What we do

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Ardena, MPA Parent Advocate, Founder, Executive Director Access Nonprofit Center Ms. Bartlett is the founder and director of her initiative Parenting Black Children the mission is to decrease disparities and increase access for parents/caregivers of children with Autism and Developmental Disabilities. She is a proud parent of a Beautiful Black Boy on the Autism Spectrum served by the Regional Center and is well aware of the needs of raising a child with Autism and developmental differences. 

She soon realized, that other Black parents experience the struggle of gaining equitable access for their children to receive services from community and public education. She began attending Special Education, Autism, and Developmental Disability trainings so that she would be equipped to empower her community of parents to gain access to this hidden information. As a result the PBC initiative was awarded the State of California DDS Service Access and Equity grant to focus on decreasing the disparity of Black/African American families gaining access to services. 

She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Sciences from University of California at Irvine(UCI), and a Master’s of Public Administration from University of Southern California (USC). Additionally, she has served the local school district’s special education department, volunteers at church, sits on a board Committee of the San Gabriel/Pomona Regional Center, participates in California Department of Developmental Services workgroups, and is a member of the Pomona Valley NAACP. She resides in the San Gabriel Valley with her family and enjoys discovering new opportunities for her son to help him and other children Live & Thrive in Home Community & School.

Rachel was born in Los Angeles and raised in the Inland Empire, where she developed a deep commitment to community health. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from UC San Diego in 2021, where she helped charter the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) and served as its first president. During her time at UCSD, she was also a chartering member of the Eta Delta chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., further deepening her passion for service and advocacy. After graduating, she spent two years as a substitute teacher before pursuing a Master’s in Biomedical Sciences at the California University of Science and Medicine, graduating in 2024. During her master’s program, she conducted research on how trauma-informed care practices improve patient outcomes and completed a community health internship, developing trainings on addressing adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) for youth.

Rachel currently serves as the Program Manager for Access Nonprofit, where she is excited to curate programs to ensure Black families experiencing developmental disabilities have the resources they need to thrive. Passionate about health equity, she is dedicated to expanding healthcare access for marginalized communities, particularly in the Inland Empire. Looking ahead, she aspires to become a physician committed to both clinical care and community advocacy, working to bridge the gap between medicine and public health.

USC Keck School of Medicine, MPH

Career Aspiration: Clinical Professor & Nonprofit Founder in Oral Health

Joan is a Southern California-based healthcare professional passionate about advancing community wellness through integrative, preventive care. She is a practicing Registered Dental Hygienist and a second-year Master of Public Health student at the University of Southern California (USC), specializing in Community Health Promotion.

With a strong foundation in clinical practice and growing expertise in public health, Joan is deeply committed to advancing oral health equity and improving access for underserved populations—particularly first-generation Vietnamese immigrants and refugee communities. Her focus on the oral-systemic connection allows her to take a holistic approach to health promotion and education.

As a Public Health Intern at Access Nonprofit Center, Joan contributes to the development and implementation of the Parent Leadership and Advocacy Training program. Her work includes conducting research, identifying relevant community resources, and supporting foundational efforts to enhance the organization’s outreach and impact. Her role reflects a dedication to empowering families and promoting health equity at the community level.

Joan’s long-term goals include continuing her work as a compassionate healthcare provider, becoming a clinical professor, and founding a nonprofit organization dedicated to oral health education and advocacy. Outside of her professional endeavors, she enjoys indoor cycling, caring for her newly adopted rescue kitten, and discovering new culinary experiences across Southern California.

Elise, a California native has always had a passion for patient advocacy and empowering the Black community in their healthcare decisions. With her own history of sickle cell, her diagnosis did not stop her from pursuing her dreams. She graduated from Spelman College with her Bachelors of Arts in Psychology and  her Masters of Nursing degree from Emory University. She aims to help rebuild the trust between the Black community and the medical field, so that they can lead healthy and sustainable lives.  In the future, she aims to continue her education and pursue her Nurse Practitioner license.

When she is not at the bedside taking care of patients, Elise conducts research for the various initiatives offered here at Access Nonprofit. She believes that in order to make informed decisions about one's care, having the proper resources is necessary, and as a result, commits to ensuring that parents are adequately equipped to address the needs of their children. Living life through the words of her favorite quote ["to know that one life has breathed easier because you have lived--is to know success-Ralph Waldo Emerson], she hopes to be an asset to those who cross her path and help them breathe easier. 

USC Keck School of Medicine, MPH 

Career Aspiration:  Project Management in Public Health 

Ivana Tan is a lifelong Southern California resident dedicated to promoting health, happiness, and cultural understanding. She has always been passionately committed to public health and recognizes its pivotal role in creating healthier and thriving communities. Ivana holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Human Biology and a minor in Public Health from the University of California, Irvine (UCI). Currently, she is pursuing a Master of Public Health at the University of Southern California (USC), specializing in Community Health Promotion.

During her undergraduate years, Ivana co-founded the UCI Human Biology Outreach Program, addressing health issues and promoting positive change in underprivileged schools in Orange County. Additionally, her love of traveling to nearly 40 countries inspires her advocacy for improved cultural competency in the health field, seeking equitable health for all. These experiences emphasize the need to tailor interventions to diverse contexts, reinforcing her commitment to a more inclusive approach to health promotion. 

Upon completing her studies, Ivana is eager to leverage her skills in leadership and project management to develop interventions that positively impact community health. Excited to be a part of Access Nonprofit Center, she brings a wealth of passion and dedication to support its initiatives, and contribute to a healthier and more fulfilling future for all families.

Maisha is an educator, filmmaker and artivist with a professional background in leadership development. Maisha holds an advanced degree (MBA) in the field of Media Management and has over two decades of working in youth development, launching and building leadership programs within the government, and non-profit sectors. Her experience includes curriculum and program development of diversity education and leadership training at both the collegiate and high school levels. She has worked with Morgan State University, Indiana University, and the New York City Department of Education's Advisory Council on Career and Technical Education.

In 2021, she was named one of Arts for L.A.’s Activate Innovators for her work in developing projects aimed at building a more diverse, inclusive creative workforce across the L.A. Region. Prior to that, she directed the launch of American Film Institute’s Storytelling Bootcamp in partnership with LAUSD with a focus on diversifying content taught to students across the city, and she's been a volunteer facilitator for The Center for Race and Reconciliation in Los Angeles.

She has served as the Program Director of both the Mayor’s Youth Leadership Council and the New York City Youth Council through Coro New York Leadership Center and is the founder and director of Urban Artivist Academy, an arts-in-education program that cultivates cultural sensitivity in young creatives committed to utilizing television and film as a platform for social justice.

She has trained with Theater of the Oppressed, The Undoing Racism Workshop, (The People's Institute for Survival and Beyond), The Masterful Trainer, Cambridge Leadership Associates Adaptive Leadership Framework and Coro New  York Leadership Center.

Maisha brings a creative energy and authenticity to her facilitation that creates space for compassionate yet challenging conversations to take place. She shares from an understanding of social movements and of how oppression, power and privilege play out in our organizations, communities and ourselves. Her commitment to her work allows for the process of shifting mindsets and changed behavior to become instinctive in her clients so that meaningful work comes from a place of personal power and personal connection and is lasting.

Deeply influenced by Maisha's many years as a teaching artist with a background in drama therapy, MAS Diversity utilizes theater technique and leadership development principles in its workshops and trainings. Clients include start-up non-profits, religious groups, schools and parent-teacher associations and social service agencies.

USC Keck School of Medicine, MPH 

Career Aspiration:  Health Equity Advocate/Specialist

Faith Oladimeji is a second-year MPH student at the University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine where she focuses on health services and policy. Faith was born and raised in Lagos Nigeria, and migrated to the U.S. during her early teenage years. Her experience as a black immigrant has given Faith a worldwide view of the importance of health care and accessibility. Faith graduated from the University of California, Davis with her B.S. in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior with a minor in Public Health Sciences. 

Her passion for health equity and mitigating the effects of health disparities led her to her MPH program at USC as well as to her current roles as an HIV Testing Program Manager and Access Nonprofit Intern. Faith is passionate about bridging the gap in healthcare and increasing healthcare access to many underserved populations. When not studying or working, Faith loves to travel and indulge in soft/calming activities. After receiving her MPH degree, Faith plans to work in the public health sector advocating for important health policy changes as well as being the voice for the voiceless and eventually contributing to a more equitable society.