Joshua Arvidson, MSS, LCSW  is an expert in trauma-informed care for children, and established the Alaska Child Trauma Center at Alaska Behavioral Health. He has served on the Steering Committee for SAMHSA’s National Child Traumatic Stress Network and is the Principal Investigator for the Military Family Child Trauma Program. He’s also on the Editorial Review Board for the Journal of Child and Adolescent Trauma and has presented at over 100 conferences on childhood trauma, including the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.  Joshua serves on the Board of Directors for FOCUS and has designed and taught courses on clinical practice with children and adolescents and childhood trauma for the University of Alaska Anchorage. Joshua has published in the journals, Child Welfare 360, Child Maltreatment, the Journal of Child and Adolescent Trauma and Trauma, Abuse and Violence.  He’s been recognized by the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce as one of Alaska’s “Top 40 Under 40” and has received a Business Achievement Award for Healthcare from the Anchorage Daily News. Joshua currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer at Alaska Behavioral Health.

Jessica Passini, MPH, is a Healthcare Analyst at Alaska Behavioral Health. Over the last 10 years, Jessica has worked as an analyst, project manager, and co- and lead-evaluator on multiple SAMHSA-funded grants. Specializing in population health, Jessica has expertise in client, population, and system-level process and outcomes evaluation and analysis. She monitors child and adult client outcomes for disparities to help her understand the needs of clients receiving services at AKBH and uses this information to inform program improvement and development. Jessica has training in culturally responsive research practices particularly with Indigenous populations. She enjoys combining her artistic and analytic skills in data storytelling by using visualizations to communicate findings in clear and engaging ways. Born and raised in Alaska, Jessica values the opportunity to give back to her community through her work in mental and behavioral health evaluation and advocacy. When she isn’t working, Jessica enjoys hiking year-round with her three dogs, gardening, trying new recipes, and baking homemade bread.

Jenn Hurtig, LMSW, is a Clinician at the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic in Wasilla for Alaska Behavioral Health. She graduated from USC School of Social Work in 2016 and worked in preventative mental health as a Community Support Coordinator before moving to mental health therapy. Jenn began her clinical journey with Intensive Case Management where she worked with those who experienced high service needs before transitioning to an outpatient clinic. Specializing in CBT techniques, Jenn utilizes solution-focused, person-centered, trauma-informed modalities to help individuals and families build lives they feel are worth living. She believes that empowering communities to collectively identify and solve their unique challenges through a strength-based lens is the key to creating purposive, meaningful change. She enjoys reading, playing trombone, and eating delicious food.

Teresa Gomez is an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Isleta and a life-long resident of New Mexico. Teresa has dedicated her career to serving Tribes and advocating for issues affecting American Indians. In 2006, Teresa served as the Deputy Cabinet Secretary for the New Mexico Indian Affairs Department. Teresa also served as the Deputy CEO for the NM Behavioral Health Purchasing Collaborative. 

Teresa has worked extensively with Tribal governments and various governmental agencies at the federal, state, and local levels.  She has been instrumental in building and strengthening Tribal-State relations and collaboration. Teresa is a faculty member of UNM’s Division of Community Behavioral Health serving as a Lecturer II. 

MaryBeth Goodman is the Director of the Cohen Clinics at Alaska Behavioral Health, a grant organization of the Cohen Veterans Network supporting the SMVF community. With 28 years of clinical experience, MaryBeth earned her undergraduate degrees in mathematics, physics, philosophy, and education from The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA. She continued her graduate studies in counseling and psychology at Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA. She is a licensed mental health clinician and does licensure reciprocity advocacy to ensure military and veteran spouses have licensure portability.

As the spouse of an Air Force combat veteran, MaryBeth intimately understands the challenges faced by military families. Residing in Eagle River, Alaska, with her two children and a not-so-obedient basset hound, she navigates the complexities of military life with insight and empathy. Growing up as an Army brat, MaryBeth’s background strengthens her connection with the military community. Her clinical focus addresses various issues, including PTSD, trauma, eating disorders, anxiety, depression, grief and loss, divorce, addiction, and sensory integration issues.

Her enduring commitment to fostering healing reflects not only her clinical expertise but also her ability to navigate the delicate balance between personal and professional life with grace and professionalism. She works with adults, children, and families and has yet to find a corner of the world where hope does not exist.

Kandis is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, and US Air Force veteran with a wide range of clinical, operational, and life experience. Her counseling approach aims to deliver evidence based therapeutic counseling techniques through the lens of a clients’ existential and holistic health. With her background in biological sciences as well as her experience in military crisis response, clinical counseling, living abroad, and parenting two young children, Kandis brings a depth and breadth of knowledge to help clients gain tools and insight on their journey towards healing, and to help them recognize and foster their own inner strength.

Deidre Yellowhair, Ph.D, (Diné/Navajo; she/her/Asdzáán) is currently an Assistant Professor, Research Faculty in the Division of Community Behavioral Health in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at University of New Mexico. Raised on the Diné reservation in Arizona, Dr. Yellowhair has lived and worked in various Native and non-Native communities and settings in New Mexico, Arizona, and Michigan. Dr. Yellowhair’ s research has focused on Historical Trauma, Race/Racism, Diversity and Equity& Inclusion. Dr. Yellowhair has worked in the service of urban and rural Native communities and has committed research and professional focus to promote cultural safety, competence, humility, inclusion, and collaboration with Native communities to promote resilience and healing Historical Trauma. She is the Project Director for the Trauma informed to build Resilient, Indigenous, Balanced communities Enhanced with Strength (T.R.I.B.E.S.) Project that focuses on raising the standard of care and improve access to services for traumatized children, their families, and communities, particularly American Indian/ Alaskan Native communities throughout the United States.

Jennifer S. Nanez, MSW, LMSW, currently serves as a Lecturer II with the University of New Mexico, Division of Community Behavioral Health in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.   Ms. Nanez is an enrolled tribal member of the Pueblo of Acoma, New Mexico and is a daughter, sister, an auntie; and mother to two young Indigenous matriarchs in training.  Ms. Nanez has been in the social work and education fields for over 25 years, with experience working across Tribal, Urban Indian, Federal and University Systems; all with an emphasis in serving the American Indian population.  Ms. Nanez’s interests lie in suicide prevention and mental health treatment support. Ms. Nanez works to promote effective community engagement and clinical practice, while emphasizing cultural resilience, connection to traditions, and Indigenous based knowledge and healing in American Indian Tribes and communities.