Christina “Tina” Cacho Sakai, LMFT
President, LA-CAMFT

With Gratitude

As we come to the close of this year, I am honored to express my profound gratitude for the remarkable year we have had at LA-CAMFT. This year has been nothing short of phenomenal, and I believe it is a direct result of the participation of our chapter members, volunteers, and leaders. Without you all, we would not have LA-CAMFT. I would also like to take a moment to acknowledge each member of the board for their invaluable contributions and tireless efforts. Your collective wisdom has played a pivotal role in the success of LA-CAMFT. As we look to the future, I am filled with optimism and excitement for what lies ahead. I have no doubt that LA-CAMFT will continue to thrive and reach even greater heights in the years to come.

With gratitude, I’d like to highlight two prominent leaders that I have had the privilege to get to know and work alongside—LA-CAMFT President-Elect, Jennifer Stonefield, LMFT and Past-President, Leanne Nettles, LMFT! Both of them speak to the specialness of LA-CAMFT being a place to connect, belong and feel supported.

Jennifer Stonefield, LMFT describes “flying under the radar” when she began attending meetings at the Olympic Collection prior to the pandemic to network and obtain continuing education credits. Little did she know that she would become President-Elect in 2023. Jenn describes her LA-CAMFT leadership journey starting when the 2020 President made an announcement at one of the CE events that the board of directors were looking for a Secretary.

Having had administrative experience, Jenn reached out, sent in her resume, came to a board meeting and was appointed Board Secretary in June 2020. Jenn’s commitment to LA-CAMFT leadership was widely noticed and was invited to continue to serve on the Board of Directors for the 3-year-presidential term of President-Elect 2023, President 2024 and Past-President 2025.

Jennifer’s “why” to being a LA-CAMFT Leader:

• I realized LA-CAMFT leadership is a family and that was really important to me especially during the pandemic.
• When one of the board members hits a dark time, we all step up to make sure they know they are supported.
• Jennifer’s “highlights” to being a LA-CAMFT Leader:
• The first time meeting people in-person at the LA-CAMFT Appreciation Dinner 2022.
• Attending the LA-CAMFT Holiday Party 2022 at Clearview Treatment Center.
• Leading the 2023 in-person Leadership Retreat in the home of a past-president.

Jennifer’s “hopes and dreams” for LA-CAMFT:

• In-person board meetings that are sprinkled throughout the year at various locations and on alternate days in order to make them more accessible to all, especially those in community mental health.
• Encompass the idea that we are family, find people who see the connection we have with each other and want to be part of it.
• Create and sustain leaders that want to move LA-CAMFT forward. People who see all the positives despite the negatives and continue to grow and move mountains.

Leanne Nettles, LMFT connected with LA-CAMFT through the Therapist of Color Support Group in 2018 and shared the experience of feeling “so affirmed in a way that I never knew I needed. I felt like I was taken seriously regarding a race-based concern that I was having at work. I felt validated, welcomed, and held.” In 2019 Leanne was invited to join the Diversity Committee and in 2020 attended her first Leadership Retreat where she saw the vision and witnessed LA-CAMFT as a forerunner in finding ways to connect and build community. Leanne’s leadership skills were widely noticed as she organized the first Anti-Racism Roundtable in August 2020 and in response from community feedback helped create an action plan to address areas of historic inequity in the profession, including: 1) Education and Training 2) Support Groups 3) Mentorship 4) Outreach and Accessibility 5) Policy Change. From there, Leanne was invited to serve on the LA-CAMFT Board of Directors for the 3-year-presidential term of President-Elect 2021, President 2022, and Past-President 2023.

Leanne’s “why” to being a LA-CAMFT Leader:

• I truly do believe that therapists change the world one client at a time and I recognize that there are a lot of areas where therapists need support in order to have longevity in the field.
• LA-CAMFT not only has a vision but takes action toward social justice and I want to be on a team that not only has high hopes but acts upon them.
• I want to be part of making positive change and providing supports for therapists across LA County.

Leanne’s “highlights” to being a LA-CAMFT Leader:

• Participating in the Therapists of Color Mentorship Program Committee, being on the forefront of something so revolutionary and seeing it come to fruition with how many mentees and mentors we have matched.
• Being able to work with diverse backgrounds together on a common cause and not just having high hopes and pie in the sky fantasies of what the world could be like but putting our money where our mouth is and investing in the community by creating and facilitating different programs.
• Facilitating the Anti-Racism Roundtable Series where we listen to the needs of our community, take the feedback, and actually do something about it.
• Seeing the true DEI work being done through accountability, incredible action toward introspection and taking action toward the service of therapists of color.

Leanne’s “hopes and dreams” for LA-CAMFT:

• We will expand our reach to therapists in community mental health and create accessibility for therapists in workplaces other than private practice.
• Bolster our 3000 Club and do more outreach to local grad schools letting people know they have support even before they graduate.
• More therapists of color to become involved in the workings of LA-CAMFT.
• If you are looking for a place where you could belong and connect with other people and feel cared for, LA-CAMFT is it!

Much gratitude to Jennifer and Leanne for sharing their experience, strength, and hope for LA-CAMFT with the broader LA-CAMFT Community! If you would like to get in contact with either of them you could find them here: https://lacamft.org/Board-of-Directors-2023.

Thank you to each and every one of you for allowing me to be LA-CAMFT President 2023! 

Christina “Tina” Cacho Sakai, LMFT

Christina "Tina" Cacho Sakai, LMFT (she/her) is a Latinx (Mexican-American) psychotherapist in private practice and a former community based therapist, clinical supervisor, associate director, and adjunct faculty at CSULA. She provides psychotherapy in a culturally responsive, LGBTQIA+ affirming and social justice-oriented atmosphere. Treatment specializations include healing from trauma, processing grief and loss, exploring creativity, and honoring full intersectional identities. She is currently in the BIPOC Somatic Experiencing Training Certificate Program.