SoulCare Oasis: A Healing Retreat for Experiencers / Survivors in Los Angeles, CA

Dr. Aleese Moore-Orbih brings over 25 years of exemplary leadership spanning national and grassroots initiatives focused on capacity building, systems change, and partnership development. Her recent tenure as Executive Director of the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence (CPEDV) and Senior Director of Programs at the Women of Color Network, CORA of California, and FaithTrust Institute underscores her commitment to advocating for marginalized communities.

Her extensive background in pastoral and spiritual leadership across diverse faith traditions has equipped her to train thousands of clergy members on critical issues, including supporting adult survivors of childhood sexual assault, preventing clergy sexual misconduct, and addressing gender-based violence. Dr. Moore-Orbih is a passionate advocate for the safety and rights of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, including the most vulnerable within those communities. To this end, she has developed and facilitated trainings, provided coaching, and offered pastoral care to gender-based violence advocates across the field and around the country.

Dr. Moore-Orbih’s roots in this work began with her doctoral research on youth exposure to domestic violence in faith-based homes and communities and culminated in providing pastoral care to teens sexually violated by their mother’s abusive partner. That experience revealed that teens raised in faith-based homes who are sexually violated within them ask the same question as adult survivors — “God, where were you, and why did you let this happen to me?” — the same need to make theological sense of their experience. Her work blossomed into faith-based education and pastoral care for adult survivors of sexual assault across faith traditions and the country. With a deep desire to expand her ministry, she began training teen sexual assault advocates and parents of teens. Today, her gifts, experience, and ministry culminate in her work Mitigating Long-Term Negative Health Impacts and Supporting Healing for Black Women Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual Assault.

As a transformative figure in the gender-based violence sector, Dr. Moore-Orbih prioritizes integrating love-driven strategies into Black and POC community-serving programs — supporting leadership, enhancing organizational and program capacity for sustainability, prevention, and healing, and sharing methodologies that foster deep, long-term change within communities. Her focus extends beyond tackling the immediate issues of gender-based violence to cultivating an environment where prevention and healing are central to community resilience and empowerment.

Anne Felton is a detail-oriented bookkeeping professional with extensive experience supporting daily operations, financial processes, and organizational efficiency. Skilled in managing accounts, processing payments, maintaining accurate financial records, and ensuring compliance with established procedures. Recognized for reliability, professionalism, and strong organizational abilities, with the flexibility to provide administrative support as needed.

Vanessa Rochelle Lewis, Director of Education at the Positive Results Center and author of Reclaiming UGLY: A Radical Guide to Unlearn Oppression and Uplift, Glorify, & Love Yourself. Vanessa brings years of experience creating healing-informed, arts-based healing spaces for queer and trans communities, activist communities, and communities of color.

Malinda Rochelle Lewis is a Los Angeles-based reproductive justice and maternal health strategist, researcher, and community leader working to strengthen the systems that shape the health, safety, and wellbeing of Black families. She serves as Director of Reproductive Justice and Maternal Health at Positive Results Center, where she leads the organization’s maternal health and reproductive justice portfolio and develops programs, partnerships, and research initiatives grounded in what communities say they need.

Her work brings community knowledge into spaces where research, policy, funding, and institutional decisions are made. Malinda has contributed to maternal health research and systems-change efforts through Stanford Medicine’s PRIHSM Center of Excellence, PCORI, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health’s Abundant Birth Project, and the NIH IMPROVE Initiative. She is also the creator of community-centered initiatives including Birth Stories and Wine Down Wednesday, which create spaces for Black mothers and families to be heard, supported, connected, and resourced.

Malinda holds a B.A. in Communication Studies from California State University, Long Beach and an M.A. in Negotiation, Conflict Resolution, and Peacebuilding from California State University, Dominguez Hills. She is also a trained full-spectrum birth worker and sexual assault advocate. Her work is shaped by lived experience, interdisciplinary training, and a belief that communities should have real power in shaping the research, programs, and policies intended to serve them.

A third-generation Angeleno with deep roots in South Central Los Angeles, Malinda brings that history and love of community into everything she builds. Outside of her professional work, she finds joy in dancing, motherhood, good wine, and gut-deep laughter.

Crystal Gayle Graham is an Alumni from California State University, Dominguez Hills of Carson, CA where she received her Bachelors Degree in Sociology and a Minor Degree in Child Development: Early Childhood Education in 2016.

Crystal’s passion to work with children and underserved populations developed at a very young age. After obtaining her degree, Crystal has since worked in drug rehabilitation for Southern California Alcohol and Drug Programs, Inc.; Compton Unified School District in the Special Education Department; for The Positive Results Corporation working with communities of color; and has her own nonprofit organization where she commits to doing community projects throughout the year to help serve the homeless and people from all walks of life who are in need.

Please feel free to contact me at: crystal.prc123@gmail.com

A Masterful trainer, Certified Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Prevention Advocate, Kandee specializes in Trauma Awareness, Teen Dating Violence, Healthy Relationships, Leadership and developing youth to be Peer Advocates and Safety Partners.

Kandee has received numerous awards & honors including 2018 Hope Award in Education; 2017 Women of the Year, Education, from L.A. County Board of Supervisors & Commission for Women; and 2017, Vanguard Award Most Influential African American’s In Los Angeles, Mover and Shaker Category, 2016 Humanitarian Award, 2015 Woman of the Year; and the 2014 Woman of Distinction.

The Positive Results Corporation has received grants and funding from the following organizations under Kandee’s Leadership (partial list): Department of Justice, Office of Violence Against Women; Kaiser Permanente; AIDS Health Care Foundation, Allstate Foundation; Annenberg Foundation; Black Peace Office Association; California Black Women’s Health Project; California State Universities (Dominguez Hills, Long Beach, Northridge); Delta Sigma Theta; J.P. Morgan Chase; Los Angeles Police Department, Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, The City and County of Los Angeles; Los Angeles County Human Relations Commission; Department of Mental Health; Los Angeles County Probation Department; Housing Authority for the City of Los Angeles; SoCal Gas Company; SCE; Social Justice Learning Institute; Uplift Family Services; HOPICS, L.A. Care and New Economics for Women.

Kandee’s long list of collaborations and partnerships include K-12 schools, colleges, government, business entities, community & faith-based organizations who are committed to safeguarding, mentoring, nurturing, and educating youth, young adults, and their families to be leaders and thinkers, creating healthy relationships.

Kandee has trained with The National Association of Sisters of Color Ending Sexual Assault, California Coalition Against Sexual Assault & Women of Color Network. She is a Founding Board Member for South Los Angeles Homeless (TAY) and Foster Care Collaborative, Compton’s Policing & Education Task Force, Los Angeles City Attorney’s Domestic Violence Round Table, and Los Angeles Mayor’s Human Trafficking Portal.

Previously, Kandee served as Harbor Area Planning Commissioner for the City of Los Angeles, and on the Harbor Gateway North Neighborhood Council. Prior to 2008, Kandee was a successful sales & hiring manager in Corporate America, retiring as Vice President of Sales and Interim President of a technology company.

Born & raised in Los Angeles, and married for 36 years, Kandee and her husband Carl have 3 adult children, and a Pit Bull! Thanks to the love of her family, especially her mother—Daisy Newsom—she is the woman she is today.

Please feel free to contact me at: kandeele@prc123.org