Wellness Program Staff
The Wellness Program operates under the direction of the Wellness Program Manager and a dedicated team of mental health professionals, social workers, home visitors, interpreters/outreach workers, clinical interns from local universities, and volunteers with backgrounds in health and human services. Together, this group is able to identify refugee and immigrant clients who present a variety of health and mental health needs and respond with culturally and linguistically appropriate services. Wellness Program staff are trained to provide health and mental health screenings, crisis intervention, and interventions that promote wellbeing. Staff work closely to coordinate a wide range of services, with intervention methods ranging from individual and group therapy to family support services to psychoeducation seminars aimed at supporting entire communities.
Administration & Support Staff
Maya Oyarbide-Sanchez, LCPC - Wellness Program Manager
Maya Oyarbide-Sanchez, LCPC (pronouns: she/her) is the Wellness Program Manager. Maya oversees visioning and implementation of all mental healthcare services. She provides therapy across all ages in the Wellness Program, while also conducting forensic psychological evaluations for asylum-seekers. Additionally, she represents RefugeeOne in the various national and local refugee health and mental health task forces, and oversees program evaluation and reporting.
Maya graduated from Northwestern University with a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology. Since graduating she has developed an expertise in providing therapeutic services to those who have experienced trauma, across the lifespan. Maya has worked with survivors of domestic violence, children who have experienced various forms of abuse and neglect, and adult survivors of sexual assault. Maya is bilingual in English/Spanish and has focused her career on working with immigrant and refugee populations.
Aimee Hilado, Ph.D., LCSW - Senior Program Advisor
Aimee Hilado, PhD, LCSW (pronouns: she/her) was the Founding Clinical Director of the Wellness Program from 2011-2021. In her advisor role, Dr. Hilado provides consultation on program development and evaluation. She is an Assistant Professor at the University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice where her research and teaching efforts focus on immigration trauma, early childhood and adult mental health, and culturally-sensitive clinical practice with refugees and immigrants.
Virginia Quiñónez, Psy.D. - Reflective Supervisor
Virginia Quiñónez, Psy.D. (pronouns: she/her/ella) serves as the reflective supervisor for all clinicians in the Wellness Program. She is a clinical psychologist with over 20 years of practice in the field working in community mental health settings especially with immigrant populations, women of color and LGBTQ communities. Dr. Quiñónez has presented at national and local conferences and events focusing on Latinx mental health, women’s issues, LGBTQ issues, trauma treatment and underrepresented students in higher education. More recently, she co-founded the Coalition for Immigrant Mental Health where she has focused on the development of mental health training and resources for immigrant populations. Dr. Quiñónez also worked in university leadership and was an associate professor of counseling psychology. Her roles focused on curriculum development, deanship, and academic program leadership during which she developed a Center and a training curriculum in Latinx Mental Health.
Maya Oyarbide-Sanchez, LCPC (pronouns: she/her) is the Wellness Program Manager. Maya oversees visioning and implementation of all mental healthcare services. She provides therapy across all ages in the Wellness Program, while also conducting forensic psychological evaluations for asylum-seekers. Additionally, she represents RefugeeOne in the various national and local refugee health and mental health task forces, and oversees program evaluation and reporting.
Maya graduated from Northwestern University with a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology. Since graduating she has developed an expertise in providing therapeutic services to those who have experienced trauma, across the lifespan. Maya has worked with survivors of domestic violence, children who have experienced various forms of abuse and neglect, and adult survivors of sexual assault. Maya is bilingual in English/Spanish and has focused her career on working with immigrant and refugee populations.
Aimee Hilado, Ph.D., LCSW - Senior Program Advisor
Aimee Hilado, PhD, LCSW (pronouns: she/her) was the Founding Clinical Director of the Wellness Program from 2011-2021. In her advisor role, Dr. Hilado provides consultation on program development and evaluation. She is an Assistant Professor at the University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice where her research and teaching efforts focus on immigration trauma, early childhood and adult mental health, and culturally-sensitive clinical practice with refugees and immigrants.
Virginia Quiñónez, Psy.D. - Reflective Supervisor
Virginia Quiñónez, Psy.D. (pronouns: she/her/ella) serves as the reflective supervisor for all clinicians in the Wellness Program. She is a clinical psychologist with over 20 years of practice in the field working in community mental health settings especially with immigrant populations, women of color and LGBTQ communities. Dr. Quiñónez has presented at national and local conferences and events focusing on Latinx mental health, women’s issues, LGBTQ issues, trauma treatment and underrepresented students in higher education. More recently, she co-founded the Coalition for Immigrant Mental Health where she has focused on the development of mental health training and resources for immigrant populations. Dr. Quiñónez also worked in university leadership and was an associate professor of counseling psychology. Her roles focused on curriculum development, deanship, and academic program leadership during which she developed a Center and a training curriculum in Latinx Mental Health.
Mental Health Program
Victoria Severson, LCSW - Adult Service Coordinator Victoria Severson, LCSW (pronouns: she/her) is the Adult Service Coordinator, who oversees programming for adult clients in the Wellness Program, provides individual/family therapy services and psychoeducation, and coordinates psychiatric services. She also supports coordination of all referrals for mental health services in the program.
Victoria received her Master of Social Work from the Jane Addams College of Social Work at the University of Illinois at Chicago with a concentration in Mental Health. During her program, Victoria served families who immigrated from Mexico, providing bilingual in-home family therapy and support services. Following graduation, Victoria worked as a therapist providing in-home individual and family therapy, case management, and advocacy support to families formed by adoption, with a developmental trauma- and attachment-informed focus. Victoria’s knowledge of how trauma and attachment impacts families informs the support she provides to immigrant populations at RefugeeOne.
Stephanie Japczyk, A.M. - Youth Service Coordinator
Stephanie Japczyk, A.M. (pronouns: she/her) is the Child and Youth Service Coordinator who oversees programming for children/youth age 6-24 years including individual/group therapy services and Social Emotional Learning (SEL) groups for youth and parents.
Stephanie graduated from The University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration with a Master of Arts and completed the Global Social Development Practice program of study. Prior to obtaining her master’s degree, Stephanie worked with Asylum-seekers, U-Visa applicants, and migrant workers at the U.S./Mexico border. At RefugeeOne, Stephanie serves clients across the lifespan with a primary focus on refugee youth through individual, group, and family therapy.
Rae Reed, LCSW - Early Childhood Service Coordinator
Rae Reed, MS, LCSW (pronouns: they/them) is the Early Childhood Coordinator who oversees programming for pregnant mothers and families with children under age 5. This includes the Wellness Program's prenatal support groups, trauma-informed Baby TALK Home Visiting Services, and Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) services.
Rae received their Masters of Science in Early Childhood Development from the Erikson Institute and their Master of Social Work from Loyola University with an emphasis on migration and international social work including a study abroad program in Mexico City and an internship with a refugee agency in South Africa. Following graduation, Rae worked as a therapist with unaccompanied minors at Heartland Alliance in Chicago, participated in volunteer group work at the U.S. Mexico border and began a private practice which included immigration interviews. They also worked as a therapist and supervisor at Eating Recovery Centers, Insight. Rae is Spanish speaking, providing therapy across the lifespan and also conducts forensic psychological assessments for asylum seekers.
Baby TALK Home Visiting Program
This program supports pregnant mothers and families with children under the age of 3 years with developmental parenting services that promotes the mental wellbeing and development of young children and their parents/caregivers. (Home Visiting Supervisor: Rae Reed, LCSW)
Victoria received her Master of Social Work from the Jane Addams College of Social Work at the University of Illinois at Chicago with a concentration in Mental Health. During her program, Victoria served families who immigrated from Mexico, providing bilingual in-home family therapy and support services. Following graduation, Victoria worked as a therapist providing in-home individual and family therapy, case management, and advocacy support to families formed by adoption, with a developmental trauma- and attachment-informed focus. Victoria’s knowledge of how trauma and attachment impacts families informs the support she provides to immigrant populations at RefugeeOne.
Stephanie Japczyk, A.M. - Youth Service Coordinator
Stephanie Japczyk, A.M. (pronouns: she/her) is the Child and Youth Service Coordinator who oversees programming for children/youth age 6-24 years including individual/group therapy services and Social Emotional Learning (SEL) groups for youth and parents.
Stephanie graduated from The University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration with a Master of Arts and completed the Global Social Development Practice program of study. Prior to obtaining her master’s degree, Stephanie worked with Asylum-seekers, U-Visa applicants, and migrant workers at the U.S./Mexico border. At RefugeeOne, Stephanie serves clients across the lifespan with a primary focus on refugee youth through individual, group, and family therapy.
Rae Reed, LCSW - Early Childhood Service Coordinator
Rae Reed, MS, LCSW (pronouns: they/them) is the Early Childhood Coordinator who oversees programming for pregnant mothers and families with children under age 5. This includes the Wellness Program's prenatal support groups, trauma-informed Baby TALK Home Visiting Services, and Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) services.
Rae received their Masters of Science in Early Childhood Development from the Erikson Institute and their Master of Social Work from Loyola University with an emphasis on migration and international social work including a study abroad program in Mexico City and an internship with a refugee agency in South Africa. Following graduation, Rae worked as a therapist with unaccompanied minors at Heartland Alliance in Chicago, participated in volunteer group work at the U.S. Mexico border and began a private practice which included immigration interviews. They also worked as a therapist and supervisor at Eating Recovery Centers, Insight. Rae is Spanish speaking, providing therapy across the lifespan and also conducts forensic psychological assessments for asylum seekers.
Baby TALK Home Visiting Program
This program supports pregnant mothers and families with children under the age of 3 years with developmental parenting services that promotes the mental wellbeing and development of young children and their parents/caregivers. (Home Visiting Supervisor: Rae Reed, LCSW)
- Winnie Akello, B.A. (pronouns: she/her) - Home Visitor for Congolese families
- Faridah Binti Mohamad Ali, B.A. (pronouns: she/her) - Home Visitor for Rohingya families
- Manar Matti, B.A. (pronouns: she/her) - Home Visitor for Iraqi and Syrian families
- Wahidah Binti Abu Taib (pronouns: she/her) - Home Visitor for Rohingya and Burmese families