Trauma Informed Specialist

April Brown (MEd) is the Program Director of the Center for Cognitive Diversity, a certified Trauma-Informed Education Specialist and TIPS™ Facilitator, and the instructor of CogDiv’s Trauma Supportive Schools course. Her background is in special education and psychology, and she holds certification in mindfulness. Formerly, Brown held teaching and leadership positions in the United States and internationally, spanning PK-8th grade.

Brown wears many hats in the field of education including instructional coach, education consultant, and curriculum developer. Brown believes in the importance of supporting education professionals as they cultivate trauma informed practices by providing professional development focused on topics such as intersectional social justice/disability justice, embracing neurodiversity, creating environments that heal and empower, and the importance of addressing educator mental health through peer support.

Additionally, Brown is a contributing education and parenting writer for publications such as PBS SoCal and volunteers as the Dean of Rebellious Educators of the Student Ignition Society to support early childhood educators in implementing anti-oppressive/equity-driven practices.

Kelsey Chandler is a Trauma Informed Specialist and brings a human first approach to her work in education. Chandler supports educational leaders on integrating social, emotional, and relational elements into their leadership, school policies, and classroom practices. Program-wide development and implementation of Social Emotional Learning (SEL), Trauma-Informed Practices, and Restorative Practices (RP) are the cornerstones of this work.

Chandler’s work includes: co-founding a school site wellness center, coaching and consultation with district and school leaders, the creation of social emotional and social justice focused curricula, and professional development for schools, school districts, and educational organizations.

Chandler holds a BA in Anthropology from UC Santa Cruz, a Master’s from the California Institute of Integral Studies, and is certified in Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI). Chandler is ADD- trained, certified in Caring School Communities, Responsive Classroom, Coaching for Equity, Brave Spaces, Second Step, and Toolbox.

Dr. David Gutierrez has been a principal and educator for over 15 years. He is a bilingual educator whose doctoral research focused on the role of Xicanx ‘torchbearers’ in education. He recently received his EdD and is an instructor at Sacramento State teaching courses such as multicultural counseling and providing Trauma Informed Peer Support for the Center for Social Resilience.

His work effectively transforming school climate and culture in some of the most underperforming schools in California has set a foundation for his work advocating for trauma-informed practices in schools with a focus on equity and community collaboration.

Dra. Natalie Mejia is a certified Trauma Informed Specialist and currently supporting the Center for Cognitive Diversity as an instructor of the Principles of Trauma course. Dra. Mejia served as an assistant principal and classroom teacher for ten years in middle and high schools across the nation.

As an instructional coach, she designed and facilitated learning experiences that helped educators understand the intersectionality of race and class and its impact on learning environments.

Additionally, Dra. Mejia has served as an adjunct lecturer for the Goucher Prison Education Partnership (GPEP) and Alder Graduate School of Education. Dra. Mejia holds a BA in Women’s Studies from UCLA, an MS in Urban Education from Johns Hopkins University, and an EdD in Educational Leadership from USC’s Rossier School of Education.

Emily Santiago MS, LEP, NCSP received her master’s degree in educational psychology from CSUEB in 2010. She has worked in rural, urban, and private schools in the US and abroad as a school psychologist, teacher, wraparound facilitator and university instructor for over 20 years. Her experience transforming school climate and responding to the needs of children, families, and educators set the groundwork for developing the Social Resilience Scale™ and the Trauma Informed Specialist program.

Santiago has been a speaker at national and international conferences including SXSWedu and has trained businesses and schools across the US to implement Trauma Informed practices to address burnout and turnover with her framework for Social Resilience. She currently resides in Ashland, Oregon with her family.

Dr. Alicia Williams is a certified trauma practitioner and trainer. She works as the trauma coordinator, a new position she initiated in the San Juan Unified School District. She provides direct services to staff, students, and families regarding concerns related to trauma in addition to providing professional development throughout the district. She is an advocate for staff and student wellness and finds that creating therapeutic environments lends itself to regulation and healing, which she discovered through her own research on student behavior and aesthetically pleasing environments. Dr. Williams has worked in the field of education and social work for over 25 years, and she is currently earning a postgraduate certificate in neuroscience and trauma. Her primary role, however, is being a "Fire" wife and mom to four children, two dogs, and a not-so-friendly cat!