Kalani Makanui joined the Ballmer Institute as an Assistant Clinical Professor in March of 2023. He obtained a Ph.D. in clinical child psychology from the University of Kansas Clinical Child Psychology Program in 2012. After completing a postdoctoral fellowship at UCLA TIES for Families specializing in working with foster and adopted youth, Kalani worked for nine years within a large, non-profit community mental health center in Los Angeles, California. Kalani’s work within community mental health focused on integrating early childhood developmental assessment into routine care within community settings, training clinicians to identify and alleviate the potential impact of trauma exposure on the developing child, and implementing evidence-based, trauma-informed practices within community settings. Kalani completed a Zero to Three Fellowship from 2020-2022, wherein he furthered his skill in promoting infant and early childhood mental health screening, assessment, and intervention. He is deeply committed to working within community systems of care, including community mental health centers and schools, in the service of creating long-lasting and sustainable system changes that better meet the needs of youth and their families. Kalani is also passionate about closing existing disparity gaps in mental health service access and utilization for BIPOC youth and families.