Meet The Team

Clay is a native of the San Francisco Bay Area, a graduate of William Jessup University, and a U.S. Marine veteran. His areas of study include psychology, counseling, and early childhood trauma. Clay is a survivor of traumatic brain injury and understands the intention and effort needed for the body and mind to recover, heal, and start over again. Clay works in schools, juvenile justice system, and community settings to provide opportunities for young people bolster their mental wellness by developing the mindset and skills to know that hope, healing, and self-actualization are achievable for them.

Clay is a Marriage Family Therapist Trainee under the supervision of Dr. La Tanya Takla #49566.

Ashley is a Certified Healing-Centered Engagement Practitioner who has worked in field of youth development for 17 years. Ashley's work is grounded in the power of connectedness and resilience theory and she uses those to guide every aspect of her work. She focuses on developing strategic partnerships, guiding internal and external communications, grant-writing, leading evaluation and continuous quality improvement (CQI) efforts, meeting facilitation, and culture-building.

She is a graduate of Wright State University (M.A.) and the University of Toledo (B.A.) and a proud alumnus of AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC). 

Isaiah graduated with a juris doctorate from the McGeorge School of Law. When he is not in the books, he is committed to mentoring youth and young adults. His professional expertise includes cognitive-behavioral behavioral treatment, youth advocacy, and case management. He especially enjoys working side-by-side with youth and adults who face challenges with mental illness and addiction. Isaiah also uses a number of mentorship tactics to foster healthy relationships with people of multiple generations in order to bring about stability and promote healthy households within Sacramento and neighboring communities.  

Shamir is an SF Bay Area native and Psychology major at Sacramento State University. Shamir intends to pursue a Ph.D. on his journey to become a licensed psychologist. Shamir is goal-oriented and motivated to be the best at everything he does. He’s a great mentor and role model for our youth. He’s constantly looking for ways to improve his connection with our club members. The importance of cultural and spiritual awareness is central to all aspects of his personal and professional work. Shamir is also the creator of our 6-week mentorship program.

Vendela is a Marriage and Family Therapist Trainee under the supervision of Dr. La Tanya Takla #49566. She completed her undergraduate studies at William Jessup University where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. She is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology. After completing her graduate studies, she plans to pursue a career as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She has driven and dedicated mindset, which comes in part
from being a competitive athlete for over 10 years. Her mission is to help clients get from where they are, to where they want to be. Vendela helps facilitate this change by using a holistic and collaborative approach.

Mariah is a psychology graduate, doula, and yoga facilitator. She is passionate about mental health and transformative justice, and has a deep commitment to systemic change and advancing racial equity. Mariah is dedicated to making sure that the youth in our communities have the resources and support that they need to thrive. She prioritizes holistic healing and provides an intentional safe space in her facilitation.

Anglin is passionate about connecting with others, especially with those in the local community. He has served with middle school and high school students in various capacities for over 10 years. Anglin is known for his achievements in the youth development field and for his commitment to collaboration with local partners. Anglin is a Certified Facilitator (trained by the Dibble Institute) and especially enjoys teaching the Love Notes and Mind Matters curricula to youth throughout the Sacramento region.

Dr. La Tanya Takla is an Educational Psychologist as well as duly licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC). She has been a licensed mental health provider for over a decade and works with a broad spectrum of clients.

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In addition to clinical practice, she is an associate professor at the University of Phoenix and teaches in the Masters Professional Counseling Program. Dr. Takla is passionate about providing culturally informed responsive services. She aims to promote therapeutic environments that foster mental health awareness and encourage equitable participation of all groups while seeking to address and acknowledge issues of oppression, privilege, and power. Dr. Takla is a collaborative, interactive, solution-focused therapist.

Olivia is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist with a spectrum of experiences in the mental health field - working with different ages of clientele and presenting issues. She earned a Master of Arts in Counseling, Psychology from William Jessup University. Previously, she worked serving and supporting families and children facing CPS challenges, reunification and providing one-on-one and family psychotherapy well also participating in the juvenile sex offender rehabilitation program through Sacramento Counties Probation office. She also works within the Juvenile Justice System, community group homes, and within local k-12 schools providing group curriculum, grief and coping therapy in relation to the pandemic and individual psychotherapy. As a foster youth and adoptee, she has grown a passion to explore diversity by serving and supporting all individuals through their life, personal journey, and experiences.

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Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #132456

Supervised by Dr. La Tanya Takla EdD, Clinical Psychologist, LMFT # 49566.

Supervised by Dr. Quimani Green PhD, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, LCSW #86229.

Hannah is an Associate Marriage Family Therapist #132649 under the supervision of Dr. La Tanya Takla #49566 and Dr. Quimani Green #86229. Hannah offers a gracious and empathetic environment where she prioritizes healing and creating a space to be heard. She is trained in parent child Interaction therapy (PCIT), trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT), art therapy, mindfulness, and many other
therapy tools.

Eddy is a Sacramento native. He is excited to work with CIC in an effort to give back to the community in the Greater Sacramento area. Eddy is a graduate from William Jessup University, and received a BA in Bible and Theology. Since 2012, Eddy has served youth and young adults professionally using holistic approaches such as community development, youth advocacy and case management. Eddy wants to be seen as an ‘alongsider’ by coming alongside youth and helping them achieve their goals in education. Eddy enjoys reading books, spending time his wife and family, and exploring nature and traveling.

Golara is a Marriage and Family Therapist Trainee, a graduate of William Jessup University, and an advocate for mental health and healing. As a yoga teacher, she is experienced in mindfulness and is passionate about helping others learn how to cope with difficult experiences and life stressors. She is certified in Brainspotting and has experience working with people who are healing from trauma by creating a safe and compassionate environment. Coming from an ethnic cultural background, Golara understands the impact of our environment on one’s identity and well-being. She has worked with all populations as a therapist and values the unique needs of each individual. She uses a non-judgmental perspective to help others feel accepted, heard, and understood. Golara’s personal growth journey has helped her find her purpose in life and believes that each person has the potential to heal and overcome from any challenging obstacle of life. 

Stephanie is a United States Navy veteran who is currently studying to become a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist at William Jessup University. Stephanie believes that her life experiences and cultural awareness has the potential to add value to her clients' lives by guiding them towards their unlimited potential. In addition to attending grad school Stephanie works at Kaiser Permanente providing excellent patient care and assisting physicians. She is also active in the community and has a love for traveling to different states and countries, her favorite thus far being Ireland. Stephanie holds a BA in Healthcare
Management from Vincennes University Carbondale.