Jina Carvalho
Executive Director
Santa Barbara Response Network (SBRN)
Jina is one of the original founders of the Santa Barbara Response Network (SBRN), a grassroots volunteer non-profit dedicated to offering Psychological First Aid (PFA) and social support for resilient recovery from traumatic incidents including disasters, suicide and violent injuries, especially among the underserved populations and youth in the Santa Barbara region. She is currently serving as SBRN’s Executive Director.
As Director of Communication for the Glendon Association, Jina promotes the organization’s mission to save lives and enhance mental health by addressing the public health issues of suicide, violence and disturbed family relations. They fulfill this mission through research, education and training in the mental health field as well as to the general public. www.glendon.org and www.psychalive.org
Jina is a recently published poet-author. Her book, “The Weight of Desire: a poetry memoir “ was published in 2020. www.jinacarvalho.com
Ali Cortes
MA, AMFT Associate Marriage and Family, Clinical Youth Outreach
Santa Barbara School District
Santa Barbara Response Network | A Different Point of View
Ali focuses her efforts to empower others by bringing out their strengths and creating positive paradigm shifts with the support of community agencies. She works through the Santa Barbara School District as the Clinical Youth Outreach Worker and is Executive Director of the nonprofit organization, A Different Point of View. Ali has volunteered for the Santa Barbara Response Network’s Response Team for the past five years. In the South Coast Youth Safety City Partnership Alliance, Ali is co-chair for the Community Engagement Team.
Her services in our community include case management, crisis interventions, advocacy, curriculum development, program management, coaching, mentorship, mediations, workshops, empowerment groups, and trauma focused therapy to at-promise adolescents and families.
Ali founded Bienestar Latinx in 2020, a community platform that transforms and dismantles generational trauma in order to heal future generations of Latinx folks through authentic leadership development and cultural healing. The platform highlights the strengths and diversity of the Latino community while providing access to resources and people who can directly help those in need. Ali notes,”Just like SBRN, we meet our community where they are.”
Jenny Bruell
Community Grants Program Manager
Santa Barbara Foundation
A native of Santa Maria and mother of two, Patricia has served as senior program and management staff with the Central Coast Future Leaders over the last 12 years, including her role as Executive Director since 2016. As a bilingual and bi-cultural community leader, Patricia has a profound understanding of the communities of North County.
She has worked with CCFL, and held leadership roles in many local community actions and initiatives, including her service on the FUND’s Grant Making Committee and annual North County Tardeada event. Among her numerous recognitions, in 2016 Patricia received the Working Families Award from the Santa Barbara County Action Network for her many efforts to improve the lives of working families in the region.