The Sankofa Team

Care feels safest when you know who is holding the space. The Sankofa team reflects the communities we serve, bringing cultural knowledge, lived experience, and deep commitment to affirming care.

We offer bilingual services (Español, বাংলা), and we are here to help you find a therapist who feels like the right fit for you.

Vanessa Washington (she/her) | Clinic Director | LPC

Hey, I’m Vanessa! I aim to be real, authentic and open as we explore your goals and develop a path towards reaching them.

We will name your magic, loudly and often, intentionally centering your culture, strengths, gifts and passions into our work tougher.

Full bio.

Clinicians

  • Hi! I'm Bree (she/her), a Minnesota native and a biracial Black and white woman. When I am not focused on my school work, you can find me dancing, coaching, and exploring all that Oregon has to offer. I am passionate about increasing access to culturally competent, equitable mental health care. My therapeutic approach is warm, relational, and grounded in psychodynamic and person-centered therapy, with mindfulness practices that honor and respect all identities and lived experiences.

  • Hi, my name is Ashley Thompson (she/her). I am a cisgender Black woman born and raised in South Carolina. I am an Army Veteran and a full-time Clinical Psychology Doctoral Student. I believe each of us can gain tools, insight, and self-awareness to help us thrive in this life. I find purpose in journeying alongside others, holding space for unique stories while aiming to facilitate hope and healing.

  • Hi! I’m Deja (she/her). I identify as a cis-gender multi-racial woman. I believe the healing process takes place when we are ready to listen deeply to what the body is already communicating. This can be a great challenge and it does not have to be done alone. I am here to be present with you, to be a guide when needed, and to witness your healing journey.

  • My name is Deshawn (he/him). I specialize in supporting adults, adolescents, and families to navigate divorce, phase of life transitions, grief, substance use, and experiences of harm. When working with clients, I use an integrative approach using trauma-informed care, and cognitive-behavioral interventions, with an understanding of how systemic and institutional challenges impact people in their daily lives. Full bio.

  • Hi! My name is Shinjini and I’m a queer, second generation South Asian/Bengali American (and former East Coast-er) with lived/living experience as both a provider & consumer of mental health care. My community care work with QT/BIPOC folks focuses on co-creating compassionate, identity-affirming spaces that center intergenerational healing, trauma recovery, empowerment and, of course, joy! Let’s connect!

  • ক্লিনিক্যাল সোশ্যাল ওয়ার্কার অ্যাসোসিয়েট, সার্টিফাইড ড্রাগ অ্যান্ড অ্যালকোহল কাউন্সেলর

    হাই! আমার নাম শিঞ্জিনি। আমি একজন কুইয়ার, দ্বিতীয় প্রজন্মের দক্ষিণ এশীয়/বাঙালি আমেরিকান (এবং সাবেক ইস্ট কোস্টার), যার মানসিক স্বাস্থ্য সেবার ক্ষেত্রে সেবাদাতা ও সেবাগ্রহীতা, উভয় হিসেবেই বাস্তব অভিজ্ঞতা আছে। QT/BIPOC কমিউনিটির সঙ্গে আমার কমিউনিটি কেয়ার কাজের মূল লক্ষ্য হলো সহানুভূতিশীল, পরিচয়-স্বীকৃতিমূলক পরিসর একসাথে গড়ে তোলা, যেখানে আন্তঃপ্রজন্মের সুস্থতা, ট্রমা থেকে আরোগ্য, ক্ষমতায়ন এবং অবশ্যই আনন্দকে কেন্দ্রে রাখা হয়।

    চলুন, সংযুক্ত হই!

  • Hi, my name is LaTrece Gaither. I'm a Licensed Professional Counselor and Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist. I am a wife, mother of 3 and woman of faith. I will show up with all of me and welcome you to do the same!

  • Currently accepting private pay, Moda, BCBS, Trillium, PacificSource and Kaiser

    My name is Moryah. I am a Black woman, proud mama of two, and wife. I've lived in NE Portland for over 10 years. I cherish the opportunity to center and prioritize my community in my work. I have worked most extensively with teens, young adults, and parents, and enjoy working with folks of all ages, stages, and phases of life. At this time, I am seeing clients exclusively through Telehealth. Full bio.

  • Hi, I'm Stephanie (she/her), a Black Biracial woman from rural Oregon. I believe relationships—with ourselves, others, and nature—are central to healing. For BIPOC individuals, acknowledging historical trauma and honoring our ancestors is key to wellness.

    In therapy, I offer a safe space to explore patterns, overcome barriers, and connect with your authentic self. Through mindfulness, somatic practices, ecotherapy, and CBT, I’m here to support your healing journey.

    If this resonates, let’s connect! Full bio.

  • Hola, soy Stephanie (ella), una mujer negra birracial de una zona rural de Oregón. Creo que las relaciones, con nosotras mismas, con otras personas y con la naturaleza, son centrales para la sanación. Para las personas BIPOC, reconocer el trauma histórico y honrar a nuestros ancestros es clave para el bienestar.

    En terapia, ofrezco un espacio seguro para explorar patrones, superar barreras y conectar con tu yo auténtico. A través de la atención plena, las prácticas somáticas, la ecoterapia y la TCC, estoy aquí para apoyar tu proceso de sanación.

    Si esto resuena contigo, conectemos. Biografía Completa

  • My name is Kalpana (she/her), and I enjoy working with clients that are dealing with anxiety, racial and second generation identity issues, grief, parenting, and living as a human in a rough world. Raised in Portland, I am familiar with being the “only one”—whether it’s because of your race, ethnicity, immigrant family, or other identities. Therapy with me includes laughter, slowing down, some swear words, and making space to be with the messy so that we can see what shows up and where you want to go. I'm a parent to teenagers, have a cat named Whisper, enjoy romance novels, and knitting.

  • Hi, I’m Mila (she/her/ella). I’m a cisgender, able-bodied Latina Clinical Social Work Associate—half Mexican, half Salvi—born in California and now rooted in Portland, OR. I’m bilingual (English/Spanish) and passionate about supporting young adult Latinas and Latina women as they navigate cultural pressure, parentification, and intergenerational expectations.

  • Hola, soy Mila (ella). Soy una mujer latina cisgénero y sin discapacidades, Trabajadora Social Clínica Asociada, mitad mexicana y mitad salvadoreña, nacida en California y ahora establecida en Portland, OR. Soy bilingüe (inglés y español) y me apasiona apoyar a jóvenes adultas latinas y mujeres latinas mientras navegan la presión cultural, la parentificación y las expectativas intergeneracionales.

  • I am Sam; I work from a trauma-informed and person-centered approach, drawing deeply from psychodynamic theory. My passion lies in supporting children and teenagers, helping them build resilience, find their voice, and navigate life with greater hope and confidence. I believe that even the smallest steps forward can open the door to brighter tomorrows, and healing begins from being seen and heard. Full bio.

  • Hi, my name is Zainab (she/her). I'm a Black Palestinian Queer woman, born & raised in Portland. As a counselor, I hope to be a resource for my community. I strongly believe in communal healing and support and that healing also starts with ourselves. Full bio.

  • Hello, I’m Donnell. I identify as an African American, cis-gendered, able-bodied male. I intend to support clients in exploring the external influences that have impacted who they have become and Identifying their own values, stepping into a self-determined identity that makes them feel whole. Full bio.

  • I’m Jenny Lee (they/she). As a Korean American nonbinary therapist, born and raised in Chicago, I’ve cultivated a deep awareness of the complexities inherent in navigating multiple identities within a society and culture that often dismisses diversity. My mission as a human, and therapist, is to reclaim our shared humanness by exploring the intricate interplay between our identities and bodies within our worlds. Full bio.

Operations

  • Anjuli (she/her) is bicultural and mixed race somatic therapist who integrates teachings from the worlds of clinical social work and subtle bodywork teachings. She is the child of an Indian immigrant from Mumbai and a Scandanavian-Minnesotan farmer and grew up immersed in both cultures. Anjuli values connection with people and animals, nature, authenticity and humor to ground herself and her work.

  • Hi, I'm Gaby; I am a cisgender Latina woman of Puerto Rican descent. I believe in the power of human connection and strive to create a warm, supportive environment where clients can feel safe to explore their thoughts and emotions. I take a trauma-informed approach to counseling, integrating cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) with psychodynamic and gestalt theories. I also embrace humor as an essential part of the therapeutic journey—laughter can be a powerful tool in healing.

  • Hi, I'm Krista (she/her)! I’m a cisgender, able-bodied, neurodivergent woman from Portland with Swedish and Dutch ancestry. I’m committed to unlearning by examining how my heritage connects to colonization and white supremacy. My prior leadership at a woman-led social work organization clarified how systemic inequities impact people of color. At Sankofa, I support therapist well-being, ensure healthcare compliance, and drive systemic change through strategic operations. Full bio.

  • Hello! My name is Michelle Gaither (she/her). I identify as a Bi-racial Black and white cisgender woman born and raised in Portland, OR. I am a mother, wife, lifelong learner, a runner, and a lover of new experiences, good food, travel, reading and rest. I am passionate about learning, justice, holistic and community well-being and I envision and work toward a world where these can exist and thrive together. Full bio.