By Ijeoma Emeh
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and we’re shining a light on our incredible Wellness Team at Goodwill SF Bay! Our Wellness Program is led by a dedicated group of trained professionals who support individuals rebuilding their lives through recovery and reentry. With a whole-person approach, they walk alongside each client, offering care that sees both who they are today and who they have the potential to become.
Chloe, Senior Program Manager
Joined Goodwill in September 2024
Chloe leads with empathy and vision. “I saw an opportunity at Goodwill to make a significant impact in people’s lives through the lens of mental health,” she says. “We all have struggles and need support. At Goodwill, we give people space to drop the mask and seek help without shame.”
Chloe ensures the team is equipped with trauma-informed tools like Motivational Interviewing and Harm Reduction.
Her dream? To grow our program to serve all Goodwill clients and foster professional development for her team.
“Mental health support isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s a must-have for employment and job retention.”
Brittany, Case Manager
Joined Goodwill in January 2025
Brittany’s mission is personal and purposeful. “I’m passionate about supporting people on their journey toward stability and self-sufficiency,” she shares.
Her work is laser-focused on clients experiencing homelessness, many of whom face overlapping challenges related to mental health, substance use, and reentry.
“As a case manager, I aim to break cycles of poverty and instability. I wish more people understood that mental health support is not a luxury; it’s foundational to someone’s success in the workforce and in life,” Brittany continues.
“I want to find solutions to reduce the stigma often associated with mental health.”
Rudy, Substance Use Disorder Specialist (RADT II)
Joined Goodwill in January 2025
Known affectionately by his clients as a “Hope Dealer,” Rudy wears many hats: intensive case manager, facilitator, and source of unwavering encouragement.
“I heard Goodwill was building a Wellness Team, and I knew it would be a great fit,” Rudy says.
He sees his role as providing barrier-breaking solutions and treatment pathways for those reentering society. “We all could use more support with mental wellness, especially those who’ve faced the kind of circumstances that threw them off track,” he explains.
“I have an obligation to help them find their way back,” Rudy continues. “I aspire to bring high-level care and support, treatment options, and barrier-breaking solutions to the reentry and disenfranchised population here in the SF Bay Area and anywhere I go.”
Drew, Case Manager
Joined Goodwill in February 2025
For Drew, this work hits close to home. “Goodwill believes everyone deserves a second chance. Heaven knows I’ve been given a few,” he says. “When I heard this team was being built from the ground up, I had to be part of it.”
He supports individuals returning home from incarceration, offering resources and encouragement as they navigate their journey toward mental wellness and meaningful employment.
“I think that, over time, more and more people have come to understand that seeking wellness services is a sign of strength, not weakness,” he explains. “I hope that this understanding becomes even more common, until seeking wellness support becomes fully destigmatized,” Drew continues.
“I imagine a Bay Area where everyone feels healthy and at their best.”
A Future Built on Wellness
The early impact of this team is undeniable. Clients in our reentry programs now have direct access to wraparound care that goes far beyond job training. Whether it’s referrals to external treatment, housing navigation workshops, or support groups, our Wellness Team is creating pathways to stability and long-term success.
And this is just the beginning.
As Chloe reminds us, “Every day, my goal is to ensure my team feels valued and equipped. Because when they thrive, our clients do too.”
Mental Health Awareness Month reminds us that true workforce development isn’t just about skills or placement, it’s about supporting the whole person.
To participate in this program, individuals must be active Goodwill San Francisco Bay clients. For more information on our job and career services, please visit: sfgoodwill.org/programs/career-services/
