Meet The CPLA Team
CPLA is committed to bringing counseling and support to all under-served school communities so that every student has the best possible chance
for emotional well-being and a promising future.
Executive Director Therese Funk is honored to lead a community of
compassionate, dedicated & exceptional of counselors and support personnel.
THE CPLA LEADERSHIP TEAM
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Therese Funk Executive Director, & Co-FounderIn 2012, Therese co-founded CPLA with her long-time colleague , Monica Dessert after working for an Orange County based agency, Outreach Concern. Therese worked there for five years, along with her co-founder Monica Dessert. She received her Bachelors degree in Psychology from UCLA where she worked on special projects of early applied behavior analysis (ABA) for autistic children. It is at that time that she realized her passion for helping children, especially those facing obstacles and adversity. She obtained an MBA from USC and later, her Masters degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from California Graduate Institute, CPLA brings her full circle back to her roots, helping vulnerable children and adolescents to achieve bright futures despite tremendous odds. Additionally, Therese serves on the Advisory Board of the Dominican Sisters Vision of Hope. She is a founding member of EveryChild Foundation and for 20 years has served on grant-making committees. She is very proud to have served as only the second woman president of a social club in LA, The Beach Club.
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Jen VitanzaClinical Director
Jen Vitanza, LMFT joined CPLA as an (associate) counselor in 2016 and has continued to grow with the CPLA leadership team from a Field Support Person to Field Director where she mostly focused on supporting the counselors, building and maintaining relationships with all partner schools while ensuring a safe and thriving school community and providing support and supervision to the field support team. Beginning the 2022-2023 academic school year, Jen is moving into the role of Clinical Director, where she will focus on the day-to-day clinical operation and oversight of all clinical services, including supervision of counselors and the CPLA leadership team. Jen received her Bachelor's in Psychology and her Master's in Marriage and Family Therapy from California State University, Northridge. In addition to her work at CPLA, Jen works in private practice where she works with children, teens and families. Jen is truly passionate about her work at CPLA, especially in serving the underserved communities and her role and participation in the personal and professional growth of CPLA counselors.
jen@counselingpartnersofla.org
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THE CPLA FIELD SUPPORT TEAM
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Yoseline Lopez- MarroquinField DirectorYoseline's journey with CPLA began in 2012 when CPLA was founded. In 2014, she became a board member as a CPLA Alumni. She served as a counselor to St. Thomas the Apostle School, St. Pius X - St. Matthias Academy (formerly known as the all-girl St. Matthias High School), and Baldwin Park Head Start. Yoseline has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Global Studies from UC Santa Barbara; a Master of Arts degree in Clinical Psychology, with a Child Studies Specialization from Antioch Los Angeles; and a Doctorate of Clinical Psychology degree from Antioch Santa Barbara. Yoseline's clinical training experiences have ranged from school counseling to community mental health at agencies such as: Outreach Concern, Inc., Star View Community Services, Children's Institute, Inc., and Cal State Long Beach Counseling and Psychological Services. She served two years as a Field Support Person for CPLA and is excited to embark on this new journey as Field Director! Yoseline thoroughly enjoys connecting with others and motivating them to reach their infinite potential. Child at heart, she advocates for youth and their families, in effort to create a better society, one heart at a time.
Yoseline Lopez Marroquin, PsyD is a Registered Psychological Assistant #94025589 Supervised by Licensed Clinical Psychologist Mary Elizabeth Horan, PhD PSY 12061. |
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Gabrielle TorresField Support PersonGabrielle began working with CPLA in 2021 as a counselor for St. Dorothy Elementary. Since then Gabrielle has transitioned into the role of Field Support Person. Gabrielle has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and is working towards her masters in Counseling with an emphasis in Clinical Mental Health. She will be receiving this degree from Palo Alto University in the Fall of 2022.
In addition to Gabrielle’s experience working with children and adolescents at CPLA, she also worked as a behavior therapist for 4 years treating individuals on the Autism Spectrum. Gabrielle’s work in the ABA field, along with her family’s appreciation for mental health wellness, has influenced her dedication to serving others. She has a passion for advocating for those who are not spoken for and overlooked; through her work at CPLA, Gabrielle hopes to touch each life she encounters, leaving the individual desiring and demanding to know themselves deeper so they can show up for those in their lives. gabrielle@counselingpartnersofla.org
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Marilyn RamosField Support PersonMarilyn began working with CPLA in 2018 as a counselor for St. Mary’s School. In 2020 she became a counselor for Our Lady of Guadalupe. Aside from continuing to be a school counselor, in the spring of 2021, she stepped into her new role of being a Field Support Person. Marilyn obtained her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Mount St. Mary’s University, and her master’s degree in Psychology as a Marriage and Family Therapist/ Art Therapist from Philips Graduate University. Marilyn is a fluent Spanish speaker and in addition to her work with CPLA, she has worked as a play specialist for kids with autism, has been an advocate of the LGBTQ+ community, and is a dorm parent for a boarding high school in San Marino. Marilyn is dedicated and has a strong passion for helping others; she loves working with kids/teens and assisting other counselors in finding their own full potential at their schools.
Sandrinha Cruz
Field Support Person
Art is Sandrinha's passion and forte as she has personal and professional experience in this area and understands the value of art for our mental health. Sandrinha holds a BA in Fine Arts
specializing in photography. For several years, she worked as a professional photographer and Curator. Then, she taught photography to children. This piqued Sandrinha's interest in helping the children on a more profound level, as they would approach her with their personal struggles. This experience led her to pursue the field of psychology while still being able to combine her artistic experiences and skills. Sandrinha earned her Masters from Phillips Graduate University. As a Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist / Art Therapist, she has experience with individuals and groups in the following populations: Young mothers and their pre-school children in a Head Start Program, kindergartners to fifth graders in elementary schools, adolescents in high school, parents, staff, and clients in a rehab facility treating for drug/alcohol addictions and comorbidity. Through Art therapy, Sandrinha feels she can help empower and give a voice to those silenced. As art promotes expression, imagination, active participation and above all mind and body connection. As an FSP, she hopes to make a meaningful contribution to counselors, students, parents, faculty and staff to School and counselors under her FSP wing. sandrinha@counselingpartnersofla.org |
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Katie Holmes
Field Support Person
Katie began working with CPLA in 2021 as a counselor for St. Athanasius Elementary School, and has since transitioned into her new role as a Field Support Person. Katie has a Bachelor's degree in Psychology with a minor in Child and Adolescent Development from California State University, Fullerton, and a Master's degree in Clinical Psychology with an Emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy from Pepperdine University. Along with her experience counseling children and adolescents at CPLA, Katie has experience as a teacher's assistant in various educational settings and as an intern in community mental health supporting children and their families. She is passionate about advocating for and providing mental health services in underserved communities. Katie is dedicated to empowering and supporting our CPLA counselors, school staff, children, and families, to ensure they have all of the tools and resources to reach their full potential.
katie@counselingpartnersofla.org |
THE CPLA BOARD TEAM
The community leaders that serve on our Board of Directors are volunteers that lend their time and expertise to guide our organization responsibly and effectively. Our board is made up of leaders from the private, non-profit and public sectors:
Ms. Andrea Curthoys
Ms. Therese Funk
Ms. Yoseline Lopez-Marroquin
Mrs. Marcy Woodhull Polhemus
Bishop David O’Connell is a special advisor to CPLA
Ms. Andrea Curthoys
Ms. Therese Funk
Ms. Yoseline Lopez-Marroquin
Mrs. Marcy Woodhull Polhemus
Bishop David O’Connell is a special advisor to CPLA
THE CPLA VOLUNTEER COUNSELOR TEAM
The CPLA volunteer counselor team is a group of dedicated and compassionate Masters-level trainees and post-graduate associates working under the close supervision of licensed therapists. All members of the CPLA leadership team who oversee our volunteer counselors are experienced clinicians and have undergone a thorough interview and screening process. Counselors attend three days of intensive training prior to their school placements and additional monthly trainings throughout the school year. CPLA believes that consistent oversight and strong supervision of counselors are critical components in achieving success with the students we serve and to best support the training and growth of our counselors.
