Highlighting Hidden Gems: Meet Estefana Johnson of ARISE Alliance Institute
This article features Estefana Johnson, a first-generation Mexican-American mental health professional and the Director of Professional and Community Development at ARISE Alliance Institute. Estefana shares her unconventional journey into behavioral health, the challenges she faced early in her career, and the perseverance that shaped her work with high-risk youth and complex populations. The interview also highlights ARISE Alliance Institute’s mission to advance trauma-informed care through education, community partnerships, and its innovative Critical Memory Integration (CMI) approach. Overall, the piece showcases Estefana’s commitment to transforming mental health care by making effective, trauma-competent tools accessible to communities nationwide.