2026 AAPI Maternal Mental Health Convening
Programs & Speakers
ACTIVITY
Grounding Exercise
Meet the Facilitator
Jeannie E. Celestial, Ph.D., M.S.W
Licensed Psychologist, Trauma, Grief, & Loss Counselor of RAMS Wellness Programs
KEYNOTE
Current State of AAPI Maternal Mental Health
Insights on identity, resilience, and AAPI maternal mental health.
Meet the Speakers
Dr. Rita Nguyen
California’s Assistant Health Officer
Angela Tang, LCSW
RAMS President & CEO
(Moderator)
PANEL
Understanding the Maternal Mental Health Continuum
Preconception, pregnancy, birth, and early parenting. Tools for Support and Interventions.
Meet the Speakers
Dr. Hazel Benigno
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Dr. Alison Hu
Licensed Psychologist
Angela Vincent Polk, LMFT
Practitioner of Hope as a Blue Skies Mental Wellness Team member
Maternal, Paternal, Child, and Adolescent Health (MPCAH) – Alameda County Public Health Department
Christina Shea, LMFT
RAMS Chief Clinical Officer
(Moderator)
PANEL
Lived Experience: Voices of Mothers
Real stories of birthing experience, struggle, healing, resilience, relationship.
Meet the Speakers
Fanny Lam
Executive Director of Asian Perinatal Advocates Family Support Services
Lenna Te’o-Malieitulua
Program Manager of Regional Pacific Islander Taskforce
Sitha Yim
Owner of Sitha’s Khmerkitchen Pop-up
Mory Chhom, MPH
RAMS Director of Population-Focused Prevention Early Intervention
(Moderator)
PANEL
Importance of Cultural & Community Strengths & Practices
Workforce representation, culturally healing practices, culturally-centered programs/services/resources, family roles, gender roles, and engagement.
Meet the Speakers
Ruta Lauleva Lua’iufi Aiono, IBCLC
Director & Co-founder of M.A.N.A. Pasefika
Traditional Birth Attendant, Lactation Consultant, Childbirth Educator, Full-Spectrum Doula
Maile Chand
Program Manager of Teine Toa Girls’ Group, Co-founder of M.A.N.A. Pasefika, Full-Spectrum Doula, Lactation Educator
Tonya Lang, MPH, CHES, IBCLC
Co-founder of AANHPI Lactation Collaborative
Jeannie E. Celestial, Ph.D., M.S.W
Licensed Psychologist, Trauma, Grief, & Loss Counselor of RAMS Wellness Programs
(Moderator)
PRESENTATION
Systems, Advocacy and Policy – Amplifying Voices
Meet the Speakers
Summer Mei Ling Lee, MFA
RAMS Board Chair
Natalie Tualemoso Ah Soon, MPH
RAMS Director of Community Engagement & Government Relations
Continuing Education: RAMS is approved by the California Psychological Association (CPA) to provide continuing professional education hours for psychologists. For this event, RAMS is offering 3 hours of continuing education for psychologists, LMFTs, LCSWs, and LPCCs. RAMS maintains responsibility for this program and its contents. In order to receive CE credit, participants must attend the entire training. Those arriving more than 15 minutes after the start time or leaving before the workshop is completed will not receive CE credit. Sign in and out will be required.
