Dr. Lena Green, DSW, LCSW, CLC has dedicated her life and career to supporting families in New York City. She is the founder and executive director of The Akira Center, Inc. a free community based social services program focusing on fatherhood, healthy relationships, and mental health.
Dr. Green is a member of the Mayor’s Taskforce for Responsible Fatherhood working with New York City agencies to help them infuse “father friendly” activities into their programs and continues to serve on the leadership team developing strategies for father inclusiveness. She currently serves as the Deputy Director for the office Substance Use Planning, Policy and Monitoring at NYC’s Human Resources Administration. In her more than 15 years of direct practice and management experience as a clinical social worker, psychotherapist, fatherhood practitioner, professor and administrator, Dr. Green has had a tremendous impact on countless New Yorkers. She is skilled in various areas of mental health, program planning, development, clinical supervision and building strategic partnerships.
Listen in to hear more about how men, especially men of color, are often marginalized and aren’t typically seen as caregivers in the family setting. As a society, we don’t have a lot of empathy for men and we often don’t include them in family practice. Dr. Green identified a need for support for fathers who deeply want to be a part of their child's life. She worked to create a safe space for them to share what they are going through and find support and counseling to help. She started the Akira Center, a nonprofit dedicated to giving voice to fathers who are disconnected from their families.