Meet Our Team

Julie Kurtz, M.S., LMFT is an author and national speaker specializing in trauma-responsive, social-emotional, and resilience-building skills, particularly within educational settings ranging from early childhood to 12th grade. As the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Center for Optimal Brain Integration®, Julie is dedicated to amplifying the voices of those who have experienced toxic or traumatic stress, empowering both children and adults, and nurturing humane beings through intentional social-emotional learning and resilience strategies. Julie’s expertise is further demonstrated through her leadership roles in programs that implement Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS). Her work has been instrumental in guiding educators and organizations to create healing, resilient, and equitable communities. She co-authored several groundbreaking works, including Trauma-Informed Practices for Early Childhood Educators, Reducing Stress in Schools: Restoring Community and Connection and Trauma-Informed Practices for Early Childhood Leaders. These resources offer invaluable guidance for integrating trauma-informed care with PBIS and MTSS frameworks. In addition to her contributions to professional literature, Julie is the creative force behind award-winning children’s books such as Understanding My Brain: Becoming Human(E)!

Dr. LaWanda Wesley works at the Child Care Resource Center as Director of Government Relations. She helped to form a policy coalition, Black Californians United for Early Care and Education that centers a 10 Point Plan for children, families and the workforce. Dr. Wesley also co-directed a statewide leadership fellowship titled the California Consortium for Equity in Early Childhood Education Fellowship, and was the Co-Founder and Co-Director for the Center for Equity in Early Childhood Education (CEECE) in service of disrupting race inequities at its root cause. Dr. Wesley was voted and appointed to the California-Hawaii NAACP State Executive Committee as the Community Coordinator Chair, and as of October 2022 was also appointed as Education Chair. In 2021, Dr. Wesley was selected by the National Black Child Development Institute as one of 14 Policy Fellows across the country for 2021-2023 cohort. Lastly, she is the co-author for both Culturally Responsive Self-Care Practices for Early Educators and Trauma-Responsive Practices for Early Childhood Leaders: Creating and Sustaining Healing Engaged Organizations. To date, Dr. Wesley continues to advocate and remain in the service of children and families most impacted by historical and structural oppression, and yet sees them most at-promise. She is authorized to train with COBI on our module Culturally Responsive Self-Care Practices.

Valentina Torres MA, LMFT is the Co-Clinical Case Manager of the Families in Transition Program with Family Paths. She is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California. Valentina is bilingual and speaks Spanish fluently. She has worked with various populations doing Early Child Mental Health consultation in preschool, family and child psychotherapy, individual psychotherapy, developmental playgroups and parenting groups. Additionally, she provides reflective supervision to early childhood clinicians. She is an authorized and mentor trainer with the Center for Optimal Brain Integration. She is certified as a Circle of Security Educator, a Fussy Baby Specialist with Fussy Baby Network from the Erikson Institute and an authorized trainer and coach of the CA CSEFEL Teaching Pyramid. Valentina received her BA in Theater Arts from the University of California at Santa Cruz in 2005. She received her master’s in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Drama Therapy from the California Institute of Integral Studies in 2009. Valentina is deeply passionate about providing high quality services to our most marginalized communities to heal trauma and create change by uplifting the voices of our young children, their families and the people and systems that support them. She is a mentor level trainer with the Center for Optimal Brain Integration®. ​--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Valentina Torres MA, LMFT es Gerente Clinica del Programa de Familias en Transición con Family Paths. Es una terapeuta matrimonial y familiar con licencia en California. Valentina es bilingüe y habla español con fluidez. Ha trabajado con varias poblaciones realizando consultas de Salud Mental Infantil en preescolar, psicoterapia familiar e infantil, psicoterapia individual, grupos de juego de desarrollo y grupos de crianza. Además, brinda supervisión reflexiva a psicólogos con especialización de la primera infancia. Está certificada como Educadora del Círculo de Seguridad, Especialista con Fussy Baby Network del Instituto Erikson y entrenadora autorizada de la Pirámide de Enseñanza de CA CSEFEL. Valentina recibió su licenciatura en Artes Teatrales de la Universidad de California en Santa Cruz en 2005. Recibió su maestría en Psicología Clínica con énfasis en Terapia Dramática del Instituto de Estudios Integrales de California en 2009. A Valentina le apasiona brindar servicios de alta calidad a nuestras comunidades más marginadas para sanar el trauma y crear un cambio elevando las voces de nuestros niños pequeños, sus familias y las personas y los sistemas que los apoyan. Es entrenadora a nivel de mentor en el Centro para la Integración Óptima del Cerebro®.

Dr. Crystal McClendon-Gourdine proudly serves as the executive director of the Black Women in Early Childhood Collective, working alongside its partner organization, the Center for Equity in Early Childhood. With over 25 years of experience in early childhood, K-12, and higher education, Crystal brings deep expertise and commitment to advancing equity. For a decade, she led a Spanish-immersion family childcare program and has supported more than 100 infant/toddler and preschool programs through impactful coaching, training, and facilitation. Dr. Crystal is also the co-author of a WestEd and CDE publication focused on creating equitable learning environments for boys of color—a free resource packed with stories, data, and reflective prompts. Beyond education, Crystal is deeply engaged in her community, serving as chair of her local planning council and chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Her passion for empowerment extends to her work as a personal fashion stylist, a role that has enriched her leadership journey in unexpected ways. Crystal resides in the Bay Area with her husband and sons. She holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Human Development/Educational Psychology from the University of Maryland, College Park, an M.A. in Leadership in Early Childhood Education from Mills College, and a B.A. in Psychology from Spelman College.

Rainbow Markell is a long-term trainer and Early Care and Education specialist. With her Master’s in Non-Profit Administration and years of experience with young children, she brings deep understanding of social emotional and a trauma lens to everything she does. She is currently the Trauma-Informed Care Training & Coaching Coordinator for California Child Care Resource and Referral Network. Trauma-Informed Training is her passion and she is involved with many efforts to promote trauma informed care and resilience including running a Training of Trainer’s certification program for the CA Resource and Referral Network, delivering Trauma-informed training with a specialized lens for the LGBTQ community and race equity. Rainbow is authorized and a Mentor Level trainer with the Center for Optimal Brain Integration®.

Silvia Bonilla has over 30 years of experience in the early childhood field. She is bilingual and bicultural and is most proud of being a grandmother! She is currently working on her bachelor’s degree and maintains an associate degree and is credentialed with a teaching permit and site supervisor permit. She is certified as a trainer in Abriendo Puertas, Touch Points, Teaching Pyramid Social Emotional Curriculum, Protective Factors and Strengthening Families Framework and Trauma-Responsive and Healing Engaged Modules 100, 200 and 300 with the Center for Optimal Brain Integration®. She is certified with an Adult Education Teaching Credential. Silvia is experienced in planning and facilitating curriculum for children ages 2-5, parent support groups and parent training as well as training early childhood teachers. Silvia knows how to mobilize community support in times of stress, and she is a grounding force for those who are experiencing individual and collective trauma. ----Silvia Bonilla tiene más de 30 años de experiencia en el campo de la educación de la primera infancia. Es bilingüe y bicultural, y se siente especialmente orgullosa de ser abuela. Actualmente está cursando su licenciatura; además, cuenta con un título de asociada y está acreditada con un permiso de enseñanza y un permiso de supervisora de centro. Está certificada como capacitadora en Abriendo Puertas, Touch Points, el Currículo Socioemocional Teaching Pyramid, Factores de Protección y el Marco de Fortalecimiento de las Familias, así como en los Módulos 100, 200 y 300 de Trauma-Responsive and Healing Engaged del Center for Optimal Brain Integration®. También cuenta con una credencial de enseñanza en educación para adultos. Silvia tiene experiencia en la planificación y facilitación de currículos para niños de 2 a 5 años, grupos de apoyo para padres, capacitación para padres y formación de maestros de educación inicial. Silvia sabe cómo movilizar el apoyo comunitario en tiempos de estrés y es una fuerza de apoyo y estabilidad para quienes experimentan trauma individual y colectivo.

Jennifer Silverstein is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and California endorsed Infant Family Mental Health Specialist and Reflective Practice Facilitator. She has over 2 decades of experience in fostering early childhood mental health. She specializes in work with young children with complex developmental trauma and works extensively with children in the foster care system. She provides dyadic (relational) therapy to children and their caregivers, designed to promote healthy attachments and support mutual regulation. She provides mental health consolation to preschool providers. Jennifer has advanced training in the impact of childhood adversity on the developing brain. She is a frequent lecturer on Trauma Informed Care and is actively involved in community efforts to promote early childhood mental health through public education and the strengthening of service systems. Jenni is a mentor level authorized by the Center for Optimal Brain Integration to train on Module 100 in Trauma-Responsive and Resilience Building Practices.

Pamela Lopez, LCSW is a licensed Clinical Social Worker, who specializes in working with children, youth, and families who have experienced trauma especially within the Latinx community. She currently resides on Ohlone land also known as San Francisco running her own private practice and consultation business Luna Llena Therapy y Consulta. Given her identity as a first-generation Salvadoran American, she knows many of the cargas y regalos (gifts & burdens) that come with navigating day to day life, family stress, and intergenerational healing. Pamela is originally from Los Angeles but has worked within community based mental health work the bay area for over 6 years. Pamela is bilingual in English and Spanish - maybe even trilingual because Spanglish. She centers her work in co-creating healing for individuals and families to strengthen our beloved comunidad. She is authorized to train in several trauma-responsive modules at the Center for Optimal Brain Integration. ------ Pamela Lopez, LCSW es una trabajadora social clínica con licencia, que se especializa en trabajar con niños, jovenes y familias que han experimentado traumas, especialmente dentro de la comunidad Latinx. Ella vive en la tierra de Ohlone conocido como San Francisco hacienda su negocio de terapia llamada Luna Llena Therapy y Consulta. Dada su identidad de primera generación Salvadoreña Americana, Pamela conoce las cargas y regalos que vienen con la vida cotidiana, el estrés familiar y la sanación intergeneracional. Pamela es nacida en Los Angeles pero ha trabajado en trabajo comunitario de salud mental en el área de la bahía durante más de 6 años. Ella es bilingüe en inglés y español, tal vez incluso trilingüe porque muchos hablamos Spanglish. Pamela centra co-crear sanación para individuos y familias para fortalezer nuestra comunidad. ​

Dr. Lisa Katzman, PT, DPT, PCS is a Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Pediatric Physical Therapy and an Early Intervention Specialist. She works with medically fragile children with developmental delays or disabilities from 0-5 years of age in the East San Francisco Bay Area. She specializes in caregiver coaching and routines-based intervention through personalized infant development and pediatric physical therapy services. Lisa also offers in-person developmental consultation to local private daycare and preschool centers as well as City of Oakland Head Start programs. Relationship-based, culturally sensitive, and trauma-responsive practices form the foundation of her approach to collaborative work with children, families, and caregivers. Lisa has an authorization from the Center for Optimal Brain Integration® to provide trauma-responsive and resilience building trainings in Module 100 (Pre-K to 3rd grade), Module 100: Infant/Toddler, Module 200: Going Deeper, Module 100: Intersection of Trauma and Disabilities and Module 300 Strengthening Self-Awareness and Self-Care Practices for Adults.

Ramya Krishna has been supporting Early Childhood Programs for the last 15 years. After working at an autism center as a behavior therapist, she developed a love for early intervention and early childhood education as an Early Learning Mentor Coach for San Francisco Head Start. Ramya then spent 8 years as an Early Childhood Inclusion Specialist for San Francisco Inclusion Networks/Hel Me Grow SF coaching providers in center-based and family child care settings to develop and sustain their inclusive practices and environments. Now as an independent consultant with The Learning Circle, Ramya's inspiration comes from working with dedicated educators to promote inclusive settings that provide equitable and high quality practices for all children and families in their programs and communities. Ramya is also an authorized trainer for the Center for Optimal Brain Integration in Trauma-Responsive and Resilience Building Practices for Early Childhood Educators and Trauma-Responsive Family Engagement Practices.

Cameo Calhoun has over 25 years of dedication to early childhood education; she specializes in fostering inclusive and supportive learning environments that empower young children to thrive. Holding a Bachelor of Arts in Child Development with a focus on Early Childhood Education, her expertise spans from intervention support to coaching and training. Cameo’s experience includes 20 years with SETA Head Start in Sacramento, where she is currently an Education Specialist, bridging best practice with trauma informed methods. She has also honed her skills in layered support for children with disabilities and other challenges as an Intervention Specialist. She is PC-CARE certified, a Teaching Pyramid authorized coach, and a Teaching Pyramid for Families facilitator. As a CLASS trained observer, she possesses a keen eye for effective teaching practices. Her passion lies in training educators on trauma-informed practices, emphasizing the transformative power of resilience and hope in community building. Cameo has an authorization from the Center for Optimal Brain Integration® to provide trauma-responsive and resilience building trainings in Module 100 (Pre-K to 3rd grade), Module 100: Infant/Toddler, Module 200: Going Deeper, and Module 300 Strengthening Self-Awareness and Self-Care Practices for Adults. Cameo is committed to helping educators, families, and communities unlock the potential of every child, fostering a culture of care, hope, and resilience.

Jane Bernzweig, PhD, is a research psychologist with expertise in early childhood evaluation. She has been working with COBI on the evaluation of training and is also a recently authorized Module 100 trainer. She has expertise in both qualitative and quantitative methods stemming from her postdoctoral training in the study of stress and coping in childhood. She was also a pediatric researcher studying gender differences in physician-patient interactions and had been the research coordinator of First 5 California’s Child Care Health Linkages Project and First 5 Alameda County’s Kindergarten Readiness Assessment. Jane has published articles in peer-reviewed journals and Zero to Three on mental health consultation and kindergarten readiness. Over time her research has become more community-based and participatory. Her current interest is in mental health consultation to preschools.

Sandra Gonzales-Pabon is an immigrant, originally from Peru and she has been in the Early Childhood career for almost three decades, working in state and federally funded programs (infant/toddler, preschool, and school-age). Sandra has worked with various groups of professionals, providing training, and coaching. Her passion is research-based training and coaching to support equity in early childhood programs serving professionals, families, and young children. Sandra’s expertise includes supporting staff on best practices with young children in different learning environments, including children with disabilities, dual/multi-language learners and children who are at-risk or experiencing homelessness. In addition, she was responsible for maintaining data on children with disabilities within a general education setting and collaborated with the general education/special education staff, and families to support children across various settings. Sandra worked as a Quality Counts Coach for the Solano Office of Education and as a Teacher on Special Assignment for two local district’s infant/toddler, preschool, and school-age programs. She is Biliterate (English and Spanish), with a B.A. in Child Development from CA State University Sacramento, M.A. in Early Childhood Education from National University, and a degree in Science Communications from Peru. Her expertise includes being a certified trainer for the Desired Results Developmental Profile, Trainer-of-Trainers for the Ages and Stages Questionnaires ASQ-3 and ASQ-Social and Emotional (SE-2) screening tools, Infant, Toddler and PreK Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) Observer, certified trainer, coach, and observer for CA Teaching Pyramid Preschool. Additionally, she is an authorized trainer in several Trauma-Responsive and Resilience Building modules through the Center for Optimal Brain Integration® (COBI). -----Sandra Gonzales-Pabón es una inmigrante, originaria de Perú, y ha desarrollado su carrera en la educación de la primera infancia durante casi tres décadas, trabajando en programas financiados a nivel estatal y federal (bebés y niños pequeños, preescolar y edad escolar). Sandra ha trabajado con diversos grupos de profesionales, brindando capacitación y acompañamiento (coaching). Su pasión es la capacitación y el coaching basados en la investigación para promover la equidad en los programas de la primera infancia que atienden a profesionales, familias y niños pequeños. La experiencia de Sandra incluye el apoyo al personal en prácticas óptimas con niños pequeños en distintos entornos de aprendizaje, incluyendo niños con discapacidades, aprendices de dos o múltiples idiomas y niños en situación de riesgo o que experimentan la falta de vivienda. Además, fue responsable de mantener datos sobre niños con discapacidades dentro de entornos de educación general y colaboró con el personal de educación general y educación especial, así como con las familias, para apoyar a los niños en diversos contextos. Sandra trabajó como Quality Counts Coach para la Oficina de Educación del Condado de Solano y como Maestra en Asignación Especial para programas de bebés/niños pequeños, preescolar y edad escolar en dos distritos locales. Es biliterata (inglés y español) y cuenta con una licenciatura en Desarrollo Infantil de la Universidad Estatal de California en Sacramento, una maestría en Educación de la Primera Infancia de National University y un título en Comunicación Científica de Perú. Su experiencia incluye ser capacitadora certificada del Desired Results Developmental Profile, capacitadora de capacitadores (Trainer-of-Trainers) de las herramientas de evaluación Ages and Stages Questionnaires ASQ-3 y ASQ Socioemocional (SE-2), observadora del sistema de evaluación CLASS (Infant, Toddler y PreK), y capacitadora, coach y observadora certificada del CA Teaching Pyramid Preschool. Además, es capacitadora autorizada en varios módulos de Trauma-Responsive y Desarrollo de la Resiliencia a través del Center for Optimal Brain Integration® (COBI).

Theresa Borja Thompson is a dedicated coach and trainer who specializes in Stress-Reducing, Trauma-Responsive, and Resilience Building Practices for educators and families. With over 24 years of experience in early childhood education, she brings a wealth of knowledge and hands-on expertise to her work, offering valuable tools to create safe, supportive learning environments. As an Early Care and Education professor and a member of the ECE Advisory Board at Diablo Valley College, Theresa is deeply committed to advancing the field and supporting the professional growth of educators. Through her work as founder of Butterfly Effect Consulting, she partners with both public and private schools, educational organizations, districts, and community groups to provide impactful presentations, workshops, and customized training programs. Her mission is to transform Early Care and Education by fostering environments that are healing, trauma-responsive, and build resilience. ​ Theresa’s extensive experience includes roles as an ECE teacher, site director, and executive director, each of which has fueled her passion for advocacy and her unwavering commitment to supporting the well-being of children, educators, and families alike. ​ She holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of California, Davis, and a master’s degree in Education with an emphasis on Early Childhood from Mills College. Theresa has also received the Reflective and Integrated Practice: Early Childhood Education Award and is authorized through the Center for Optimal Brain Integration® to train in Trauma-Responsive and Resilience Building Practices. Through her work, Theresa continues to inspire and empower educators to create environments where children and families can thrive.

Lisa Carr has dedicated 27 years to SETA Head Start as a Program Support Manager, where she oversees ERSEA, Family Engagement, and the Home-Based Program. She also serves as a community college instructor at American River College, specializing in social-emotional and leadership development. Additionally, Lisa is an authorized trauma trainer with The Center for Optimal Brain Integration, which has become her real passion.

Jeanne Veich is a dedicated Early Childhood Education (ECE) faculty member at Shasta College with over 30 years of experience working with children, families, and educators. Passionate about fostering resilience and trauma-informed education, she became authorized through the Center for Optimal Brain Integration’s Training of Trainer certification in Fall 2023. This transformative experience inspired her to develop three credit and non-credit Trauma Courses at Shasta College, addressing the urgent need for trauma-responsive education in Shasta County—one of California’s top three counties with a staggering Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) score of 53%. ​ As a certified Trauma Trainer, Jeanne specializes in equipping educators with trauma-informed strategies to create supportive learning environments. She leads Module 100: Trauma-Responsive and Resilience Building for Educators and Module 300: Strengthening Adult Self-Awareness and Self-Care to Prevent Burnout, emphasizing the critical role of educator well-being in student success. Committed to bridging the gap between neuroscience and classroom practice, Jeanne continues to empower educators with the knowledge and tools needed to support children affected by trauma—making this her life’s mission and heart work.

Wenonah Elms, MA (she/her) MEd/ESCE is the Mental Health & Disabilities Coordinator for the City of Oakland Head Start Program. She has a Masters in Early Childhood Education/Special Education from Mills College in Oakland California. She has over 14 years experience in working in early childhood education. She has a strong commitment to the importance of relationship-based, inclusion services and trauma responsive practices. Wenonah has an authorization from the Center for Optimal Brain Integration to provide trauma-responsive and resilience building trainings in Module 100 (Pre-K to 3rd Grade), Module 100: Infant/Toddler, Module 200: Going Deeper, and Module 100: Intersection of Trauma and Disabilities and Module 300 Strengthening Self-Awareness and Self-Care Practices for adults.

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