Meet our Founder & CEO

CRPA | NYCPS | Former YPA • Systems Navigator • Public Speaker

Julissa is a neurodivergent Certified Recovery Peer Advocate and New York Certified Peer Specialist with over 15 years of experience navigating and dismantling barriers within mental health, education, and social service systems. She blends professional expertise with lived experience—from childhood foster care to aging out into supportive housing, surviving 19 psychiatric hospitalizations, living with HIV from birth, and parenting neurodivergent children who receive support services and have IEPs.

Her work is deeply trauma-informed, recovery-oriented, and rooted in practical problem-solving. Julissa specializes in peer support for youth and families, first-episode psychosis, IEP and OPWDD navigation, and translating complex systems into accessible, empowering pathways.

She’s known for bridging the gap between providers and communities, helping individuals build confidence, reduce stigma, and advocate for themselves and their loved ones. Julissa also consults with organizations on high needs cases, facilitates trainings, and uses public speaking and legislative advocacy to push for systemic change.

More of Julissa's story HERE

Please check out her resume HERE

At Triumph OVA Struggles Advocacy and Consulting, we recognize that recovery is not only achievable but also profoundly transformative. Grounded in principles of Optimism, Vulnerability, and Adaptability, our mission is to support individuals and families to navigate through the intricate landscapes of mental health, education, and social service systems, ensuring equitable access to the necessary support and resources.

We value lived expertise as a powerful asset, fostering an environment where challenges are reframed as opportunities for growth and development. Through professional advocacy, open communication, and strategic problem-solving, we equip individuals with the tools and confidence needed to navigate their unique journeys with resilience and self-assurance.

Meaningful transformation is achieved through the cultivation of hope, embracing vulnerability, and a willingness to adapt in the face of adversity. Our purpose is to dismantle barriers, promote understanding, and advocate for recovery—not as a finite goal, but as an ongoing journey of healing, empowerment and personal triumph. Together let's Navigate Systems, Advocate with Soul, and Believe in Recovery.