Jenni J.V. Wilson, LMFT
President, LA-CAMFT

Where Everybody Knows Your Name

Shelter found, bellies sated, no tigers on our tail, Abraham Maslow noted our next hierarchy of need is that of belonging. We all long to have a place we feel loved and understood—a place to find community, within and beyond family, where everybody knows your name.

When I first began attending LA-CAMFT meetings in 2012, fresh out of grad school and pushed into networking by my supervisor, I was looking for a community of likeminded folks to learn and gain support from as I embarked on my second career. Although I attended various events hosted by different groups around town, I kept coming back to LA-CAMFT.

At the time, I was unaware of how close the chapter had been to handing back its CAMFT charter only a few years earlier. It was the re-imaginings and efforts of Jonathan Flier, Lynne Azpeitia, and Karen Wulfson, along with many others who donated their time and energies, that rebirthed and rebuilt LA-CAMFT with a stronger community focus; a mission exemplified by the in-person networking events Darlene Basch organized and executed with a team of numerous volunteers. I found the community I was looking for at these meetings, while breaking bread, exploring topics of professional interest, and exchanging information during Participant Announcements.

For those who’ve never attended an in-person event, let me explain about Participant Announcements.

Completely optional, Participant Announcements at networking events allow anyone attending, regardless of licensure or membership status, to stand up, take 25-seconds to state their name and make one professional announcement; e.g.: “I’m so-and-so, an associate working for an agency, looking for an internship in private practice in the valley,” “I’m Blah-Blah an LMFT in Westwood specializing in couples and need someone to refer kids to,” “I’m YouKnowWho, and I’ve got a new podcast and we’re looking for an expert in Gestalt,” etc.

Participant Announcements were an opportunity to start conversations with one another, to get a sense of who was doing what and where, while forming and deepening real connections between old and new members. It was during Participant Announcements early in 2015, that Darlene made one that I later approached her about, a decision that changed the course of my life, and, subsequently, my career.

You can see why it is important to me that we try to re-integrate Participant Announcements into our CEU Zoom events this year. While we’re still ironing out details, the Board has been discussing how best to do this. Currently, our hope is to restart them at the end of the April networking event, adding an optional 30-minutes post-presentation to the run-time, with a sign-up available during registration for the first 60 registrants. Anyone wanting to stay until 11:30am will be welcome! It might take us a few tries to get it right, but we’re excited to hear what everyone is up to.

The scope of talent in the LA-CAMFT community is mind-boggling. Some examples of what LA-CAMFT has gifted me is that I know who to contact when I have a DCFS question, or need a consult on a challenging case, or want ideas about marketing my practice, or find myself with a client seeking divorce representation. I have a wide pool of candidates I feel confident in referring. When I was going through hell prepping for my licensing exams, fellow members normalized my experience, generously sharing their own and lending support. These are only some of the reasons why I became more involved, and why I want LA-CAMFT to be a place all members can find the kind of community they need.

I’ve mentioned Jonathan Flier, Darlene Basch, and Lynne Azpeitia already, who I continuously rely on to help me stay connected to the LA-CAMFT mission of Community and who are all still on the Board of Directors as Board Member-at-Large, Sponsorship Chair, and Communications and Marketing Chair, respectively. Now I want to take this chance to introduce and welcome the rest of our 2021 Board, in no particular order, for those who might not yet know their names.

Billie Klayman has been LA-CAMFT’s CFO since 2015. Her high energy and quick mind help her focus under the weight of our books and the endless money questions we throw at her. Even on bad days Billie is more patient and enthusiastic than I could ever be, and we are lucky she is expanding her responsibilities to become Chair of the new LGBTQ+ Special Interest Group (SIG).

In early 2019 Di Wilson sat up front at the speaker table, where I, as Speaker Chair, learned she was looking to get involved while she expanded her private practice. Soon after, she began helping out on the financial committee, but it wasn’t long before she agreed to take on the position of Networking Chair in 2020, filling Darlene’s big shoes. Di is a strong consistent leader who doesn’t seek the spotlight as she gets things done confidently, thoughtfully, and with kindness. Furthermore, I believe it takes a special person to perfect the classic Australian dessert “the Pavlova” (look it up), which she has done.

Our current Speaker Chair, Elizabeth Sterbenz, managed the literature table at our in-person events for many years, and was one of those volunteers who showed up early to help with whatever needed to get done. Stepping in when we most needed her, she continues to blow my mind with her organization, willingness, and sense of humor.

Speaking of sense of humor, I treasure Secretary Jennifer Stonefield’s dry wit as much as I appreciate the monthly agendas she creates and the minutes she keeps for the group. Jumping onto the Board last summer, Jennifer’s background as a field supervisor, a clinical practicum professor, and an emergency shelter therapist, prepared her to herd us cool (and not-always-so-cool) cats that make up the Board of Directors.

Lending her creativity to everything she does, Ava Shokoufi is LA-CAMFT’s new Special Events Chair. We first met in early 2018 to discuss the Diversity Committee’s event plans, and have continued to have lively conversations ever since. In fact, I came to like Ava so much that we share an office space in the valley, now. That’s the power of networking, y’all.

After being an active member since its inception, Christina “Tina” Cachao Sakai became Chair of the Diversity Committee in 2020 and this year joins the Board as LA-CAMFT’s first designated Diversity Chair. She is busy working with her Diversity Committee Co-Chair, Marvin Whistler, and other team members on organizing mentorship programs, stipend/scholarship opportunities for therapists of color, and planning the follow-up to last year’s Anti-Racism Roundtable. Tina is someone who listens and leads with compassion and vision.

Another Board and Diversity Committee crossover is new Membership Chair, Lucy Sladek. As a first generation American, Lucy is a force of nature, committed to social justice and equality, with a magnetic energy that I believe makes her the perfect person to enlist others to join LA-CAMFT.

Lucy has been strategizing with Pre-licensed Board Rep and Chair of the 3000 Club, Harper White, on effective ways to provide information about LA-CAMFT to graduate students. Harper is also keeping the 3000 Club meetings rolling in the Age of Covid, assisting the Diversity Committee on building much needed supervision and mentorship support for trainees and associates, and hustling to bring more online trainings and resources to the pre-licensed community.

Many years ago, while still an intern/associate, Special Interest Group (SIG) Chair DeMonta Whiting was on the Social Media Committee alongside Matthew Evans and others. After taking some time off to get through the licensure journey, he is back and hitting the ground running, exploring what community interests might be best served by the formation of new SIGS and how he might support and promote nascent and existing SIGs.

Active on the Diversity Committee for years, it wasn’t until our first one-on-one Zoom chat last year that I really got to know Leanne Nettles and realized how easily we connected on a personal level (see my first President’s Message). Leanne’s extensive professional background in agency and advocacy work reflects a deep commitment to both teamwork and leadership, which made the prospect of collaborating with her as President-Elect exciting. Every time someone asks if she’d be willing to do something or take the reins, Leanne says, “Yes”—she is action-oriented, double-checking that she is not overstepping or missing important pieces of a task. She serves and understands people from diverse backgrounds, having one herself, and is well versed in multicultural competencies, providing a much-needed perspective to the Board and membership. As President-Elect, Leanne chose as her first undertaking to spearhead the coordination of Phase Two of LA-CAMFT’s Anti-Racism Roundtable, which will take place on Sunday, April 25th.

During his term, I appreciated that Past President Matthew Evans made a point of being open to feedback, and invited it. When Covid hit, I watched Matthew grow as a leader under the extreme pressures of the largest structural shift I’ve seen in nearly a decade of LA-CAMFT membership. Unsure how moving everything online would impact the chapter overall, he and I spent many hours discussing ways LA-CAMFT might address the pandemic, along with the elevated civil unrest in this country, always considering what LA-CAMFT’s responsibilities were as a compassionate professional organization that has been outspokenly committed to diversity and inclusion. I’m not sure it’s my place to say, because I present as white, but last year I recognized Matthew as an ally in ways I hold near and dear to my heart, witnessing his thoughtfulness and hard work to keep LA-CAMFT moving in the direction of equity in midst of great upheaval. I must give him mad props, because it couldn’t have been easy being a straight white cis-gender dude leading LA-CAMFT during the finale of the reality shitshow “Democracy Or Nah” starring perhaps the most intolerant racist misogynistic malignant narcissist in the modern history of the U.S. presidency.

Everyone has their own LA-CAMFT story, and mine did not start out six years ago with me aiming to get on the Board, or even into leadership, yet here I am, with the privilege and humbling honor of being the dang President of LA-CAMFT alongside the extraordinary team of people I’ve told you about above, and more I don’t have time or space to mention. If you have taken the time to read all of this, then you, too, might be a future president and not even know it yet. Come to a networking event, make a participant announcement or just listen to them, and start forging those connections. Consider joining a support group, a SIG, or a committee. Sign-on. Get involved. I tell you, it could change the course of your life and your career.

See you in the Zoom-mosphere, my fellow Soldiers of Sanity!

JJVW—Jenni June Villegas Wilson

Jenni J.V. Wilson, LMFT is a collaborative conversationalist, trained in narrative therapy and EMDR. She works with creative and anxious clients on improving, avoiding, and eliminating co-dependent and toxic relationships, while finding healthy ways to be unapologetically themselves. She is the primary therapist at Conclusions Treatment Center IOP in Mission Hills, and has a private practice in Sherman Oaks.