Meet the team
Our collective draws from diverse backgrounds in the arts, community organizing, mental health, human rights, technology, and spirituality.
Megan Auster-Rosen, PsyD
she / her / hers
Dr. Megan Auster-Rosen is a writer, performer and clinical psychologist who specializes in trauma and grief. She currently co-directs the mental health program at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and has a private practice in downtown Los Angeles.
Saliha Bava, PhD, LMFT
she / her / hers
Dr. Saliha Bava is an Associate Professor of Marriage and Family Therapy at Mercy College, the Director of Research for ITSP, and an Advisory Board member of the Taos Institute. For more than 20 years, she has researched, designed, and implemented performative/play-based and dialogic processes for generative change.
Lorna Boyer Chase, MA, MA, LMFT
she / her / hers
Lorna Boyer Chase is a higher education consultant and a psychotherapist specializing in trauma, PTSD, and life transitions. She is the founder of ChoicePoint, a holistic mind-body healing program and the author of Trauma, Transition, and Loss: Refugee Mental Health Issues.
Sierra Campbell
she / her / hers
Sierra Campbell is a Death Doula, author, and teacher of yoga and meditation for more than 20 years. She is the creator and founder of Nurture.Co.
Stephanie Casper
she / her / hers
Stephanie Casper is a digital product designer with expertise in user experience and visual design for mobile apps and websites. As a design leader and creative, she focuses on building unique experiences that meet business needs while putting users first.
Caitlin Chase, MS
she / her / hers
Caitlin Chase is a strategist and creative consultant focused on building purpose-driven brands and digital experiences. For the past decade, she has collaborated with clinicians, technologists, artists, academics, and engineers to reimagine systems in need of change.
Mea Cole Tefka
she / her / hers
Mea Cole Tefka is a creative marketer who tells stories across multiple platforms and experiences.
Ernest (Ernie) Duff, MA, MDiv
he / him / his
Ernest (Ernie) Duff is a minister, psychologist, a Certified LINC Community Resilience Interventionist, and the principal at Collective Resilience Consulting. He has worked cross-culturally for more than 30 years.
Elissa Epel, PhD
she / her / hers
Dr. Elissa Epel is a Professor at UCSF. She studies how chronic stress can impact biological aging, and how positive stress and meditation interventions may promote psychological and physiological thriving. Epel co-wrote The Telomere Effect, a New York Times best seller.
Peter Fraenkel, PhD
he / him / his
Dr. Peter Fraenkel is an Associate Professor of Psychology at The City College of New York, author, and psychologist specializing in couple and family therapy, relational trauma, strengthening resilience, and integrating the arts in therapy.
Donna Gaffney, DNSc, PMHCNS-BC, FAAN
she / her / hers
Dr. Donna Gaffney is a psychotherapist, educational consultant, and founder of DAGaffney Consulting LLC. She specializes in loss, grief, and trauma among children, families, and health care providers.
Dumayi Gutierrez, PhD, CFT, MHP
she / her / hers
Dr. Dumayi Gutierrez is a couple and family therapist and an adjunct faculty member at Mercy College. She specializes in minority stress, intersectionality of self and family systems, couples support systems, resilience in LGBTQ Latinx populations, and culturally competent care.
Shing Kong, PhD
she / her / hers
Shing Kong is an art project manager for Burning Man Project and other arts festivals, with expertise in large-scale, interactive art installations. Prior to venturing into the art world, she was an environmental engineer.
Paula Madrid, PsyD
she / her / hers
Dr. Paula Madrid is a clinical and forensic psychologist specializing in psychological evaluations and post-disaster and trauma consultation. She is also an adjunct faculty member at Columbia University's National Center for Disaster Preparedness.
Christina Mangurian, MD, MAS
she / her / hers
Dr. Christina Mangurian is a Professor and the Vice Chair for Diversity and Health Equity in the UCSF Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Dr. Mangurian is also the Chair of the UCSF Cope Wellbeing Committee.
Esther Perel, MA, LMFT
she / her / hers
Psychotherapist Esther Perel is recognized as one of today’s most insightful and original voices on modern relationships. Her celebrated books, Mating in Captivity and The State of Affairs, have been translated into nearly 30 languages. Esther is also the host of the hit podcasts How's Work and Where Should We Begin.
Gillian Rawcliffe
she / her / hers
Gillian Rawcliffe is a sales and marketing professional who has spent more than 15 years collaborating with technology, education, and healthcare clients to strategize and execute creative and technical campaigns that are innovative and effective.
Jack Saul, PhD
he / him / his
Dr. Jack Saul is the Director of the International Trauma Studies Program, an artist, and a psychologist. He is the author of Collective Trauma, Collective Healing and is currently working on a public arts project, Moral Injuries of War.
Arianna Schindle, MPH, LCSW
she / they
Arianna Schindle is a liberatory therapist, educator, and movement strategist focused on the impact of trauma and oppression. She co-founded Rhiza Collective, collaborating with communities to transform dominant narratives and shift power toward justice.
Lisa Schnall, LCSW
she / her / hers
Lisa Schnall is a psychotherapist in private practice in New York City. She has been engaged in the struggles for equality and justice since her mother put her on a picket line when she was 10 years old.
Rosie von Lila
she / her / hers
Rosie von Lila is an investor relations and marketing executive who serves on the board of New America Alliance. She hosts the podcast What Comes Now and volunteers her time on policy advocacy that supports diversity, inclusion, healthy communities, and humane policing.
Building resilience is a community effort.
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