Meet The Board

Shaleena Tareen has her Bachelors in Business and Early Childhood Education with 25 years of experience in the field of ECE. She is proficient in managing the administration of an educational institute as well as coaching and mentoring teachers in curriculum and behavior management. She is skilled at partnering with parents to provide positive parenting solutions.

 

Shaleena is the author of “The Learning Steps", a book on growth mindset for children. She is a Children's Mental Health Advocate with a vision to nurture children's mental health by providing

hands-on coping resources to children and families going through critical transitions in their lives.

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Salman Tareen has been in the sales and marketing field for over 30 years. Having worked as a Financial Analyst in the Banking Industry along with his experience as the CEO of Carlutions, an automotive concierge company, Salman brings with him a wealth of knowledge as the CFO of Childhood Matters.

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Salman will be supporting all aspects of the financial operations of the organization along with assisting to meet fundraising goals. He looks forward to serving the families and children in the community.

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Abeera Tareen is a Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist. She obtained her M.A. in Clinical Psychology with an Emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy from Pepperdine University. Abeera obtained her B.A. in Gender Studies from University of California, Los Angeles.

 

Abeera is passionate about mental health and strives to create a positive image surrounding mental health care. In working on the Childhood Matters Board, she hopes to make a difference in the community by being a part of the organization's outreach goals.

Amelia Mora Mars is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist based in Westlake Village, California. 

She is a dedicated mother of six daughters and four sons and a re-mothering coach for women raised by emotionally unavailable mothers.

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As the board chair, Amelia is driven to support children with the care and validation she wished she had received growing up. She believes in the power of providing coping skills and emotional support to change the course of a child’s life and is honored to contribute her personal and professional experience to Childhood Matters mission.

Ani Zonneveld is the founder and President of Muslims for Progressive Values (MPV), a Grammy certified songwriter, and founder of Alliance of Inclusive Muslims. She is a member of the Multi-Faith Advisory Council to the U.N. and is the co-chair of its Gender Working Group; completed an anti-hate speech curriculum for Muslim societies commissioned by the UN Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect. Ani is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and is a board member of Community Partners Foundation in Los Angeles.

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Ani is the co-creator of a children's curriculum rooted in Human Rights. Through her vast experience, Ani strives to support Childhood Matters vision and mission.

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Taylor Coggins is a former educator with degrees in Early Childhood and Elementary Education as well as a Masters in Reading and a Preliminary Administrative Credential.

 

Taylor is the owner of a small business in Ventura County, California, called Stories In Sensory, that creates sensory bins based around children's

well-known literature. She loves sharing her passion for making learning fun with families in the community and across the country. She looks forward to partnering with Childhood Matters to bring much needed resources for children's well-being to the community.

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Cici Bo is the founder of Harmony Family Yoga, a boutique yoga studio in Thousand Oaks offering inclusive and wellness yoga. She is certified in Children and Teens, Trauma-informed Yoga and mindfulness meditation. Cici acquired her Masters of Fine Arts from the New York Film Academy.

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Cici strongly supports Childhood Matters mission and wants to help collaboratively address our community’s health needs. Empowering her voice by bringing mindfulness-based models and practices to Childhood Matters, she aims to support youth in their growing years.

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Micaela obtained a Bachelor's degree in Psychology at California State University, Northridge. More recently, she received her Master's degree in Clinical Psychology with an Emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy from Pepperdine University. Micaela currently works as a marriage and family therapist at a private, group practice in Agoura Hills, California, where she sees clients of all ages. 

 

Micaela is most passionate when working with neurodivergent children, teens, and young adults that struggle to feel seen or be accepted by society. She believes every client has a unique set of strengths (or “superpowers”) they can embrace to set themselves up for success and create an enriching life filled with purpose and belonging. Utilizing both lived and professional experience, Micaela looks forward to supporting Childhood Matters mission to empower the local community through and educate them about the importance of mental health care and early intervention/prevention

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Brooke Taylor is a breast cancer thriver and founder of Cozy Cancer Care.  Drawing from her personal and family experiences with cancer, Brooke brings a deep understanding of the emotional and mental health challenges faced by those impacted. As a trauma-informed Cancer Coach, she uses evidence-based practices to support clients through the stress and complexity of cancer treatment and recovery.

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Brooke’s expertise in navigating trauma and emotional wellness will be an invaluable asset to Childhood Matters. Her contributions, such as co-developing the Family Cancer Support Toolbox, will enhance the nonprofit's ability to offer compassionate and effective mental health resources for families dealing with serious health challenges.