Please note that times and session information in the Agenda at a Glance may change or be updated. Please visit this page for the most up to date information as we finalize the Agenda.
Presenter names are listed as provided by each individual. Please note that some presenters may choose nontraditional capitalization or formatting to reflect their personal or professional identity.
La Feria de Salud – All 3 days (Conference Exhibitors)
All Day
Ofrenda/Altar available (Ofrenda Healing and Sacred Offering Space) – Piñon Room
7:00 am – 10:00 am
Registration
7:30 am – 8:30 am
Breakfast – Embassy Suites Foyer
8:30 am – 10:00 am
Opening Plenary Session – Sandia Ballroom
10:00 am – 10:15 am
Morning Break
10:15 am – 11:45 am
Morning Workshops
Latinx immigrants often face compounded stressors related to migration, legal uncertainty, and trauma exposure, significantly affecting mental health across the lifespan. Bridging Care and Counsel: Integrating Immigration Legal Services and Mental Health Counseling in Latino Communities presents a multidisciplinary, evidence-informed framework aligning immigration legal advocacy with culturally responsive mental health counseling. This workshop reviews common immigration relief options for undocumented communities and examines how mental health providers can support clients throughout legal processes. Drawing from interdisciplinary practice, the session highlights collaborative strategies that improve outcomes, reduce access barriers, and promote ethical, trauma-informed coordination. Designed for clinicians, medical professionals, counselors, therapists, and researchers, this workshop advances integrated care for immigrants navigating immigration court and USCIS processes.
Sierra I
About the Presenter
Eduardo García, J.D., M.A.
Eduardo Garcia is an attorney currently based in Chicago, Illinois. He is a native of the El Paso, Texas borderland area. He holds a master’s degree in history with a focus on Borderlands and Public History from the University of Texas at El Paso, where he also earned his bachelor’s degree in history. Before pursuing a legal career, Eduardo served as a professor of U.S. and World History, and Chicano Studies.
During law school, Eduardo served as a law clerk at the Pueblo of Isleta Appellate Court and completed internships with the New Mexico Immigrant Law Center and the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty, both based in Albuquerque.
Following law school, Eduardo was selected as an Equal Justice Works Fellow, practicing in New Mexico. He then went to become supervising attorney at a non-profit agency in Chicago, advocating for underserved communities. In 2025, Eduardo joined a large national immigration law firm.
Outside of work, Eduardo serves on the NLBHA Board of Directors. He is an avid gamer and appreciates relaxing with a craft beer and carne asada during Chicago’s summer months.
Domestic violence (DV) and chronic mental illness represent significant, often co-occurring, public health crises, particularly within the Latino community, where unique cultural and socioeconomic factors often lead to underreporting and delayed help-seeking. This presentation examines the bidirectional relationship between intimate partner violence (IPV) exposure and mental health conditions like depression and PTSD, highlighting how existing mental health problems can increase vulnerability to abuse and vice versa. We explore the specific barriers faced by Latina survivors, including language barriers, financial dependence, fear of retaliation or deportation, self-blame, and the influence of traditional gender norms such as machismo and marianismo. The core focus is on the critical need for culturally sensitive psychoeducational interventions designed to empower individuals, challenge stigma, and facilitate access to formal support systems. The presentation will detail strategies for implementing effective, community-based programs that address these psychosocial stressors and promote resilience and well-being among immigrant Latina women.
Sierra II
About the Presenter
Dr. Maria Ferreras-Mendez
This workshop presents the Bienvenido Program, a mental health promotion program for Latino immigrants, a as a framework for equitable implementation. The presenters will show how community-defined evidence requires active collaboration with local residents in the development and use of culturally responsive and a community-focused intervention that addresses their social and behavioral conditions. Scaling success of the Bienvenido Program to eight Midwest states through facilitator trainings will be presented. Bienvenido’s implementation record shows the critical importance of community-defined evidence to the development, use, and evaluation of programs that seek to improve the health and well-being of underserved communities of color.
Sierra III
About the Presenters
Gilberto Perez, Jr., Ed.D., MSW
Juan Castillo Perez, PhD
Across communities, gas stations, bodegas, and convenience stores have become unregulated access points for intoxicating substances, including hemp-derived THC, nitrous oxide, kratom, and psilocybin-like products. Frequently sold without age verification, clear warnings, or accurate information, these substances increase normalization, substance use, and addiction risk among Latino youth. This session examines how weak regulations, youth-targeted marketing, and policy loopholes fueled this public health crisis. Moving beyond risk awareness, the presentation emphasizes prevention, resilience, and the strength of la familia by offering responsive coping skills and practical guidance for trusted adults to support kids and advocate for stronger protections for Latino youth.
Ocotillo I
About the Presenter
Julie Dreifaldt, BA
Julie Dreifaldt is a nationally recognized subject matter expert and sought-after speaker for One Chance to Grow Up, focused on youth protection, THC prevention, and parent education. Since 2018, she has spoken nationally to policymakers, community leaders, parents, and schools about today’s marijuana, hemp, and intoxicating substances, equipping communities to protect kids. She holds a BA in History and English from Mount Vernon Nazarene University.
This presentation shares evaluation findings from AVANCE North Texas’s Promotoras model, a community-based approach to mental health education within a two-generation program serving Hispanic families. Trained Promotoras delivered culturally responsive mental health literacy sessions, reduced stigma, and connected families to supportive services. Evaluation data show increased comfort discussing mental health, improved mental health literacy, reduced depressive symptoms, and strong referral follow-through. Qualitative insights highlight the trust-based relationships that made these outcomes possible. The session will discuss key results, lessons learned, and how the model has since evolved into the Embajadoras approach to deepen family leadership and impact.
Ocotillo II
About the Presenters
Ana Lorena Carrasco
Monserrat Mata
Monserrat Mata serves as the Mental Health Specialist at AVANCE, where she leads the implementation of the WELL TOGETHER Mental Health Curriculum for participants in the Parent-Child Education Program (PCEP). In this role, she also oversees key administrative functions and directs the training and professional development of Parent Educators, equipping them with the tools and knowledge necessary to strengthen community connections and promote mental health awareness among the families they serve.
Prior to her current role, Ms. Mata worked as a Parent Educator and Case Worker, where she focused on developing and supporting mental health promoters as vital liaisons between the community and health services. Through this work, she provided education on prevention, early identification, and access to resources for individuals experiencing mental health challenges—efforts that closely align with the Mental Health Ambassadors initiative.
Ms. Mata holds a Mental Health Certification from the MHFA Council for Mental Health Wellbeing, reflecting her commitment to advancing mental health education and empowering communities through culturally responsive and accessible support. She also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of NAMI North Texas, where she has contributed her leadership for the past two years.
Latino professionals remain underrepresented in behavioral health leadership despite being deeply connected to the communities most affected by mental health inequities. This session examines how intentional career development, mentorship, and advocacy can build strong leadership pipelines within behavioral health systems. Participants will explore strategies to identify emerging talent, reduce barriers to advancement, and advocate for organizational practices that promote equitable promotion, retention, and leadership representation.
Sandia Ballroom 7
About the Presenter
Rosita L. Marinez, MS-NPL, ADV-CSW, MSW, SIFI
Rosita L. Marinez, MS-NPL, ADV-CSW, MSW, SIFI, is an executive strategist, award-winning author, and nationally recognized leader advancing equitable behavioral health and housing systems. Most recently, she served as Senior Vice President of Supported Housing at the Institute for Community Living (ICL)—one of New York City’s largest behavioral health organizations—where she oversaw one of the nation’s most extensive scattered-site housing portfolios serving individuals with serious mental illness and complex health needs.
With more than two decades of nonprofit leadership experience, Rosita has led large-scale initiatives that integrate behavioral health, housing stability, and community-based services to improve outcomes for historically underserved populations. Her work focuses on designing sustainable service models, strengthening cross-sector partnerships, and advancing culturally responsive systems that promote dignity, access, and long-term recovery.
She is the founder of Housing ER Consulting (HER), a strategic advisory practice that helps nonprofit organizations strengthen compliance, operational strategy, and equity-centered program development. An award-winning author and speaker, Rosita is a contributor to Latinx/e in Social Work (Volumes 2 and 3) and a contributing author to Today’s Inspired Leader, Vol. VI. She is also the creator and host of the Fostering Social Impact podcast, where she elevates emerging leaders across housing and behavioral health systems.
Her honors include the 2026 CUNY Recognition of Excellence, the 2026 P.O.W.E.R. Women of Empowerment Award, and the 2025 NYC & State Latino Trailblazer Award. Currently pursuing a Doctorate in Business Administration, Rosita remains committed to advancing culturally grounded leadership and developing transformative behavioral health systems that strengthen Latine communities nationwide.
Description Coming Soon
Sandia Ballroom 8
About the Presenter
Jose A. Canaca
The filmmakers, Diego Lopez MA and Harry Gantz created a series of four videos that covered a myriad of issues addressing the opioid crisis in Rio Arriba County
La Ventana
About the Presenter
Diego Joaquín López
Diego López is a community leader, artist and a filmmaker with a unique and authentic style. López is a Chicano from northern New Mexico, son of renowned artists Benjamín J. López and Irene López. López is currently Executive Director of a non-profit organization, Hands Across Cultures, which believes “La Cultura Cura”. The vision of “Hands” is: culture as the foundation of human growth; spirituality as the strength of the people: each person’s need to love and be loved; family preservation; and the pursuit of human potential. The mission of the organization is to improve the health, education and well-being of the people of Northern New Mexico through family-centered approaches deeply rooted in the multicultural traditions of their communities.
Lopez is a firm believer in team collaboration. He partners closely with RAC STOP and is a long time member of the Joint Task Force, as well as, the National Latino Behavioral Health Association as a Strategic Prevention Framework Sector Representative for the “Connecting Our Voices” Workgroup. Diego López is the 100% Rio Arriba Initiative County Leader and the President of the 100% Rio Arriba Community Health Council. With his team, he helps to spearhead creative prevention, art and film projects across northern New Mexico. “In order to grow and continue the healing of our communities from the long-endured trauma and suffering, it is essential that we come together as creative entities. It is vital to collaborate in ways that are unique, exciting and bring vibrancy to the zeitgeist of Northern New Mexico. We need it now more than ever.”
In 2007, López completed his Master’s in Screenwriting from the College of Santa Fe and his Bachelor’s of Arts with a focus in Media Arts from the University of New Mexico in 2001. He has showcased his work nationally in festivals, museums, galleries and collaborative exhibitions. López has been privileged to participate in several community and professional murals, as well as, creative shows, such as “Española Leadership Lowrider Bike Club Showcase” at the Nuevo Mexicano Museum in Santa Fe, NM. Most recently López was Executive Producer on award winning film “The Way We Carry Water” and was a producer on “Rio Arriba Recovery”. He has won Best Narrative Short Film at the Santa Fe Film Festival, Best Narrative Feature Film at the Albuquerque Film and Media Experience and an Addy Award for his writing and directing.
López paints primarily in oils and acrylics, most recently exhibiting at the XICO Gallery in Phoenix, Arizona. Utilizing a visually bold yet fine-handed style, Lopez’s body of work envelops an intrinsic struggle combining iconic symbolism and a dark cultural mysticism. López draws inspiration from the roots of heritage colliding with the raw emotion of present day life. López brings an enthusiastic and culturally skilled background to his work, and has established rapport and respect in the communities he serves.
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Lunch & Raffle Drawings– Sandia Ballroom
1:00pm – 2:30 pm
Afternoon Workshops
Behavioral health professionals serving Latino/e communities often work within systems that require fragmentation—separating mind from body, culture from professionalism, and meaning from productivity. This session reframes occupational wellness through a holistic, culturally grounded lens, reconnecting mind, body, and spirit as essential to workforce sustainability. Drawing on findings from prior funded workforce trainings in Spanish, the presentation centers lived experiences of bilingual and bicultural providers, including system-driven exhaustion, cultural labor, and moral fatigue. Participants will explore how integration restores dignity, supports regulation, and strengthens culturally responsive care while remaining grounded in real-world clinical and organizational realities. Able to deliver the presentation in English and Spanish.
Sierra I
About the Presenter
Ruth Yanez, MSW, LCSW
Ruth Yáñez, LCSW, is a bilingual and bicultural therapist, speaker, educator, and founder of Voces de Vida Counseling, Coaching & Consulting Services in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Born in Chihuahua, Mexico, her work is shaped by lived experience as a first-generation immigrant, interpreter, neurodivergent clinician, trauma survivor, and community advocate.
Ruth is passionate about bridging mental health, culture, nervous-system awareness, embodiment, spirituality, and subconscious healing through a healing-centered and decolonizing lens. She is EMDR-trained, trained in the RTM Protocol for trauma processing, and completed holistic hypnosis training through AHHDT in Monterrey, Mexico. Her work integrates somatic awareness, mindfulness, guided imagery, Reiki, subconscious exploration, and culturally grounded healing practices to support deeper emotional integration and reconnection to self.
She is known for creating warm, relational spaces that honor both clinical knowledge and community wisdom. In addition to therapy, Ruth facilitates national trainings and bilingual workshops on trauma, burnout, migration, occupational wellness, cultural humility, and healing-centered care for Latino/e/x and immigrant-serving communities.
Ruth Yáñez, LCSW, es terapeuta bilingüe y bicultural, educadora, conferencista y fundadora de Voces de Vida Counseling, Coaching & Consulting Services en Albuquerque, Nuevo México. Nacida en Chihuahua, México, su trabajo está profundamente influenciado por su experiencia como inmigrante de primera generación, intérprete, clínica neurodivergente, sobreviviente de trauma y defensora comunitaria.
Ruth siente pasión por integrar la salud mental, la cultura, la conciencia del sistema nervioso, la espiritualidad, el cuerpo y la sanación subconsciente desde una perspectiva centrada en la sanación y la descolonización. Está entrenada en EMDR, en el protocolo RTM para trauma, y completó su formación en hipnosis holística a través de AHHDT en Monterrey, México. Su trabajo integra conciencia somática, mindfulness, visualización guiada, Reiki, exploración subconsciente y prácticas de sanación culturalmente arraigadas para apoyar una integración emocional más profunda y una reconexión con el ser.
Es conocida por crear espacios cálidos y relacionales que honran tanto el conocimiento clínico como la sabiduría comunitaria. Además de ofrecer terapia, Ruth facilita entrenamientos nacionales y talleres bilingües sobre trauma, agotamiento emocional, migración, bienestar ocupacional, humildad cultural y cuidado centrado en la sanación para comunidades Latino/e/x y organizaciones que sirven a inmigrantes.
The prevention roadmap outlines a strategic evidence-based approach to reducing risk factors and strengthening protective factors across the domains of family, individual, and community. The presentation will highlight how to implement and integrate culturally responsive practices that engage the family, school and youth.
Sierra II
About the Presenters
Julie Priego, MS
Ms. Julie Priego is the Vice President of Prevention Intervention Strategies at Aliviane, bringing over 27 years of experience in substance use prevention and intervention services. Her work is centered on advancing evidence-based prevention efforts aligned with the state’s four prevention priorities: reducing underage drinking, marijuana use, tobacco use, and prescription medication misuse across El Paso County and Hudspeth, Culberson, Presidio, Brewster, and Jeff Davis regions. Julie has led collaborative prevention initiatives across a wide range of community sectors, including law enforcement, faith-based organizations, schools, parents, youth, Health care providers, Businesses, workforce development, Higher education, Civil and volunteer groups and media partners. Through innovative strategy development and change management, she drives organizational stability, program effectiveness, and sustainable community impact. She provides executive leadership over more than 12 prevention programs and supervises a multidisciplinary team of over 30 staff members. Julie is a sought-after public speaker and subject matter expert, delivering training and technical assistance in prevention, intervention, mental health, substance use and behavioral health at the local, state, national, and international levels. She holds a master’s degree in psychology, is an Advanced Certified Prevention Specialist and was honored as Specialist of the Year in 2015.
Victor Nava, BBA, MBA, CPA
Drawing on Dr. Pierce’s extensive leadership in trauma-informed treatment and service delivery – including trainings, coaching, and consulting with CYFD, Juvenile Justice Services, APS, and SFPS — this session builds sustainable resilience for clinicians, nonprofit leaders, and legal professionals. Participants learn to respond skillfully to stress, uncertainty, and emotional demands by distinguishing worry, anxiety, stress, and overwhelm, and understanding how unmanaged stress contributes to burnout. Grounded in evidence-based frameworks such as SPIRE, PERMA+, and emotion regulation models, the session emphasizes mindset, mindfulness, self-regulation, and the protective role of connection, kindness, courage, and community. It supports values-based practices for long-term wellbeing.
Sierra III
About the Presenter
Craig Pierce, LPCC, LMFT
Culturally and linguistically responsive mental health support is essential for effectively reaching and empowering Spanish-speaking communities. Traditional clinical approaches are not always accessible or culturally resonant, creating gaps in care and reducing community trust. In this session, we will introduce Escucha tus Emociones, a community-based mental health initiative founded and led by Clinical Director Ana Paula Soares, MS, LPC, CCTP, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Escucha tus Emociones bridges the gap in accessible, culturally affirming care by training and mentoring Peer Support Specialists and Community Leaders to incorporate psychoeducational workshops, mental health resource tables, and community ancestral healing circles as alternative approaches to promote emotional well-being that are culturally and linguistically affirming for the Latine community of Milwaukee. The interactive session will explore how community-based mental health initiatives and educational outreach programs—when designed to be culturally responsive—can foster connection, healing, and resilience. Through personal testimony, attendees will learn about the training of local promotores de salud as mental health leaders, who offer peer-led healing spaces to address public mental health needs, combat stigma, and improve mental health literacy. Participants will gain insights into implementing similar culturally attuned approaches in their own communities and organizations.
Ocotillo I
About the Presenters
Cecilia Eva Tenorio, M.B.E.
Patricia Luevano Mayorga, BA
(Presentación en Español)
Description Coming Soon
Ocotillo II
About the Presenter
Salvador Amezola, CADCII, QMHAI, CGAC-R
Salvador Amezola holds CADC II, QMHA I, and CGAC-R certifications, as well as a National Executive Leadership Certificate for Hispanics and Latinos. He has worked in the field of substance use treatment since 1998, bringing decades of experience to his role.
He currently serves as the Director of the Madras Recovery Program (PRM) at BestCare Treatment Services, the only culturally specific residential rehabilitation program in the state of Oregon, located in Central Oregon.
In addition to his leadership role, Salvador serves on the Board of Directors for the Oregon Council for Behavioral Health (OCBH), where he is an active member of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee. He is also the President of Latinos Unidos Oregon, where he leads efforts to advance equity, access, and representation for Latino communities in behavioral health.
Salvador Amezola cuenta con las certificaciones CADC II, QMHA I y CGAC-R, así como con un Certificado Nacional de Liderazgo Ejecutivo para Hispanos y Latinos. Desde 1998, ha desarrollado una amplia trayectoria en el campo del tratamiento del uso de sustancias.
Actualmente, se desempeña como Director del Programa de Recuperación de Madras (PRM) de BestCare Treatment Services, el único programa residencial de rehabilitación culturalmente específico en el estado de Oregón, ubicado en el centro de Oregón.
Además, forma parte de la junta directiva del Oregon Council for Behavioral Health (OCBH), donde participa activamente en el comité de Diversidad, Equidad e Inclusión (DEI). Asimismo, es Presidente de Latinos Unidos Oregon, desde donde impulsa iniciativas enfocadas en la equidad, el acceso y la representación de comunidades latinas en el ámbito de la salud conductual.
Description/Presenter List Coming Soon
La Ventana
2:30 pm – 3:45 pm
Afternoon Workshops
Cultural adaptations are crucial in order for mental health services, assessments and treatments to be personally effective, accessible and relatable to Latino migrant populations. Integrating cultural values, considering sociocultural factors, providing linguistic accommodations, addressing barriers to treatment and integrating community resources are some examples to consider when implementing cultural adaptations to deliver interventions that address the holistic identities of Latino clients. This session will equip clinicians with specific cultural adaptation strategies, collaborative treatment strategies, application of health equity principles and specific culturally adapted interventions and translated assessments to help clinicians learn how to better serve their Latino migrant populations.
Sierra I
About the Presenter
Esther Rodriguez, M.S.
Esther Rodriguez is a mental health professional currently based in Austin, TX with over ten years of experience working with all age groups in a variety of social services settings including human rights organizations, community-based mental health agencies, domestic violence shelters, and juvenile justice facilities. Originally from Miami, FL, Rodriguez earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Music in 2015 and a Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling in 2018 from Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, FL. Rodriguez discovered a passion for working with refugee and migrant populations both from serving pockets of local communities in various states across the USA and from personal experience as a first-generation child of immigrant parents.
dr. danyelle s. goitia beal
dr. beal earned her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Her dissertation: Trauma and Resiliency in Black American Women began a journey of breaking the stigma of traumatic events that can plague the Black community. Dr. Beal contributed to an anthology titled “Shenomenal Women that became a #1 Best Seller. Simultaneously, she completed her pre- and post-doctoral internship supporting survivors of domestic violence, sexual abuse and within the LGBTQIA2+ communities. Currently, she supports children, families and women who are underrepresented. She owns a non-public agency called Loving Hands FSS, LLC. where she provides educational and behavioral support in various contexts. She trains community agencies on how to safely de-escalate sensitive members of the community who are in behavioral and mental health crises. As a trauma survivor, dr. beal has overcome insurmountable odds that has formed her journey through healing which she calls “heart work”. She understands that to truly begin to live a life of intention, one must get to the “heart work” of their own healing journey. This incorporates every aspect of a person’s environment and her approach to healing is comprehensive and multi-faceted.
This presentation explores shared pain as a relational and healing pathway within Latino and collective-centered clinical contexts. Drawing from trauma-informed, decolonial, and culturally responsive practice, it reframes tears not as pathology or weakness, but as an expression of love, connection, and relational repair. Through clinical reflections, cultural narratives, and applied therapeutic strategies, participants will examine how communal grief, emotional witnessing, and shared vulnerability can strengthen attachment, restore dignity, and support collective healing. The session offers clinicians practical tools for ethically holding emotion in ways that honor cultural meaning, interdependence, and resilience within Latino communities.
Sierra II
About the Presenter
Diana Anzaldua, LCSW-S
Diana Anzaldúa is a Xicanx psychosomatics therapist devoted to embodied trauma alchemy. She is the founder of the award-winning Austin Trauma Therapy Center and Contigo Wellness. A Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Board-Approved Supervisor, and second-year Decolonial Ph.D. scholar, an eighth-generation descendant of families whose histories were shaped by colonization on lands historically stewarded by Indigenous peoples of Nuevo León and Yanaguana—lands that continue to inform her understanding of how trauma lives in both bodies and territories. She is committed to dismantling colonial narratives in therapy and creating justice-rooted, liberation-centered healing spaces that are trauma-informed, anti-oppressive, and culturally responsive.
With over 17 years of clinical experience and lived wisdom as a trauma survivor, Diana has supported thousands toward deep, embodied transformation. Her work integrates ancestral healing, somatic therapy, spiritual care, and wellness justice—honoring healing as both personal and collective. Her clinical expertise has been featured in Allure, USA Today, and The Atlantic. She serves on local and national nonprofit boards, has received multiple awards for community leadership, and is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. She is licensed in Illinois, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Texas.
Eating disorders in Latino/a/x populations are frequently missed or misdiagnosed due to cultural norms, stigma, and limited access to culturally responsive care. This presentation focuses on practical strategies for clinicians working with Latino/a/x individuals and families, including culturally informed screening, engagement, and treatment planning. Key considerations such as language use, family roles, acculturation stress, and clinician cultural humility are discussed. Recommendations aim to enhance equitable, effective care for Latino/a/x populations.
Sierra III
About the Presenter
Rocio Avila Salinas, LCSW-S
Rocio is a bilingual and multicultural therapist who has dedicated the last 16 years of her career to working with those with mental health needs in the central Texas region. Rocio earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Texas State University San Marcos, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude. Rocio’s experience includes managing clinical operations at multiple levels of care, including acute inpatient psychiatric, and outpatient clinics. She has also served on various hospital and company committees including bioethics, diversity inclusion and belonging, and speciality therapy committees. Rocio has extensive experience in working with individuals with severe mental illness, complex trauma, eating disorders and disordered eating, obsessive compulsive disorder, and acute crisis intervention. Currently Rocio works as Clinic Director for Family Care Center and is a member of the Clinical Advisory Committee for National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA). Rocio is passionate about working with Latina/o/x individuals and family systems and strives to educate, support, and empower others to promote healing.
Rocío es una terapeuta bilingüe y multicultural que ha dedicado los últimos 16 años de su carrera a trabajar con las personas con necesidades de salud mental en la región central de Texas. Rocío obtuvo su licenciatura y maestría de la Universidad Estatal de Texas en San Marcos, donde se graduó Summa Cum Laude. La experiencia de Rocío incluye la gestión de las operaciones clínicas en múltiples niveles de atención, incluyendo hospitalización psiquiátrica aguda, y clínicas ambulatorias. También ha formado parte de varios comités del hospital y de la empresa, como los de bioética, diversidad, inclusión y pertenencia, y terapias especializadas. Rocío tiene una amplia experiencia en el trabajo con personas con enfermedades mentales graves, trauma complejo, trastornos de la alimentación y trastornos de la alimentación desordenada, trastorno obsesivo compulsivo, y la intervención en crisis aguda. Actualmente Rocío trabaja como Directora de Clínica para Family Care Center, y es parte del Comité Asesor Clínico de La Asociación Nacional de Trastornos Alimentarios (NEDA). A Rocio le apasiona trabajar con individuos y sistemas familiares latinos/o/x y se esfuerza por educar, apoyar y empoderar a otros para promover la sanación.
Efforts to expand access to substance use treatment often focus on language, assuming that Spanish speaking staff alone can bridge gaps in care. Drawing on systems level experience in substance use treatment and integrated behavioral health settings, this session examines why access does not always translate to engagement. Participants will explore how treatment curriculum, group and individual counseling approaches, and unexamined assumptions about culture, trauma, and stigma influence trust, retention, and outcomes. The presentation highlights practical, culturally responsive strategies that move beyond translation to support meaningful engagement across levels of care in diverse Latino serving systems.
Ocotillo I
About the Presenter
Kim Rodriguez, MPH
Kim Rodriguez, MPH, is a behavioral health program manager supporting withdrawal management and sobering services in Oregon. Originally from California, she brings experience across substance use treatment, care coordination, and integrated behavioral health settings. Her work focuses on improving access and engagement, with an emphasis on culturally and linguistically responsive approaches. Grounded in her Mexican heritage, she approaches her work with a deep respect for culture, language, and lived experience.
Latine behavioral health programs are often shaped by the needs of their communities. Unstable and short-term funding can place sustained pressure on those responsible for overseeing programs, staff, and communities served. This panel brings together program directors and administrators to examine how funding uncertainty influences leadership decision-making, organizational priorities, and the capacity to maintain culturally responsive care for Spanish-speaking communities. Rather than focusing on technical funding structures, the discussion centers on how leaders process and manage ongoing financial challenges. Panelists will reflect on the emotional, strategic, and operational impacts of working within constrained systems, including how funding stress shapes program planning, staff support, and long-term vision. The conversation creates space to name the often-unspoken toll of sustaining community-centered work amid resource limitations. Designed as a facilitated panel discussion, this session emphasizes reflection, peer exchange, and shared problem-solving. Attendees will gain insight into how administrators navigate uncertainty, balance accountability with care, and adapt organizational practices in response to funding instability. Audience participation will be encouraged through guided discussion and Q&A.
Ocotillo II
About the Presenter
Devan Diaz
Description Coming Soon
La Ventana
About the Presenter
Haner Hernández, PhD, CPS, CADCII, LADCI
Dr. Hernández is from Borikén (Puerto Rico), fluent in Spanish and English, lives in Massachusetts, and has over 39 years of experience in planning, implementing, and evaluating Substance Use Disorder, Mental Health, HIV/AIDS, HCV, Problem Gambling, and related services. As a public health professional, with experience across the continuum, he embraces and promotes a greater understanding of the multiple strategies over multiple domains and multiple pathways of wellness and recovery.
Dr. Hernandez also believes that quality public health work cannot be accomplished without true partnerships and engagement with people with lived and living experiences, their families, and formal and meaningful relationships with community-based organizations and institutions.
Dr. Hernandez earned a PhD in Public Health at the University of Massachusetts, Amhurst and holds a GED (high school equivalence), which he earned in prison. As a person in long-term recovery from Substance Use Disorder, Haner is also deeply committed to uplifting the voices and experiences of people in wellness and recovery processes.
3:45 pm – 4:00 pm
Afternoon Break
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Closing Plenary & Day 1 Reflections – Sandia Ballroom
All Day
Ofrenda/Altar available (Ofrenda Healing and Sacred Offering Space) – Piñon Room
7:00 am – 10:00 am
Registration
7:30 am – 8:30 am
Breakfast – Embassy Suites Foyer
8:30 am – 10:00 am
Day 2 Plenary Session – Sandia Ballroom
10:00 am – 10:15 am
Morning Break
10:15 am – 11:45 am
Morning Workshops
Across the United States, many youth are falling through the cracks of traditional systems as fear, mistrust, and uncertainty push them away from schools, health care, and social services. Youth from marginalized communities may be especially hesitant to seek help due to stigma, surveillance, or system involvement. This workshop explores culturally grounded, community-driven strategies for engaging youth who are disconnected or wary of formal systems. Drawing on examples from The Organization for Latino Health Advocacy and Mental Health America, participants will learn how trusted spaces, peer and family engagement, and real-time data from the National Prevention and Screening Program can create safer, lower-barrier pathways to prevention, mental health support, and care.
Sierra I
About the Presenters
Dr. America Paredes
Jeanette Contreras, MPP
Jeanette Contreras is the founding Executive Director of the Organization for Latino Health Advocacy (OLHA), a national nonprofit empowering Latino communities across the U.S. to achieve better health through advocacy, education, and research. Before launching OLHA, she founded Latina Health Collab, a consulting firm focused on engaging diverse stakeholders in public policy advocacy. Jeanette has held leadership roles at major organizations like the Biotechnology Innovation Organization, UnidosUS, National Consumers League, and American Academy of Family Physicians. She also previously served over a decade in public service in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Jeanette currently serves on the boards of the Hispanic Society for Rare Diseases and HealthyWomen. She holds a Bachelor’s in Political Science from California State University, Los Angeles and a Master’s in Public Policy from American University in Washington, D.C.
Power to the Parents / Poder Para los Padres is a bilingual, culturally responsive program designed to equip parents with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to support their children across the full continuum of behavioral health needs. This presentation highlights an integrated model combining evidence-based strategies from Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) and Adolescent Dialectical Behavior Therapy (A-DBT). Participants will gain up-to-date information on substances of concern impacting Latino communities, alongside a practical overview of the neurobiological foundations of trauma and substance misuse. The program centers on parental empowerment, cultural strengths, and actionable tools that promote connection, resilience, and recovery within families.
Sierra II
About the Presenters
Brian Serna, LPCC, LADC
Valeria Acevedo, MA, LMHC
EMDR ha devenido un tratamiento efectivo y popular en el tratamiento, del reprocessmiento de eventos traumáticos, en dolencias como la ansiedad, trastornos compulsivos, episodios depresivos y/o adicciones. El uso en diversas poblaciones se ha estado validando con protocolos y recomendaciones aprobados por EMDRIA. Hoy quiero compartir nuestra experiencia de esta modalidad terapéutica basada en 15 años de su uso en la práctica clínica con la poblacion Latina en las ciudades gemelas. Estas modificaciones y/o variaciones de la ambientación lingüística e incorporación de elementos religiosos y creencias místicas están basadas en la sistemátizacion clínico empírica. Futuras validaciones estadísticas serán necesarias.
Sierra III
About the Presenter
Dra. Damaris Perez Ramirez
I am Clinical Psychologist originally from Cuba. I have been in practice for over 40 years. I was a professor of Medical Psychology at a University of Medical Sciences in Cuba. As a beginner full of dreams never imagined that life had unpredictable events waiting for. And one day I found myself living and practicing in Spain, still not the last stop in my destination. When I eventually moved to Minnesota, I chose to convert my degree and credentials which would allow me to continue my practice in mental health care settings. I obtained a Master Degree from University of Saint Mary in 2005 and i received a training in EMDR in 2009. I obtained the Licensed in Psychology in 2009. The journey that started from the scratch, working for nonprofits organizations, such as, Catholic Charities and American cancer Society did not end there. Sooner, i was full time psychotherapist at a Behavioral Health Department of Health Partners in Minnesota. Then I moved to a private practice in 2018 and became EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing) Certified Therapist. Currently, I am working as a consultant and supervisor. I want to highlight that from the very beginning to very end, from the top to the lowest, my commitment to the immigrant population had been always the same.
This interactive workshop introduces healing justice and collective care as essential frameworks for supporting behavioral health providers and the communities they serve. Participants will explore how culturally grounded, community-centered practices can strengthen ethical care, resilience, and sustainability within clinical and organizational settings. Through reflection, dialogue, and interactive activities, the session highlights the distinction between individual self-care and collective care, emphasizing wellness as a shared responsibility. Grounded in New Mexico’s cultural and historical context, the workshop invites providers to reimagine healing as relational, accountable, and rooted in community.
Ocotillo I
About the Presenter
Brenda Quiñonez Cortés
This program provides a comprehensive framework for understanding and addressing the behavioral health needs of Latino populations through culturally and linguistically responsive practices. It emphasizes five key areas: specialty services and community collaboration, wellness and prevention, culturally appropriate care, workforce development, and theoretical applications within Latino contexts. Participants will explore substance use and mental health challenges. The curriculum highlights the Mattie Rhodes Center’s integrated model, incorporating the Social Determinants of Health and triage-based approaches to enhance access and early intervention. Emphasis is placed on tools such as the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS), psychoeducation, spirituality, and wellness-based interventions to reduce stigma and promote community engagement. Additionally, the program fosters professional growth through mentorship, workforce diversity, and leadership development, preparing practitioners to deliver equitable, culturally grounded behavioral health services that reflect and empower Latino communities
Ocotillo II
About the Presenter
Monica Sierra-Mayberry, LCSW
Monica Mayberry, MSW, LCSW has dedicated 26 years to the field of social services, with a strong focus on advocacy, education, and community collaboration. Throughout her career, she has trained hundreds of medical and criminal justice professionals on issues related to domestic violence and on effectively serving limited English–proficient and immigrant populations. Monica played a key role in assisting the Kansas City Police Department with the development and implementation of the Lethality Assessment Screen Protocol, a tool still used today in partnership with the local domestic violence shelter to enhance victim safety and response. Her leadership extends to numerous committees and initiatives addressing barriers to mental health access within immigrant communities. She has provided guidance to the Community Coordinated Response Team, serves on the Equity and Access Committee, and contributes to improving systemic responses for individuals and families impacted by domestic violence. Monica currently serves as the Director of Community Behavioral Health Services at the Mattie Rhodes Center, where she continues her commitment to advancing equitable, trauma-informed care and strengthening community well-being.
Latino behavioral health is shaped by a complex interplay of individual psychological factors, deeply rooted cultural norms, and pervasive systemic inequities. This panel highlights the intra-group heterogeneity of the Latino population by utilizing an intersectional lens to examine how distinct subgroups—including immigrant men, Hispanic mothers, LGBTQ+ individuals, and farmworking communities—navigate unique behavioral health challenges. The session begins with an analysis of how individual-level cognitive processes, such as alcohol outcome expectancies and traditional gender norms (machismo), drive substance use in immigrant men. It then shifts to the interpersonal and systemic level, exploring how Hispanic mothers utilize coping mechanisms in response to the distinct stressors of general life versus systemic discrimination. Finally, the panel bridges these findings with a community-wide assessment of the “SAVA” (Substance abuse, Violence, and AIDS/HIV) syndemic, highlighting how localized data reveals unique vulnerabilities that national trends often overlook. By integrating longitudinal analysis, mediation modeling, and community-based participatory research (CBPR), this panel provides a holistic framework for developing culturally grounded, systemic-level interventions that address the root causes of health disparities in diverse Latino communities.
La Ventana
About the Presenter
Gira J Ravelo
Dr. Mariana Sanchez is an Associate Professor and Assistant Chair in the Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention at the Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work at Florida International University (FIU). She also serves as Associate Director of the Center for Research on U.S. Latino HIV/AIDS and Drug Abuse (CRUSADA), as well as Director of FIU’s Population Health Initiative and Health Disparities Initiative. Dr. Sanchez’s program of research focuses on understanding how sociocultural determinants influence substance use and related behaviors among marginalized Latino/a populations, including recent immigrants, unauthorized immigrants, and farmworkers. Over the past decade, she has maintained continuous funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), supporting her work on longitudinal, community-based studies examining socio-cultural influences on pre- to post-immigration alcohol use trajectories among young adult Latino/a immigrants. She has authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications, with a primary focus on the role of cultural and contextual factors in shaping alcohol use, sexual risk behaviors, and mental health outcomes among diverse Latino/a immigrant populations.
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
NLBHA JTR Scholarship Recipients Spotlight Presentation
Lunch & Raffle Drawings– Sandia Ballroom
1:00pm – 2:30 pm
Afternoon Workshops
This session will provide an overview of the history of the ACE study and its application in medical and behavioral health settings. Included in the consideration will be how unique stressors to the Latino population such as immigration, discrimination, poverty and family separation leading to increased risks. Participants will gain an understanding of the neuroscience behind why childhood experiences matter, allowing them to integrate trauma-informed care and lead others to do the same. We will deepen our understanding of how becoming ACE-aware builds resilience in our work, both individually and as part of a community.
Sierra I
About the Presenter
Lucila Beaton, LISW-CP, LCSW, LCSW-C
Lucila Beaton, LISW-CP, LCSW, LCSWC graduated with an MSW degree from Yeshiva University. She is an independently licensed clinical social worker with a specialization as a Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapist. She is also a Certified Mental Health First Aid Instructor for the National Council of Behavioral Health, and a trainer for Living Works providing suicide intervention and prevention training such as ASIST and Safe Talk. She also provides parent trainings in English and Spanish.
She is bilingual and bicultural and embraces the intersectionality of being an Afro-Latina and all that it brings. She never forgets that she began her career as an ESOL student in the public school system in Brooklyn, NY. She is a proud mother and grandmother and enjoys pickle ball and spending time in Honduras with her husband.
This workshop explores the concept of Healing Spaces as culturally responsive environments that support emotional, mental, and physical well-being within Latino communities. Participants will examine Circles of Care as collective healing practices rooted in cultural humility, community connection, and shared responsibility, addressing stigma, shame, and barriers to behavioral health support. The session also provides practical, scalable strategies for designing, implementing, and sustaining Wellness Rooms in community, school, and organizational settings. Emphasizing prevention, peer support, and community resilience, this workshop equips participants with actionable tools to strengthen behavioral health outcomes and foster collective healing in Latino communities.
Sierra II
About the Presenters
Enrique Lopez-Escalera, JCL, STL, LMSW
Enrique was born in El Paso, Texas and raised in Cd. Juarez, Mexico. Since the age of nine he has resided in New Mexico, except for a few years living in Rome, Italy where he pursued post graduate education. He deeply identifies with the Borderlands. He is fully bilingual and bi-cultural.
He is a life coach. In 2021 he established his own agency, Gemas de Vida, LLC. He has post-graduate degrees in Social Work, Canon Law, and Theology, with a minor in Philosophy. He has 25+ years of experience of serving people directly in southern New Mexico through pastoral work. His range of experience includes spiritual counseling and mentoring in mental and behavioral health.
He is a master trainer. His delivery method is characterized by professionalism, warmth, and simplicity – communicating important concepts in easy-to-understand terms.
He is a servant leader. His passion is serving the most vulnerable populations of the community.
Elizabeth Rodriguez Diaz
Elizabeth Rodriguez Diaz is a native of Los Angeles, CA. After graduating high school, she went on to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology with an emphasis in Social Justice and Social Welfare at California State University, Northridge. Upon graduating, Elizabeth focused her career to support and empower underserved and economically disadvantaged communities of color. Serving as an AmeriCorps Volunteer, Elizabeth strengthened communities through different sectors. She enhanced student access to higher education for first generation high school graduates and assisted self represented litigants navigate family law matters at The Superior Court of California County Los Angeles. Most recently, Elizabeth has worked with Central City Neighborhood Partners, a highly impactful non-profit, in implementing their SAMHSA funded Minority Aids Initiative project in delivering an evidence based prevention intervention program for youth and young adults where her passion for substance misuse prevention has grown. She is now seeking to keep growing and developing in the field of substance prevention to promote and work towards healthier and stronger communities.
Healthcare workers are often portrayed as selfless, resilient, and self-sacrificing (Stanley et al., 2022). This heroization creates labor expectations that exacerbate burnout and compassion fatigue. Healthcare systems working with underserved populations are frequently under-resourced, understaffed, and funding-dependent, relying on workers’ sacrifices and cultural values such as familismo to sustain care (Flores et al., 2009; Singh et al., 2020). This presentation: 1) examines how systemic failures and provider heroization harm worker wellbeing, thereby contributing to compassion fatigue; and 2) explores adaptive, systems-level strategies for change without placing responsibility solely on individual self-care or work–life balance.
Sierra III
About the Presenters
Yolanda Rodriguez, Ph.D., NLBHA Board President
Dr. Yolanda Rodriguez is a licensed clinical psychologist with extensive experience serving Latino communities across the United States. She earned her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Mississippi and completed her postdoctoral fellowship at Cherokee Health Systems, where she honed her skills in integrated and community-based care. Over the past decade, Dr. Rodriguez has worked across Texas, Mississippi, and Tennessee in community mental health centers, non-profit organizations, federally qualified health centers, and federal agencies where she has remained deeply committed to health equity and expanding access to culturally responsive behavioral health services. In 2014, she played a key role in establishing a refugee welcome center in South Texas, further demonstrating her dedication to immigrant and refugee populations.
A proud graduate of the National Latino Behavioral Health Association (NLBHA) Executive Leadership Academy, Dr. Rodriguez now serves as Secretary on the NLBHA Board of Directors and is a conference presenter. She brings both clinical expertise and strategic vision to her leadership and is passionately invested in advancing behavioral health equity and workforce development for Latino communities nationwide.
Currently, Dr. Rodriguez provides bilingual psychotherapy and psychological assessment services to adults, with a strong emphasis on culturally competent, trauma-informed care. She also serves her community through her private practice by supporting Latino-led nonprofit organizations, providing psychological services, and offering tools to enhance organizational wellness.
Arnoldo Amador
ATLAS is a peer-informed data and engagement platform designed to support individuals with substance use and co-occurring mental health conditions across diverse service contexts. Integrating peer recovery support with structured data collection, ATLAS tracks recovery capital, behavioral health indicators, service engagement, and stages of change to inform real-time, person-centered care. This presentation explores how ATLAS enhances peer practice, improves continuity across clinical, carceral, and community settings, and supports predictive identification of risk and recovery trajectories. Findings demonstrate how peer-driven data systems can strengthen outcomes, accountability, and equity within recovery-oriented systems of care.
Ocotillo I
About the Presenters
Christopher Bailey, RSPS, PSS, TE, MA
Fernando J Gonzalez
Fernando González-Maese is a seasoned public health professional and epidemiologist who served as Lead Epidemiologist for the El Paso Department of Public Health from 2010 through 2021, where he oversaw epidemiologic surveillance, outbreak response, and community health data systems. He played a key role in directing El Paso’s infectious disease monitoring and response strategies, including coordination of contact tracing and public health communication during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fernando’s work involved collaborating with local, state, and regional partners to strengthen disease prevention infrastructure and improve public health outcomes across the Paso del Norte region. Prior to his leadership in El Paso, he developed extensive experience in epidemiological methods and applied public health practice. He continues to advocate for evidence-based public health approaches and community health equity through consulting, education, and professional engagement in epidemiology.
MiA – Mujeres in Action is the first organization in the Spokane region dedicated to serving survivors of domestic and sexual violence in Latine communities. Our region is the second most populous in Washington state. About 8% of the population (based on the last census) identifies as Latino/Hispanic. MiA began in 2018 when the founder realized there was a gap in culturally responsive services for Spanish-speaking survivors of domestic violence and/or sexual assault. Since then, MiA has strived to close gaps in specialized services for the Latine community. After much effort and locating the needed funding, the state approved MiA as a Behavioral Health Agency, which allowed us to develop the much-needed services. In 2025, MiA started offering specialized behavioral health services for survivors in their native language. Even though we are new providers, our staff is not new to the behavioral health field. We would like to share with all of you our efforts, development, learning process, and recommendations for others interested in closing service gaps in your communities.
Ocotillo II
About the Presenters
Dr. Hilda Caquias, PsyD
Monica Rey Serantes
Grita Tu Identidad is a community-driven conference in Español focused on mental and behavioral health. Designed for professionals, advocates, and community members, it offers a space to explore culturally relevant approaches, share lived experiences, and discuss innovative strategies for promoting emotional well-being. Through workshops, panels, and networking, participants will gain practical tools to support mental health in Latino communities, celebrate resilience, and foster inclusive dialogue. This event emphasizes empowerment, identity, and community engagement as key components of holistic mental wellness.
La Ventana
About the Presenter
Julissa Molina Soto
2:30 pm – 3:45 pm
Afternoon Workshops
Nonprofits serving Latino, immigrant, and multilingual communities face a persistent communication gap that directly affects behavioral health access. Traditional outreach—email, social media, and printed materials—often fails to reach individuals who need timely, clear, and culturally grounded information to support their mental well‑being. Health Care UnTold will share insights from responding to local emergencies and developing an affordable bilingual SMS text service designed to reduce stress, increase access to behavioral health resources, and improve client engagement. This session will highlight how simple, accessible technology can strengthen connection, trust, and continuity of care for communities historically excluded from digital communication systems.
Sierra I
About the Presenter
Barbara Garcia
Barbara Ann Garcia has been a Community and Public Health leader for over 30 years. Presently she is the CEO of HealthCare UnTold, LLC a health multimedia and productions company focused on vulnerable communities, where she co-hosts the HealthCare UnTold podcast and InformaText a SMS text service for nonprofit organizations. Barbara Garcia served 22 years with the San Francisco Health Department, including eight as Director of Health, overseeing a $3 billion budget and 8,000 employees across two hospitals, more than 20 clinics, and the city’s public health division. She led major initiatives addressing homelessness, behavioral health, and violence, expanding services such as respite and sobering centers, intensive case management, homeless outreach teams, and supportive housing. Before San Francisco, Barbara was Associate AIDS Administrator at SAMHSA and spent 15 years serving farmworker communities in Watsonville, where she co‑founded and directed Salud Para La Gente. She was recognized by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for her leadership after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. She holds a B.S. from UC Santa Cruz, an M.P.A. from the University of San Francisco, and honorary doctorates from CIIS and USF for her contributions to health equity and community service.
Las promotoras transformamos comunidades rurales ganando confianza, educando sobre salud física y conductual, rompiendo el estigma y empoderando familias. Con apoyo de colegas, agencias y líderes, construimos comunidades resilientes y nos cuidamos a nosotras mismas para seguir adelante fuertes, unidas y comprometidas con un cambio real y duradero.
Sierra II
About the Presenters
Josie Mendoza, CCHW, NM-TX and Maria Retana, CCHW, NM-TX
Josie Mendoza and Maria Retana are sisters and dedicated Promotoras de Salud committed to empowering their communities through health education and outreach. Raised in a hardworking agricultural family, their personal journey inspires their passion to serve others desde la raíz—from the root.
Through their work in diabetes prevention, nutrition, and community wellness, they build trust, foster meaningful connections, and create lasting impact in the communities they serve. Their leadership and dedication have earned them recognition at the state level in both Texas and New Mexico.
This workshop invites participants to rethink Latino behavioral health through a Wise Compassionate, culturally rooted lens. Using case examples from community, school, and clinical settings, the session shows how traditional healing, relational care, and Western behavioral health practices can be braided together to serve Latino youth, adults, and families. Participants explore a simple “bridging” framework, reflect on their own practice, and work with tools that honor cultura, language, and spirit. Attendees leave with concrete strategies and a 90 day plan for strengthening collaboration, cultural humility, and healing in their own settings.
Sierra III
About the Presenter
Dr. Felipe Mercado, MSW, PPSC
Colleges are often where students first confront serious mental health and substance use challenges, yet many Latino students face added barriers such as stigma, cultural misunderstanding, and limited access to supportive care. This workshop shares real-world, culturally responsive approaches to supporting mental health and recovery on college campuses, using the University of New Mexico Collegiate Recovery Center as a lived example. Presenters will discuss how peer support, trauma-informed care, and strong campus partnerships help students feel seen, supported, and connected. Through practical examples and lessons learned, participants will gain tools they can take back to their own institutions to better support Latino students navigating mental health and recovery.
Ocotillo I
About the Presenters
Liliana Spurgeon, CHW, CFPSW
Leila Zazueta, LCSW
Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools such as ChatGPT are rapidly entering behavioral health, research, and community-based practice settings. GenAI uses neural networks to learn patterns from existing data and generate new content. In this interactive workshop, participants will learn core GenAI concepts, explore practical applications, and examine key challenges and opportunities for responsible use.
Ocotillo II
About the Presenter
Adolph Delgado, Ph.D., M.Ed., M.S
Adolph “AJ” Delgado, PhD, is an applied demographer and quantitative researcher known for translating complex data into clear, actionable insights. He is a Bridge to Faculty postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Public Health at the University of Texas at San Antonio, bringing nearly a decade of experience teaching quantitative methods, research design, and community-engaged work in Bexar County, Texas. His work centers on practical and responsible applications of generative AI—particularly ChatGPT—to enhance research workflows, teaching, evaluation, and workforce development. He has designed academic coursework and professional workshops that equip audiences with strategies for prompt development, managing AI limitations, and addressing ethical considerations. His sessions are designed to be engaging, applied, and immediately useful for academic, nonprofit, and professional audiences.
Description Coming Soon
La Ventana
About the Presenters
Stacey Boone
Pamela Trujillo
3:45 pm – 4:00 pm
Afternoon Break
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Closing Plenary & Day 2 Reflections – Sandia Ballroom
8:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Selena Tribute Music and Dance Event – Sandia Ballroom
All Day
Ofrenda/Altar available and 9/11 healing ceremony altar – Piñon Room
7:00 am – 10:00 am
Registration
7:30 am – 8:30 am
Breakfast – Embassy Suites Foyer
8:30 am – 10:00 am
Day 3 Plenary Session – Sandia Ballroom
10:00 am – 10:30 am
Morning Break
10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Special Event Session – Sandia Ballroom
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Raffle/Lunch – Sandia Ballroom
1:00pm – 2:30 pm
Special Event Session – Sandia Ballroom
2:30 pm – 2:45 pm
Afternoon Break
2:45 pm – 4:00 pm
Afternoon Workshops
Lotería de Salud Mental is a culturally grounded, interactive tool designed to make mental health conversations more accessible within Latino communities. Rooted in the beloved tradition of lotería, this workshop invites participants to play, laugh, and heal while exploring topics such as depression, anxiety, grief, medication, and healthy coping practices. Through familiar imagery and collective storytelling, the game reduces stigma and fosters connection, joy, and empowerment. This session will share how Lotería de Salud Mental has been successfully used to engage Spanish-speaking and immigrant communities in meaningful, healing conversations.
Sierra I
About the Presenters
Samantha Ramirez
Samantha Ramirez (she/her/ella) is a Senior Program Coordinator for Bilingual Outreach & Engagement with Behavioral Health & Recovery Services (BHRS) in Marin County. A proud first-generation college graduate from San Francisco State University and daughter of Central American immigrants, Samantha brings both lived and professional experience to her work advancing mental health equity.
She is passionate about creating culturally rooted, stigma free spaces where communities, especially youth and Spanish speaking families, can explore mental health in ways that feel accessible, joyful, and real. Through innovative approaches like Mental Health Lotería!, Samantha blends play, storytelling, and connection to spark meaningful conversations about healing, resilience, and seeking support.
Her work centers authenticity, creativity, and cultura, helping bridge gaps to care while reminding communities that healing can be both powerful and full of joy.
In this presentation, two Latina licensed clinical social workers will demonstrate holistic ways to support our mental health and connect to our purpose. Health providers are often undervalued, overworked, and burnt out. Without supporting ourselves, we cannot support others. This presentation will provide actionable ways to engage in ancestral wisdom, as well as introduce these approaches to clients. Healing through holistic practices ensures that we can show up as our best selves when serving others. Presenters will demonstrate accessible holistic practices including mindful meditation, altar building, and sound therapy. Participants are invited to bring an item for the altar.
Sierra II
About the Presenter
Erica Sandoval, LCSW, SIFI
Erica Priscilla Sandoval, LCSW, SIFI is the Executive Director of Siembra Today, a nonprofit devoted to providing accessible mental health and wellness support to Latine and BIPOC communities. She is the founder and CEO of Sandoval Psychotherapy Consultation—known as Sandoval CoLab—which offers talk therapy, ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP), and holistic offerings. To further this work, she founded Casa Wellness in Queens, NY, and Casa Andes in Filandia, Colombia, to host community circles and wellness retreats. She is also the creator of the book series Latinx/e in Social Work, three volumes of personal narratives that amplify the voices of Latinx/e social workers nationwide. Erica holds a Master’s in Social Work and a Post Master’s in Clinical Adolescent Psychology from New York University, Silver School of Social Work.
Since Latines view health holistically, this presentation uses Indigenous cosmovision to explore their relationship with nature. These practice testimonies demonstrate curanderismo applications in social work through limpias (energetic cleansings), temazcales (sweat lodges), herbal remedios, and pláticas (counseling) to address trauma and substance use. The case composite of Luna shows treating susto and substance use with traditional healing. This interactive workshop invites participants to discuss cases in small groups and develop culturally grounded approaches to support each client, integrating traditional healing practices into contemporary social work interventions.
Sierra III
About the Presenters
Diana Franco, DSW, LCSW-R (NY), LISW/LCSW (NM)
Justine Saavedra, MS
Rosa Gallegos-Samora, LCSW
Rosa is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and therapist in private practice at Blue Bird Healing in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Rosa has a background in providing therapy to children, families, people of color, incarcerated and returning individuals, those experiencing homelessness, LGBTQ+, immigrants and refugees, and those experiencing substance use. Rosa has advanced training and specialized knowledge in immigration evaluation, in treating complex trauma, suicide bereavement, racial discrimination, and depression. Rosa is passionate about social justice and using her education and experience to dismantle systems of oppression. She is a skilled trainer in racial equity, anti-oppression, mental health disorders, de-escalation, and suicide prevention. She is a third generation curanderismo practitioner from northern New Mexico. Rosa carries the medicine of her grandparents and ancestors and shares it with community in her offerings of platicas (heart to heart talks), limpiezas (spiritual cleanse of self and home), ventosas (fire cupping), and remedios (herbal remedies). In Rosa’s professional life, she blends both her traditional medicine knowledge and her clinical education and training. Rosa shares her family’s history of traditional healing in professional and community settings to encourage remembrance and reconnection of cultural cures.
This presentation examines the ethical, clinical, and epistemological challenges of integrating Latinx Ethnoindigenous healing practices, such as Curanderismo, into contemporary behavioral health systems. Grounded in a biocultural framework, the session highlights how biological processes, cultural meaning, and historical context jointly shape experiences of distress and healing. Ethical tensions related to cultural appropriation, scope of practice, power differentials, and epistemic justice are critically explored. Emphasis is placed on interdisciplinary collaboration among behavioral health professionals, traditional healers, and community stakeholders to support culturally centered, ethically grounded, and relational models of care that move beyond mind–body dualism.
Ocotillo I
About the Presenter
Thomas A. Chavez, PhD
Thomas A. Chávez, Ph.D. is a research professor at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Division of Community Behavioral Health. His scholarly work has centered Latinx behavioral health including immigrant access to educational and medical care, immigrant trauma, substance use, and culturally centered intervention. He has a special interest in the application of critical frameworks (e.g., decolonial, liberation, and intersectionality) in behavioral health pedagogy, community-engaged research, and practice. In addition, he is a practitioner and educator of cultural health paradigms (traditional medicine) of the U.S. Southwest and co-directs the RAICES Community Education on Traditional Medicine.
Description Coming Soon
Ocotillo II
About the Presenter
Andrea Michelle Lucero
Description Coming Soon
La Ventana
About the Presenter
Estrella Sandoval Becker
Dr. Estrella Sandoval-Becker, NMD is a licensed Naturopathic Medical Doctor in the states of Arizona, California and New Mexico. She specializes in Functional Medicine and Digestive Health at her private family medical practice. As a health care provider she has been in medical practice for over eight years and in the health care industry for almost 20 years. Starting her medical career as phlebotomist, working as Kinesiologist specialist moved up the corporate ladder at Healthwaves Corp. as an operations manager before becoming a licensed practitioner.
Dr. Estrella Sandoval-Becker, opened her first medical practice in 2016 then branched off to established her own private practice in 2022 to provide more concierge care. She also shares her nutritional education with weight loss patients at Saguaro Medical Weight Control, in the Arizona Valley and Brea Weight Loss in Brea California.
Estrella means “star” in English and that’s exactly the type of quality she provides to her patients, star quality, hence the reason she named her practice Dr. Star NMD, PLLC. Dr. Sandoval-Becker’s education started at Mesa Community College where she obtained her Associates in Applied Sciences, then attended Arizona State University graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology finally receiving her doctoral degree from the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in 2015 (now Sonoran University of Health Sciences). She prides herself as a health catalyst who helps her patients stay committed to their goals of reaching optimal health. Her primary focus is getting to the root cause of her patient’s ailments while equipping them with the tools and knowledge they need to “heal thy self.”
Being a Hispanic female, doctor, entrepreneur and owner of her own small business is why she is proud to offer her services to all walks of life. Raised in New Mexico “curanderas,” also known as medicine women, have a long practice of being entrusted with their communities’ health using traditional medicine in ancient ways. By empowering communities and encouraging them to take care of one another through shared traditions she continues to follow in the footsteps of her ancestors. Naturopathic Medicine allows Dr. Estrella Sandoval-Becker, NMD a.k.a “Dr. Star” to bring traditional medicine to the forefront of primary care by focusing on the fundamentals of health and prioritizing preventative measures.
4:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Closing Plenary Healing Ceremony and Final Blessing – Sandia Ballroom
Available Conference CE Credits: 17.5 approximate/CME Credits: 7.5
