As an organization committed to kindness and empathy, Overt Kindness is proud to introduce our founder, Dr. Sandra Owens. Dr. Sandra Owens is a highly experienced social worker, social scientist, and grant writer with over 30 years of experience in the workforce. Dr. Owens has dedicated her entire life career to helping individuals, families, politicians, and communities identify and try to solve a myriad of problems. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Work and a Master of Social Work degree, both from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. And she has obtained a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Social Welfare from the prestigious University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Owens is an expert in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cultural Competency, and DEI training. She has experience as a child custody specialist and expert court witness regarding child custody recommendations and positive parenting practices. During her doctoral studies, Sandra Owens married a great guy with the last name Kane. And during her many years of teaching at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas her students and colleagues began, and many continue, to call her Dr. OK instead of Dr. Owens-Kane. Dr. OK believes and says that things will be OK - we now have to work towards making things be OK.

Dr. OK believes everyone has unique strengths, philosophies, and challenges, so she starts her where You are and provides unconditional positive regard. She helps you prioritize your needs, goals, and preferences to live your best life - in the moment. There is very little value in ruminating about the past or dreaming about the future. Dr. OK is professionally trained to help you stay present and work on your present life and luxuries. She strives to provide an overtly kind, compassionate, and culturally sensitive approach to communication that honors the vast diversity of experiences and backgrounds that my clients bring to the table. Call her if you need someone to talk to about Anything!

Dr. Owens has written grant proposals for and administered over $5,300,000.00 in research and training grants and contracts, including a Substance and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grant for $940,000 to provide free Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) training to 900 university students, clinical practitioners, and allied health professionals training and working in Southern Nevada. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic Dr. Owens obtained over $2,050,000 in grants for non-profit organizations in Las Vegas and North Las Vegas, Nevada. In addition to her research and grant writing experience, Dr. Owens has been actively involved in leadership roles in a variety of community and university organizations, and she served on the cabinet of UNLV President Neal Smatresk as his senior advisor. She is a seasoned social worker, university professor, social scientist, and grant writer, and she is adept at identifying pressing societal problems and teaching and training others to influence political action and promote positive changes in society.

Most importantly for Overt Kindness, LLC - Dr. Owens currently provides local and worldwide services for children, youth, adults, groups, and organizations experiencing problems and that want to improve their lives and well-being. She is able to work with anyone to build rapid rapport, collect data, set goals, and use resources intelligently to meet various needs. She also serves as a concierge to help bring more good people and excellent services into your life to help you feel and act in a more content existence. At Overt Kindness, we are honored to have Dr. Owens as our founder and lead practitioner, trainer, mentor, and coach.