Who We Are

Paulina Bendaña (she/her) is the Executive Director of the Cross Cultural Health Care Program and is CCHCP's senior consultant and trainer. Paulina has led several major training and consulting projects with health care and human services organizations across the United States to develop and implement EDI/cultural competency organizational assessments, with follow-up staff training and advising organizations on implementing steps to strengthen their EDI policies and practices. Paulina brings over 35 years of experience in the corporate and nonprofit sectors, particularly in areas such as strategic planning, organizational capacity building, program management, and working with executive leadership and multicultural teams to facilitate a cross-cultural lens in strategy development and implementation. She also has experience in developing and working with communities on educational and community-building programs in various sectors, including health care, environmental protection, and economic development.

Prior to CCHCP, Paulina was the co-founder and Executive Director of the Sustainable Honduras Conference, a network of organizations that undertake humanitarian programs in Honduras. The focus of this network was to create dialogue and effective partnerships between international and local organizations. In addition, she has served on the boards of international nonprofit organizations that focus on health and economic development, and empowerment. In her corporate career, Paulina led several initiatives for The Boeing Company – including leading the development of Boeing’s international strategies, the development of cross-cultural training for the company’s executives, and leading its international corporate citizenship programs/grants as well as Boeing’s international environmental policies.

Paulina has an M.A. degree in Economics from American University in Washington DC, and a B.A. in Economics and Latin American Studies from Hampshire College in Massachusetts. Paulina is a certified Spanish medical interpreter and also trains CCHCP’s Bridging the Gap interpreter program and has launched new medical interpreter training programs. She is bilingual, grew up in Honduras, and has traveled in 35 countries across the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

Tamas Farkas (he/him) joined CCHCP in 2019 as the Language Access Programs Director. He has worked with and trained numerous health departments, government agencies, hospitals, language services organizations, universities, and schools on various aspects of medical interpreting and language access. In addition to being CCHCP’s lead trainer for the Bridging the Gap medical interpreting and training of trainers program, he worked on the development of CCHCP’s Medical Interpreting in Mental Health curriculum and has developed other curricula related to language access and equity in health care. In his role at CCHCP, Tamas also has overseen the translation of several medical, mental health, and genetics glossaries.
Tamas is a nationally certified medical interpreter (CoreCHI-P™) with proficiency in five languages. In addition to his native language, Hungarian, Tamas holds a Bachelor’s degree in Modern Languages (German and French). After studying in Switzerland, he lived in Puerto Rico and gained Spanish proficiency. Tamas is passionate about sharing knowledge, which has led him down a path of teaching languages (English, German, and French) in places like the Xi’an Jiaotong University in Xi’an, China, Institut Monte Rosa in Montreux, Switzerland, and Spanish Easy and Fun Language School in Boulder, Colorado.
In addition to teaching, Tamas is also engaged with immigrant and refugee communities. Prior to CCHCP Tamas held several roles with the Interpreter Network, a program of the Spring Institute of Colorado, including roles as Interpreter, Coordinator, Trainer, and Program Manager. He also worked on a grant project to help youth learn about interpreting, which played a role in the eventual implementation of new policies and training regarding language access services for the Denver Police Department.
Other community work Tamas has been involved with includes volunteering with FIUTS (Foundation for International Understanding Through Students), being a Board Member of IMIA (International Medical Interpreters Association), teaching Hungarian with the Hungarian American Association of Washington, being a former Board Member of Recreative Denver and current volunteer of Recreative Seattle.
Tamas also has extensive public speaking experience in the field of medical interpreting and language access. He has presented at conferences and meetings for various organizations, such as ULAC (Utah Language Access Conference), NCIHC (National Council on Interpreting in Health Care), the University of Massachusetts, IMIA (International Medical Interpreters Association), CHIA (California Healthcare Interpreting Association), Kent State University, and the Denver Public Schools. Tamas’s hobbies include creating art, running, and swimming.

Chandler Lewis (he/him) brings with him over 13 years of experience in childhood and adult education, start-ups, non-profit management, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and management consulting. He has a long history of working with organizations and institutions that serve under-represented communities, specifically with work that focuses on homelessness, addiction, and mental health. Chandler has a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of Washington and a Masters of Science in Organizational Leadership with an emphasis in public safety leadership from Johns Hopkins University.

Chandler has previously served as the Outreach and Advocacy Manager and Executive Board Member for the National Youth Advisory Board for The National Domestic Violence Hotline and Loveisrespect as well as a CASA/GAL for King County Dependency CASA program. He also continues to be a leader in the community through his involvement as the Executive Board President for Circle of Friends for Mental Health, an organization that provides arts-based programming throughout the Puget Sound region in Washington. Chandler also works extensively with the University of Washington and serves as a Faculty Mentor and Advisor for several programs including: UW CoMotion Advisory Services, UW CoMotion Labs, UW/NSF Innovation Corps, and the Masters of Science in Entrepreneurship Program at the Foster School of Business. Chandler has experience engaging stakeholders of all levels and has provided leadership on projects with some of the following organizations: UW School of Medicine, UW School of Nursing, Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA), United American Indian Involvement, Inc, and the Northern Cheyenne Tribal Health Department.

Dulce is a Medical Interpreter trainer for our Bridging the Gap and other medical interpreting courses in our Language Access program at CCHCP. Born in Mexico City, Mexico, Dulce moved to the United States in 2013. She graduated from the National University of Mexico with a doctorate in veterinary medicine and later earned her PhD working primarily with wildlife and exotic pets. Her extensive academic and research career in Mexico provided her with broad experience teaching and training in the classrooms, the hospital and online. Dulce's experience includes simultaneous interpreting at conferences in veterinary medicine, and writing, publishing, translating and editing peer-reviewed medical journal articles.

After obtaining a certificate from the University of Georgia, she formally began her new profession as a medical interpreter, working on-site, over the phone (OPI) and video remote (VRI). She volunteers as an interpreter and translator for some nonprofit organizations, and her two favorites are one in her hometown (Athens, GA) which works to end domestic violence, and the other in Chicago whose mission is to provide free essential health care to low-income, uninsured adults. Dulce enjoys reading, knitting, and gardening, but also tries to spend time outdoors with her husband and dogs.

Anne Gale (she/her) is the Coordinator for CCHCP's Language Access program, which includes Bridging the Gap: Medical Interpreter Training and Connecting to Care: Cultural Navigator Training. Anne supports CCHCP's Language Access Program Director by coordinating the application and registration process for our medical interpreter training programs, client outreach and support, marketing, program development, research, and assisting with the updates of our textbooks and medical glossaries. Anne earned a BA in Psychology from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. During her studies she worked as a research assistant for various Cultural Psychology studies, including the impact of gendered stereotypes in the public's unconscious beliefs about different types of jobs, and cultural differences in sleep patterns between Japanese Canadians and European Canadians. Her findings were later published after contributions from counterparts in Japan were synthesized into the final article. After graduating, Anne spent several months travelling through Southeast Asia. She completed an internship with the Adventure Travel Trade Association, and as part of her work conducted a case study on indigenous tourism in Southeast Asia, with the deliverable being a list of proposed ethical guidelines for tour operators working in those communities. In 2019, Anne moved to Toulouse, France, working as an English Language teacher and taking academic French classes before returning to her home city of Seattle after three years. Now happily bilingual, Anne enjoys every opportunity to chat with people in French, create visual art, and spending weekends hiking or camping with her friends and her adventure pup, Orca.

Talisa (Tali) Lavarry is an Equity & Inclusion Trainer and Facilitator at the Cross Cultural Health Care Program. She is a recognized professional in the field Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB).

As a Master Certified DEIB Specialist and certified coach, Tali brings over a decade of expertise in change management, data analytics, content creation, and facilitation to her role. Her dedication to cultural development and minority advocacy has distinguished her as a figure of steadfast compassion and exceptional communication. An esteemed TEDx speaker featured in Forbes, Harvard Business Review, and NYMag, Tali has significantly influenced the global conversation on DEIB. Her work, underscored by a community-focused mindset, demonstrates a profound commitment to fostering inclusive cultures in both corporate and community spheres.

Tali has a B.S. degree in Family & Consumer Science from the University of Louisiana, and several professional certifications including a Master Professional Coach Certification from the Life Coach Institute and a DEIB Specialist Certification from AIHR Academy to Innovate HR. As part of serving her community, Tali is an advisory board member of CEO Action for Racial Equity and an appointed member of the DEI Commission of the City of Mukilteo, Washington.

Jasmine Matchawate (she/her) is the Equity and Inclusion Program Coordinator at the Cross Cultural Health Care Program. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Communication from the University of Washington, with a minor in Business and Sales. With a foundation in community-centered work and academic research, Jasmine has explored cultural, familial, and interpersonal communication, paying particular attention to the lived experiences of marginalized communities.

Her deep involvement in cultural preservation within the Southeast Asian community, as well as her work within diversity and affinity organizations at the UW, shaped her commitment to advocating for migrant and underrepresented groups. Jasmine's academic background in race and gender studies further informs her application of anti-racist, anti-oppressive frameworks in her work, where she focuses on amplifying the voices and narratives of historically oppressed communities.

She is passionate about creative storytelling, media curation, and delivering accessible resources through multimodal media. Jasmine’s work reflects her dedication to fostering inclusive environments that promote equity, justice, and cross-cultural understanding.

Alexandra Roman (she/her) serves as the Administrative Assistant at CCHCP, where she brings her passion for public health and organizational skills to support the team. Currently pursuing a bachelor's in public health, Alexandra's background includes her experience as a preschool teacher and her role in founding an outdoor preschool in Seattle's Beacon Hill neighborhood. She has a particular interest in the intersection of public health and the built environment.

In addition to her academic pursuits, Alexandra enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking and rock climbing. Beyond the workplace, she explores her creative side through stained glass artistry and finds joy in experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen.

Bryon Lambert is an advisor for CCHCP's Equity and Inclusion Programs. Bryon is the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Director for La Clinica Health, a Federally Qualified Health Care Center in Medford, OR. He also supports the work of Jackson Care Connect, a Coordinator Care Organization (CCO), serving members in Jackson County, Oregon. Bryon was recently selected to serve on the Health Center Workforce Diversity Data and Metrics National Advisory Group being convened by the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) in collaboration with The George Washington University (GWU) Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Work Force Equity. He is a skilled and trained communicator with a passion for sharing principles of equity and inclusion with an emphasis on building and sustaining relationships. With 25 years of leadership in the nonprofit sector, Bryon has developed a passion for value-based service. He holds a B.A. degree from the University of Illinois at Springfield in Communication, with an emphasis in Meaning Systems. For many years, he worked in Public Radio, as an administrator and broadcaster, before accepting a leadership role in health care administration. While in health care, Bryon worked to improve service to patients, and chaired the organization's Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Council. Through lived experience and extensive training, Bryon has developed expertise in creating and teaching E&I curriculum that focuses on a connections-based philosophy for eliminating inequities. His history of accomplishments in health care, training, communications, and two years as the director of CCHCP's Equity and Inclusion Program, coalesced to prepare him for the next step in his pursuit of excellence in equity and inclusion, in support of the vulnerable and disenfranchised.

Jayden Aubryn (they/them) is a consultant for CCHCP. Jayden integrates their training as a psychotherapist specializing in complex trauma and lived experience as a Black, queer, non-binary person to provide trauma-informed racial equity consulting services. They are the founder of TISE Consulting, LLC and are an active member on the King County Equity Cabinet. They hold a Bachelors in Psychology from Cleveland State University and a Master's in Social Work from University of Kentucky. They also maintain certifications in Dialectical Behavior Therapy, School Social Work, and Mental Health Integrative Medical Providing. Jayden has experience in providing trauma-informed racial equity coaching, consulting, trainings, and strategic planning in settings as varied as educational systems, large non-profits, individual coaching, and county-level initiatives. They believe in holistic healing, using effective communication, art, music, and somatic movement to heal the trauma of internalized biases at the micro, mezzo, and macro level.

Melia LaCour is the Founder and Executive Director at Becoming Justice, in Seattle, Washington. The mission of Becoming Justice is to collaborate with organizations to ignite and facilitate transformational leadership and systemic change through healing and alignment of hearts, minds, and actions to create racially just systems. Melia has a master's degree in social work from the University of Washington and a bachelor's degree in psychology from Western Washington University.