Dr. Sanaz Adibian
Co-Founder and Member, Board of Advisors
Sanaz Adibian, Psy.D. is a clinical psychologist, professor, author, and researcher whose work focuses on the study of human perception and mental freedom. Drawing from more than three decades of clinical practice, higher education, and multidisciplinary research, she developed the Cognitive Transcendence Framework to integrate perspectives from psychology, linguistics, philosophy, physiology, culture, and the physical sciences. Dr. Adibian serves as Course Lead for the practicum program and professor at Yorkville University. Her clinical experience includes trauma, personality disorders, mood disorders, stress-related conditions, parenting, and psychotherapy across diverse populations.
Millie Mupfupi
Co-Founder and Member, Board of Advisors
Millie Mupfupi is a Counselling Therapist and Educator with over a decade of experience supporting individuals, families, and communities. Guided by the Ubuntu philosophy; “I am because we are” she combines evidence-based therapeutic approaches with culturally responsive care to foster healing, resilience, and meaningful connection. Her work spans clinical practice, education, and research, where she is passionate about advancing innovative approaches that empower individuals, strengthen communities, and promote lasting personal and collective well-being."
Miles Collins
Founding Member, Board of Advisors
Miles Collins is a Clinical Hypnotherapist and Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming in Dallas, Texas. His focus on the exploration of consciousness and how language, semantics and perception influence belief systems shape identity and behaviour brought him to align with the principles of Cognitive Transcendence. He received his degrees in Psychology from Westminster College, Clinical Hypnotherapy with Honors from the College of Hypnotherapy in Los Angeles and NLP Master Practitioner from the Association of Integrative Psychology. Through his professional associations with the Hypnosis Motivation Institute and the Institute for General Semantics for more than a decade, he continues to examine and refine principles to further advance greater mental clarity, conflict resolution and self-awareness as related to personal identity. As a Board Member of the Foundation, Mr. Collins brings his professional experience as a consultant for non-profit cultural arts programs and financial partnerships for the Miami-Dade College Foundation.
Dr. M. Saad Asad, MD, MSPH
Physician | Public Health Professional | Advisory Board Member, Cognitive Transcendence
Dr. M. Saad Asad, MD, MSPH, is a physician and public health professional with international experience in clinical care, emergency medicine, public health, and community wellbeing. As an Advisory Board Member for Cognitive Transcendence, he brings a physician’s perspective to resilience, reflective awareness, emotional wellbeing, and personal transformation.
Physician and public health professional bringing clinical insight, cross-cultural experience, and a human-centered perspective to resilience, reflective awareness, and Cognitive Transcendence
Iryna Pauliukova
Co-Founder and Member, Board of Advisors
Iryna Pauliukova brings more than 15 years of experience in finance, accounting, and business management, alongside a background in counselling psychology. Her career has spanned financial leadership, business ownership, strategic planning, and organizational operations, giving her a practical understanding of what allows organizations to grow responsibly. As a Co-Founder and member of the Board of Advisors, she brings this perspective to the Foundation’s financial planning and long-term direction, helping ensure that its research and educational work is supported by sound systems, transparency, and thoughtful decision-making.
Oghenerume (Rume) Dedekuma
Co-Founder and Member, Board of Advisors
Rume Dedekuma is a Registered Provisional Psychologist whose work spans counselling, trauma care, addiction recovery, psychological assessment, and community mental health. His experience includes supporting individuals and families across private practice, primary care, correctional health, and concurrent-disorders settings. His work with people from varied backgrounds and at different stages of recovery brings an important clinical perspective to the Board. As a Co-Founder and member of the Board of Advisors, Rume helps connect the Foundation’s broader inquiry into identity, emotion, and human experience with the realities encountered in mental health practice.
Dr. Kelly A. James, LPC
Member, Board of Advisors
Dr. Kelly A. James brings nearly three decades of experience in psychology, mental health, clinical practice, and counselor education. Her work has centered on the neurobiology of trauma, trauma recovery, play therapy, parenting, and the relationship between psychological experience and the brain. She has presented on trauma and play therapy nationally and internationally and co-authored Why Aren’t You Over This By Now?, a book exploring how traumatic experiences can continue to affect the mind and body. As a member of the Board of Advisors, Dr. James brings a perspective shaped by years of working with clients, training clinicians, teaching future counselors, and studying how people respond to and recover from difficult experiences.