2026 EMHS Speakers

Filipino-American poet, playwright, performer, and educator Aimee Suzara is the author of the forthcoming poetry book BIRTH LANGUAGE (Tia Chucha Press, Aug 2026), SOUVENIR (Wordtech Editions 2014), which was Willa Award Finalist, and two chapbooks, Finding the Bones and The Space Between(Finishing Line Press 2013 and 2008). Suzara was a 2025 San Francisco Foundation / Nomadic Press Literary Award winner, and has been awarded fellowships and residencies by Poetry and the Senses at UC Berkeley, Mesa Refuge, the Key West Literary Seminar, A Room of Her Own Foundation, Hedgebrook and the Atlantic Center for the Arts.  Based in Oakland, California, she teaches writing at Bay Area colleges and universities and through her coaching business Wild Tongues. 

Amber Allen-Peirson is a writer, filmmaker, and facilitator specializing in identity, storytelling, and relational communication. She is the author of The Unrooted Bloom and co-director of the feature documentary of the same name. She designs and leads workshops and lectures that support critical reflection, empathy-building, and effective communication across diverse communities.

Ana Frias-Bravo is a Mexican mental health therapist deeply committed to providing safe and dignified spaces for individuals and communities to heal and thrive.  Raised in Mexico City with roots in Hidalgo, Querétaro, and Guanajuato, Ana’s stories of migration and living with an undocumented status have profoundly shaped her clinical practices. She holds a master’s degree in clinical psychology from San Francisco State University and is a licensed marriage and family therapist.  Ana leads Casa Colibri Healing, her private practice focused on bilingual therapy and collective healing.

Andrés Edwards is an educator, speaker and forest bathing guide working with groups and individuals helping them to integrate nature with their health and well-being. He is the author of award-winning books including Renewal, The Heart of Sustainability, Thriving Beyond Sustainability, and The Sustainability Revolution. Andrés lives in northern California. www.andresedwards.com

Andrew Sudler is a Forensic Psychiatry Fellow at UCSF Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Dr. Sudler is passionate about mental health equity for vulnerable populations.  He received his BA in Psychology from Harvard University, his MPH in Health and Social Behavior from UC Berkeley, and his MD from Columbia University.  Andrew completed his adult psychiatry residency and public psychiatry fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and served as the psychiatry chief resident at the San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center.  Throughout his training, Andrew has done research investigating HIV/AIDS health inequities for people with serious mental illness, provided mental health care to patients in the San Francisco County Jail, and currently conducts mental health evaluations in both civil and criminal cases throughout the Bay Area.  Andrew’s goal is to use his training to advocate for improved mental health services for system-impacted patients and for those living with comorbid medical conditions.

April McGill is a California Indigenous woman, mother, and artist with over 20 years of experience working at the intersections of culture, advocacy, and community building in San Francisco. She currently serves as the Executive Director of the American Indian Cultural Center (AICC) and is a co-founder of the American Indian Cultural District (AICD), the first of its kind in the United States, where she also serves as Arts & Culture Chair.

Dr. Carmen McNeil is an educator and facilitator known for her powerful workshops on dismantling menstrual stigma and advancing inclusive, intergenerational conversations about health and equity. Blending research, storytelling, and practical tools, she equips communities, schools, and workplaces to challenge bias and create cultures of dignity and care. Her work has helped a variety of audiences to replace silence and shame with knowledge, confidence, and compassionate action.   

Cat Brooks is a theater artist, writer and community organizer. She hosts KPFA’s Law & Disorder and is a resident artist with Tha Lower Bottom Playaz. Her one-woman show ‘Tasha, about the in-custody murder of Natasha McKenna won Best of The SF Fringe (2017). Her film Bottled Spirits about the violence of gentrification has been nominated for/won multiple awards including Best Narrative Short. She’s the co-founder/executive director of the Anti Police-Terror Project and has spent two decades working with impacted communities to radically transform public safety systems in the U.S.

Daniela (Danny) Domínguez, PsyD, is an Associate Professor at the University of San Francisco and the Founder and CEO of On the Margins. She is a licensed psychologist and professional clinical counselor specializing in liberation psychology, anti-racism, and migrant justice. Her work focuses on supporting BIPOC communities in coping with stress and fostering resilience for positive health outcomes.  

Craig Coss is a San Francisco Bay Area artist, educator, and storyteller who has taught Drawing, Painting, and Traditional Materials & Techniques at College of Marin since 2018. He has presented on DEI topics in the visual arts to PG&E, the Equity in Mental Health Symposium, the Culturally Responsive Pedagogy Pilot at College of Marin, and has created DEI and antiracism graphics for corporate presentations since 2012. 

Dana Emerson is the Assistant Superintendent/Vice-President of Student Learning and Success at the College of Marin.  Prior to her role at the College of Marin, she was the Executive Dean of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Anti-Racism, Accessibility & Fiscal Stability for the Coast Community College District.  She is also the CEO of Woman Hold Up Half the Sky, Inc a nonprofit organization committed to the personal and professional development of women and society.  

Dave loves teaching students in the library, especially at a time in our country’s history when misinformation and disinformation are rampant. He is a member of the Institute for Christian Socialism and a founding member of the Marin Democratic Socialists of America.

Felicita Norris is an interdisciplinary painter who incorporates photography and performance to examine social constructs and identity. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally at the deYoung Museum, San Francisco; Round Weather Gallery, Oakland; Patricia Sweetow Gallery, Los Angeles; Beijing; and the United Kingdom. Norris was nominated for the 2022 SECA Award, and was featured in Quiet Lightning’s sPARKLE & bLINK publication and The Racket reading series in 2021.

Fred Dewitt is an African American interdisciplinary artist with a disability who is researching and exploring ways to deconstruct notions of white supremacy as it is promoted in early American art. His research places materials as a cornerstone of cultural liberation. His research and teaching interests lie at the intersection of ecology, geography, African American studies, and fine art, with a specific focus on painting, ceramics, performance and environmental / social justice.

Jamie Bedell (she/her) is the Vice President of COM's Rising Scholars club. Jamie is a mom of 3, is pursuing a certificate in Computer Science and is an advocate for survivors of domestic violence. 

As a faculty Instructional Designer, Dr. Jennifer Howze-Owens supports faculty with course re-design and promotes equitable teaching strategies across teaching modalities. A former student leader, she is passionate about developing student leaders as the advisor for College of San Mateo’s chapter of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. She is a proud second-generation HBCU graduate.

Jenny (she/hers/ella, Latina, first-gen, Mexican-Guatemalan-American) is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist with three years of experience supporting adolescents and Spanish-speaking families. She co-owns Caballeros de Oro, a youth Latin dance company created to help young people reconnect with their cultural roots through movement, and recently opened a community dance studio with her partner. Passionate about healing and creativity, Jenny brings people together and believes in transforming past wounds into strength, growth, and a brighter future.

Josiah Luis Alderete is a full blooded Spanglish speaking Pocho y left handed callejero de Aztlán. He is the curator and host of the long running monthly Latine reading series Speaking Axolotl and is the author of the poetry book “Baby Axolotls & Old Pochos(Black Freighter Press 2021) and the chapbooks.

Julia Figueroa (she/her) is finishing her first year at COM. She is currently exploring a variety of classes to see what she wants to major in and is excited to see where it takes her.

Kash Killion is a San Francisco based cellist, bassist, sarangi player, vocalist, and composer, who began his professional music career at age ten. Kash is a visionary musician who stretches the boundaries of what one would expect from string instruments. He has recorded and/or performed with Sun Ra Arkestra, Chocolate Armenteros, Richard Egues, Cecil Taylor, B.B. King, Billy Higgins, Eddie Palmeri, Tom Waits, Reggie Workman, Bobby Hutcherson, Pharoah Sanders, Larry Willis, Francisco Aquabella, Quincy Troupe and Roberto Borrell.

Keller O’Halloran (he/him) will graduate in May and is transferring to a four-year university TBA.  Keller values education, goes to the gym daily, and loves life!

Kevin Cokley, Ph.D. is the University Diversity and Social Transformation Professor and Professor of Psychology at the University of Michigan where he serves as Associate Chair for Diversity Initiatives and Primary Investigator of the RACE (Research on Race, Achievement, Culture, and Education) Lab in the Department of Psychology. His research and teaching can be broadly categorized in the area of African American psychology, with a focus on racial identity and understanding the psychological and environmental factors that impact African American students’ academic achievement. Dr. Cokley studies the psychosocial experiences of African American students and students of color and is currently exploring the impostor phenomenon and its relationship to mental health and academic outcomes.

Dr. Khalid White (He/Him/His) is an award-winner in the fields of Education, Film and Literature. A career educator, Khalid began educating California’s youth and young adults in 2004. Presently, he is an African American Studies Professor at San Jose City College, located in the heart of California’s Silicon Valley. As an entrepreneur, Khalid owns the multi-media company Blkmpwr (Black Empower), LLC. www.blkmpwr.com The company focuses on education, empowerment, and equity. A proud HBCU alum and CA Community College advocate, Khalid is a co-founder of the Pipelines to Possibilities (P2P) program, connecting the two systems of higher education to increase faculty diversity. https://pipelines2possibilities.org Khalid continues to serve in the intersections of education, public health, and community, advancing equity, inclusion, and social justice.

Manuel X. Zamarripa is the co-director and co-founder of the Institute of Chicana/o/x Psychology based in Austin, TX where he conducts community workshop platicas as well as professional development training for educators and mental health professionals on issues related to Chicana/o/x wellness, cultural identity, and mental health from a Chicana/o/x framework. In 2023, Dr. Zamarripa was recognized with a Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Wisconsin’s School of Education and was also awarded an American Psychological Association Presidential Citation for his advancement of Chicana/o/x Psychology.    

Markelle Taylor (he/him) is finishing his first semester at COM. He is an accomplished marathon runner who uses his voice to uplift other system impacted individuals.

Mavi is pronounced like "Maverick" or "savvy." Pilloton is pronounced "pill-uh-tin."

Mavi Pilloton (they/them), M.Ed, is an experienced educator, program director, facilitator, and public speaker who currently serves as a Health Program Manager for the Transgender, Gender-Diverse, Intersex (TGI) Unit at the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). Mavi grew up in and currently lives in Marin, and prior to their role at CDPH, they served as the Director of the Training Institute at The Spahr Center, a Marin County-based organization that provided programs and services to LGBTQ+ communities. Mavi has been a keynote speaker or guest presenter at the University of San Francisco, Marin 9 to 25's Quarterly Summit, Marin Wellness Fair, Marin County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services Pride Event, and more.

Nazli Rahmanian is an Iranian-American storyteller, musician, and physicist. She draws from the teachings of her Sufi path, Eastern traditions, and the work of C. G. Jung, sharing stories and songs of our belonging to the Earth, to Life, and to each other, often interweaving personal memory, dreams, and myth. She lives in Portland, Oregon, where she is a guest lecturer at the Salome Institute of Jungian Studies, and has presented workshops and led discussion groups for women while an employee at Intel, focused on maintaining wholeness in the tech-world workplace.

Oriana Ides is a School Mental Health Training Specialist at CARS, leading initiatives in youth and young adult mental health, provider wellness, grief healing, and decolonial approaches to substance use and recovery. She has extensive experience working with youth, families, and care providers across school and community settings in roles including therapist, educator, school leader, and program director. Her work centers on fostering safety, belonging, and dignity while promoting healing across individuals and systems and challenging systemic inequities.

Orin Carpenter is an art educator, consultant, and founder of Creative Son, LLC, where he designs transformative workshops that use art to foster connection, inclusivity, and team development across schools, corporations, and nonprofit organizations. His work bridges creativity and social impact, often centering storytelling, identity, and cultural awareness to inspire meaningful dialogue and growth. As a practicing artist and community builder, he creates experiences that empower individuals and communities to engage, reflect, and heal through the power of art.       

Phoebe Smith is a Restorative Practices Practitioner, educator, leadership coach and workshop facilitator.  Phoebe specializes in working with teams and groups in need of restoration and/or elevating team dynamics.  She specializes in coaching and guiding staff, students, organizations and families through the restorative practices healing and community building process.

Samantha Ramirez is a Senior Program Coordinator for Bi-Lingual Outreach & Engagement with BHRS (Behavioral Health & Recovery Services) of Marin County. She holds a BA in Social Work. Samantha is a Marin County native and proud first-generation college graduate, daughter of Central American immigrants, whose lived and professional experience deeply fuels her passion for this work. She brings authenticity, empathy, and creativity into everything she does, infusing art, joy, and a sense of fun into healing spaces, especially when working with youth and connecting Spanish-speaking and immigrant communities to care.

Sarah loves empowering students by helping them access and evaluate information. When she’s not in the library, she loves running, listening to music, and spoiling her two cats.

A founding member of the  Accountable Communities Consortium and co-editor of the anthology, How to End Family Policing: From Outrage to Action, Shannon Perez-Darby is a queer, mixed Latina, anti-violence advocate, author and organizer working to create the conditions to support loving, equitable relationships and communities. With over 20 years of experience Shannon Perez-Darby centers queer and trans communities of color while working to address issues of domestic and sexual violence, accountability, family policing and prison abolition.

Stella Canson is a Sausalito-based artist and filmmaker and a current student at UC Berkeley, where she is double majoring in Art Practice and Film. She is a College of Marin alum, where she studied art and art history. Her work reflects her interdisciplinary background and interest in visual storytelling.

Dr. Susan Rahman (she/her) is a Certified Clinical Sociologist and Sociology faculty member at College of Marin who directs the Rising Scholar Program and advises currently and formerly incarcerated students. She advocates for second chances, social reintegration, and equity for formerly incarcerated individuals.

Tealy Gapinski is the Program Coordinator at the Indian Valley Organic Farm & Garden. She has been a dedicated member of the farm community for the past 10 years, beginning as a student in the Environmental Landscaping program in 2016. From College of Marin, Tealy went on to study Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems at UC Davis. Shortly after she began her studies at Davis, the pandemic brought her back home to IVOFG, where she stepped into the Lead Gardener role while completing her degree online. Tealy credits the Farm and its vibrant community with helping her discover her life’s path. She is passionate about cultivating an engaging and equitable environment that supports the success of students, strengthens community connections, and contributes to a thriving local food system.

Tlazoltiani Jessica Zamarripa is co-director & co-founder of the Institute of Chicana/o/x Psychology. Tlazoltiani is a Cultural Educator, Mental Health Advocate, & Keeper of our ancestral wisdom. She is a long time Austin, TX mami activist and community organizer working toward social justice within the Chicanx and Latinx community.