Meet the Team

Niema Ismael

Founder & Executive Director

Niema Ismael is the Founder and Executive Director of the Women’s Wellness & Parenting Support Center (WWPSC), a Minnesota nonprofit dedicated to trauma healing, maternal mental health, and culturally responsive care for Somali women, youth, and families. She founded WWPSC with a vision to create a safe and professional space where women and families could reclaim dignity, resilience, and wellness through care that honors culture and faith.

Over the past several years, Niema has established WWPSC as a trusted center for trauma-informed and community-driven services. Her leadership combines clinical knowledge, cultural humility, and survivor-centered practice. She has created signature programs that respond to unmet needs in Minnesota’s Somali community. These include Circle of Healing, which provides safe group spaces for Somali women and youth, Infant & I, which supports maternal health and parenting, and Dareen Circle, the first program of its kind in the state to address the trauma of female genital cutting (FGM) through culturally congruent, survivor-led healing.

Her work focuses on maternal wellness, intergenerational trauma, and family support. Each initiative blends evidence-based mental health practice with Somali traditions, language, and spirituality, ensuring that services reflect the lived realities of those they serve. By bridging professional expertise with cultural knowledge, Niema has pioneered a model of care that is both clinically effective and deeply rooted in community values.

Niema is completing her Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology and Alcohol & Drug Studies at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. Her long-term vision includes pursuing doctoral studies to further research and advance culturally responsive approaches to trauma, intergenerational healing, and immigrant mental health.

Her guiding principle is simple: healing must honor culture, faith, and dignity. When these are protected, resilience and transformation become possible for Somali women, families, and future generations.

Zahra

Zahra is a highly accomplished professional serving as the Vice President of the WWPSC (Women's Wellness & Parenting Support Center). With a distinguished academic background, she holds a Master of Social Work in clinical social work from Augsburg University, where she gained extensive knowledge and expertise in the field.
Over the past 12 years, Zahra has excelled as a Senior Social Worker, specializing in providing comprehensive support to individuals with disabilities, with a particular emphasis on Autism. Her dedication to enhancing the lives of others has been unwavering, and she has become a trusted advocate for youth with disabilities and their families. Zahra's remarkable commitment to her work extends beyond her professional role, as she actively engages in delivering training and education to the community, fostering awareness and understanding of the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities.


Zahra's compassionate nature and her profound desire to make a positive impact in the lives of others are evident in both her professional and personal endeavors. As a devoted mother of seven, she effortlessly balances her roles and nurtures a loving and supportive environment for her family. In her leisure time, Zahra finds solace in reading and indulges in rejuvenating walks.
Zahra's holistic approach to social work, coupled with her extensive experience, allows her to effectively navigate complex situations and facilitate meaningful change. Her unwavering dedication, expertise, and passion for assisting individuals with disabilities and their families have made her an invaluable asset to the WWPSC and the broader community.

Marilyn Sharpe

Marilyn Sharpe, Secretary of the Board of WWPSC, has a BA in English from Wellesley College and a MAT in Secondary English Education from Harvard University.  She earned Certified Family Life Educator status and has been a parent educator for 45 years, teaching classes, running an ongoing parent support group, and writing articles and a book on parenting.  She is the mother of three, grandmother of five, and someone who believes in the power of families to shape a better world.  She knows that it is the hardest, most important work that humans are called to do.  She believes in the importance of support, wisdom, resources, and care we can give one another on this journey.

Deb Helsi

Therapy is all about moving from a place of poor emotional health to a place of good emotional health, making healthy decisions, and setting healthy boundaries. My clinical interests include working with individuals to develop their own personal goals and to identify ways to help folks experience whatever emotion they are experiencing at the moment. I believe that the vehicle to do this work is through the development of a strong therapeutic relationship of kindness, compassion, and understanding. I believe that fostering wellness and recovery are the most important components of a successful experience.

Melody Rossit

Melody Rossiter, MA, ATR-P, has a master’s degree in clinical counseling and art therapy from Antioch University Seattle and is working toward becoming a registered art therapist (ATR) and licensed professional clinical counselor (LPCC). Most of Melody’s experience has been in residential treatment, working with adolescents experiencing mood disorders, complex trauma, disrupted attachment, suicidal ideation, and non-suicidal self-injury. Melody utilizes an integrated approach with art therapy, drawing on concepts from neuroscience, dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), gestalt art therapy, sensory processing, polyvagal theory and other somatic approaches, the expressive therapies continuum, and trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT).

Art therapy uses materials and the creative process to promote expression beyond words and language. Not only can the act of making art support stress management and coping and offer alternative forms of communication, but the resulting imagery and metaphor can also lead to new insight and deeper understanding. Everyone deserves an opportunity to heal and to be heard, and art offers a special way that transcends spoken language.

Debbie Gerdes

Debbie holds a master’s degree in counseling psychology from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota and a Doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from Adler School of Professional Psychology (also known as Adler University, Chicago, IL). Debbie has experience working with complex trauma, play therapy, autism spectrum disorder, multicultural support, sexual acting out behaviors, mood and behavioral disorders, and personality disorders. Debbie has experience working with community mental health, outpatient therapy, day treatment programming, residential treatment, and individuals with legal/court involvement. In her clinical practice, Debbie provides individual therapy to children, adolescents, and adults, as well as family therapy and parenting support. Debbie’s areas of interest include trauma work, play therapy, autism spectrum disorder, anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders, personality disorders, comprehensive psychological assessment, psychosexual evaluations, AD/HD assessments, and autism evaluations.

Asha

At the Women’s Wellness & Parenting Support Center, Asha brings a deep commitment to advocating for women and children. With a background in nursing and public health, she has extensive experience supporting vulnerable populations and ensuring access to compassionate, evidence-based care. Her passion for community outreach, education, and holistic well-being aligns with the organization’s mission to empower women and children through meaningful programs and initiatives. As a board member, Asha looks forward to leveraging her skills and insights to create lasting impact and a brighter future for the community.

Hibo Jirde Warsame

Based in Bloomington, Minnesota, Hibo Jirde Warsame is a Somali author, educator, and professional interpreter with over a decade of experience in K–12 education. She specializes in Somali language instruction, English as a Second Language (ESL), Special Education support, and culturally responsive curriculum development.

Hibo has taught in diverse classroom settings and served in various educational roles, including as a community liaison and curriculum consultant. She currently collaborates with Minneapolis Public Schools to develop curriculum for the Somali immersion program.

In addition to her work in education, Hibo is a published author of children’s books and instructional textbooks that support language learning and cultural preservation. Her passion for storytelling is deeply rooted in a commitment to uplifting Somali identity and bridging intergenerational understanding.

For more than 20 years, Hibo has also served as a certified interpreter in medical, legal, and human services (DHS) settings. This work has provided her with valuable insight into family systems and the challenges faced by immigrant and refugee communities, insight that continues to inform her holistic and community-centered approach to education.

Areas of Expertise

  • Somali Language Instruction

  • ESL (English as a Second Language)

  • Special Education Support

  • Community Liaison Work

  • Curriculum Development

  • Children’s Literature & Textbook Writing

  • Interpreting (Medical, Legal, Human Services)

  • Family & Community Engagement

Ke’Neisha Whyte

Ke’Neisha Whyte brings nearly 20 years of experience in healthcare and team operations to her role as Director of Human Resources. She began her career in direct care, working as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and Certified Medication Aide (CMA), where she developed a strong understanding of the day-to-day realities facing frontline staff. As her career progressed, she stepped into leadership roles, including Business Office Manager and Social Services Director, where she gained valuable experience in compliance, staff development, and organizational support.

Now serving as Director of Human Resources, Ke’Neisha applies that hands-on experience to her strategic work. She focuses on HR operations, employee relations, compliance, leadership development, and creating inclusive workplace cultures. Her approach is grounded in empathy, shaped by real-world experience, and driven by a commitment to supporting people and strengthening teams.

Ke’Neisha is deeply aligned with the values of the nonprofit sector and works to create spaces where people feel seen, heard, and valued. Outside of work, she is a proud mother and a lifelong fan of sunflowers — a symbol of strength, growth, and light that reflects the energy she brings into every part of her work.