My journey in education began in 2007, and since then, I have had the privilege of working with children across various settings within Santa Barbara county as well as in Oregon. I have worked in Resource classrooms, provided 1:1 support in mainstream classes, and led Therapeutic classrooms.

I have always valued a well-rounded perspective on human interaction and development within the context of our society and this curiosity was strengthened by earning my B.A. in Sociology from UCSC. This foundation led me to pursue a Master’s degree in Special Education and a K-12 Education Specialist Credential from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

This specialized credential equips me to provide tailored instruction and comprehensive support to students with disabilities. It also allows me to conduct thorough educational assessments, ensuring that students have access to the core curriculum while making strides toward their academic and behavioral goals.

My passion lies in addressing the educational and social-emotional needs of individuals with autism, developmental or intellectual disabilities, and emotional and behavioral disorders. By embracing a holistic approach, I aim to create an environment that nurtures not only academic growth but also personal development and independence.

With experience in the field of education spanning over a decade, I am committed to empowering individuals with diverse abilities to achieve their full potential. In doing so, I have also learned the power of specifically targeting executive functioning as a foundation for individuals to excel not only in the domain of academic achievement, but also in the multifaceted nature of life. This includes dimensions of life’s experiences such as social connectedness, daily living skills, and emotion regulation. I have obtained an APA-approved advanced certificate in executive functioning coaching, and after extensive research, have compiled a diverse array of evidence-based executive functioning methods to support the unique learning needs of each individual that I work with. I believe that when executive functioning is strengthened, an individual can thrive in all areas of life.

I collaborate with Daniel in Riviera Educational Services as he refers individuals and families to work with me through my private practice, which you can find by visiting my website. I first became passionate about working with neurodiverse individuals when immersing myself in early autism intervention and research training during my undergraduate studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. It moved me to see how once a key ingredient attuned to the needs of the child’s nervous system became part of the picture, the magic was unlocked and a child on the autism spectrum could more fully come into expression of themselves and start to connect with themselves and their loved ones.

This became the essence of my path forward as I pursued the field of clinical psychology. I am a licensed clinical psychologist (PSY 30468) and take an integrative approach to psychotherapy, interweaving somatic, compassion, and mindfulness evidence-based treatments. I obtained my Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from UC Santa Barbara, where I was trained in a range of therapeutic techniques.

My training has included conducting research and obtaining certification in providing behavioral treatments such as Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT) to children and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders and developmental disabilities through UCSB’s Koegel Autism Center. Since this time, I have also deeply enjoyed working in community mental health settings such as Child Abuse Listening Mediation (CALM). In these contexts I have provided treatment for underserved children and families experiencing various forms of trauma. As a person of color, I am particularly passionate about advocating and providing culturally responsive care for marginalized members of our community.

I am also trained in Attachment-Focused Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (AF-EMDR), Somatic Experiencing (SE) , Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), which I use to support children, adults, and families in reaching their therapy goals.