Kristel Yoneda (she/they/fancy he) received her BA from George Washington University where she majored in Religion and minored in Sociocultural Anthropology (note: she is not religious, but rather had a lot of anxiety and existential dread as a queer teenager in the 90s).
She has a Marketing Certificate from Santa Monica College and is currently working toward her MA in Psychology from California Southern University as part of their MFT (marriage and family therapist) program. She is also an MFT trainee fulfilling her practicum hours at the LGBTQ Center in Orange County.
Kristel also owns and operates Ikigai Marketing, which offers purpose-driven business coaching and marketing services. Concepted in 2016, she has worked with a diverse range of clients across multiple industries.
With her unique background in marketing and mental health, Kristel has presented at numerous professional conferences such as the Contemporary Relationships Conference, Catalyst Con, Woodhull Sexual Freedom Summit, Gender Spectrum, Internext, XBIZ, AVN, YNOT’s Cammunity Event, Exxxotica, and as part of Kink.com’s educational series. She also hosts a free educational workshop to help sex workers find competent and affirming mental healthcare services.
Kristel Yoneda is a Marriage and Family Therapist Trainee currently working at the LGBTQ Center OC in Orange County, California, under the supervision of Brooklynn Kendall (CA LMFT #103221).