Director of Prevention and Mental Health Student Services, San Joaquin County Office of Education​

Nora Hana has been working in education for 25 years. She has a bachelor’s degree in Developmental Psychology; a master’s degree in Elementary Education; and multiple-subject, pupil personnel services in school counseling, and administrative credentials. She is also a certified Youth Mental Health Specialist. 

Nora has conducted training for teachers and administrators on a variety of topics, including behavior guidance, the Resiliency Wheel Care Model, consensus-building methods, grant administration, high-quality programming strategies, Youth Mental Health First Aid, and more. In her current position as the Director of the Comprehensive Health Department, she provides prevention programs and mental health resources for the county and serves on state committees addressing student social, emotional, and mental health

Nora established and runs the California Healthy Kids Resource Center, a statewide, comprehensive resource center for the California Department of Education. When Nora acquired the contract, she instinctively recognized how mental health intersects with many components of prevention programming. Her background in understanding coping skills and student trauma helped shape how she advises and seeks out new programming for schools. Nora currently serves on the California Mental Health Advocacy for Children and Youth (CMHACY) executive board as treasurer.