It takes a village to serve a Hmong youth (Livestream)
Kimiko Vang is Deputy Director at Merced County Human Services Agency. She oversees Employment and Training programs, Family Stabilization, Staff Development, All Dads Matter and All Moms Matter programs, and the Hmong Women’s Initiative. Kimiko has over 16 years of experience in social services and clinical practice as both a direct practitioner and an administrator. Kimiko holds a Master of Social Work (MSW) and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW).
May-Ci Xiong is a Program Manager for Merced County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services with the Children’s System of Care. She has experience working with community-based agencies and county agencies, and serving disadvantaged youth such as foster children. May-Ci is an LCSW and is currently providing both clinical supervision and professional consultation to colleagues in effort to better serve Hmong consumers.
Starting Emotional Wellness Conversations in Punjabi Communities
Dr. Preet Kaur Sabharwal received her PsyD at the American School of Professional Psychology at Argosy University in Alameda. Preet is the founder of the South Asian Mental Health Consortium which puts on an annual conference on the subject. As a mental health clinician and now program coordinator at The Hume Center, Preet oversees clinical services in their South Asian Program for youth, adults and families. Preet works from a cultural lens and provides services in both Punjabi and Hindi. She has facilitated a variety of workshops and presentations at conferences across the United States, and is considered to be one of the frontrunners on promoting advocacy and mental health awareness on behalf of the South Asian population.
Nina Kaur recently completed her Post-Doctoral Fellow at Portal Bell Hume Behavioral Health and Training Center, where she provided psychological services in the South Asian and Outpatient Program. She received her PsyD with an emphasis on Social Justice from the California School of Professional Psychology in San Francisco. Nina has provided therapeutic services to underserved and diverse populations in school-based programs and community mental health settings. Her practicum sites have enabled her to provide services in her native language, Punjabi. Nina’s interests include South Asian mental health, trauma, community resilience, social justice, and reducing mental health stigma. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at the Wright Institute School-Based Collaboration Program in Berkeley, California, where her dissertation examined domestic violence and alcohol abuse in the Punjabi Sikh community.
November 21 - 22, 2019 • Clovis Veteran's Memorial District, Clovis CA
Viet-CARE's Body-Mind Approach to Empower and Combat Mental
Joseph Trinh is the primary organizer for Viet-CARE's Mind-Body Outreach Program. He graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with his Bachelor of Science (BS) in Neuroscience in 2016. Since then, he has gained extensive health and fitness experience as an American College of Sports Medicine certified personal trainer, Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher, and California College of Ayurveda certified yoga nidra instructor. Aside from his passion for health and fitness, Joseph is also involved in clinical research, and has experience as a clinical research coordinator and ophthalmic technician. His current works as a clinical quality assurance specialist.
Ashley Chu graduated as a double major in Political Science and Criminology, Law and Society from the University of California, Irvine (UCI) in 2017. She is currently an intake coordinator at the Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance (OCAPICA)’s Prevention and Early Intervention mental health program, and dedicates her time on a weekly basis to assisting those in crisis as a suicide hotline counselor. Ashley enjoys the art of event planning and has coordinated two mental health awareness events this past year. She is thoroughly inspired by her professional experiences, and is currently applying for a Master of Social Work (MSW) program. Ashley hopes to share the importance of mental health and to enhance accessibility to services within the API community.
Kelvin Nguyen holds a B.A. in Psychological Sciences as well as a B.A. in Educational Sciences. Kelvin grew up in Orange County and is proud to be a product of his community. Having worked in both community-based organizations and school-based settings, Kelvin aims to use the knowledge gleaned from these experiences to advocate for mental health awareness among youth. Conducting research to provide representation for the underrepresented is a passion of Kelvin’s, and he hopes to one day continue his education at his alma mater, UCI. Per Kevin: “As a member of our API community, I strive to provide inclusive and holistic care to break the stigma of mental illness in providing services for the community by the community.”