Hello! My name is Aliya Elkawa and I am the MHP/Social Work Intern at Aloha Elementary School. I’m a 2nd year intern at the University of Southern California where I am pursuing my MSW and PPSC with the goal of working in the school setting after graduation. I completed my first year internship with ABC, spending the year at Haskell MS, and am very excited to be back with the district to continue toward this path of supporting mental health in this community.  When not in school mode I enjoy spending time at the beach, snowboarding, and napping with my two cats— Looking forward to a great year ahead! 

Hello! My name is Christina Pereira and I am the Mental Health Professional at Bragg Elementary. This is my sixth year at Bragg and it makes me so happy to have become familiar with so many students and families.  When I initially started college, my goal was to become a teacher and after a few twists and turns it makes sense that I would end up working in a school setting, but I get to educate students about something that I am passionate about: mental health. Some of my favorite things to do in my spare time include chasing after my toddler, crocheting, and baking. 

Hello! My name is Diana Cing and I am the School Social Worker intern at Carver Academy and Tracy High School for the 2022/2023 school year. I am a second-year Master of Social Work at the University of Southern California (Fight On!). I decided to be a school social worker because I love connecting with children and families. I am grateful for the opportunity to work in the ABC school district community. I look forward to meeting and working alongside students, families, and staff members in a collaborative environment. A little fun fact about me: When I am not in school or connecting with students and families, I enjoy spending time with my teenage daughter and our two dogs, lemonade and Taylor Swift, who bring us some much joy everyday. And, I also enjoy baking.

Hello ABC Family! I am the current school social worker at Cerritos Elementary. I hold a Master's degree in Social Work from CSU, Fullerton as well as a pupil services credential with an emphasis in Social Work. I aim provide our students with the tools needed to achieve social and academic success. As a School Social Worker,  I have the joy of working with students through classroom guidance lessons, small group counseling, and individual counseling. I also collaborate with school staff and families in order to best meet the needs of the students. I believe that all students can attain academic achievement, according to their own unique strengths and abilities.  

Contact me at: portia.blankson@abcusd.us

Hello! My name is Elizabeth Partida and I am a Mental Health Professional / School Social Worker Intern at Elliott Elementary for the 2022-2023 school year! I am a second-year Master of Social Work student at USC and I'm grateful to have been given the opportunity to serve the Elliott community for my first-year field internship. I look forward to meeting and working alongside students, families, and staff members in a collaborative environment! A little fun note about me: when I’m not in school or connecting with students and families, I enjoy spending time with my three cats – Bella, Boots, and Muffin, who keep me running around all day (:

Hello! I am excited to support the students of Furgeson this year. 

Greetings ABC families,

 My name is Betsy Medina (Ms. Betsy) and I am the Mental Health Professional/ School Social Worker at Gonsalves Elementary, home of the Grizzlies! I’m a proud CSULB Alumni for both my undergraduate and graduate studies in the field of social work. I hold my Pupil Personnel Credential. Currently I am completing my Doctoral Degree in Educational Leadership. When not serving students and families I enjoy spending time with my family, my dog Coco, hiking, running and going to Disney!

 Please contact me for any support or resources. Hablo Español.

#Mentalhealthmatters

“Once a Grizzly, Always a Grizzly

Hi! My name is Silvia Duarte MSW/PPSC and I am the Mental Health Professional/School Social Worker at Hawaiian Elementary School, home of the Eagles! My favorite things to do are running, hiking, trying out new restaurants and traveling with my husband and daughter. I love a good black coffee paired with a sweet pastry. When not spending quality time with my family you will find me servicing our community and providing mental health support to our Soaring Eagles! 

Hello everyone! My name is Jenna Lumar and I am a new MSW intern at Hawaiian Elementary school. I am a first-year graduate student from the University of Southern California, School of Social Work, and will be working to provide educational, behavioral, and mental health support for students, as well as teach social-emotional skills, and promote access to resources. I have lived in this neighborhood my entire life, so I am excited to be able to give back to my community. I am looking forward to learning all I can and building lasting relationships with students and families!

Melody Clark, ACSW, PPSC, grew up in Dallas, Texas, and received her Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and Master's Degree in Social Work from The University of Texas at Austin. She moved to the Los Angeles area in 2015 and has enjoyed the perfect weather ever since! She has a passion for being an integral part of the school community and helping support students' and families' social emotional well-being. In her down time, she enjoys visiting the botanic garden and the beach with her husband and two daughters.

Brittany Carlos, LCSW/PPSC: I am the Mental Health Professional/School Social Worker at Kennedy STEM Academy. A little about me, I graduated from California State University, Long Beach with my Bachelors in Liberal Studies and graduated from University of Southern California with my Masters in Social Work and my Pupil Personnel Services Credential. I became a school social worker to help students access their full potential in their educational experience. My passion is promoting a positive school climate that is safe and inclusive for all students. Outside of work, I love to focus on my mental health, which includes time with my family, pets and friends, enjoying delicious food and going on walks or hikes. 

Hello! My name is Tiffany Rollerson and I am the Mental Health Professional/School Social Worker at Leal Elementary school. I am so excited to be placed at Leal, working with such amazing students. I graduated from Vanguard University with a Bachelors in Psychology/ Theatre Arts, and graduated from the University of Southern California with a Masters in Social Work with my Pupil Personnel Services Credential.

Hello! I am excited to support the students of Melbourne this year. 

Hello! My name is Magda Socorro, and I am the Mental Health Professional/Master of Social Work Intern at Melbourne Elementary for the 2022-2023 school year. I am a first year graduate student at USC and received my undergraduate degree at Cal State Long Beach. I am so excited to be at Melbourne this year and work with all our families and school staff to support our students through the year. Outside of school and work, I love to go to the beach, spend time with my dogs, and go to concerts. Doing these things help me find balance during this very busy year!   

Bryan Almeida, an MSW (CSULB-Go Beach!) intern at both Gahr High School and Niemes Elementary School decided to set out to become a school social worker after seeing the impact he had on students while working as a mentor in the greater Los Angeles area. As an aspiring school social worker, he enjoys participating in the SEL movement that has recently made strides improving mental health across ABCUSD. His goal is to make a change in the lives of the youth he meets and inspire them to believe that they can achieve more than what they dream! 

Your local Mental Health Professional that is motivated to guide families in receiving social-emotional learning tips and help everyone reach their full potential. Whether there are concerns that are within the school and/or home environment, my goal is to collaborate with everyone "in the village" so we all have the opportunity to work together and make their aspirations come to life. 

Hello! I am excited to support the students of Palms this year. 

Hello, my name is Hinna Parwaiz and I am the MHP at Stowers Elementary School. I value creating a diverse and calming environment for all students alike. One of my main goals on campus is to create a safe place for anyone including students, families, and staff members to express themselves. When not supporting the Stowers Snow Leopards, I enjoy going to historic art museums and local coffee shops. Fun Fact: my favorite time of the year is Spooky Season and rumor has it that you can find tiny pumpkins and Halloween knick- knacks around my office all year round. If you are curious to meet me, I would love for you to stop by and chat. I love my profession and most importantly being of help.  

Hi! My name is Caitlyn Berry and I am the MSW Intern at Willow Elementary for the 2022-2023 school year! I am in my first year of graduate school at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work and loving it! I am passionate about helping children and adolescents receive mental health services so that they can experience positive coping skills and healthy emotional development. In my free time, you'll find me at a coffee shop, reading a book or playing with my dogs! Excited to work with your kiddos, so let's have a great year!

Daisy Mayer, ACSW/PPSC is a mental health professional for Wittmann Elementary. She received her Master’s in Social Work and Pupil Personnel Services Credential from University of Southern California and bachelor's in Liberal Studies from Cal State University of Long Beach. Daisy is passionate about helping children improve their mental health in order for them to reach their fullest potential. During her spare time, Daisy enjoys spending time with her family and friends, exploring new restaurants/coffee shops and traveling. 

Coming soon!

Hello! My name is Lisset Magdaleno  and I am a MSW/ School Social Work Intern at Fedde Academy for the 2022-2023 school year! I am a second-year Master of Social Work student at USC. I chose to pursue Social Work after seeing how the middle and high school students and families I worked with were affected by the pandemic and inspired by my passion for education and equity. Fun fact about me is that I lived in the Hudson Valley in New York for 4 years during college and studied abroad in London. When not at my internship, I enjoy hanging out with my two dogs (Taco and Jack Jack), going to concerts, and watching a lot of Netflix. I am happy to be supporting the Fedde community!

Hello! My name is Alejandra Pena and I am a MSW intern at Haskell Middle School for the 2022-2023 school year. I am a first year intern from USC and I am so excited to be supporting the students, staff, and families at Haskell! In my free time I love hanging out with my dog Maxx :)

Hello! My name is Elizabeth Partida and I am a Mental Health Professional / School Social Worker Intern at Ross Middle School for the 2022-2023 school year! I am a second-year Master of Social Work student at USC and I'm grateful to have been given the opportunity to serve the Ross community for my first-year field internship. I look forward to meeting and working alongside students, families, and staff members in a collaborative environment! A little fun note about me: when I’m not in school or connecting with students and families, I enjoy spending time with my three cats – Bella, Boots, and Muffin, who keep me running around all day (:

Hello! My name is Mei Louie and I am the  School Social Work Intern at Ross Middle School this year. I am a student in my first year of the Master's in Social Work program at Cal State Long Beach (Go Beach!). I am looking forward to serving the Ross community and getting to know the students and families. I will strive to create a safe space for students, working alongside school staff, to meet their needs to support their academic environment and well-being. A couple fun facts about me: I am a Bay Area native and recently started taking hip hop dance classes. 

Hello my name is Isel Alvarez, I am the Mental Health Professional at Tetzlaff Middle School. My goal is to help students succeed academically, socially, and emotionally. We ensure our students at Tetzlaff are Ready, Responsible and Respectful. A little bit about me, I am an ABC product and happy to be working with my community. I received my Master's in Social Work from California State University, Long Beach along with my Pupil Personnel Services Credential.

Hello! I am excited to support the students of Artesia this year. 

Hello! My name is Aliya Elkawa and I am the MHP/ Social Work Intern at Cerritos High School. I’m a 2nd year intern at the University of Southern California where I am pursuing my MSW and PPSC with the goal of working in the school setting after graduation. I completed my first year internship with ABC, spending the year at Haskell MS, and am very excited to be back with the district to continue toward this path of supporting mental health in this community.  When not in school mode I enjoy spending time at the beach, snowboarding, and napping with my two cats— Looking forward to a great year ahead! 

Bryan Almeida, an MSW (CSULB-Go Beach!) intern at both Gahr High School and Niemes Elementary School decided to set out to become a school social worker after seeing the impact he had on students while working as a mentor in the greater Los Angeles area. As an aspiring school social worker, he enjoys participating in the SEL movement that has recently made strides improving mental health across ABCUSD. His goal is to make a change in the lives of the youth he meets and inspire them to believe that they can achieve more than what they dream! 

Hello! My name is Lisset Magdaleno  and I am a MSW/ School Social Work Intern at Tracy High School for the 2022-2023 school year! I am a second-year Master of Social Work student at USC. I chose to pursue Social Work after seeing how the middle and high school students and families I worked with were affected by the pandemic and inspired by my passion for education and equity. Fun fact about me is that I lived in the Hudson Valley in New York for 4 years during college and studied abroad in London. When not at my internship, I enjoy hanging out with my two dogs (Taco and Jack Jack), going to concerts, and watching a lot of Netflix. I am looking forward to supporting Tracy students to meet their needs and goals!