Rhea Bailey has worked as an advocate for underrepresented communities since she began her career in public health twenty years ago. As an undergrad, she worked student health clinic administering HIV testing and reproductive health education. She also worked for Planned Parenthood in East Los Angeles providing sexual health education to middle and high students. This introduction to public health set the course for the rest of her career.

In graduate school, Rhea focused her learning on community health services with a specific interest in street and domestic violence prevention. In keeping with her interest in mitigating the effects of trauma, she went on to work as a Legislative Aide in the California State Senate. She staffed all of the domestic violence, sexual assault, and public safety legislation for then-Senator, Sheila Kuehl. Rhea then applied her policy expertise to mobilizing a grassroots coalition of CBOs that worked to improve access to quality health care for children and families.

Upon moving to the Bay Area, Rhea worked on behalf of the San Francisco Mental Health Services Act where she managed a multi-million dollar portfolio of behavioral health programs that span the continuum between preventive and intensive case management services. Prior to joining MHSA, Rhea worked as the coordinator of the Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Initiative, a joint project between four county agencies working to address the social and emotional needs of young children before they enter kindergarten.

Rhea served as the Director of Community Wellness and Equity for the behavioral health division of the San Francisco Department of Public Health. She developed and led the health strategy of a large Mayoral Initiative (HOPE SF) that embedded Wellness Centers in public housing communities. The Wellness Centers provided primary care and holistic wellness services to residents who have been historically ignored and traumatized by systems of care. Most recently, worked as a Program Officer with the General Service Foundation where she designed and implemented the Foundation’s strategy for funding healing justice within movement organizations. She was also responsible for developing and managing a large-scale portfolio dedicated to funding Black-led movement organizations to advance social change and justice.

Rhea is now Founder and Principal of Rhea Collaborative (formerly Radical Joy Consulting) where she works to advance healing and transformation amongst leaders, systems and movements. She provides coaching, training, and strategy development that promotes engagement, alignment, innovation, and collective well-being.

Rhea Bailey received her B.S. in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention from the University of Southern California. She earned a Masters of Public Health from the University of California, Los Angeles with an emphasis in community health services and policy.