Endorsements
Redwood Empire
Laura Strom, PsyD, LMFT
CAMFT President 2015-2016
“Tara D’Orazio is an innovative and visionary leader. Tara is well respected and liked in our chapter, especially after she successfully brought RECAMFT through our 2020 pandemic year with so many creative ideas to keep the chapter running as we coped with the stress of coronavirus, transformation of our business models, and wildfire threat. As the leader of our RECAMFT Board, Tara was calm, level-headed, and always listening to all points of view. She constantly kept our safety in mind.
When 2020 brought us the horror of George Floyd’s death, Tara responded by creating RECAMFT’s first ever Diversity Committee (now called the Racial and Social Justice Committee) which resulted in our Board adopting a Racial and Social Justice Pledge, and a Strategic Plan in support of creating a community of anti-racists. This is a prime example of Tara’s farsighted vision for our profession. She is laser focused on issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion both for our members and organization, and in how we serve our communities and clientele.
Tara has a particular place in her heart for wildfire trauma. She was supportive of RECAMFT’s efforts beginning in 2017 to create a coalition of mental health professionals from various organizations to address the stress and trauma our entire community suffered when the Tubbs wildfire took out over 5000 homes in the Santa Rosa area. Starting with RECAMFT, and a professional fundraiser, Tara was part of a Board vision that eventually raised over $1 million dollars to help the community recover from the fires, trained over 500 mental health professionals in Skills for Psychological Recovery, paid clinicians to treat fire victims, and produced clinical research in collaboration with Stanford and the Palo Alto VA to help other communities who are faced with large-scale disasters in the future. This effort was truly visionary on a very large scale, a source of pride for all of us. Tara contributed to its successful roll-out, and has developed a deep understanding of the intricacies of disaster mental health as it impacts large communities.”
CAMFT Outstanding Chapter Leader Award 2021
“The Redwood Empire Chapter of CAMFT is honored to nominate Tara D’Orazio, LMFT, RECAMFT President, as this year’s Outstanding Chapter Leader. Tara had already impressed us with her considerable skills in her role as President-Elect, by 1) helping to format and provide content for our annual retreat, and 2) just about single-handedly orchestrating our successful summer picnic in 2019.
But who could have envisioned the chaotic environment she would preside over as she took over the presidency in January 2020?!?! Yet, Tara has been handling the incomparable changes required of our chapter with an elegant aplomb and wisdom beyond her years!
When emotions have run high as we struggle to adjust to ever-changing circumstances, Tara’s redirection to keep our interactions constructive and positive is spot-on. Her leadership is suffused with the kindness she consistently reminds us to practice, while her monthly newsletter messages provided timely inspiration and reflect her concern and compassion for us.”
-2020 RECAMFT Board of Directors
Inland Empire, Redwood Empire
Doreen Van Leeuwen, MA, LMFT
RECAMFT President 2019
IE-CAMFT President 2013
CAMFT Recipient of the Mary Riemersma Distinguished Clinical Member Award 2019
Disaster Mental Health and Critical Incident Response Expert
“I most heartily recommend Tara D’Orazio to be considered for the position of president-elect of the board of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists for the following reasons:
From the first time that Tara began volunteering for the Redwood Empire chapter of CAMFT on the membership committee until now, as past president, Tara has shown her impeccable commitment to furthering the goals and objectives of this chapter.
Tara has a quick mind, a wonderfully kind spirit, and a delightful sense of humor. During her tenure as President, she was always organized and prepared for her role chairing board meetings or MC’ing our monthly speaker meetings. She is deft at navigating and facilitating difficult conversations so that potential conflicts are negotiated successfully.
Her ample strengths were really put to the test when our lives capsized as a consequence of the pandemic. Of course, none of us were prepared, but Tara had just assumed her role as President. She had to do a lot of quick thinking and maneuvering (along with the board) to fulfill her mandate as well as the mission of the organization. She’d be the first to give the credit to other hard-working members, but Tara was exemplary in her willingness to dive deep into new and creative ways to keep the organization relevant.
One evidence of Tara’s compassion and concern for us (members/therapists) as people first, all impacted by a disaster while at the same time attending to great numbers of clients similarly impacted, was creating and facilitation a variety of Zoom support meetings for us to drop into for some down time together. Another was making beautiful succulent gardens for board members as thank you gifts and having them delivered to our homes.
Tara is a key contributor in reinventing how CE events were delivered since that is one of RECAMFT’s significant contributions to its members. Tara did not hesitate to jump on the steep learning curve required to master technology and more, in order to help lead during this most unusual of times.
I believe Tara is a uniquely gifted woman who has been proofed by a particularly challenging ordeal, and that she will be a tremendous asset to the CAMFT board.”
Sacramento Valley
Talal Alsaleem, PsyD, LMFT
SVC-CAMFT President 2018
“Tara is a passionate and knowledgeable candidate who has a very clear view of CAMFT’s strengths and areas for growth. In addition to her many successful accomplishments at the local level, she brings a lot of needed ideas that will resonate with many folks around the state. One of the many goals she hopes to champion is increasing access, inclusion, and support.
Tara is very approachable and genuinely vested in helping the local chapters have the support they need to not only sustain but also grow their membership. Her passion for supporting MFT students, associates, and new clinicians will help our profession thrive and bridge the preexisting gap between the old and new generation of practitioners. As a seasoned clinician and a past president of a local chapter of CAMFT, I believe that Tara is an excellent candidate for the president-elect position. Her dedication, compassion, and skill set is what CAMFT needs for growth.”
Redwood Empire
Reyna Seminara, LMFT
RECAMFT President 2017
“During her year as President of RECAMFT in 2020, Tara was called upon to pivot many times because of COVID-19. When we chose to not meet in person she kept us all together with virtual Board of Directors meetings, Zoom trainings, and she quickly learned how to use our virtual platform, in all its nooks and crannies.
She formed and worked on many Ad Hoc committees, reaching out to form close alliances with all Board members and served on many committees. Her energy seems boundless. I’ve worked with Tara on many committees and it is always a delightful experience. She is smart, thinks quickly and creatively, and listens in a collaborative manner.
I imagine and believe that Tara will devote the same type of energy, kindness, and drive if she is elected as CAMFT President. Those of us who know her will be voting for her. I wholeheartedly endorse Tara D’Orazio as President of CAMFT.”
Santa Barbara
Chris Minerd, AMFT
“I have had the privilege of knowing Tara both personally and professionally for eighteen years. She has always been a voice of compassion with an insatiable curiosity for the human condition. In a time where the mental health community is under an unprecedented amount of strain, we need a leader who will understand the needs of a new generation of therapists and speak for the growing needs of the profession. As someone preparing for licensure, there is no one who I trust more than Tara to advocate for me and for all California therapists.”
Los Angeles, San Gabriel Valley
Mervin Maier, LMFT
Private Practice Owner
“I was strongly impressed with her passion for issues that are important to all of us in California including disaster awareness and support, racial equity and social justice, and the pandemic. The many events that she has faced within in her tenure as member and Board President of the RECAMFT chapter, and, how she has managed them with grace and conviction are evidence of what she can accomplish on a state level. She made it very clear that she is organizer, uniter, and deeply wants to connect and resource CAMFT’s membership so we, can best resource those that we work with. As a member of the local chapters of LA-CAMFT and SGV-CAMFT, I wholeheartedly am endorsing Tara D’Orazio for the position of CAMFT President-Elect.”
Redwood Empire
Gail Van Buuren, LMFT
RECAMFT President 2007
“I have had the great pleasure and honor of serving on the RECAMFT Board of Directors for several years with Tara D'Orazio. I was struck from the first meeting with her by her commitment and enthusiasm for any project she undertakes. She is unbelievably creative and extremely intelligent and when she puts those two strengths together to focus on an idea or task, the results are not only exceptional but amazingly excellent and frequently fun as well. It has been a pleasure and an honor to serve with her on the Board as she held various positions all the way to Past President. She is warm and easy to work with, always seeks to find creative resolutions, and always comes up with inspired leadership.”
Marin, Redwood Empire
Lisa Wenninger, APCC
“I recently stepped into a support role with RECAMFT and have worked with Tara for only a short time, however I've been so impressed by witnessing her as a leader. She is compassionate, energetic, efficient, and incredibly dedicated. She understands how organizations function, is collaborative, ethical, and fair, and always has members' interests at heart. She would be an absolute gift to CAMFT membership in this statewide leadership role. Highly recommend!!!”
Redwood Empire
Rhonda Shea, LMFT
Private Practice Owner, CAMFT Member since 1989
“The three years that Tara and I have shared a consultation group have been characterized by unrelenting challenges for RECAMFT membership and for the population we serve. As others here have testified, Tara stepped up and stayed standing throughout, never faltering as she served in a variety of leadership capacities. She carried a heavy load with grace, and still does.
You may see it differently, but our probable collective future does not suggest to me that things are going to get easier as time goes on. To keep pace, to stay relevant and effective in our profession, changes will be indicated, fresh ways of perceiving and navigating will be called for.
I have consistently experienced Tara as emotionally and intellectually honest, discerning in thought and meticulous in action, a natural collaborator, and capable of viewing the big picture through a courageous lens. Tara is a woman who gets things done. I completely trust her to lead all California LMFTs into a yet more challenging future.”
Redwood Empire
Sher Winston, LMFT
Private Practice Owner
“Tara is amazing and would be an excellent asset to CAMFT. I have had the privilege of being in a consultation group with her and I’ve found her to be highly analytical, a researcher, quick-witted, and most of all helpful. Her attention to detail, organized nature and focused support has benefited each person in our group. I have been moved by her integrity, her openness, and her care for others. CAMFT would be lucky to have her, and I highly endorse her.”
She’s Got My Vote!
Laura Strom, PsyD, LMFT
Victoria Rohrer, LMFT
Talal Alsaleem, PsyD, LMFT
Mervin Maier, LMFT
Erin Wiper, LMFT
Brenda Brazil, LMFT
Althea Kai, LMFT
Sher Winston, LMFT
Gail Van Buuren, LMFT
Doreen Van Leeuwen, LMFT
Janelle Bull, LMFT
Rhonda Shea, LMFT
Myron Walters, LMFT
Ann Clark, LMFT
JoAnn Consiglieri, LMFT
Ilene Wolf, LMFT
Lisa Wenninger, APCC
Chris Minerd, AMFT
Reyna Seminara, LMFT
Karin Wandrei, LCSW
Elizabeth Mueller, LMFT
Rex Burington, LMFT
Gina Culver, LMFT
Kristin Mills, LMFT
Elaine Sohier-Gayler, LMFT
Bob Engel, LMFT
Lisa Grace, LMFT
Linda Collett, LMFT
Anne Gibson, LMFT
Hannah Caratti, LMFT
Susan Kistin, LMFT
Dianna Grayer, PhD, LMFT
Marylou Donnelly, LMFT
