Meet Our Staff and Therapists
The Mental Health and Wellness Center is staffed by therapists from Bay Area Clinical Psychology Ph.D. and Psy.D. programs. These practicum interns are supervised by William Firmender, Ph.D.
Please note: (*) means a remote day. We currently offer no clinical services on Fridays.
Suzanna Ramirez, Administrative Assistant (she/her)
Available| Monday - Thursday 9 am- 5 pm|Remote Friday* 9 am - 3 pm|
Suzanna serves as the administrative assistant at the Mental Health and Wellness Center at De Anza College, where she is also a proud alumna. She holds an associate degree in Liberal Arts with a focus on Social and Behavioral Science, along with an Associate in Communication Studies for transfer. Eager to further her education, Suzanna plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in communication studies. Her passion for supporting her community began in 2012 when she worked with low-income students in after-school programs, creating a safe space for them. In 2019, Suzanna joined the MHWC team and has since discovered a deep passion for her role. She is dedicated to providing her students with essential mental health resources while fully supporting her team. Outside of work, she is a proud fur mom to a maltipoo named Mela, whom she adores. Suzanna is a compassionate and empathetic employee, deeply committed to the well-being of her students and colleagues.
William Firmender, Ph.D. (he/him) - Director of MHWC and Clinical Training |CA Licensed Psychologist- PSY31057
Available|Monday, Tuesday*, Wednesday, Thursday|
Dr. Firmender is a licensed psychologist and the Director of the Mental Health and
Wellness Center at De Anza College. He moved to California after spending his childhood,
adolescence, and early adult years in South Carolina, Washington, D.C., and New York
City. His clinical and research interests include diversity and community mental
health, public policy, program development and evaluation, and therapeutic sports
interventions. He has a great deal of experience helping clients deal with stressful
life transitions. Using a combination of humanistic, behavioral, and attachment approaches
to psychotherapy, he aims to help clients feel comfortable with themselves, feel less
self-critical, and feel capable of making and maintaining meaningful life changes.
Such changes are based on substantive collaboration with clients to create tangible,
realistic, and attainable goals.
Puya Ahmadieh-Yazdi, PhD, CCSP (he/him) - Group Supervisor and Clinical Training Staff|CA Licensed Psychologist- PSY35090
Available|Monday*, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday|
Dr. Yazdi is a licensed psychologist at the Mental Health and Wellness Center. He received an undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and received his PhD in Clinical Psychology from Palo Alto University. His clinical and research interests include the intersection of chronic illness and psychosocial stressors, community mental health, and evolutionary psychology. In his clinical work, he has addressed a wide array of concerns such as depression, anxiety, trauma, and ADHD in a wide range of settings such as community/rural health centers, hospital systems, schools, and even in clients’ homes. Dr. Yazdi also enjoys traveling, playing video games, cooking, and spending time with his cats.
Brian Lippincott, Ph.D. (he/him)
Fall|unavailable
Brian Lippincott Ph.D is a Psychologist and Supervisor for the Mental Health and Wellness
Center at De Anza College. Dr. Lippincott earned his Bachelor’s degree from Saint
Mary’s College of California in 1978 in the Integral Curriculum of the Liberal Arts
which is a Great Books program. He immediately went on to John F Kennedy University
to earn his Master’s degree in Psychology in 1981 and eventually matriculated to Pacifica
Graduate Institute, where he earned his doctorate degree in 1992 with a specialization
in depth psychology. Dr. Lippincott is both a licensed marriage family therapist and
licensed clinical psychologist in the state of California. He has had a private practice
since 1985. Dr. Lippincott returned to John F Kennedy University in 1992 and has been
a faculty member since then, teaching every quarter in either the Master's in psychology
program for MFT, LPCC program, or in the PsyD program. Dr. Lippincott has taught a
wide variety of classes ranging from clinical case seminars, group process, and other
clinical classes to research and advanced research. Dr. Lippincott spent 20 years
working in community mental health, where he was the supervisor of the transition-age
youth program for Monterey County, which dealt with first-episode psychosis. In 2013,
Dr. Lippincott founded the Center for Humanistic Development, a training center in
Aptos, Watsonville, and Salinas, California, which trains practicum students and interns
in Humanistic psychology and Creative Depth Psychology (CDP). CDP embraces the ideas
of Jung and others regarding the depth of the human spirit and has a holistic approach.
It also involves depth perception in the outer world and is a community-based psychology
aligned with the work of Michael White and David Epston in Narrative therapy.
Carol Mellberg, MA, ATR, LMFT #37666 (she/her)
Available|Tuesday|
Carol is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a registered Art Therapist. She has a Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy with an emphasis in Art Therapy from Notre Dame de Namur University. She has an undergraduate degree in Graphic Design from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and was a student athlete on the Cal Poly women’s tennis team. Carol has worked in the field of Mental Wellness for over 20 years as a Therapist, a Supervisor, and the Director of a Community Based Mental Health agency. Carol combines her interests in sports, arts, and therapy to support students and adults in removing barriers to learning in order to find their authentic voice. She has developed school-based Art Therapy programs to help individuals build resilience during stressful times through choice-making in a space of unconditional positive regard. Carol believes in the power of the individual to find their best solutions through healthy externalization of emotions in a client-centered safe space for exploration. She provides strength-based, trauma-focused therapy for a variety of clinical issues including anxiety, depression, and relationship challenges.
Cyrus Chang, Ph.D. (he/him)
Available| Monday & Tuesday|
Cyrus is a Bay Area native and received his education at Palo Alto University (PAU). He obtained his PhD in Clinical Psychology at Palo Alto University. He values the importance of self-discovery in a safe and nonjudgmental space. Cyrus explores evidence-based practices to understand what works best with clients’ needs. He believes that treating individuals with kindness is essential to the human experience. In his free time, he enjoys playing tabletop games and video games. Cyrus also explores the area to try out new tea stores and restaurants. He is excited to return to De Anza because his educational journey began here.
Derrick E Felton, DSW (he/him)
Available| Thursday|
Dr. Felton is an Army Veteran who joined the Mental Health and Wellness Center team in January 2020. He brings extensive experience in trauma, depression, anxiety, and hospice care from his previous roles at Vitas Healthcare and the Department of Veterans Affairs Readjustment Counseling. As a Social Worker, Dr. Felton leverages his social work skills to assess the emotional needs of students.
In addition to his role as a counselor, Dr. Felton is an adjunct professor at De Anza College and Cal State East Bay. He was honored as the 2024 Fellow of the Year for Father’s Uplift [Father's Uplift]. He also serves as the Nor Cal Chapter President for the Society for Social Workers Leadership in Healthcare [SSWLHC] and recently became a member of the Social Work Leadership Foundation Board.
Dr. Felton earned his Doctorate in Social Work from the University of Southern California and holds a Master's degree in Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania. He also earned a Master's in Public Administration and a Master's in Business Administration from Keller Graduate School of Management. He is a proud member of Phi Alpha, a national honor society dedicated to social workers across the United States.
“True wellness comes from addressing stress through a holistic approach, considering the mind, body, and spirit as interconnected facets of our well-being. Only by nurturing each aspect can we find balance and resilience in the face of life’s challenges.”
Alejandro Ruelas-Mora, B.A. (he/him)
Available|Monday & Thursday|
Alejandro, also known as Taiyari (of Huichol heritage), holds a M.S. in Intensive
Psychology and Sociology with a concentration in G.I.S.E.S. from UC Santa Cruz. He
is currently a fourth-year doctoral student in Clinical Psychology, with an emphasis
in neuropsychology, at Palo Alto University. He was born and raised in the East Bay
until he moved to work in San Diego after graduating from UCSC, before returning to
the Bay Area for graduate school. Alejandro has extensive experience addressing a
spectrum of concerns across multiple clinical settings, including anxiety disorders,
mood disorders, trauma, life transitions and identity development, grief, academic
stress, personality disorders, schizophrenia spectrum disorders, ADHD, Autism Spectrum
Disorders, substance use, crisis intervention, and personal growth. Alejandro invests
in supporting people from all walks of life, with interests in reinidiginization and
facilitating ways to support clients in reconnecting with their cultural and identity
roots. His clinical work is grounded in trauma-informed, neurodiversity-affirming,
and strengths-based frameworks that emphasize self-compassion, resilience, and self-efficacy.
Alejandro is committed to co-creating a space that honors clients' multifaceted experiences,
supports navigation of distress on their own terms, and focuses on reclaiming and
reshaping personal narratives, while striving for authenticity. Outside of his clinical
work, Alejandro enjoys gaming, trying new foods, working out, traveling, music, reconnecting
with his indigeneity, and spending time with friends and animals.
David Rouxel, M.S. (he/him)
Available|Tuesday, Wednesday*, Thursday|
Bio is currently pending.
Emma Master, M.S. (She/they)
Available|Tuesday, Wednesday*, Thursday|
Bio is currently pending.
Juliana (Jules) Gutierrez, M.S. (she/her)
Available|Monday*, Tuesday, Wednesday|
Bio is currently pending.
Kaden Jensen, M.A. (he/him)
Available|Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday*|
Kaden is a third-year doctoral student in Clinical Psychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute, where he specializes in Depth Psychology. He earned his B.A. in Sociology from the University of California, Santa Cruz. As a Foothill College alum and Bay Area native, Kaden understands firsthand the challenges of navigating identity, relationships, and personal growth within academically rigorous environments. As an LGBTQ+ clinician, he is committed to creating an affirming and inclusive space where students can explore their identities, experiences, and goals.
Kaden has experience working with adolescents and young adults experiencing eating disorders, anxiety and mood disorders, personality disorders, academic stress, and challenges related to LGBTQ+ identity. His clinical experience spans a variety of levels of care, giving him an appreciation for the different needs and experiences that can arise throughout the therapeutic process.
Kaden’s approach to therapy is integrative, collaborative, and tailored to each student’s individual needs and goals. His clinical work draws from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), psychodynamic approaches, and somatic practices. He believes therapy is most effective when it creates space for both practical tools and deeper exploration of the experiences, relationships, and patterns that shape a person’s life.
Outside of his clinical work, Kaden enjoys reading, listening to music, practicing yoga, and spending time with the people who are important to him.
Naomi Gupta, M.S. (she/her)
Available|Monday & Thursday|
Naomi graduated from the University of California, Merced with a B.A. in Psychology, and is currently a sixth-year Clinical Psychology doctoral student at Palo Alto University. Growing up in the culturally rich environment of the Bay Area as a first-generation Indian American deeply instilled in her a profound commitment to practicing with a high degree of cultural sensitivity. This background is the primary driver behind her passion for the field of psychology and her core belief that a "not one size fits all" approach is essential for effective therapeutic outcomes. In her comprehensive clinical work, Naomi employs a sophisticated integrative approach, strategically pulling from evidence-based practices such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), as well as narrative and strength-based modalities, tailoring her interventions precisely to the unique needs of each client. Her practical experience since beginning graduate school is both broad and deep, encompassing work with a diverse spectrum of populations including young adults, older adults, neurodiverse individuals across all age ranges, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and families. Complementing her therapeutic skills, she also holds valuable experience with formal neuropsychological and behavioral assessments. Ultimately, Naomi’s professional mission is centered on empowering others, helping them navigate self-discovery, recognize their inherent strengths, and actively employ positive growth in their lives.
Outside of her clinical work, Naomi enjoys travelling, cooking, drinking coffee, trying new restaurants, and cuddling up with her two cats (Coco and Kulfi).
Sharon Li, M.A. (she/her)
Available|Wednesday|
Sharon is currently a fourth-year Clinical Psychology doctoral student at the Wright Institute in Berkeley. She graduated with a B.A. in Communication at Santa Clara University and has worked in the tech industry for over eight years before her career change. Sharon is a first-generation Chinese American immigrant and a De Anza alum who experienced the struggles of transitioning to college, navigating the complexity of self-identification, and preparing for the future. Sharon approaches therapy with a culturally sensitive, trauma-informed perspective and is deeply committed to providing a safe, compassionate, and nonjudgmental space for her clients. She has experience working in diverse settings with individuals from a wide range of backgrounds, including in community mental health and inpatient psychiatric hospitals. Sharon has worked with families, adults, children, and adolescents with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, autism spectrum disorder, and psychosis. She employs a strength-based, humanistic framework, with a special focus on trauma and its impact on an individual's identity, relationships, and physical health. Sharon is dedicated to supporting students in their journey of self-discovery and personal growth, and is devoted to serving marginalized identities with openness and warmth.