Community-based mental wellness, from prevention to treatment
So many mental health crises can be avoided when people have the tools to address their challenges before they become insurmountable. The added stressors of the last several years make it imperative that residents can turn to an expert that helps them learn how to cope with these situations in a productive way, allowing them to feel and function at their best.
Every day, our staff and clinicians educate, support and inspire people to take charge of their mental well-being. With programs ranging from prevention to treatment, we’re here to make sure our community’s mental wellness flourishes.
Because when we share our expertise on how to cope with life’s ups and downs, we empower our neighbors to live the lives they want to live.
HISTORY
Mentis was founded in 1948 just after World War II to help families to readjust to civilian life. Napa County’s mental health needs have grown over the decades becoming more complex due to the added stressors of the last several years, especially in areas prone to wildfires. Today we are working further upstream offering services from prevention to treatment to avoid mental health challenges before they become insurmountable.
OUR TEAM
Rob Weiss
Executive Director
Rob Weiss
Rob Weiss, Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), is responsible for the management and oversight of all services, staff, and fiscal operations. Mr. Weiss has been with Mentis since 1996 and brings 30 years of experience in a variety of mental health settings to this agency. Previous to becoming the Executive Director in 2011, he was Clinical Director at the agency for 8 years. Mr. Weiss holds a Master’s Degree in Social Welfare from the University of California, Los Angeles. He has been a licensed clinician in good standing with the state of California since 1999. During his mental health career he has worked as a clinician with a wide range of client populations in addition to being an administrator for a variety of programs serving people of all ages. When Rob is not working he enjoys spending time outdoors riding his bike, playing frisbee disc golf, and hiking.
Jeni Olsen
Prevention Director
Jeni Olsen
Jeni Olsen is the Director of our Prevention Division, which offers wellness programs for people of all ages living in Napa County. Prior to joining the Mentis team, Jeni founded Teens Connect with a mission to equip middle and high schoolers with tools to manage their stress and learn resilience, provide safe places and people with whom to connect, and give youth a voice in our community. Jeni manages these youth programs under the Prevention umbrella, along with programs for young children, adults and older adults, with a forward-thinking, collaborative approach in order to support our community’s wellness. She is a passionate advocate for mental health, wellness, and youth empowerment. When Jeni is not working, she can be found hiking or kayaking in the mountains with her dog, Nala.
Mecaela Meerholz
Director of Operations
Mecaela Meerholz
As Operations Director, Mecaela manages operations and logistics for Mentis including IT, facilities, and offsite housing properties. Prior to joining the Mentis team, Mecaela owned a business called Rooted Fork that had two main prongs (yes, pun intended), offering guided walking food tours in downtown Napa and event planning for large scale affairs including BottleRock, the Napa Valley Film Festival, and many more. Between her prior work experience, a bachelor’s degree in Wine & Viticulture from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and a master’s degree in psychology from Arizona State University, Mecaela is intimately familiar with Napa Valley and is an ideal fit for the role of Operations Director. Outside of work she enjoys reading, Pilates, gardening, and cooking, so much so that she once took a semester off from college to cook in a professional kitchen. But her greatest passion in life is family and she relishes spending time with her husband, daughter, and dog.
Heather Nations
Director of Finance
Heather Nations
Heather is responsible for the management and oversight of all accounting, financial processes, and human resources for the organization. She has a BA from California Lutheran University in Business Administration. Ms. Nations’ 25-year background includes experience in the for-profit sector having worked for Hasbro and Starbucks in marketing and operations. After leaving corporate America she helped open a local small business and then found her calling working for nonprofits. In Heather’s spare time, she enjoys gardening and spending time with family.
Mackenzie Lovie
Director of Adult Programs
Mackenzie Lovie
Mackenzie Lovie is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) who has worked with nonprofits in Napa for her entire social work career. Mackenzie was motivated to pursue a career in social work after spending many years volunteering in the community, and received her Masters in Social Work from the University of Southern California. As the Director of Adult Programs, Mackenzie provides both clinical and administrative oversight of all agency programs serving adults, including the outpatient therapy clinic, older adult programs, and our housing programs. Prior to becoming the Director of Adult Programs Mackenzie worked as the Mentis Housing Program Manager for several years. Mackenzie has a passion for animal-assisted therapy and has been known to incorporate the healing benefits of animals into her work at Mentis. Mackenzie currently partners with her therapy Pig Obi to promote mental health in the community. Mackenzie’s love of animals is a large part of her life outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her Bulldog Bradshaw and caring for her myriad of rescue animals.
Charlotte Hajer
Development Director
Charlotte Hajer
As Mentis’ Development Director, Charlotte oversees all strategies and efforts to engage the community and raise funds to support the agency’s programs. She has worked with nonprofits in San Francisco, Sonoma Valley, and Napa County, building a track record for increasing revenues and strengthening donor engagement through authentic, personalized relationship development. She is a strategic thinker with a decade of experience in fund development, Board management, team building, and impact evaluation. Charlotte brings to her work a deep commitment to social justice and a drive to address systemic inequities and build communities where everyone has the opportunity to live the life they wish to lead. Charlotte holds a PhD in cultural anthropology with a focus on cross-cultural mental health. Originally from the Netherlands, she has lived on three continents and speaks four languages.
Karina Aguilar Sanchez, ASW
Mental Health Therapist
Ricardo Arenas
Napa Valley College Outreach Specialist
Karina Arias, LMFT
Mental Health Therapist
Cynthia Avalos
Operations and Administrative Specialist
Ashley Awe
Senior Communication Specialist
John Bennett
Prevention Specialist
Lily Blumberg, AMFT
Mental Health Therapist
Elizabeth Celaya, AMFT
Mental Health Therapist
Nikki Clancy
Executive Assistant & HR Specialist
Blanca Cortes, ASW
Bilingual Mental Health Therapist
Lisa Davison, AMFT
Mental Health Therapist
Adrian De Haro
Clinic Administrative Assistant
Edibel Deibert
Human Resources Manager
Allison De Lorimier
Senior Prevention Specialist
Luzviminda Del Rosario
Accounting Assistant
Lily Downs, ASW
Mental Health Therapist
Maureen Findley
Senior Clinical Case Manager
Maya Frazier, MSW
Mental Health Therapist
Bobby Garrison
Clinical Case Manager/Mental Health Aid
Jennifer Grogg
Clinical Case Manager
Monica Haigh, LMFT
Outpatient Program Manager
Nicole Havener, AMFT
Mental Health Therapist
Kellie Kennedy, LMFT
Senior Clinical Manager for Youth Programs
Sebrée Loveall-Hawkins
Accounting Manager
Julie Hernandez
Grad Student Trainee
Lily Leiva, AMFT
Mental Health Therapist
Adriana Martinez Chavez, LCSW
Mental Health Therapist
Mecaela Meerholz
Senior Operations Manager
Monica Mendoza
Graduate Student Trainee
Lizzet Montañez, LCSW
Clinical Supervisor
Kailee Musgrove, AMFT
Mental Health Therapist
Jessica Musgrove-Ortiz, APCC
Mental Health Therapist
Fatima Peña Contreras
Community Engagement Specialist
Alma Perez
HMHA Outreach Coordinator
Rubi Pelayo-Preciado, LCSW
Assistant Clinical Manager for Youth Programs
Miguel Ramirez, ASW
Napa Valley College Program Manager
Luisa Ramos, AMFT
Bilingual Mental Health Therapist
Isadora Rivers, ACSW
Mental Health Therapist
Vanessa Romero, ASW
Bilingual Mental Health Therapist
Paris Steinbach
Prevention Specialist
Ann Tommaney, PsyD
Clinical Supervisor
Alma Uribe
Bilingual Mental Health Therapist
Hannah Wallenbrock
Development Specialist
Ashlynn Webber
Housing Program Manager
Jessica Zepeda
Prevention Program Manager
Jorge Zepeda
Bilingual Intake Coordinator
Gloria Zimerman
Bilingual Medical Billing Manager
Angelina Zuniga
Administrative Clinical Manager
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Kim Brown Sims, MBA RN
Board President & Chief Nurse Executive Officer, Dignity Health
Sarah Moore
Board Vice President & Director of Brand Strategy, Mission Minded
Julissa Marcencia
Board Secretary & Chief Visionary, Wine Down Media
Maria Cisneros
Principal, Valley Oak High School
Terry Wunderlich
Realtor, Corcoran Global Living
Christopher Barefoot
Vice President of Public Relations, Opus One
Bret Johnson PhD
Clinical and Forensic Psychology
Regina Weinstein
Director of Marketing, Honig Vineyard & Winery
Sonja Farley
Retired Owner, Greenhaus European Day Spa
Judd Wallenbrock
Chief Executive Officer, Somerston Estate & Priest Ranch Wines
Kate Smith
President, St. Francis Foundation
Gwen McGill
Founder, GEM Collective
Carrie Maloney Robertshaw
Interim Chief Operating Officer, Kaiser Permanente
TEENS CONNECT COUNCIL
Julia Bui
President: Senior, Napa High School
Jessica Cullen
Secretary: Senior, Vintage High School
Juan Puentes
Communications Manager: Senior, Justin Siena High School
Andrew Dillon
Volunteerism and Civic Engagement Committee Chair: Senior, Napa High School
Lourdes Lopez
Volunteerism and Civic Engagement Committee Chair: Senior, New Technology High School
Ariatna Navarrete
Arts and Wellness Committee Chair: Senior, Napa High School
Maya Prouty
Arts and Wellness Committee Chair: Senior, Napa High School
Sofia Richart
Youth Voice and Advocacy Committee Chair: Junior, Vintage High School
Lina Neeb
Youth Voice and Advocacy Committee Chair: Senior, Justin Siena High School
Max Smith
Events Committee Chair: Senior, New Technology High School
Maya Aaen
Events Committee Chair: Senior, New Technology High School
STORIES OF IMPACT
The Right Combination
Carlos is 17 years-old, he is a kind and caring brother to his two younger siblings. Carlos dreams of being a video game designer when he grows up. Through our partnership with OLE Health, Carlos was referred to us when he witnesses significant violence between his parents. As a result, Carlos’ father was sent to jail, leaving Carlos to feel he had to take care of everyone in the household including his aging grandparents.
This change in family dynamics, coupled with the trauma he witnessed, caused his grades to drop significantly. As if that wasn’t bad enough, he was removed from his high school to attend alternative school, sent away from his circle of supportive friends.
At Mentis, we know involving parents in treatment can yield better results for the entire family. We paired Carlos with a bilingual therapist, so that his Spanish-speaking mother might participate in his therapy as needed. Carlos worked hard in therapy. He came to realize he was not responsible for his parents’ difficulties. Perhaps most important, he even began to feel some empathy for himself. He used the skills he learned at Mentis to move forward, which resulted in an improved environment for his whole household, better grades for him and a chance to re-connect with his friends.
Leveraging the right combination of our considerable expertise, partner connections and empathy to give clients like Carlos exactly what they need, when they need it means supporting one resident truly impacts many!
The Knowledge to Navigate
Leila is a vivacious high school senior with big plans! Active in Mentis’ Teens Connect program, she was a model for other young people; driven, confident, energetic. All this changed when her father died suddenly in the middle of her senior year.
Like anyone would after a loss, she struggled. Her participation in our programs had taught her that she might benefit from therapy, but unfortunately that was an expense beyond her family’s budget.
Fortunately, Mentis offers free, onsite therapy at Leila’s school, which she had learned about through her participation in Teens Connect. She began her work with Rosie, a clinician trained to work with adolescents, and committed to moving through her grief so that she could be there for herself, her Mom, and her younger brothers.
Four months later, she felt strong enough to complete therapy. She knows Mentis is there for her if she needs to check in, and she in turn helps others see the value of good mental health by continuing her leadership role in our Teens Connect program. Because Mentis works to educate young people on good mental health habits before they become paralyzing, we are able to help Leila and others like her navigate the hurdles life can throw at us.
A Path Well Trod
Cherie has much to be grateful for. She’s worked hard throughout her 76 years to contribute to her family’s well-being. But age can take its toll on anyone’s mental health, and Cherie was finding her days more isolating and difficult now that her family ‘needed’ her less.
Early in 2020, she had been introduced to our Healthy Minds, Healthy Aging program. She’d previously found our therapists to be so helpful in managing through some sad periods of her life. Yet this time, as her isolation and depression magnified over the winter, her lonely thoughts turned to suicide.
Tapping into the strong work ethic she had always been known for, she knew it was time to go “back to work” with her Mentis therapist. Our therapist created a suicide assessment and co-created a detailed safety plan with Cherie, who wanted so much to truly feel better and enjoy the time she has.
Re-engaging with a program with which she was familiar, and a therapist she’d connected with made all the difference! She learned additional skills to create boundaries managing her moods and thought. She even updated her own safety plan. She knows this program and this therapist have, literally saved her life. Because Mentis looks at the whole community’s health, we create partnerships and channels to make sure no one, from young students to older adults, falls through the cracks when it comes to their mental well-being!
PARTNERS
Thanks to collaboration with our partners Mentis provides services from prevention to treatment up and down Napa County.
Napa Valley Black History Committee
Napa Valley Education Foundation
Napa Valley Unified School District
NEWS Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse Services
FUNDERS
Thank you to all the Foundations & Organizations that support mental wellness.
Dragonfly Fund
Ettinger Foundation
Huneeus Foundation
Napa County Office of Education
Napa Valley Community Foundation
JOIN OUR TEAM
Mentis is one of Napa’s oldest non-profits and provides bilingual affordable mental health services to people of every age (5+) and income level. Everyday our staff and clinicians educate, support and inspire people to take charge of their mental well-being. If you want not only a fulfilling career with growth and training opportunities, but also to make a lasting impact on the community, apply today. When you join the Mentis team you will be welcomed by our dedicated team from administrative support to licensed clinicians that will support and encourage you in our mission to impact our community’s overall mental wellness!
Please see our Careers page for current openings. If you are interested in applying for a position, please send a cover letter and resume to jobs@mentisnapa.org.