July 21st is Our Health Screening Summer Fest!
Please join Intercultural for our open event. Our goal is to increase awareness and end the stigma.
For more information about mental health please visit https://healthymindsphilly.org/en/
Author: Zhane Matthias
Takahide Tanaka, MSW
Takahide is the Director of Quality Assurance & Improvement. Takahide is accountable for quality and socially responsible services and ethical practices for Intercultural. Besides the day to day performance of measurability and audit, Takahide and his team continue to embrace critical projects including Council on Accreditation (COA) re-accreditation process and the most recently, the implementation of Electronic Health Record System to comply with the Federal mandate and to facilitate Meaningful Use.
Prior to Takahide’s most recent leadership role, he has provided social services work to diverse population of children and families in Philadelphia through Intercultural. Takahide started with us as an Intern. We are grateful for his many meaningful contributions and very proud to watch his career growth.
Takahide earned a Master’s degree in Social Work and Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Temple University. He has also completed the Leading for Change Fellowship from Lebow School of Business, Drexel University.
Kevin London, PhD
Dr. Kevin London is the Director of Intensive Clinical Services at Intercultural with overall responsibilities for Integrated Behavioral Health Services (IBHS); Functional Family Therapy (FFT) and Family Based Mental Health (FBMH) program services. He provides oversight, strategic direction and guidance to the day to day execution of our mission critical therapeutic services to the most vulnerable school age population and their families. His extensive experiences, clinical skills and direct involvement with members, payors, community leaders and resource networks in the Greater Philadelphia area are pivotal to the success the programs.
Prior to joining Intercultural, Dr. London served as Clinical Director II at Greater Philadelphia Health Action (GPHA) for 4 years. He has over 20 years of expertise in the development and delivery of community mental health, integrated behavioral health care, and trauma focused evidenced based approaches throughout Washington D.C, and Philadelphia PA. In addition, Dr. London is keenly invested in promoting the professional development of the future generation of the behavioral health workforce through adjunct teaching, licensure supervision and training.
Dr. London is a licensed Clinical Psychologist. He earned a Doctorate Degree in Counseling Psychology from University of Maryland. He has a Mater’s of Arts Degree in Counseling and Guidance from New York University, and a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology from University of California.
Elenita Marcha, MBA, PMP®, TOGAF®
Elenita Marcha is Deputy Executive Director at Intercultural Family Services, Inc. As a critical member of the leadership team, she focuses on continual operational and process improvements, oversees daily operations; support for all strategic initiatives and partners with all service leaders to ensure that resources, technology, process, compliance and communication are optimized. She is directly accountable for Truancy and Intervention Services, Human Resources; Information and Communication Technology; Business Services, Grant Management and Facilities Management. As part of her domain expertise, she provides program management to our clinical transformation initiatives. She is keen to leverage industry best practices to help our agency’s path forward.
Prior to joining Intercultural, Elenita served as Engagement Leader and Executive for several Healthcare Providers including (Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, AmeriHealth Caritas and Siemens Medical Solutions). She provides depth of expertise in solution mapping and enterprise architecting integrated pathways that helps improve the patient journey along the healthcare continuum. In addition, for twenty years Elenita served as pro bono Executive Director of Exodus to Excellence, a non-profit STEM organization that served rising high school students in the greater Philadelphia area.
Elenita Marcha earned a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Drexel University. She has a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Business and Finance from Eastern University. In addition, she is a certified PMP (Project Management Professional), certified TOGAF (The Open Group Architecture Framework) and certified Zenger-Miller Facilitator.
Michael Kellerman, MPAff
Michael is Interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Intercultural since February 2022. In this role, Michael oversees internal and external agency activities, including senior management, business development, and program management, and collaborates closely with the organization’s leadership team and Board of Directors.
Previously, Michael served as President and CEO of theVillage, a Philadelphia-based organization that merged with Silver Springs – Martin Luther School during his tenure in 2019 to form Gemma Services, a $40 million behavioral health and education agency; and was Interim Executive Director at Fairwinds – Nantucket’s Counseling Center. As a consultant, Michael worked with Esperanza, a Philadelphia-based poverty alleviation and community development conglomerate, and Center City District (CCD), Philadelphia’s business improvement district. Prior to this work, Michael was Director of Philanthropic Partnerships with the Pew Charitable Trusts in Washington, DC. In Austin, TX, Michael was an Adjunct Professor at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin; Strategic Development Counsel at KUT, Austin’s NPR Affiliate; and Vice President of Austin Habitat for Humanity. Michael was also a classical music critic and features writer with the Austin Chronicle.
Michael earned a Master of Public Affairs from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, where he focused on public finance and economics, and holds a Bachelor of Arts from The New School University in New York.
Healthy Minds Philly
Healthy Minds Philly offers tools and resources to support and improve the mental health and wellbeing of all Philadelphians.
Healthy Minds Philly is an initiative of the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services, City of Philadelphia.
Click link for more information: www.healthymindsphilly.org
Join Intercultural for the October 7th Event!
October 7th is National Depression Screening day!
Please join Intercultural for our open event. Our goal is to increase awareness and end the stigma.
For more information about mental health please visit https://healthymindsphilly.org/en/
National Depression Day Screening Event- Oct. 8th
October 8th was National Depression Screening Day!
40th Gala Celebration — October 02, 2019
Ode to Mom’s Love for Baby: A Quest for a Healthy Start
“There is no better feeling than the movement of life inside you”
— Author: Every Pregnant Mom
Intercultural’s Healthy Start Program seeks to engage pregnant and/or parenting women (particularly women in their first trimester of their pregnancy) and provide an array of health and social services including case management/home visiting, depression screening, and optimal child health and development. The program is an effective, community-based approach to fighting infant mortality and low birth-weight babies through case management and outreach programs targeting pregnant and parenting women. The program has promoted positive parent-child relationships; supported growth and development of the children by building trust; taught parents to identify strengths and learn problem-solving skills; and improved the family’s support system through linkages and appropriate referrals to community resources. In recent years, providing clothing, supplies, diapers and holiday assistance have also been made possible for those requiring assistance.
According to Cassandra Rogers, LCSW, Director of Family Empowerment and Education Initiatives at Intercultural, Healthy Start Program creates a lasting foundation for the well-being of both mother and child. Cassandra leads Intercultural’s Healthy Start program and is also otherwise known as the resident champion. She works diligently with the City of Philadelphia’s Department of Public Health, Division of Maternal, Child and Family Health(DMCFH) to ensure that the impact of these services and awareness to these important support is known and available. Cassandra explains that, “without the commitment and funding from DMCFH we cannot optimize the support to our pregnant and parenting moms”.
To further understand the impact of Healthy Start, we reached out to one of Intercultural’s Healthy Start employee and advocate. Tamara Shirer, Healthy Start Case Manager for Intercultural has been working in the social services arena for over fifteen (15) years, specializing in children and families. She explains that the work she does with pregnant or parenting women is exceptionally rewarding because each participant joins the program voluntarily. “Every mother/mother –to –be that comes to Intercultural’s Healthy Start Program takes the initiative on her own. The program works very well because the participant is self- motivated and committed to making this work. Ideally, a parenting women and her child stays in the program for two years. Seventy-five (75%) percent of our participants continue in the program after initial contact, and over fifty (50%) percent of all participants stay the full two years. More than these statistics, seeing the bond being the mother and her child, as well as the strength and growth in the family unit, is incredibly uplifting. I never tire of my partnership with the incredible moms I have been fortunate to support. I am lucky to be part of this start.”
Tamara shared many stories of wonderful moms in the Healthy Start Program and it’s very evident that she is passionate about her work. One story in particular, is the subject of this article’s “Ode to Mom”.
Her name is Kiersten Adams. She is 26 years old, a first time mom. She lives in West Philadelphia with her grandmother. She’s live in West Philly all her life. Her sweet, sweet child’s name is Cleo Marie Adams Ford, and she turns two years July 2018. Kiersten came to Intercultural almost two years ago, when she was 8 months pregnant. Kiersten is a burst of energy and determination. On a scale of 1 to 10, she is 11. She changes the scale! Kiersten has stayed in the Intercultural Healthy Start Program focusing on providing Cleo the best positive care, involves herself in other events and activities to promote healthy start and partners with her case manager and other Intercultural resources to leverage the most positive outcomes. Kiersten continues to breastfeed Cleo even now. Working with her case manager and additional resources at Intercultural, she learned to breastfeed properly, and she embraced the full benefits of breastfeeding her child. As her experience, confidence and commitment to Healthy Start grew, it took a passion on its own. Kiersten studied with the Maternal Care Coalition to become a Breastfeeding Peer Counselor. “My ultimate goal is to become a doula. I love the idea of helping and supporting women through all the stages of preparing and being a new mom”. She is easily accessible and loves to support and coach other moms. She is an active consultant for Philadelphia Birthing Programs, as she is a true advocate for natural childbirth.
Kiersten graduated from University of North Carolina with a Bachelors in Musical Theater. In addition to working at a library, supporting other moms, she is a member of the Improv Troupe with White Pines Productions. “I enjoy performing because it allows me the chance to step outside of myself or, sometime, to explore a deeper part of myself that I was not in touch with.”
Kiersten explains that she is a complex individual, highly motivated and able to do a lot of meaningful endeavors. She believes that all these are an extension of the “fire in her belly” that awoken when she added “mom” to her identity. Cleo is truly the most precious gift she is given. Each and every day she is provided a freshness of heart and spirit just by being a part of Cleo’s wonderful world. Kiersten feels that helping other moms is truly just a way of expressing her joy and gratitude.
Curious as to where she sees herself in five years, Kiersten shares, “I see myself spending all of my available time with my family, being a perfect model of staying true to yourself and attracting what I deserve in life through persistence and positivity. I will still be running my business and helping others and I will be continuing to expand my career in the arts.”
When asks about Intercultural, Kiersten acknowledges that it’s been a real blessing. “I love the people at Intercultural and they do not hesitate to show love right back. I am so grateful for them. My life would not be the same without them. The people at Intercultural are their most valuable resource. I have gotten Books, toys, clothes, and boundless access to information through their programs but the best thing I was given would have to be the relationships and the friendships that I would not have found otherwise.”