Jana is a Licensed Psychologist in Brazil, starting advanced studies in Neuroscience at the Queensland Brain Institute/University of Queensland in Australia in 2012 to run a pilot research study for trauma treatment of post-war Africans. She attended college and graduate school in Massachusetts, USA, where she also worked as a research asssitant at Massachusetts General Hospital Psychiatry/ Harvard Medical School with psychiatric genetic research for anxiety disorders. She previously completed certificate training programs at The Trauma Center at Justice Resource Institute in Brookline, MA, USA, and at the Israel Center for the Treatment of Psychotrauma in Jerusalem. Jana is also a visual artist, loves world travel, writing poetry, and boxing.

 Dina is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the USA, who currently has a private practice in southern New Hampshire. Dina has completed the Certificate Training Program at The Trauma Center at Justice Resource Institute in Brookline, MA, USA. She uses a variety of methods, including EMDR, to work with children, adolescents, adults and families to resolve issues related to traumatic stress. Previously, Dina has worked in schools, residential treatment programs, group homes, and homeless shelters for adolescents. She believes unconditionally in the power of human beings to heal, transform, live joyfully and love. Dina is a Capoeirista, world traveller, yoga practitioner, and a mom. She lives in New Hampshire with her partner and their son.

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With over 30 years of clinical and administrative experience, Caren Lipkin Rifkin has worked in private practice, hospitals, addiction treatment programs, mental health centers, business and industry. Caren has a passion for helping people to improve their mental and physical health utilizing mind body techniques. She has a special interest and advanced training in health psychology, biofeedback, hypnosis and mind-body health. Caren is also the founder of Jayme’s Fund for Social Justice, a non profit that was established in memory of her daughter Jayme.  Jayme’s Fund promotes human rights for children, and specifically encourages young people to get involved in understanding and helping to further human rights. Caren lives in New Hampshire, USA with her husband Steve, where they enjoy their work, athletics, the outdoors and most of all, time spent with their adult children.

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Kupe is a Liberian leader with significant practical experience working with refugees and post-war survivors. Before joining Second Chance, he was the director of a vocational training program for former child soldiers at the Buduburam refugee camp in Ghana, where he also initiated and incorporated the idea of providing psychological services, by leading trauma and mental health psychoeducation groups. Prior to that, he worked as a skill development  trauma counselor for the Guinea Refugee Services Project for over 7 years, attending the needs of Sierra Leonean and Liberian refugees. His work also included data collection on the influx of refugees from various bordering towns and villages on the Guinean side, where he had the opportunity to debrief with anxious new refugees crossing through both illicit and legal borders. Sumo now works as our country director at the Monrovia office. He maintains an optimistic nature, belief, and passion for intervention work with former child soldiers, inmates, gangs, and children in difficult situations. He hopes to incorporate to SCA an empowerment program for sustainable transformation – an agro-village rehabilitation and training program that combines technical, life skills and psycho-education for its beneficiaries.

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