1. Nakeya Fields: Why Play is Important in Therapy Anika Jackson 23:23

Nakeya T. Fields is a mental health entrepreneur, author, and speaker with more than 12 years of experience in developing and running mental health-related, community-focused programming. She is the Founder and Chair of the Board for The Therapeutic Play Foundation, a nonprofit that seeks to build a healthier, more resilient world for those in under-resourced communities.

Passionate about the wellbeing of children, families, and their communities, Nakeya is also a Registered Play Therapist – Supervisor and a certified field instructor and clinical supervisor. An alumna of the University of Southern California, she received a BA in Communication, Master’s in Social Work and a Pupil Personnel Services Credential in School Social Work and Child Welfare & Attendance. 

Nakeya’s diverse background in holistic and integrated solutions includes a 200 HR TT Yoga instructor certification in trauma informed restorative yoga and yoga for kids. She is accredited by the Board of Behavioral Sciences as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the State of California. She is also a 2020-21 UCLA-DMH Early Childhood Intervention Fellow. 

Nakeya is the best selling author of “Mental Health Entrepreneur – Gain Freedom and Escape the 9-5 Grind: How To Treat Mental Illness and Monetize Your Expertise,” released In April 2018. Her second book, The “Manifest It! Action Planner: An Accountability Tool for the Powerful” will be available in 2021. Nakeya is active in her community as a leader in the African American Infant and Maternal Mortality Steering, Planning and Community Action Teams. She also deepens her impact as the Chair of the Black Mental Health Task Force which seeks to empower community members of Black and African Heritage through advocacy and policy reform.

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Anika Jackson Creative Strategist, Podcaster

Anika is a mother, community volunteer, philanthropist, marketing and communications strategist and podcast host. As a marcom executive, she has done it all including experiential marketing/ event production, launch marketing, public relations, digital, and influencer throughout her multiple decade career.

She is a member of the Quickbooks Small Business Council, as well as on the Advisory Board for the Women in Leadership program for UCSB’s PaCE; advisor for Junior League of Los Angeles’ 2022 – 2023 President; Co-founder and board member of Learn Grow Lead; and Ballona Wetlands Philanthropy Chair for National Charity League’s Pier Chapter.

In Anika’s newest role, she is an adjunct professor at USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, teaching graduate students in both the Masters of Public Relations and Advertising as well as the Masters of Digital Media Management programs.