THE AUTHORS - VOL I
MADRINAS
Madrinas "godmothers" of Social Work take an active interest and acts as a mentor, sponsor, or supporter of emerging social workers.

Rosa MBramble Caballero
LCSW-R

Rosa MBramble Caballero
LCSW-R
Rosa Maria Bramble Caballero is a bilingual licensed
clinical social worker who serves as founder and president of
Caballero Counseling and Consulting Services. With over
fifteen years of clinical experience, Rosa has specialized in the
psychosocial assessment and trauma-informed treatment of
immigrant populations.
She earned her master’s degree in social work from Hunter
College and has completed post graduate training in family
therapy, advanced trauma studies, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy,
and Internal Family Systems, where she is a currently a member
of the IFS Diversity and Inclusion Committee, the Advanced
Training Program with the goal to bring the model to the Latinx
community. Rosa conducts forensic biopsychosocial evaluations
for asylum and immigration cases, and she provides expert
testimony on trauma and impact of deportation on children
and families. She is frequently sought after for consultation and
collaboration in legal and advocacy services, maternal health,
gender-based violence, unaccompanied minors, and trauma-
informed care.
Rosa served as the president of the New York City Chapter
of the National Association of Puerto Rican and Hispanic Social
Workers (NAPRHSW), and she was appointed to the New
York City HIV Planning Council (2002-2004) by the Office
of Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Rosa is an adjunct lecturer at
Columbia University School of Social Work, where she teaches
several advanced clinical and practical courses, including a
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course on trauma-informed treatment for asylum seekers and
immigrants. She also serves as board member of the Project
ICI participatory community research board at Columbia
University and the University of Michigan, where she helps
study collaboration among HIV service providers. She founded
the Venezuelan Community Support Center, Inc., to address the
needs of Venezuelan refugees and Latinx survivors of trauma at
all stages of migration. Rosa is frequently invited to speak and
facilitate workshops at academic institutions as well as national
and international conferences. She recently was a guest at the
Jorge Ramos special coverage of the 20th Remembrance of 9/11,
where she discussed her advocacy for the undocumented workers
of Ground Zero. She has several peer-reviewed publications
spanning language interpretation, trauma-informed care, HIV,
program development, community violence intervention,
vicarious trauma, and resilience.
Rosa has been awarded numerous honors, including the
Union Square Award and the Latino Social Work Taskforce
Community Service Award. She is the proud mother of two
amazing adult children, Jacqueline and John, who bring joy,
inspiration, and life lessons. She enjoys music, working out, travel,
dance, cooking, and spending time with her family and friends.

Rosa M. Gil
DSW

Rosa M. Gil
DSW
Dr. Rosa M. Gil, Comunilife’ s Founder, President, and
CEO, has had a distinguished career in New York City’s
health, mental health, supportive housing, social service, and
higher education sectors. Since Comunilife opened in 1989,
she has centered the work on the intersection between health
and housing, with the goal of addressing the critical social
determinants of health and enhancing the health outcomes of
New York City’s underserved communities.
Under Dr. Gil’s stewardship, Comunilife has developed
more than 2,678 units of affordable and supportive housing for
the city’s hardest to reach residents, the homeless, mentally ill,
and people living with HIV/AIDS and other health conditions.
Under her leadership, Comunilife created Life is PreciousTM, a
nationally recognized program for Latina teen at risk of suicide and
also created the New York City’s premiere Medical Respite Program.
Dr. Gil has recently been appointed to the NYS Vaccine
Equity Task Force, as well as numerous other federal, state, and
city commissions and boards, including the Federal Reserve
Bank of New York (deputy chair), The NYS Suicide Prevention
Council, The Board of Health (NYC Department of Health
and Mental Hygiene), NYS Governor’s Interagency Council
on Homelessness, The Commission of Health Care Facilities in
the 21st Century (The Berger Commission), and the Minority
Women Panel on Health Experts (U.S. Public Health Services).
Dr. Gil is a member of the President Carter Mental Health Task
Force and the Board of Trustees of EmblemHealth.
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Dr. Rosa Gil is one of the founders of the Urban Institute
for Behavioral Health of New York City, Latino Commission on
AIDS, the Association of Hispanic Mental Health Professionals,
and 100 Hispanic Women. She has published numerous articles
on mental health, ethnicity, child welfare, and gender issues. She
is the co-author of the Maria Paradox, the first authoritative book
on self-esteem and Hispanic women.

Maria Elena Girone
MSW
Maria Girone has dedicated 50 years of her professional life
to realize the above stated mission. She obtained her academic
degrees from the University of Puerto Rico, with a bachelor’s
degree in political science and a master’s degree in social work.
Prior to her master’s program, she worked as a director of a public
welfare office in her hometown in Puerto Rico, managing its
public assistance and child welfare programs.
In 1965, she relocated to New York City, where she joined
The Puerto Rican Family Institute, a very small, developing
nonprofit. The Institute provided the perfect platform for the
initiation and realization of her vision. Her entire career was
therefore closely linked to the development of the Institute,
which under her leadership became a premier, culturally
competent human and health family-oriented organization. In
1982, she became regional director, and in 1986, president and
CEO.
Still cognizant of her vision to create Latino based
institutions, she established the Hope for Families Foundation
in 1989, which aimed to become a fund development supportive
organization for the Institute, thus providing a vehicle for
financial stability and capital investments.
All in all, the Institute enjoyed tremendous expansion, and
prosperity during her tenure. She retired at the end of 2014,
leaving at her departure two solid financially strong organizations
with a financial base in excess of $100 million, between capital
and grants.
Investing in her profession has been a cause very close to her
heart. Therefore in 2001, with the able partnership of the Social
Work Association New York City Chapter the present Latino
Social Work Coalition and Scholarship Fund Inc was founded.
In addition to the founding partners, several schools of social
work and other nonprofits gave themselves the task to address
the shortage of culturally competent Latino social workers in
New York Social and Health systems of care. The Coalition has
become a major provider of scholarships funds, thus increasing
the number of social work graduates mainstreaming in our service
systems.

Linda Lausell Bryant
MSW, Ph.D.

Linda Lausell Bryant
MSW, Ph.D.
Dr. Linda Lausell Bryant is clinical associate professor,
director of the doctorate in social work program, and the
Katherine and Howard Aibel Executive-in-Residence at NYU
Silver. She is devoted to developing the leadership capacities of
social workers for impact on the pressing social issues of our time,
the intersection of race, ethnicity, and social justice, child welfare
issues, and macro social work practice.
Dr. Lausell Bryant’s career spans thirty-five years in youth
services in both the private and public sectors. She has launched
an Adaptive Leadership in Human Services Institute at NYU
Silver, served as the executive director of Inwood House, a
nonprofit youth agency from 2005-2014, and served as associate
commissioner for the Office of Youth Development at the NYC
Administration for Children’s Services. She served on the NYC
Panel for Education Policy and currently serves as the president
of the board of the National Crittenton Foundation, which seeks
to empower young women and girls. She received the 2021
Lifetime Achievement Award from the Latino Social Work
Coalition and has received the Distinguished Contribution to
Student Engagement Award at NYU Silver. She is the co-author
of “A Guide for Sustaining Conversations on Racism, Identity
and Our Mutual Humanity” and Social Work: A Call to Action.
- Email:drlindarenews@gmail.com

Maria Lizardo
LMSW

Maria Lizardo
LMSW
Maria Lizardo is a proud Dominican-American who serves
her community as executive director of Northern Manhattan
Improvement Corporation (NMIC), leading a team of nearly
150 attorneys, educators, social workers, counselors, organizers,
advocates, and volunteers. Under her leadership, NMIC serves
over 14,000 low-income immigrant community members each
year, with programs to address their housing, immigration,
benefits/finance, health, education/career, and holistic needs.
Her passion and talent for organizing broadens her impact;
she is a leading advocate in our community, and ensures our
collective voice extends to the city, state, and national level. For
example, she is a founding driver of the Brides’ March to address
domestic violence in the Latinx community, which has been
a local rallying point for two decades, and expanded as far as
Florida and the Dominican Republic.
Maria has been service-oriented her entire life, having
worked at PROMESA, Inc. before joining NMIC in 1998, where
she implemented numerous tenant, youth, open space, and safety
programs. She earned her master of social work degree from the
Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College, and pairs her
education with her lived experiences as a Hamilton Heights and
Washington Heights native. She serves as a catalyst for positive
change in the lives of our immigrant community members.
- Phone:917-940-0384
- Email:lizardo823@gmail.com

Laura Quiros
Ph.D., LMSW

Laura Quiros
Ph.D., LMSW
Laura Quiros, PhD., LMSW has been an associate
professor of social work at Adelphi University for the past
twelve years. She teaches social work practice at the doctoral and
master’s level. Her research and scholarly interests focus on the
trauma informed care from a social justice lens. The common
thread in her consulting, teaching, and scholarship is elevating
complexity and furthering the mission of social justice, including
diversity and inclusion.
She coaches, trains and facilitates dialogues with executive-
level staff across higher education, corporate, and nonprofits to
dig deep and sincerely connect to diversity and inclusion. Some of
this work involves gently pushing the boundaries of overcoming
the resistance to talking candidly about whiteness and unpacking
diversity and inclusion work. Much of this has been accomplished
through relationship building. She uses her relationship building
and clinical skills as a way to foster connection, inclusion and
empathic accountability. The intersection for her is clear, as a
woman of color from a very multicultural background, she could
only survive through relationship building. Negotiating her
identity required her to create safe enough and brave spaces in
order to survive and thrive. Her practice is one of liberation, love,
and generosity.
CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS

Erica P. Sandoval
LCSW, SIFI

Erica P. Sandoval
LCSW, SIFI
Erica Prsicilla Sandoval is an award-winning mental health practitioner, speaker, executive coach, entrepreneur, podcaster, philanthropist, and author of Latinx/e in Social Work, published in both English and Spanish. Latinx/e in Social Work Volume I received honorable mention at the 24th annual International Latino Book and Film Awards. Most recently, she is the founder and CEO of Sandoval Psychotherapy Consulting – known as Sandoval CoLab – where she oversees a team of social workers and leads diversity, equity, and inclusion work for organizations, universities, health care facilities, medical and corporate professionals. Erica began her career in the music industry before pivoting to social work, which led her spending seven years as an advocate for children and families at the New York City Hospital for Special Surgery and working at Make-A-Wish Metro and Western New York. During the pandemic, Erica opened her own private psychotherapy practice and has expanded her work as a trained Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapist. KAP is a holistic breakthrough approach to an awakened mind and healing trauma and depression. The recipient of many awards, Erica was recognized by Prospanica-NY with the 2021 Top Latinx Leaders, Social Justice award, and Make-A-Wish gave Erica the 2018 Diversity and Inclusion Innovation award at the national conference. She was a contributing author to Today’s Inspired Latina, Volume X and was tly named New York Socia of The Latina Empire, a personal and business development coaching program. In 2020, Erica became the first immigrant Latina president of the National Association of Social Workers’ New York City chapter and is now the chapter’s President Emeritus. Erica is a philanthropist and a donor to the Latino Social Work Coalition and Scholarship Fund. Erica was most recently recognized as a Latino Leader on the radar by Latino Leaders in Action. As a proud immigrant from Ecuador, her passion is fueled by supporting the community she is a part of and their children. Her greatest pride is being a single mother and raising her 22-year- old daughter, Isabella, whom she considers her biggest teacher. She holds an associate’s degree from the Borough of Manhattan Community College, a bachelor’s degree from Baruch College, and a master’s in social work from the New York University Silver School of Social Work.

Cindy Bautista-Thomas
Ph.D., LCSW, RYT

Cindy Bautista-Thomas
Ph.D., LCSW, RYT
Dr. Cindy Bautista-Thomas is an innovative visionary
committed to helping others tap into their hidden potential,
discover their God given gifts, and help them take inspired action
towards creating the life they’ve always envisioned. She is a first-
generation Dominican American who was born and raised in the
Bronx, NY. She is also a licensed clinical social worker, educator,
podcast host, yoga and mindfulness instructor, author, mother,
wife, master trainer and curator of spaces of healing.
In 2017, Cindy decided to leverage her leadership,
interpersonal, and facilitation skills and co-founded Velocity
Visions, a company whose mission is to provide healing,
transformation and impact to individuals, groups, and
corporations through wellness activities, workshops, and
interactive exercises that enhance personal and professional
efficacy. With her bigger than life personality, warm smile, and
innate ability to help others feel comfortable, Cindy is using her
God given talents to help others find theirs. Her strong presence,
passion, and professionalism makes Cindy one of the premiere
trainers in the industry.
When she’s not transforming lives, Cindy spends her time
with her family and pursuing her creative passion of writing. To
learn more about Cindy and the work she does with Velocity
Visions, Inc. visit their website at www.velocityvisionsinc.com.

Laudy Burgos
LCSW-R

Laudy Burgos
LCSW-R
Laudy Burgos, LCSW-R, PMH-C is a bilingual English/Spanish licensed clinical social worker with over 26 years of experience in the areas of perinatal mood disorders and family and children’s services. Burgos is trained in trauma-informed treatment approaches including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Interpersonal Therapy (IPT). She is currently the Associate Director at Mount Sinai Hospital in the Department of Social Work Services. Burgos received her Bachelor’s of Science and Master’s in Social Work from NYU Silver School of Social Work. Burgos is an adjunct faculty member in the BSW program at NYU and the MSW program at Columbia University. She is also a board member at Postpartum Support International and Siembra Today.

Edith Chaparro
Ph.D., LCSW-R

Edith Chaparro
Ph.D., LCSW-R
Edith Chaparro is a licensed clinical social worker with a doctorate in psychology and experience in leadership, academic, clinical, mentorship, and education. Dr. Chaparro created the Social Work Exam Prep Bootcamp in 2004 and owns a private practice that provides psychotherapy, immigration psychological evaluations, and court-mandated evaluations, primarily for Spanish-speaking clients. Dr. Chaparro is an adjunct professor at New York University and Columbia University. She provides clinical supervision and professional development workshops for organizations. Dr. Chaparro is the Vice President of the National Association of Social Workers NASW-NYC Board of Directors.

Karen Ciego
LCSW

Karen Ciego
LCSW
Karen Ciego is a psychotherapist, clinical supervisor, public
speaker, educator, and advocate for the healing of BiPoC. She has
over eleven years of social work experience, many as a program
coordinator in the healthcare system, wherein she contributed
to several diversity initiatives. Karen led a high-achieving team
of Black and Brown social workers towards clinical licensure—a
personal goal near and dear to her heart. Under her supervision
through the pandemic, her team implemented unparalleled
culture-affirming interventions to serve populations most affected
by COVID-19.
Karen is executive consultant of Clinicians of the Diaspora,
LLC. and therapist to a roster of BiPoC professional women
and mothers. Her therapeutic approach is informed by her lived
experience as a first-generation Garifuna American raised in
the South Bronx, where she lives with her brilliant and creative
daughters. Karen provides clinical supervision, facilitates
psychodynamic groups, teaches various social work courses, and
takes naps occasionally. She inspires by way of humor, gratitude,
and homegrown peace.
- Email:karenciego@gmail.com

Jasmin Collazo
DSW, LCSW

Jasmin Collazo
DSW, LCSW
Dr. Jasmin Collazo is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker
from Newark, New Jersey, serving in a variety of social work
roles. Dr. Collazo is an adjunct professor at New York University
and owns a part-time private practice in New Jersey. She has a
master’s degree in social work and a Doctorate degree in social
welfare (DSW), both from from New York University (NYU).
Remaining in the field of trauma-informed care, Dr. Collazo
aspires to continue to use her private practice to serve adolescents,
young adults, and police officers to advocate for changes within
policing that are informed by those in the community she works
with.

Andres Gomez
MSW

Andres Gomez
MSW
Andres Gomez is the director of enrollment for Year
Up Dallas/Fort Worth. He has been with the organization
for over thirteen years. In his previous role, he served as the
director of student services, overseeing a team of social workers
working to navigate student barriers. In his current role, his
team is responsible for recruitment of over 250 talented young
professionals to enter the corporate workforce each year. Andres
does this by working with his team, the community of Dallas, and
Dallas College to find talent. His greatest accomplishment was
welcoming their largest class in the middle of the pandemic.
Andres received his undergraduate and master’s degrees
from the University of Stonybrook in Long Island, New York.
Growing up in New York City, he recognized that talent is
everywhere, but opportunities are not. After working for a foster
care agency, he wanted to make more of a lasting impact and
joined the Year Up program in the Wall Street area of Manhattan.
Andres moved to the Dallas area in 2018. When he is not
helping to close the opportunity divide, Andres enjoys sports,
cooking, traveling, and spending time with his wife and newborn
daughter Julia.
- Phone:718-799-6179
- Email:andgomez913@gmail.com

Jessica Hardial
LCSW, MA

Jessica Hardial
LCSW, MA
Jessica Hardial is a bilingual clinical social worker who
has over ten years of social work experience. She received
her associates degree in liberal arts from CUNY Borough of
Manhattan Community College in 2011, then her bachelor’s
degree in psychology and sociology with a minor in student
services and counseling from CUNY Queens College in 2013.
Shortly after, she received her master’s degree in social work
from Fordham University in 2016. Jessica completed her second
master’s degree in human development from Fielding Graduate
University in 2021.
Jessica Hardial is a School Social Worker for the NYC
Department of Education, serves as an adjunct lecturer for
SUNY Old Westbury, and is currently a Ph.D. student attending
Fielding Graduate University. Jessica has a private practice,
Blossoming Lotus Therapy, LCSW PLLC, where she specializes
in working with children, adolescents, young adults, and families.
She is passionate about working with LGBTQIA+
community members and their families, the foster care and
adoption population, and children of immigrants. Jessica
specializes in issues surrounding trauma, anxiety, and family
conflict using a somatic oriented approach. Jessica continues to
enhance the social work profession by providing supervision to
graduate students and post graduate students to enhance their
clinical skills in their field of practice.

Yurilka A. Hernandez
LCSW

Yurilka A. Hernandez
LCSW
Yurilka Hernandez is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in
the state of New York (LCSW). She is the CEO and founder of
Psychotherapy & Consultation Services LCSW-PLLC. She is a
bilingual, bi-cultural Hispanic female with over thirteen years of
extensive training and experience in the areas of mental health,
cultural competency, working with immigrant families, substance
abuse disorders and providing clinical supervision.
Her educational background includes a Bachelor of Science
and a graduate degree (MSW) from New York University Silver
School of Social Work. In 2016, she completed a Post-Master’s
Certificate Program in psychoanalytic psychotherapy from
Manhattan Institute for Psychoanalysis, and certified middle
management from the National Council for Behavioral Health
2019, and Executive Leadership for Nonprofit Organization at
New York University.
As part of the behavior Team at Acacia Network, the second
largest Latino led not –for- profit organization in the country, her
portfolio includes mental health clinics, substance abuse school-
based programs, court involved youth programs and health homes.
As a field supervisor and teacher at Adelphi university
school of social work, she has cultivated healthy and positive
relationships with students by shaping our next line of social
workers with their journey.
Today Yurilka works as a senior administrator for
health homes. She also participates in multiple advocacies in
Washington, D.C. and Albany where she fights for her patients,
fellow social workers, and the well-being of others.
She is a daughter, sister, friend, lover, and ally. She fights
every day for social justice, while promoting growth and hope.
Social work is the tree of life and she is a messenger!

Luisa Lopez
MSW

Luisa Lopez
MSW
Luisa Lopez, MSW is a native of New York City and currently
serves as President of the Latino Social Work Coalition and
Scholarship Fund, and Director of Digital Media at the Office of the
Manhattan Borough President. She has previously served as chief of
staff at the NYC Council, and served in the Washington, DC office
of former Congressman José E. Serrano as a policy fellow with a
focus on addressing community issues in the South Bronx.
In her career, she has concentrated on addressing structural
challenges by developing and implementing social interventions
aimed at effecting positive change at all levels of government.
Additionally, Luisa has become an advocate for the increased
accessibility and availability of assisted reproductive technology,
as well as destigmatizing infertility in communities of color.
As president of the Latino Social Work Coalition she
is a fierce advocate for increasing the number of culturally and
linguistically competent social workers serving in New York
City’s most vulnerable communities, as well as for the importance
and value that social workers bring to all areas of public life and
civic engagement.
Luisa holds B.A. in political science from the College of
the Holy Cross. A social worker by training, Luisa earned her
Masters of Social Work from the New York University Silver
School of Social Work.
- Phone:929-352-1094
- Email:luisa@lopeznyc.com

Madeline Maldonado
LCSW-R

Madeline Maldonado
LCSW-R
Madeline Maldonado has over twenty years of experience
in program administration, clinical supervision, professional
trainings, and psychotherapy. She specializes in autism evaluations
for children and adolescents. Madeline is the president and
owner of Madeline Maldonado, LCSW Consulting P.C. and is
an adjunct professor and field advisor at Fordham University’s
MSW Program.
Madeline has dedicated her career to seeking to improve
systems and organizations that work with and service people. As
a social work professor and consultant, she trains students and
professionals on how to work within the current mental health
system with less stress and burnout. Madeline believes in teaching
and empowering her clients to be their own therapists and
advocates. She confronts problems with teamwork and solution
focused strategies. Kindness and humor are her trademark.
Madeline has a master’s degree from New York University
Silver School of Social Work and a bachelor’s degree in psychology
from Hunter College of CUNY. She is bilingual in Spanish.
Madeline lives in Westchester County, NY with her dog Moofasah
and cat Poombah. She is currently in plans to open a clinic
practice in NYC providing psychotherapy for Latino and African
American children and families and autism evaluation services.

Ingrid McFarlane
LCSW-R

Ingrid McFarlane
LCSW-R
Ingrid received her master’s degree in social work from the
University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy and Practice.
She is a licensed clinical social worker with the “R” psychotherapy
privilege in the state of New York. Ingrid is currently employed
as a pediatric oncology social worker in the Northwell Health
system at Cohen Children’s Medical Center of New York. In
addition, Ingrid has a private practice working with children,
adolescents, individuals, and couples in Huntington, NY.
Her clinical experience is across a variety of settings,
and includes inpatient and outpatient specialty clinics, crisis
intervention, school mental health alliance, child and adolescent
psychiatry, traumatic brain injury, Neuro rehabilitation, physical
medicine and rehabilitation, hematology/oncology, neonatal and
pediatric intensive care, and emergency medicine and trauma.
Embracing her passion for group work, Ingrid has also led
parent support groups for the caregivers of children with a variety
of oncological diagnoses and teen groups focusing on anger
management and coping skills. She has also provided clinical
and administrative supervision to undergraduate and graduate
social work interns and professionals. Ingrid is passionate about
providing therapeutic services to individuals and groups in
crisis in a culturally humble manner focusing on BIPOC and
immigrant populations.
Ingrid is trilingual and can speak, read, and write in English,
Spanish, and French fluently. As a result, Ingrid is passionate
about providing therapy in the client’s primary language to
INGRID MCFARLANE, MSW, LCSW-R
ensure that she embraces the full cultural identity of her clients as
she utilizes a holistic, strength based, person centered approach to
guide her practice. She utilizes a variety of techniques and skills
drawn from recognized therapeutic models including Cognitive
Behavioral Therapy, Solution Focused, Psychoeducation, Play
Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Family Systems Therapy.
Ingrid received The Cohen Children’s Medical Center’s
Patient/Customer Focus Award in February 2020. Erica
Sandoval, MSW, LCSW, president of the NASW-NY chapter
and Ingrid will be launching “E & I Consulting” in 2022.
- Phone:516-986-7560
- Email:ingridmcfarlanelcswr@gmail.com

Paula McMillan-Perez
LCSW

Paula McMillan-Perez
LCSW
Paula McMillan-Perez is an Afro-Caribbean licensed
social worker, coach, and framework mentor who was raised and
resides in the Bronx, NY. A graduate of Mt. Saint Mary College
majoring in psychology and human service, she earned a Bachelor
of Art as well as is a graduate of Adelphi University earning a
Master of Social Work degree, she also obtained a certification as
a professional coach from the Life Coach Institute. She has over
a decade of experience serving all age groups surrounding child
welfare, forensic social work, substance abuse, and trauma.
Through her work in New York City communities, she
saw a need to create more accessible services for people of color,
women, and children, which is how Personalize Your Coaching,
LLC was born! Partnering with educators, individuals, and
organizations to enhance confidence, communication, and build
better relationships to move from surviving to thriving is what
this work is all about. Through individual coaching, courses, group
coaching, and workshop facilitation, she supports clients’ holistic
growth through a mental wellness lens ensuring the capability to
reach their goals.
Paula enjoys spending time with her husband JR, exploring
and eating all over NYC, traveling, practicing self-care, playing
video games, and reading comic books.
- Phone:347-601-4670
- Email:paula@personalizeyourcoaching.life

Amelia Ortega
LCSW

Amelia Ortega
LCSW
Amelia Ortega, LCSW, currently works as a somatic
psychotherapist, organizational change consultant, and professor
of Social Work practice. As a social worker, Amelia has worked
for the last fourteen years dedicated to supporting queer and
trans young adults and families. Amelia currently works in their
NYC-based practice, Amanecer Feminist Psychotherapy, and
is an instructor at the Columbia University School of Social
Work, where they have taught for nine years. Amelia specializes
in trauma focused therapies and trauma informed classroom
pedagogies. Amelia’s clinical and teaching practice engages
healing through use of somatic experiencing, EMDR, and their
training in the Trauma Conscious Yoga Method. In 2019, Amelia
was named by Negocios Now as one of “NYC’s 40 Latinos
under 40” for their trauma therapy work with LGBTQ Latinx
community.
Amelia received their MSW from the Columbia University
School of Social Work in 2007, and is beginning work on their
doctorate of social welfare at SUNY Buffalo in Fall 2021.
Amelia is a deep listener of all life, and when they aren’t
working, is often found out in nature with birds and wildlife.
They are a photographer, writer, visual creator, and naturalist.

Maria E. Ortiz
M.A., LMSW

Maria E. Ortiz
M.A., LMSW
As a dedicated NYC licensed social worker, Maria has a
deep passion for working with families, particularly women and
children. Maria has a master’s degrees in forensic psychology
from John Jay College and social work from Fordham University,
and fifteen years of child welfare experience, in addition to over
ten years of experience with children in other settings.
Currently, Maria is a forensic social worker at The Legal
Aid Society in Juvenile Rights. This allows her to combine her
experiences and both her graduate degrees to better engage,
educate, and empower the children and youth she works with.
Maria will soon transition and begin working towards becoming
a licensed clinical social worker. Maria intends to provide
individual therapy with a focus on serving families, especially
through dyadic treatment which is where the parent and young
child are treated simultaneously.
Maria serves on the board of the NASW NYC Chapter
and as a Delegate Assembly member. Maria also serves on
Manhattan Community Board 4 as co-chair of the Housing,
Health, and Human Services Committee and serves on Arts,
Culture, Education and Street Life (ACES). MCB4 covers Hell's
Kitchen/Clinton, Hudson Yards, and Chelsea.
Maria continues to live in Hell’s Kitchen with her son. One
of her favorite hobbies to relieve stress and for self-care is to
dance, especially to salsa music.
- Email:meortizlmsw@gmail.com

Tania Vargas
LCSW

Tania Vargas
LCSW
Tania Vargas, LCSW is New York City-based but Florida-
raised. Tania moved from her hometown of Tallahassee, Florida
to pursue her master’s in social work at New York University.
Tania is an LCSW in the states of New York and New Jersey.
She has worked in the child welfare system for New York City
and has a passion for ending the stigma of having a mental health
diagnosis.
Tania recently started her own private practice, Just A Little
Step, LLC, in January 2021. She sees individuals, couples, and
families through telehealth services. Along with owning her own
private practice and being a supervisor, Tania is a photographer
and consultant. Tania has been certified in four different
curriculums regarding foster care and LGBTQ youth in the New
York City foster care system. Thanks to ever-growing technology,
you can reach Tania in multiple ways! Tania is always excited to
talk to new people.
- Phone:347-377-2380
- Email:tania@justalittlestep.com
“This is a deeply authentic book revealing the strength within the collective vulnerability of its contributors. What an honor it is to be a part of this timely work, a labor of love if ever there was one. Each of our narratives is unique and yet deeply connected by strong thematic fibers that include a quest to be all that we truly are in a landscape that asks us to relinquish our authentic selves as the entrance fee into the struggle to succeed. Although each of the authors has accomplished impressive levels of success, these are stories of the cost, the toll, and the eventual triumph of our very souls. This is a collective declaration of a commitment to succeed on our own terms and reclaim the beauty and power of our deepest selves and the ancestors who sowed their love and strength into us with their blood, sweat and tears. We honor them in this book. We honor us in this book.”

Linda Lausell Bryant, MSW, Ph.D
Latinx in Social Work Madrina
“This book offers a much-needed perspective of LatinX social workers' tireless efforts to advance equity and justice. These are personal stories of those working on the frontlines and are rich in emotion, philosophy, conflict, hope, and determination as they strive daily to make a difference in the quality of life of their communities. This book serves as an inspiration to future generations of Latinx social workers and the collective impact they look to make.”

Ana L. Oliveira
President & CEO of The New York Women's Foundation
Owning your own narrative is the true embodiment of freedom. This book highlights wonderful narratives that demonstrate the diversity of our Latina diaspora. Thank you for this important work.”

Lisette Nieves
President, Fund for the City of New York