About Us

As Program Coordinator, Nicole supports Miriam in the day-to-day management of Independence Center, works directly with residents to provide 1:1 and group support, and works closely with our growing team of Counselors. Nicole has a robust professional background in project management, communications strategy, and relationship management with top global communications firms on the East Coast, and transitioned her career to mental health care following a growing personal interest in wellness and mental health. Nicole has previous experience coordinating patient care programs for oncology patients, and working on disease education initiatives for major depressive disorder, binge eating disorder, diabetes, sexual health, and other chronic conditions, in collaboration with multiple specialty-leading healthcare providers. She joined the IC to gain experience facilitating groups and developing individual growth plans with residents as a Marriage & Family Therapy Trainee, and quickly became passionately invested in the work that we do. Nicole is currently working towards her M.A. in Counseling Psychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute, and receiving hours towards her Marriage & Family Therapy license under Miriam Gonzalez-Coultas's supervision. Nicole received her B.A. in Political Science with a Spanish Minor from Northwestern University. Originally from the Chicago area, she also lived in London, Buenos Aires, New York City, Portland, Oregon, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin prior to relocating to Los Angeles.

Cleo Ingram has been a part of Independence Center since 1989 when she was hired to be the ‘House Parent’. She resides on site and is on call during the evening seven days a week. Her other responsibilities included one-to-one counseling, helping with menu planning, cooking, cleaning and exercise activities. The program has endured due to strong leadership and very devoted staff and cooperative families and residents. Cleo has also worked for thirty-eight years as a special education teacher at University High School in West Los Angeles. She retired in 2018. At Uni High she piloted the Community-Based Instruction Program in 1987. The premise behind this method of teaching is to allow students to learn independent living skills and survival skills in the actual community where information learned in the community is then reinforced in the classroom. Overlapping Uni High Program skills to the IC that were taught: Communication, safety, social skills, grooming, consumer, budgeting, listening, character development, being responsible, environmental issues, earthquake preparedness. She has lived in Los Angeles most of her life and has a Catholic school education. She attended Saith Mary’s Academy High School and graduated from Loyola Marymount University where she received her BA, Teaching Credentials and Master's degree in Educational Psychology.

As the new CEO of the Independence Center, Miriam Gonzalez-Coultas brings over 20 years of working experience in the social services field. In this role she, along with the Board of Directors, will provide leadership in furthering the mission of the Independence Center. Previously Miriam held a Chief Program Officer position at Bienvenidos. There she oversaw Mental Health, Foster Care and Community Services Divisions. She also acted as a liaison for county social service entities and other community organizations. Throughout her professional career she has been able to successfully monitor multiple program budgets with annual revenues of $20+ million dollars. Miriam began her career with Bienvenidos in 2003 as a Foster Care Social Worker. At Bienvenidos, Miriam’s career in management progressed from Program Manager to Director of Mental Health Services and ultimately culminated in her role as Chief Program Officer. Miriam is very active in the community. She served six years as a board member for Valley of Hope Counseling Center in Mission Hills and has over ten years of service in children’s ministry at Rocky Peak Church in Chatsworth. She is a clinically licensed therapist (LMFT) and a member of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT). Miriam received her B.A. in Psychology from California State University Northridge and her M.A. in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University.