Mayra Andino

Receptionist (919) 688-7101 ext 600

Mayra is of Salvadoran descent and grew up in Montgomery County, Maryland.  She is pursuing a career in Journalism and wants to help the Hispanic youth graduate from high school. She will be working with us part-time while going to school. Mayra’s warm smile and excellent customer service make our visitors feel welcome as son as they come in. On her free time she enjoys performing slam poetry, playing soccer, and spending time with friends and family.

Christa Atkinson, MSW, LCSW

Therapist  (919) 338-1939 ext 517

Christa specializes in working with young children, adolescents and families with trauma, abuse, anxiety and depression. Christa brings experience working with diverse populations with an emphasis on cultural sensitivity and respect for all people. She has worked with court-involved youth in juvenile justice, traumatized and behaviorally challenged adolescents in a residential treatment center, and as the lead Clinical Social Worker in a Robert Wood Johnson funded program targeting mental health for Latinos in Durham elementary schools. Christa currently works as a Therapist at El Futuro serving Spanish-speaking clients in Carrboro. She is trained in providing multiple evidenced-based models including Incredible Years parenting groups, SPARCS adolescent treatment groups, MMTT child treatment groups and Child Parent Psychotherapy. Christa received her BA from Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado and her Master’s degree in Social Work from UNC Chapel Hill. She has lived in Costa Rica and Chile and traveled and worked in South America and Africa. Christa enjoys spending time practicing and teaching yoga, but most of all she enjoys her time as a mother. Specialties: Mental Health treatment with young children, adolescents, families and adults with trauma, abuse, anxiety and depression.

Roberto Blanco, MD

Psychiatrist (919) 688-7101 ext 613

Roberto joined El Futuro in 2006 as part of a year-long training through the UNC Psychiatry training program.  He went on to complete his Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship and now works with us providing psychiatric care to children and adults.  Roberto was born in Italy but has roots from Mexico and the US.  He trained at Emory University for undergraduate work in Art and then went to Vanderbilt for medical school before coming to North Carolina for specialty training in Psychiatry.  Roberto enjoys travel, art, music, running, and comida tipica!

Michelle Bertuglia-Haley, MSW, LCSW

Therapist (919) 688-7101 ext 616

Michelle is originally from Kansas City, Kansas. After graduating from college Michelle served for 2 years in the Peace Corps in Paraguay working with at-risk urban youth. After returning from the Peace Corps Michelle realized her passion for working with Latino families and children in the states. In 2009 she obtained her Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Michelle has specialized knowledge in working with survivors of domestic and sexual violence and children and families. Michelle is trained in Parent Child Interaction Therapy, Multidimensional Family Therapy and Motivational Interviewing. Group models Michelle is trained in are the Incredible Years and Strengthening Families. In her free time Michelle loves to cook, exercise and spend time with family.

Mary Dominguez

Receptionist  (919) 688-7101 ext 600

Mary is from Venezuela and moved to the United States in 2008. She got her International Relations degree from “Universidad Central de Venezuela”. She is also a GED Instructor at Durham Technology Community College. Mary’s love for helping the Hispanic community brought her to El Futuro. Her cheerful personality and work ethic make her an asset to our organization. On her free time she enjoys zumba, running and spending time with friends.

 Adris Fortunato, CSAC

Substance Abuse Counselor (919) 688-7101 ext 612

Adris Fortunato has years of experience providing substance abuse counseling to the local Latino community.  Adris has lived in the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and New York before moving to North Carolina.  Adris brings warmth, energy and hope to every interaction whether it be in individual counseling, group treatment or in casual interactions with fellow coworkers. In his down time he can be found with his family, playing baseball, or instructing Zumba!

Connie Garcia

Receptionist (919) 338-1939 ext 517

Connie Garcia is the Clinical Assistant who first greets most callers and visitors to El Futuro. She is of Nicaraguan descent and grew up in New Jersey and Philadelphia. A licensed cosmetologist and legal secretary, Ms. Garcia has a wide variety of experience including organization, customer service, home health work, supervision, soldering, electronics, and site maintenance. Ms. Garcia is a proud grandmother and is active in her church community and extended family

Sarah Harden, LCSWA, LCASA

Therapist/Substance Abuse Counselor (919) 688-7101 ext 610

Sarah is originally from Maine, where she got her start in the mental health field through her work in social justice projects. She credits her early education in social work to consumer advocates working to end homelessness in New England, and colleagues from the two years she lived in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Sarah received her Masters in Social Work from Simmons College in Boston, where she cultivated a passion for empowering adults and adolescents in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction.   During the summers she traveled to the US/Mexico border to lead reflection groups with undergraduate students about immigration. Sarah is glad to be back in North Carolina where she feels at home.  She loves language- poetry and song- and practices both while driving in her truck.

Molly Hayes, M. Ed., LPC

Therapist (919) 688-7101 ext 614

Molly and others dreamed of creating a place like El Futuro 8 years ago when she was a mental health case manager helping immigrant children in Orange County. She helped found El Futuro and since then pursued training to become a therapist earning her Masters degree in Counselor Education from NC State. Over the last several years Molly provided therapy for small children and their families as well as leading groups. She is trained in attachment based therapy models including Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, Child Parent Psychotherapy and Strengthening Families. She also has advanced training in Motivational Interviewing. Molly lived in the Dominican Republic for several years as a child, but is native to North Carolina and loves calling the Triangle her home. Molly joined El Futuro in 2011 in order to more fully use her bilingual ability in helping families in our community

Christina Kim, MSN,

Family PMHNP-BCTherapist (919) 338-1939 ext 502

Christina received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the School of Nursing at UNC Chapel Hill. She is licensed as a family psychiatric nurse practitioner and is a therapist at El Futuro. She is a 4th generation Mexican-American, originally from Arizona, and has long desired to work with the local Latino community. As a student, she requested an internship at El Futuro and received training from Drs. Smith and Espitia. It was then that she thought that working at El Futuro would be her “dream job”. Christina enjoys travel and spending time outside playing tennis, running, and bike-riding.

Kenia Marcelino

DWI Counselor

Kenia was born in the Dominican Republic and moved to Puerto Rico after high school in order to attend the University of Puerto Rico. She graduated with a degree in Criminal Justice, minor in Forensic Psychology and associate degree in Education. She has over six years of experience as a substance abuse counselor.  She also has served as a Hispanic community parent liaison in Wake County School System.

Riley Porter 

Resource and Development Coordinator  (919) 688-7101 ext 603

Riley is new to North Carolina, having moved from Portland, Oregon where she was born and raised, in June 2012.  A summer internship in Nicaragua sparked Riley’s interest in Latin America and led her to pursue a dual degree in International Relations and Spanish from the University of San Diego in 2009. Riley is excited to help El Futuro reach its fundraising goals and so thankful to be a part of such a committed and passionate organization. On the weekends, Riley enjoys spending time with her fiance, traveling and discovering some of the area’s beautiful running trails.

Harald Petrini, LPC

Therapist

Harald received a MA degree in Professional Counseling from Texas State Unversity, San Marcos. Originally from Guatemala, Harald has lived in the U.S. for about 30 years. He primarily works with adult clients, couples and groups, and his areas of counseling expertise include loss and grief, Christian-based counseling, cognitive-behavioral treatment of depression and anxiety disorders, as well as treatment of trauma/traumatic grief. He is pleased to have the opportunity to serve Spanish-speaking clients. In his spare time, Harald loves to swim, listen to music, spend time with family and friends, and be active in his church community.

Chuck Rigsbee, CPA

Business Manager (919) 688-7101 ext 609

Chuck grew up in Durham and worked as an accountant and in small business before joining El Futuro in 2011.  He earned his Masters of Accounting from East Carolina University and has worked as a controller, accountant, manager, collections representative and facility manager – pretty much all duties we now ask him to do at El Futuro and more!  Chuck brings a positive can-do spirit to our work and is an ethical and trustworthy leader of our business team.  In his free time Chuck enjoys being with family and friends, East Carolina football, Golf, and dabbles with guitar!

Reyna Rivera, MSW, LCSW

Therapist (919) 338-1939

Of Puerto Rican descent, Reyna grew up in Los Angeles, California.  In pursuit of social justice, Reyna began community organizing within her own Latino community over 25 years ago. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology with a self-directed focus in women’s studies from the University of California @ San Diego and a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of California at Berkeley.  In her healing work and in defense of human rights, Reyna has worked in social work practicing mental health, popular education, community organizing, and project development in marginalized inner city Latino communities in the U.S., as well as rural communities in Mexico, where she lived and worked with indigenous and farm worker populations for over ten years as a social worker.  She’s also practiced social work with traumatized Latino youth and families in California and New Mexico. Reyna can be found on the weekends working in the community garden with her son, building her own furniture, and enjoying a good book on the patio with her cat.

Tiffany Ruffin 

Authorization Specialist (919) 688-7101 ext 608

Tiffany was born in Rich Square, NC. She went to school at NC State University and got her degrees in Spanish and Accounting. She has worked at Support Works Inc, Easter Seals UCP and HOPE Foundations and brings a lot of experience in dealing with the Developmental Disabled population as well as the Mentally Ill population to El Futuro. Tiffany always has a smile on her face and is ready to help out. She quickly became part of the El Futuro family and is learning more and more Spanish everyday! On her free time she enjoys to read.

Gulny “Sarelli” Rossi, MHA

Clinical Manager (919) 688-7101 ext 607

Sarelli was born in Peru before moving to the US in high school and since has been in North Carolina. She came to know El Futuro through volunteering and so was already part of our team before she joined El Futuro’s staff in the late summer of 2010.  With a Masters in Health Administration from UNC-Chapel Hill, she brought knowledge and years of experience in the healthcare field to our team to help us work efficiently and help more people.  Sarelli also brings a fun loving spirit and has a unique way of making those around her do their jobs better.  She enjoys spending time with her husband and two precious daughters.

David Lucas “Luke” Smith, MD

Psychiatrist and Executive Director (919) 688-7101 ext 604

Luke Smith was raised in Arkansas and moved to North Carolina for psychiatry residency training in child and adult psychiatry. After volunteering in the community and perceiving a great need for Spanish language services, Dr. Smith mobilized the community to create El Futuro. He is the Executive Director and Medical Director, and provides psychiatric care to both children and adults. He is double board certified in both adult psychiatry and in child and adolescent psychiatry. On the weekend you can find him hanging out with family and mountain biking.

Karla Siu, MSW, LCSW

Therapist and Clinical Director(919) 688-7101 ext 601

Karla Siu grew up in Honduras, Tokyo and Virginia. She has worked in welfare reform, community mental health, research on biculturalism, and services to Latino domestic violence offenders. Karla has special expertise in serving families and children, conducting play therapy, and assisting in recovery from trauma. She recently co-authored a paper on cultural issues in treating Latino-Hispanic families with domestic violence issues, published in 2009.

Kelly Strickland, MSW, LCSWA

Therapist (919) 688-7101 ext 611

Originally from Ohio, Kelly worked with inner-city youth and persons experiencing homelessness before coming to North Carolina for masters training at the UNC School of Social Work. Kelly learned her spanish while traveling abroad in El Salavdor, Mexico, and Ecuador. She is trained in trauma recovery treatments, Motivational Interviewing, Interpersonal Psychotherapy, and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. She is also currently being trained in Child-Parent Psychotherapy and CBT for treating eating disorders. In her free time, Kelly enjoys running, yoga, reading, cooking, hiking, card playing, camping and most of all, hanging out with friends and family.