Board of Directors
Dr. Monique Turner
President
Dr. Monique M. Turner is currently an Adjunct Professor in the Psychology Department. She has taught group dynamics and advanced research methods/statistics: she loves stats! Monique received her B.A. in 2010 and her M.A in 2016 from California State University, Dominguez Hills. She earned her Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology from Alliant International University. Her dissertation focused on multiculturalism and education empowerment among classified ethnic minority groups. Dr. Turner has clinical training of 7 years plus in the area of severe mental health and specializes in positive psychology, optimal well-being. She has also worked with the incarcerated population and has expertise in psychoeducational and neuropsychological assessments. She is the Co-Founder of Holiness Outreach Ministry Etc. (HOME), a non-profit that helps incarcerated families with support services. She has worked on numerous research projects and has led multiple presentations internationally and locally on various research topics including resilience, stereotypes, and ethnic disparities. In between jobs, school, and parenting, Dr. Turner works with K-12 students to enhance their educational development, specifically with writing, math abilities, and reading comprehension including etymology. She is committed to providing children with a quality of education amid life's obstacles through her organization, Beenie's Circle of Unity, as well.
Dr. Terrell Strayhorn
Vice President
Dr. Terrell Strayhorn is a leading authority in the fields of education, psychology, and leadership, internationally-known for his ground-breaking research and scholarship on sense of belonging. He has authored over 12 books and more than 200 academic publications in highly-regarded peer-reviewed journals and volumes, plus dozens of widely-circulated op-Eds, letters, and blogs. He is a contributing writer for Entrepreneur, AllBusiness, Thrive Global, and leads the “Belonging Matters” blog for Psychology Today.
Strayhorn currently serves as Professor of Education and Psychology at Virginia Union University, where he also works as Director of the Center for the Study of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Principal Investigator of The Belonging Lab. He teaches courses, designs curricula, and/or supervises doctoral committees at several universities across the globe. A leading DEI expert with subject matter expertise in Lean Six Sigma (black belt) and strategic planning, Strayhorn earned a bachelors degree from the University of Virginia (UVA), masters in education from UVA, masters in psychology from Indiana Tech, and doctorate (PhD) from Virginia Tech.
Driven by a genuine passion for helping others, Dr. Strayhorn has dedicated his career to working with individuals from diverse, vulnerable, and system-impacted backgrounds. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated and serves on several non-profit boards including Rainbow Labs, Career Analysis Organization of America, Oregon Outreach Inc., and Psychologists of Color, Inc.
Dr. Crystal Lee
Secretary
Dr. Crystal I. Lee is a clinical psychologist licensed in California and Nevada. She is the owner of LA Concierge Psychologist, a boutique private practice on the Westside of Los Angeles. Through her private practice, she serves emerging adults struggling to transition to adulthood, autistic adults, and adults with ADHD. Dr. Lee is also owner of The Clinician Coach, which provides business coaching and clinical consultation to early career psychologists and therapists. She earned her doctorate in psychology from Baylor University and her bachelor's degrees in psychology, sociology, and education from University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Lee is very excited to make a difference in how many psychologists of color are in the psychology field!
Dr. Jordyn Trockman
Treasurer
Dr. Jordyn Trockman is a licensed clinical psychologist in the state of California (PSY # 28433) and the founder & president of Psychologists of Color, Inc. Dr. Jordyn holds both a master's degree in counseling psychology and a doctorate in clinical psychology (Psy.D.) from Adler University in Chicago. She completed her undergraduate studies at Syracuse University, where she majored in Psychology and African-American Studies and graduated with multiple honors and awards.
Dr. Jordyn has been helping others to learn and grow for over 15 years. She has worked in a wide range of mental health settings (from outpatient services to inpatient psychiatric hospitals and residential facilities) providing individual psychotherapy, group therapy, psychological and psycho-educational assessments, conducting research, and providing supervision services to up and coming clinicians.
Dr. Jordyn is also the founder of California Women's Therapy (www.CaliforniaWomensTherapy.com), a virtual group psychotherapy practice centered around women's empowerment and mental health. She is especially passionate about helping women in their 20's, 30's and 40's to navigate the many challenges of balancing work, family, and personal wellbeing in the modern world.
Dr. Jordyn has also worked as an academic tutor and test preparation specialist for over a decade. To pass along her knowledge and expertise in the areas of psychology and test preparation, she runs a virtual group coaching program to help psychologists prepare for the psychology licensing exam, the Examination for Professional Practice is Psychology (most commonly referred to as the "EPPP"). You can learn more about Dr. Jordyn's EPPP Coaching Circle by visiting her website at www.DrJordyn.com.
Dr. Jordyn founded Psychologists of Color, Inc. during the summer of 2020 out of a desire to "do more" to support the fight for racial justice and equality. She served a the President of POC from 2020 - 2023. Dr. Jordyn lives in Santa Clarita, CA, with her husband and two young daughters.
Dr. Norma Kehdi
Board Member
Dr. Norma Kehdi is a licensed psychologist in California, and is the Senior Director at the Accessible Education Center at the University of Oregon, where she advocates for accessibility, inclusion, and support of students with disabilities on campus. Norma also works in private practice conducting psychoeducational and psychodiagnostic evaluations. She is a certified Learning Disability Specialist in the California Community College system. Norma’s specialities include learning disabilities, ADHD, diagnostic assessment, disability among college students, and acculturation and cultural competency. Norma has a passion for Arab American mental health and intergenerational trauma as well as college student well-being and belonging. Norma's interest in POC lies with her desire to have more representation of psychologists of color in the field to diversify the workforce and be able to reach and connect with more people in our communities. She earned her doctorate in clinical psychology from Pacific University and her bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Oregon. In her free time, Norma enjoys spending time with family and loved ones, bowling, live music, and ceramics!
Dr. Bilgé (Dr. B.) Yilmaz
Board Member
Dr. Bilgé Yilmaz (Dr. B.) received her Ph.D. from the Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology, which is a university-based, APA accredited program, jointly sponsored by Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS), Norfolk State University (NSU), and Old Dominion University (ODU). Dr. B. completed her M.S. in Psychology from ODU and her predoctoral internship within the Los Angeles Department of Correctional Health Services and External Telehealth Rotations for The Drexel Psychological Services Center, (PSC), including the Drexel Re-entry Project, the Mood and Anxiety Team, and Mother-Baby Connections. She completed her predoctoral training amongst a variety of interdisciplinary, forensic and hospital settings, including psychiatric hospitals, correctional facilities, and child advocacy centers (CACs). She graduated in winter 2023 and is applying to Postdoctoral Fellowship positions at VA hospitals and CACs within California. Dr. B.’s research and clinical work are aligned, focusing primarily on better identifying, understanding, and treating trauma and health-risk behaviors amongst underserved populations, including examining the impact of policies focusing on those disproportionately at risk of experiencing severe and persistent mental illness. Her and a fellow psychologist of color, Dr. Kelsey Yoder, have been collaborating to write a children’s book geared towards supporting emotional development and regulation through psychoeducation and skills learned across their clinical and research training. Dr. B. is very grateful for the opportunity to be a part of a nonprofit organization in line with her personal and professional values, and looks forward to collaborating with the POC, Inc. team on furthering the mission of racial justice and equality within the field of psychology!
Former Board Members
Dr. Tanika Gayle
Dr. Alivia Kremer
Dr. Alivia Kremer
Board Member Emeritus
Dr. Alivia Kremer
Dr. Alivia Kremer
Dr. Alivia Kremer
Board Member Emeritus
Dr. Enrique Ortiz
Dr. Alivia Kremer
Dr. Enrique Ortiz
Board Member Emeritus
Kristin Evans
Anastacia Sanfra Forbes
Dr. Enrique Ortiz
Board Member Emeritus
Anastacia Sanfra Forbes
Anastacia Sanfra Forbes
Anastacia Sanfra Forbes
Board Member Emeritus
Dr. Lisa L. Hancock
Anastacia Sanfra Forbes
Anastacia Sanfra Forbes
Board Member Emeritus
