Welcome!
We’re your Mentored Internship Program (MIP) Team
We’re absolutely thrilled that you’ve found your way here!
Meet the fantastic individuals behind your Mentored Internship Program (MIP) Team. On this page, we’ve laid out everything you need to know about each member – from our personal passions to our areas of expertise. Plus, we’ve made it super easy for you to get in touch, ensuring a smooth and open line of communication throughout your MIP journey.
Take a moment to explore the incredible MIP Grantee Organizations we proudly support. Please always remember, we’re here for you! Whether you need assistance, guidance, or just want to chat, don’t hesitate to reach out. Your success in the MIP program is our top priority!
Natalie Castro, M.S.S.W.
Grantee Coach
Phone: 978.226.1898 Ext.638
Email: acastro@ahpnet.com
Natalie Castro, M.S.S.W., is a senior program associate at Advocates for Human Potential (AHP). With a wealth of experience in local and global projects, Natalie is passionate about creating positive change through design, planning, and analysis. Natalie brings a unique perspective to her work, emphasizing human-centered and human-designed approaches. Her focus extends to historically marginalized communities, ensuring equity across various fields. At the core of her mission is the commitment to filling non-traditional roles, and expanding the scope of social work to provide accessible and equitable services.
Natalie earned her Master of Science degree in Social Work (M.S.S.W.) from Columbia University, specializing in Social Enterprise and administration.
Natalie is the Grantee Coach for the following MIP Organizations:
- Aldea, Inc.
- Chinatown Service Center
- CommuniCare Health Centers
- Dignity Community Care dba California Hospital Medical Center
- El Dorado County Community Health Center
- Family Alliance for Counseling Tools & Resolution
- Foothill Family Service
- Greater Hope Foundation for Children, Inc. (DBA: A Greater Hope)
- Hill Country Community Clinic
- Janus of Santa Cruz
- Momentum for Health
- Penny Lane Centers
- Redwood Community Services Inc.
- Samuel Dixon Family Health Center, Inc.
- Seneca Family of Agencies
- Joseph Center
- The Center for Sexuality & Gender Diversity
- Vista Hill Foundation
- Vista Hill ParentCare Central
Christian Citlali, M.S.W.
Lead Grantee Coach
Phone: 323.570.0254 Ext. 312
Email: ccitlali@ahpnet.com
Christian Citlali, M.S.W., is a senior program associate for Advocates for Human Potential (AHP). Pronouns He/Him/El. He is a bilingual professional working across mental health, program management, and school-based settings. He is a mental health wellness practitioner with experience in direct services, community practice, advocacy, and organizational development. Partnering with and supporting communities of opportunity is integral to his journey as a social worker. Christian is committed to working with diverse populations and creating accessible and equitable services that embrace identity, culture, and healing. His work is informed by anti-racist, strengths-based, and culturally-affirming approaches. He received his M.S.W. from California State University Northridge and is in the process of getting his LCSW.
Christian is the Grantee Coach for the following MIP Organizations:
- Archway Recovery Services, Inc.
- Bartz-Altadonna Community Health Center
- Caminar
- Center Point, Inc.
- Children’s Home of Stockton
- Episcopal Community Services of San Francisco
- Florence Crittenton Services of Orange County; DBA Crittenton Services for Children & Families
- Gardner Family Health Network, dba Gardner Health Services (Specialty Behavioral Health Division)
- HealthRIGHT 360
- HEPPAC
- LAGS Recovery Centers, Inc.
- LifeLong Medical Care
- Phoenix Houses of Los Angeles, Inc.
- Sierra Meadows Foundation
- Social Model Recovery Systems, Inc.
- Tarzana Treatment Centers, Inc.
- The AMAAD Institute
- The Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC)
- Via Care Community Health Center
- Wesley Health Centers (JWCH)
Tara Fischer, M.S.W., LICSW
Project Director
Phone: 617.913.0971
Email: tfischer@ahpnet.com
Tara Fischer, MSW, LICSW, is a senior program manager II for Advocates for Human Potential (AHP) and serves as the Project Director of the Mentor Internship Project (MIP). Ms. Fischer brings nearly 30 years of practice in the behavioral health field. She has extensive experience providing clinical direct care as well as designing, implementing, and monitoring behavioral healthcare service delivery improvements for public sector organizations. Ms. Fischer provides training, technical assistance and consultation to health and human service organizations to strengthen the workforce’s capacity to address behavioral health needs, coordinate care, and mitigate social determinants of health. She has developed and implemented a number of trainings, learning collaboratives and job aids to support the provision of care coordination, crisis response, contingency management, trauma informed supervision, person centered care planning and specialized services for pregnant and parenting women with substance use disorders. Additionally, she has managed multiple technical assistance projects under the Massachusetts Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment Program (DSRIP) as well as a SAMHSA project for the state of Illinois aimed at supporting employee mental health and wellbeing in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Her experience as a behavioral healthcare administrator, provider, clinician, and consultant spans multiple settings, including outpatient, residential, Medicaid managed care, state mental health authority, primary care, accountable care, and family-driven, youth guided systems of care. She holds a Master of Social Work degree from Simmons University and is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker.
Amanda Flores, B.S.
Grantee Coach
Phone: 323.271.0871
Email: aflores@ahpnet.com
Amanda Flores, B.S., is a senior program associate for Advocates for Human Potential (AHP) and is currently serving as a grantee coach for the Mentored Internship Program (MIP) based in California. She is an enrolled member of the Oglala Sioux Nation and is a veteran of the U.S. Navy. Amanda’s experience has spanned over the last 10+ years in roles such as program management, career advising, and mental health case management. Additionally, she is knowledgeable in managing special programs including managing a SAMHSA Native American youth suicide prevention and early intervention program. She has also been responsible for managing an HRSA OUD/SUD planning project for the nine tribal nations of South Dakota. She is accomplished in project management, outreach services, facilitating talking circles, and development of tribal prevention programs. She holds a B.S. in human services from University of Phoenix and is currently a student pursuing a master’s in public health from UC Berkeley.
Amanda is the Grantee Coach for the following MIP Organizations:
- Compatior, Inc.
- Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse
- Dual Diagnosis dba Health Care Integrated Services Inc.
- Family Dynamics Resource Center
- Health Service Alliance
- Helpline Youth Counseling, Inc.
- Inner-Tribal Treatment
- Kings View
- Korean Community Services Inc. (KCS)
- Los Angeles Centers for Alcohol and Drug Abuse
- Norooz Clinic Foundation
- North County Health Project, Inc., d.b.a. TrueCare
- Open Door Community Health Centers
- Rancho San Antonio Boys Home, Inc.
- Remarkable Marriage and Family Institute dba Remarkable Services
- Sacramento Youth Center
- San Diego Freedom Ranch, Inc.
- Sharp HealthCare Foundation
- John’s Community Health
- The Happier Life Project
- The Purpose of Recovery
- The Village Family Services
- United Indian Health Services, Inc.
- Valley Health Associates
Tiffany Malone, M.A.
Deputy Director
Phone: 323.431.5617 Ext. 631
Email: tmalone@ahpnet.com
Tiffany Malone, M.A., is a senior program manager at Advocates for Human Potential (AHP). With more than 17 years working with at-risk communities and people with intellectual disabilities, a great portion of her time was spent empowering and uplifting the parents of these children and advocating for behavior change, equity, and inclusion while bringing awareness of mental health, wellness, and self-care to her community. Before joining AHP, Ms. Malone used evidence-based Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) interventions as an ABA clinical supervisor, where she utilized various assessment and data collection procedures to record and analyze progress toward behavior benchmarks and goals.
Ms. Malone has expertise in in-person, virtual, and self-paced training development and facilitation on a number of different platforms. She has presented in several national behavior conferences on topics including but not limited to; School Wide Positive Behavior Support Systems, Fostering Healthy Social Emotional Competence in Young Children, and A New Approach to Understanding Behavior: Exclusionary Discipline and Positive Expectations. Ms. Malone also worked as a lead quality supervisor on the Quality Rating and Improvement System Block Grant funded by the California Department of Education and First 5 California. Through assessment, training, and technical assistance, Ms. Malone worked to support continuous quality improvement for participating programs and their staff, and provide families with information about program quality to assist them in making informed choices. She has extensive hands-on experience in all levels of management, including performance management, quality assurance, coaching, virtual instructor-led training and development, and remote team management.
Currently, she supports the AHP-administered Mentored Internship Program (MIP), which is part of the Behavioral Health Workforce Development efforts of the California Department of Health Care Services. As a grantee coach, Ms. Malone delivers trainings, as well as universal and individualized 1:1 technical assistance to support behavioral health organizations in developing MIPs to help expand California’s future behavioral health workforce. Ms. Malone received her B.S. in health management from Howard University, and her M.A. in teaching ABA from National University.
Tiffany is the Grantee Coach for the following MIP Organizations:
- Citrus Counseling Services, Inc.
- Community Solutions for Children, Families and Individuals
- Fred Brown Recovery Services
- Glenn County
- Grandma’s House of Hope
- Imperial County Behavioral Health Services
- Insights Counseling Group
- Merced County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services
- Monterey County Health Department, Behavioral Health Bureau
- Portia Bell Hume Behavioral Health and Training Center
- Rebekah Children’s Services
- San Diego Center for Children
- San Mateo County Health Foundation
- Stanford Youth Solutions
- The Guidance Center
- The Regents of the University of California, Davis
- Tulare County Health and Human Services Agency, Mental Health Branch
- Victor Community Support Services, Inc.
- WestCoast Children’s Clinic
Xiomara Romero, M.S. LMFT
Grantee Coach
Phone: 978.261.1455
Email: xromero@ahpnet.com
Xiomara Romero, M.S., LMFT, is a senior program associate at Advocates for Human Potential (AHP). She has more than 14 years’ experience in the mental health field, including providing behavioral health services in an integrative behavioral health setting, counseling and psychological services at universities, and private practice. Ms. Romero has consulted with nonprofit organizations focused on providing services to cancer patients and their families and consulting with clinicians interested in going into private practice. She has worked with clients of all ages—children to adulthood—providing mental health services. Additionally, she has experience with group facilitation, presenting at conferences, and consulting. Ms. Romero is bilingual in English and Spanish, provides culturally responsive care, and is an advocate for underserved communities. She holds a master of science degree in counseling, with an emphasis on licensed marriage and family therapy, from San Diego State University.
Xiomara is the Grantee Coach for the following MIP Organizations:
- AltaMed Health Services
- Another Choice, Another Chance
- Casa Pacifica Centers for Children & Families
- Comprehensive Community Health Centers
- CJSP El Hogar Community Services, Inc.
- El Hogar Community Services Inc.
- Fresno Family Counseling Center/California State University, Fresno Foundation
- Gateways Hospital and Mental Health Center
- Higher Ground Youth and Family Services
- Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services, Behavioral Health
- Korean Community Center of the East Bay
- La Clinica de La Raza, Inc.
- Mathiesen Memorial Health Clinic
- Mendocino County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services
- PathPoint
- Petaluma Health Center
- Quality Group Homes DBA Quality Counseling Center
- Riverside University Health System – Behavioral Health
- Shasta Community Health Center
- Sycamores
- The DreamPower Foundation
- Venice Family Clinic
- Ventura County Behavioral Health Department/County of Ventura
- WHOLE SYSTEMS LEARNING