Isaiah B. Pickens

Isaiah B. Pickens, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and organizational development specialist whose work focuses on strengthening people and systems through trauma-informed and culturally responsive practice. He is the founder and CEO of iOpening Enterprises, a professional development company that helps schools and other organizations build trauma-informed, culturally responsive environments. Dr. Pickens previously served as Assistant Director for Service Systems at the UCLA–Duke National Center for Child Traumatic Stress and as a Clinical Assistant Professor at New York University School of Medicine, where he specialized in work with youth affected by psychological trauma. He holds a PhD in clinical psychology from Fordham University and is recognized nationally as a trauma expert, including receiving an Early Career Achievement Award from the American Psychological Association.

Pickens is the author of Trauma-Informed and Culturally Responsive Practices in Schools: Building a Climate of Compassion (Guilford Press), which provides a comprehensive, whole-school framework and practical tools for implementing trauma-informed, culturally responsive strategies in K–12 education. He is certified by Stanford University as a Compassion Specialist and has been named a **Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture