordinator
Gabriela Escobar
Program Coordinator
Department of Pediatrics, UCSFGabriela is a Program Coordinator at the ACES Aware initiative and a former Health Equity Intern with the UCSF Center for Child and Community Health. Since 2018, she has worked in health advocacy across academic, philanthropic, and government sectors, with a focus on reshaping social care systems and addressing health inequities. Gabriela is passionate about bridging the gap between cultural competency and trauma-informed care to better serve marginalized communities.
Sarah Ismail, MPH
Committees Program Manager, Evaluation and Evidence
Sarah Ismail, MPH
Committees Program Manager, Evaluation and Evidence
Department of Pediatrics, UCSFAs the Committees Program Manager for the Evaluation and Evidence Advisory Roundtable and the Community Councils at UCAAN, Sarah integrates input from academic and lived expert voices. Sarah has a background as a public health consultant and a scaling-up consultant advising startups, nonprofits, and governments on how to scale up their projects to serve more people on a sustainable basis. Prior to that, she served as an award-winning lecturer at her alma mater, UC Berkeley, where she received her Master of Public Health in Maternal and Child Health.
Anda Kuo, MD
UCSF Professor of Pediatrics
Anda Kuo, MD
UCSF Professor of Pediatrics Co-director of the UCSF Center for Child and Community Health, and Director of the Department of Health Equity and Community Engagement
Department of Pediatrics, UCSFDr. Kuo is a Senior Adviser at UCAAN. She was the Co-Director of the California ACEs Learning and Quality Improvement Collaborative (CALQIC). Dr. Kuo is a UCSF Professor of Pediatrics where she practices at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and is the Department Director of Health Equity and Community Engagement and co-director of the UCSF Center for Child and Community Health. She is the founding director of the UCSF PLUS program (Pediatric Leaders Advancing Health Equity)
Her current area of focus is developing sustainable infrastructure to support the centering of lived expertise in research and system redesign. She also supports multi-sector collaboration to optimize the delivery of care for children to mitigate inequities.
Dr. Kuo earned a B.A.in English from Dartmouth College and an M.D. from the University of California San Francisco. She completed her residency at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and served as a Pediatric Chief Resident.
Dayna Long, MD
Adviser
Dayna Long, MD
Adviser
Department of Pediatrics, UCSFDr. Dayna Long is a Co-Principal Investigator of Pediatric Early Adversity and Related Life Events Screen (PEARLS). She is a Professor of Clinical Medicine in the Department of Pediatrics at UCSF, and co-Director of the UCSF Center for Child and Community Health. She is a board-certified pediatrician with leadership experience in clinical transformation, health equity science, and systems leadership. She dedicates her career to eliminating childhood health inequities that lead to poor health, financial and educational outcomes for families and young children on both individual and population levels.
Dr. Long received her B.S. in Biology and a B.A. in African and African-American History from Stanford University. She attended medical school at George Washington University and completed her residency and an infectious disease fellowship at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland, and was subsequently a Harvard Macy Institute Faculty Scholar.
Setareh Harsamizadeh Tehrani
Patient Adviser
Setareh Harsamizadeh Tehrani
Patient Adviser
Department of Pediatrics, UCSFSetareh Harsamizadeh Tehrani is a Program Coordinator at UCAAN and the UCSF Center for Child and Community Health. Setareh previously served as an ACEs Aware Young Adult Patient Adviser and is a youth adviser with the Office of the California Surgeon General’s Live Beyond campaign. Setareh immigrated to the U.S. when she was 15 years old and has been a youth mental health advocate since 2018. She is passionate about the intersection of ACEs and mental health.
David Geffen School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, UCLA
- Rebecca Dudovitz, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, UCLA
- Adam Schickedanz, MD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, UCLA
- Peter Szilagyi, MD, Professor of Pediatrics, UCLA
Center to Advance Trauma-informed Health Care (CTHC)
- Nina Geodzhayeva, Program Coordinator
- Genesis Regalado, Program Coordinator