Brenda Santos, PhD Student, MBA, LPC, LCADC, CCS, ACS, NCC, EMDR-Trained
Co-Owner & Founder, Chief Operating Officer
Brenda is licensed in New Jersey, New York, and Florida
As COO and Founder of Grace & Healing LLC, Brenda brings a comprehensive, integrative leadership approach to behavioral health operations, program development, and organizational excellence. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor and Doctoral student in Psychology with nearly a decade of clinical experience in behavioral health.
Professional Background
Brenda's expertise spans trauma-informed care, substance use, anxiety, and depression—particularly in adolescent and adult populations. Her dual licensure and multiple advanced certifications (CCS, ACS, NCC) reflect her deep commitment to clinical excellence and her ability to lead and develop high-quality behavioral health programs. Her programmatic leadership is informed by her training in EMDR and a wide range of evidence-based therapeutic modalities.
Leadership Approach
Brenda is known for blending warmth, strategic vision, and evidence-based thinking into her leadership. She believes that exceptional behavioral health organizations are built when clinical integrity and operational excellence work in tandem. Her work emphasizes staff development, program quality, and creating environments where both clinicians and clients can thrive.
Areas of Operational Expertise
- Behavioral health program development and oversight
- Regulatory compliance and licensure
- Clinical staff leadership and training
- Trauma-informed organizational practices
- Perinatal and adolescent program development
- Faith-based and culturally responsive programming
What Colleagues Say
Brenda is recognized as "brilliant, energetic, and dynamic"—valued as both a compassionate advocate and a skilled leader who drives meaningful growth within behavioral health organizations.
Serrina Hutka, HR/Compliance Officer
Serrina earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Coastal Carolina University and her Master of Arts in School Counseling from Centenary College (now University). With more than a decade of counseling and leadership experience, she now supports our therapists and leadership team in the areas of compliance, operations, and human resources.
Dedicated, detail-oriented, and passionate about organizational excellence, Serrina brings a steady and supportive presence to our practice.
Outside of work, Serrina enjoys spending time at the beach, running, and small group fellowship.
For all internship and employment inquiries, please reach out to her at Serrina@graceandhealing.co