Hi, I’m Leighna. My work with Momentum centers on supporting clients as they unpack and explore the ways in which DEIA concepts impact them both personally and professionally. You will see me most often in content workshops and individual leadership coaching sessions. 

Originally from Palo Alto, CA (Ohlone Land), I am the biracial descendant of Black slaves and white Irish immigrants. I’m a womanist, a Black feminist, and a critically conscious liberation psychologist. I offer consultation and training to groups, organizations, and businesses, in the areas of mental health, anti-oppression, inclusion, and belonging. I also maintain a private therapy practice for women of color in tech in Silicon Valley, and serve as faculty in the Stanford Graduate School of Business’s Women in Management program. 

I earned my Bachelor’s Degree cum laude in Culture Studies from UCLA’s Department of World Arts and Culture. I completed my Master’s and Doctoral Degrees in Clinical Psychology, with an academic emphasis in Diversity and Community Mental Health, from the Pacific Graduate School of Psychology at Palo Alto University. I finished my predoctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship in Gender Studies & Women’s Health at the VA Caribbean Healthcare System in San Juan, Puerto Rico, while serving as the elected member-at-large for diversity and inclusion to the American Psychological Association’s graduate student board. Most recently, I spent four years at First Step — the Palo Alto VA’s 90-day residential substance use treatment program — where I provided individual and group therapy to veterans who experienced struggles with substance use, PTSD, anxiety, and depression.

At the root of my work is a calling to create opportunities for healing, evolution, and interdependence. My superpower is my eternal quest for growth and healing, which I use to move toward a more vibrant future, while extending grace to myself and my communities in the present. 

To connect with me or learn more about my work, you can find me on Instagram and LinkedIn.