Emily Almeida, LCSW, MPH
Family Wellness Center
Emily Almeida, LCSW, MPH
Program Manager
Family Wellness Center
Emily Almeida, LCSW, MPH initially joined the SDCC family as a Therapist and Intake Coordinator in the Residential program. She then spent time working with the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants as a Clinical Supervisor. Emily is happy to be back within the SDCC family in the capacity of Program Manager of the Family Wellness Center, overseeing SDCC’s outpatient services. As a Program Manager she focuses on supporting the growth of her team members, improving efficiencies, and providing high quality clinical services to the Family Wellness Center’s clients. She is particularly passionate about expanding access to mental health services to immigrant communities within San Diego County. Outside of work Emily enjoys spending time with her family, travelling, and eating tacos!
Christina Grice, Ph.D.
Intensive Clinical Services &
Psychological Assessment
Christina Grice, Ph.D.
Program Director of Intensive Clinical Services & Psychological Assessment
Dr. Grice is a California state licensed clinical psychologist. She joined the SDCC team for her postdoctoral fellowship in 2018, worked as a residential therapist, and now oversees the Intensive Outpatient Program. She has worked in the mental health field for over 10 years, including inpatient psychiatric, child welfare, integrated care, and clinical research settings. She completed her PhD at St. John’s University in Queens, NY. As the St. John’s University Vincentian Institute Doctoral Fellow for Social Action, she provided training, assessment, and trauma-specific treatment for under-resourced communities. She completed her internship at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center. Currently, Dr. Grice is passionate about training the next generation of mental health providers in culturally humble treatment, driven by the youth and families we serve, while integrating evidence-based practices, specifically Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). In her personal time, she enjoys spending time with her family and exploring the outdoors and new places.
Adia Nembhard, LMFT
Adia Nembhard, LMFT
Program Director WrapWorks
Adia Nembhard, LMFT initially joined the SDCC team as an intern of Marriage and Family Therapy and since then has provided excellent service in direct clinical care, clinical supervision, administrative support, and system advocacy for over 10 years. Adia is passionate about helping others to help themselves in creating a life that reflects their values and fosters opportunities for connection and joy. She finds value in learning, creating equity in all spaces, supporting professional development, and creating opportunities for relationship building and belonging. As the Program Director for WrapWorks, she prioritizes the excellence of the team through training, consistent leadership, cohesive program culture, and value for the individual strengths of team members. WrapWorks is a program that has touched thousands of lives since its inception at SDCC. WrapWorks provides intensive outpatient case management, therapy, crisis intervention, medication management, and family support services to youth and families with complex needs. Through a variety of highly individualized strengths-based strategies, WrapWorks team members help families form a team of support people and improve self-sufficiency by connecting them to community resources.
Aisha Pope, LCSW
Aisha Pope, LCSW
Program Director Foster Care Services
Aisha Pope, LCSW, has worked in San Diego County's Children's Behavioral Health System of Care for over 20 years. For the last 10 of those years, she has been with San Diego Center for Children. She currently serves as the Program Director for the Foster Family Agency Stabilization and Treatment (FFAST) Program and the Intensive Family Services (IFS) Program. FFAST provides home based mental health treatment to youth birth to 21 in San Diego County Foster Family Agency homes. IFS supports youth 4-17 and their families using a wraparound approach to child and family safety and wellbeing. Aisha leads a multidisciplinary team of passionate and skilled providers dedicated to helping families to grow their connections to each other and community, and to achieve safety, wellbeing, and permanence. Aisha also represents San Diego Center for Children on various community committees including serving as a current co-chair for the county's CYFSOC Early Childhood Mental Health Subcommittee and serving as a Tri-Chair for the Birth of Brilliance Annual Conference on Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. She is proud to be a Rostered Provider in Child Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) and a Certified Positive Discipline Lead Trainer.
Chelsea Prout, LCSW
Intensive Family Services (IFS)
Chelsea Prout, LCSW
Intensive Family Services (IFS)
Bio to come
Ervey Salinas, LMFT
Ervey Salinas, LMFT
Ervey Salinas has been the Senior Director of Residential Programs since 2018. Before taking on that title, Ervey worked in a variety of positions at SDCC, including Clinical Supervisor, Intake Coordinator, and Program Manager of both Children and Adolescent Residential programs. Ervey holds a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from National University, a Bachelor of Science in Forensic Science and a Bachelor of Arts with a Field of Emphasis in Business and Leadership Studies. Prior to joining the team at SDCC, Ervey worked in inpatient psychiatric treatment, residential programs, and private practice.
What Ervey loves most about SDCC’s Residential Program is helping make a difference in the lives of children and families. “It’s an honor being part of a team that has such a passion for the well-being of youth and families.”
In his spare time, Ervey enjoys traveling and spending time with his two rescue dogs.
Zach Stones, LMFT
East County Outpatient Program
Zach Stones, LMFT
East County Outpatient Program
Zach Stones is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Program Manager of the East County Outpatient Program at our Family Wellness Center. He seeks every opportunity to provide helpful psycho education in a fun and engaging way. He is a host and performer on the Knights of the Rolled Table Podcast and an advocate for therapeutic use of tabletop role playing games. He also has three kids, and generally needs a nap.
Talin Yesaie, LMFT
Talin Yesaie, LMFT
Interim Principal
NPS Academy
Talin Yesaie is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and the Program Manager for the North County Academy (NCA). She graduated from the University of California, San Diego with a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Development, which included study in biology, psychology and social studies and received her Master’s Degree from the University of San Diego.
Talin manages the program for students in grades K-12 by implementing and incorporating Positive Discipline techniques both in the classroom and for the mental health services by supervising licensed clinicians and trainees providing therapy to students with high emotional and behavioral needs. She is responsible for training and creating a trauma informed and cooperative culture at NCA and believes that by validating cultural differences, acknowledging unique experiences and discussing strategies she will help those she works with overcome barriers and find peace and happiness.
Her passion comes from her belief that all people, regardless of age are at their optimum best self when they feel a sense of belonging and significance. Talin loves the creativity that comes with her job to create programs and implement protocols and initiatives that can be the most beneficial to staff and students.