Aaronell Matta, Deputy Director, has worn many hats during her nearly 19 years with CCC. She joined the agency in 2005, following a cross-country move after she earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology at Penn State University. Once situated in the desert, she received a Master of Arts in Psychology from UNLV in 2011 and a Master of Public Affairs with a specialization in Nonprofit Management from Indiana University in 2018.

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CCC has always held a special place in Aaronell’s heart, as its founder, Ron Lawrence is her uncle, and sparked her interest in the therapeutic setting from an early age. While at CCC, she has occupied numerous roles that have involved working with data analysis, Human Resources, Quality Improvement, and marketing and development. She writes the majority of the agency’s grant submissions and also oversees their national accreditation through Council on Accreditation (COA), which was first earned in 2008.

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In addition, Aaronell has been a member of the Ryan White Planning Council since 2021. In 2015, she co-founded the Nellie Bly Leadership Society, the first-of-its-kind initiative in Nevada focused on increasing awareness of mental health-related issues through education and advocacy. She also assisted with the launch of CCC’s LGBTQ+ Affirmative counseling program, Affirmations.

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Both in and out of the workplace, Aaronell is a passionate advocate for destigmatizing mental health in all its forms, and enjoys speaking on the topic, especially by promoting the idea that “Mental health isn’t just one thing, it’s EVERYthing.”