Our Team

Based in Michigan and employed by the Alliance for the Advancement of Infant Mental Health (Alliance), Anicia is contracted to provide specialized support and guidance to our Washington Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Endorsement (I/ECMH-E®) applicants. Anicia brings to the team a refreshing viewpoint from her experiences as an Endorsed Infant Mental Health Specialist (IMHS) and IMH Home Visitor of 7 years, supporting Early Childhood Educators as well as families of 0-7 year olds. We are pleased to welcome her strengths in supporting applicants seeking endorsement in various stages and discussing inclusion, diversity, and equity within the workforce and its impact in the field of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health. Anicia is excited to provide Endorsement applicant support here in Washington and to interact with applicants as they embark on their Endorsement journey.

Sahkiya is a passionate professional dedicated to improving outcomes for children through healing relationships and collaborative partnerships. She is honored to serve as ERH Program Manager for the Center for Early Relational Health and Art with Heart, housed within Akin. In her role, Sahkiya draws upon 12+ years of teaching experience as well as her background in marketing, communications, and community impact to inform her work. She is honored to provide Reflective Supervision and Consultation, supporting professionals in prenatal through five spaces.

Sahkiya approaches life with a profound belief in the power of love and learning, embodying a learner’s mindset and an open heart in all her endeavors. Drawing from her own high ACEs score, Sahkiya believes in the transformative value of lived experience. She brings this perspective to her work, advocating for the recognition and elevation of nontraditional bodies of knowledge.

At the core of Sahkiya’s values lie authenticity, compassion, and kindness. She advocates passionately for healing, well-being, and the welfare of young children.  In her free time, Sahkiya finds solace in nature, whether she’s embracing trees, conquering mountains, or communing with animal friends. Sahkiya welcomes the opportunity to connect and can be contacted here.

Bridget is deeply committed to nurturing well-being and health through authentic and caring relationships. She began her professional journey as an infant-toddler caregiver and continued her learning in a variety of roles in programs, teaching, and research focused on babies and families. Through her professional and personal experiences, Bridget has witnessed the power of connection and community in healing and thriving. Bridget has been most inspired by her children, who have filled her life with love, laughter, and many (many) lessons. After growing up in the Midwest and spending years in Arizona, she is happy to call Washington her forever home and is always excited to explore.

Daniele brings more than 25 years of cross-sector executive leadership experience spanning nonprofit, healthcare, and government systems. Her career has been defined by designing and leading community-wide programs that prevent trauma, increase access to services, and strengthen multi-generational support systems. She has led complex program portfolios across early childhood education, behavioral health, human services, and youth development, and built innovative coalitions to deliver measurable community impact.

Most recently, as President & CEO of The Child Advocacy Center, Daniele expanded services across multiple locations, doubled revenue, and secured millions in major gifts for program expansion. She has also served as Commissioner of Human Services for the City of Rochester, New York, where she redesigned the entire crisis response system for the city, secured more than $50M in government funding, and transformed a $45M stadium into a vibrant community sports complex.

Daniele is deeply committed to equity, community engagement, and systems change. She leads with a collaborative style, grounded in the belief that those closest to the work often have the best solutions, and she is eager to partner with all of you to advance Akin’s mission and strengthen our program operations.