Staff

The MFP/ANA team is comprised of dedicated professionals who have extensive experience in

• non-profit management,
• mental health, and
• substance-use nursing

Our experience includes both clinical and research settings as well as technology development in support of those disciplines.

Nurse Educator/Director: Eugenia Isabel Flores Millender, PhD, RN, PMHNP-BC, CDE, FAAN.  As an indigenous Afro-Latina nurse scientist, Dr. Eugenia Millender has dedicated her career to increasing access to mental health equity and providing culturally appropriate care. Dr. Eugenia Millender is currently the Co-Founder and Co-Director for the Center for Population Sciences for Health Equity and an Associate Professor at Florida State University College of Nursing. Dr. Millender's program of research is to investigate ways to reduce mental health disparities by exploring how socio-cultural stressors and trauma influence transgenerational psychological and co-occurring physical illness through gene-environment interaction among vulnerable, underserved, and marginalized populations. She works with community-based organizations to co-create community-academic partnerships, meaningful investigations, and interventions for diverse communities. Previously, Dr. Millender was a Research Associate at the Center for Indigenous Nursing Research for Health Equity (INRHE) at Florida State University. In addition, in 2014, she founded the Florida Atlantic University Christine E. College of Nursing Nurse-led community health center in West Palm Beach, Florida. This center is grounded on caring philosophy and dedicated to increasing access to quality and culturally sensitive integrated care for underserved populations while serving as a vibrant laboratory for current and future practitioners and scientists. 

Dr. Millender currently serves on several national boards and leadership positions, such as the American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) board as Member-At-Large. She is also a Global Alliance for Behavioral Health and Social Justice Global Mental Health Task Force member to promote social justice and human rights and reduce behavioral health disparities. She is also a Florida State University Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) Steering Committee member. In addition, Dr. Millender serves on several community boards, including the Center for Child Counseling (Vice-chair; 2013–present), EmpowHER of the Palm Beaches (advisory board; 2017–present), and the Mental Health Council of Leon County (advisory board; 2018–present).  

Project Director: Janet Jackson has been with the MFP since September 2002 and heads the daily operations and implementation of the policies and procedures; serves as the first point of professional contact for Fellows, university officials, and SAMHSA officials; acts as a liaison for MFP relationships with other organizations, assists with strategic planning, evaluation, and other essential programmatic functions necessary to provide quality programming.

Deputy Project Director:  Aqila Coulthurst joined the MFP in February 2025 and manages strategic partnerships and outreach initiatives enhancing the program’s visibility and impact. She also collaborates with educational institutions to build pipelines and pathways into behavioral health nursing careers, aligning with MFP’s mission. Aqila brings over two decades of experience in nonprofit leadership, grant management, and stakeholder engagement, driven by a passion for advancing health equity and learning opportunities for all communities. 

Communications Manager: Indrias G. Kassaye, joined the MFP Team in August 2021 as the Communications Manager. Career highlights include work as a photojournalist; as a communications specialist with UNICEF in Ethiopia, and Sierra Leone during the Ebola epidemic; and as a multi-media producer and media trainer for UN agencies and international NGOs. He is also the author of Beyond the Throne: The Enduring Legacy of Haile Selassie I. Indrias is the host of Mental Health Trailblazers, Psychiatric Nurses Speak Up! the MFP/ANA’s podcast and Moderator of the MFP/ANA’s online community, the Fellows Corner.

Grants Data Coordinator: Khadra Bashir joined the MFP Team in February 2025 and monitors the complete life cycle of the grant budget for MFP programming, including working alongside the ANA finance team. Bringing extensive experience in non-profits, she has served in roles spanning from program supervision, compliance, and workforce development. She possesses strategic leadership strengths and ‘big picture’ thinking which has enabled her to manage and oversee development programs for clients from diverse backgrounds. 

Digital Product Manager:  Samuel Suraphel joined the MFP Team in February 2015. With more than two decades of experience in technology development, entrepreneurship, program management, he manages the development and implementation of all digital transformation and infrastructure automation activities necessary to meet the program goals and objectives, including the MFP/ANA mobile app, the MFP/ANA online fellowship system, MFP/ANA website and other special projects.

Statistician/Program Evaluator: Hossein Yarandi, PhD joined the MFP in 2004. He provides mentoring and statistical support to the MFP/ANA Fellows and serves as program evaluator, statistician and faculty for  the Statistics Study Group eCourse (SSGe).

Role of MFP National Advisory Committee: 

The Advisory Committee are volunteers who are experts in psychiatric and mental health care. They provide insights and recommendations to the staff and to SAMHSA regarding all components of the program. Among there myriad of activities are reviewing existing program policies and procedures and making recommendations; implementing and monitoring the appointment and reappointment process; serving as ambassadors for the program, mentoring the Fellows, and assisting with assuring that the program guidelines and mission are addressed. They also support the Fellows in the shaping and refinement of their career goals.