Jennifer Chauhan  

Project Write Now 

Jennifer is an entrepreneur, writer, and educator. A former journalist and public-school teacher, she is co-founder and executive director of Project Write Now, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit transforming individuals, organizations, and communities through writing. Her passion is giving people of all ages and backgrounds supportive spaces to explore their authentic selves through writing and sharing their stories. Jennifer has an M.A. in English Education from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a B.A. in English and French from Villanova University. She enjoys reading a poem upon waking every day, walking among trees, and being a part of any live performance (whether on stage or in the audience). 

Lisa Johnson 

Wellness Coach 

Lisa Johnson worked for embrella as a trainer and family support advocate. She has over 14 years of experience developing, presenting, and facilitating educational courses and workshops for human service providers and professionals. She is a certified well-being and positive psychology coach through the College of Executive Coaching and a certified health and wellness coach through the National Board of Health and Wellness Coaches. Lisa specializes in teaching stress management, domestic violence awareness, nutrition, mindfulness, and self-care. She is a certified Adverse Childhood Experiences presenter and an Advanced Nurtured Heart Approach trainer. Lisa is a diplomate member of the American Institute of Stress. She has provided advocacy for New Jersey licensed resource parents and domestic violence survivors. Lisa holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a minor in Management Information Systems from the University of Delaware. She enjoys walking, biking, and nature.  

Cindy Kresch and Guy Darienzon 

A Hum Music 

Cindy Kresch grew up playing many instruments, with cello and piano being her primary passions. She is the owner of A Hum Music and a Health Rhythms Facilitator. HEALTH RHYTHMS is a research-based group protocol using percussion instruments of all shapes and sizes as tools for communication, personal expression, and healing of the mind, body, and spirit. She and professional percussionist, Guy Darienzon, lead drum and rhythm circles for children through senior citizens in a fun, inviting, and participatory way. Guy Darienzo is a professional drummer, teacher, and rhythm coach.

Sarah Nickelson, RYT 

License Number: 227892 

As a teenager, Sarah was prescribed asana and meditation as a way to cope with her lifelong struggle with mental health and was soon fascinated by the ancient South Asian Philosophies which underpinned her practice. Because she reaped such transformational benefits, Sarah has immersed herself in a well-rounded lifestyle practice facilitated by the technology of Yoga. She has been teaching since 2017. Sarah’s teaching strives to hold space for all types of bodies to practice in an authentic, safe, and personalized way. She does this by offering many options within each posture and sequence, by offering the creative use of props, by anatomically informed instruction, and by encouraging students to constantly question and address their own individual needs. Sarah holds the designation, E-RYT500 and has completed special trainings for Yin, Restorative, and Accessible Yoga, human anatomy, and for Yoga as Social Justice, Equity, and Anti-Oppression. 

Princis 

Art & Soul 

Princis has been creating beautiful art for over 40 years. She is masterful in arts & crafts and the designer of many other creative pieces of art. She, along with her husband Tony, decided to host a fun place for friends, couples, families, and organizations to literally create memories with the stroke of a brush, add some laughs, all while having a PAINTING good time!

Princis created Art & Soul as not only a gathering place for the community, but also as a family business that provides a positive and fun environment to appreciate the wonderful world of art. Their creativeness has trickled down to their five children; a rapper and performer, a dancer and actress, a graphic designer and painter… just to name a few of their long list of talents!

Michele Rodriguez 

Program Coordinator, embrella 

Michele is currently the Program Coordinator at embrella and an advanced standing Master of Social Work student at Cappella University. Prior to Capella, Michele graduated Summa Cum Laude with her Bachelor of Social Work in 2017 from Rutgers University where she was part of the Baccalaureate Child Welfare Education Program. Before deciding to become a social worker, Michele spent years working within non-profit and program development and founded and ran a youth volunteer organization to promote empathy and compassion through action. Michele has worked in advocacy roles at Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) where she helped launch a youth transitions initiative, she has served on the Monmouth County Youth Service Commission and was a caseworker for the New Jersey Department of Children and Families (DCF), Division of Child Protection and Permanency (DCP&P).  While in these roles, Michele received the honors of Court Appointed Special Advocate of the Year for Monmouth County and the DCF Special Commissioner’s Award. Michele is a certified Nurtured Heart Approach and ACE Interface trainer.    

Carlissa Snowden-Gause 

Family Support Advocate Bergen & Hudson Counties, embrella 

Carlissa Snowden-Gause is a Family Support Advocate at embrella. Carlissa is also the biological, foster, and adoptive parent of 9 children. Carlissa previously volunteered at embrella as a Heart to Heart Mentor and Connecting Families Coordinator. Carlissa has a passion for children and families, and a desire to provide positive support and guidance to those in need. Her joy is the joy of our children and families. 

Victoria Spera-Ballesteros 

Prevent Child Abuse – New Jersey (PCANJ) 

Victoria Spera-Ballesteros works with Prevent Child Abuse – New Jersey as the Program Manager for Community Education. Her role focuses on providing education, training, and technical assistance related to youth resilience programming to youth- and family- serving professionals and community organizations. Victoria has over 10 years of experience in trauma prevention and awareness, social justice education, community development, and public policy. She is also an experienced trainer on topics including Adverse Childhood Experiences, child abuse and neglect prevention, trauma-informed communities, youth empowerment, and community wellness and resiliency.  

Tasia St. Louis 

Family Support Advocate Middlesex & Union Counties, embrella 

Tasia St. Louis is a Family Support Advocate at embrella and a proud New Jersian. She was born in Newark, NJ and raised in Elizabeth, NJ. Tasia has an educational background is in Psychology and over 10 years of experience serving the community in different capacities. Her work at embrella is near and dear to her heart on a personal level. She enjoys helping others and being a guiding light to those who need it most.   

Dr. Alexis Walsh, LCSW, ADHD-CCSP 

Owner of Constanta Wellness & Healing, LLC  

Dr. Walsh has over a decade of experience in the mental health field. She has worked in the community as a youth/family therapist and worked in various school settings, including serving on a Child Study Team, developing individual plans for student success.  She has vast specialized training in Animal Assisted Interventions (AAI), which includes over 20 years of hands-on experience with animals, and formal training through the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Social Work – Institute for Human-Animal Interactions. She has designed and implemented two previous AAI programs; one at an alternative school, and the other in an outpatient setting working with children and families. She also managed a vocational skills program for youth aging out of foster care at an animal shelter in Pennsylvania under Hand2Paw.   

Additionally, she completed her Doctorate in Clinical Social Work at the University of Pennsylvania, where her research was specifically focused on AAI. Dr. Walsh also worked to earn her Certified Clinical Practitioner certification in ADHD treatment.   

Dr. Walsh then created and operated an Animal Therapy Program at a South Jersey middle school. This program provides students with a safe, calm space where they can focus on developing enhanced emotional regulation and life skills through relationships with animals and elements of nature.  

Constanta Wellness & Healing was founded by Dr. Walsh to incorporate her vast skill set, the evidence-based practices of animal assisted interventions, a nod to care farming techniques, and nature-based wellness experiences to offer a dynamic counseling opportunity to the community.