Session 3 of 3 in the "Championing Students Through Change: Welcoming Youth Transitioning To and From School" Series (view series page for full details)
In this last session, Oriana and Melissa will focus on trauma-sensitive and culturally responsive strategies for welcoming students back to school from juvenile justice system involvement. Our goal is to equip you with the tools and knowledge needed to create nurturing environments that uplift students and foster their resilience as they navigate these significant transitions.
We'll explore practical strategies for supporting students transitioning to and from programs and institutions and provide participants with the skills to promote a sense of belonging and resilience among students during these pivotal times. Key questions we'll address include:
Join us to build your capacity to champion students through times of transition. Whether you're an educator, administrator, school mental health professional, or youth advocate, you'll walk away with deepened empathy, practical tools, and a network of support.
Melissa Smith, M.S. (she/her)
Melissa Smith is the newest member of the Pacific Southwest MHTTC team. As a licensed collegiate and postgraduate professional, Melissa comprehends the immense influence education can have on cultivating safe, inclusive, and engaging learning spaces that amplify voices which often go unheard. As a licensed collegiate and postgraduate professional, Melissa understands education's profound impact on ability to challenge existing norms and perceptions, amplifying the voices of those from marginalized communities.
As a Change Consultant with Change Matrix, Melissa crafts transformative learning experiences that foster personal and professional growth. Her commitment extends beyond conventions as she envisions landscapes where everyone feels valued, heard, and empowered to thrive. She uses her scholarly knowledge to create safe, inclusive, and engaging learning environments. Her methodology empowers people and organizations to question the status quo, utilize data-driven insights, and take tangible actions to create more equitable and inclusive environments.
A passionate professional with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and a Master of Science in Reading from Radford University, Melissa encourages us to move beyond comfort zones to dismantle systemic barriers hindering social, emotional and mental health.
Oriana Ides, MA, APCC, PPS (she/her)
Oriana Ides is a School Mental Health Training Specialist at CARS (the Center for Applied Research Solutions) and approaches healing the wounds of trauma and oppression as core elements of social justice. She has worked with young people across the life course from elementary school to college, and has served as teacher-leader, school counselor, classroom educator and program director. She is committed to generating equity within school structures and policies by focusing on evidence-based mental health techniques and institutional design.
Ebony Sinnamon-Johnson (she/her)
Ebony’s path is grounded in the integrity of Spirit and guided by her ancestors. Her calling is to be of service to those targeted by the brutality of oppressive systems. As a Black woman, Ebony prioritizes her advocacy, organizing, teaching, consulting, and healing guidance work to uplift Black people and Black communities. In addition to supporting marginalized people to navigate, resist, and heal from structural violence; Ebony recognizes this work is incomplete without asserting methods of accountability for abusive systems and empowerment for those harmed. Ebony has worked across a variety of institutional settings including public education, child welfare, community based mental health, and juvenile justice. Her practice has always been accompanied by efforts to partner with those most impacted and their ally’s to develop and implement protocols of systemic accountability to address issues of bias and discrimination. A hallmark of Ebony’s practice is challenging the status quo and inspiring people to initiate and create healthier ways of existing. Principles from Transformative Justice, Disability Justice, and the Black Radical tradition like self-determination, intersectionality, collective empowerment, sovereignty, and love inform her perspective and guide her approach.
Macheo Payne, Ed.D. MSW (he/him)
Dr. Macheo Payne is a Director of Juvenile Justice Systems Change at Public Works Alliance, a nonprofit organization that collaborates with local governments and communities to advance equity and justice. With over 15 years of experience in social work, Macheo is a passionate advocate for youth development, mental health, and family support.
Macheo is also a Professor of Social Work at California State University - East Bay, where he teaches Social Welfare Policy and Race, Gender & Inequality for 12 years. He holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from San Francisco State University, and has published on the disproportionate suspension of Black male students and the role of critical race theory in addressing systemic racism. Macheo is a motivator who works best in diverse teams, charged with solving some of society's biggest problems using transformational approaches that are human and healing centered.
