Rev. Dr. Xenia Barnes
Social & Behavioral Scientist | Leading Expert in Trauma-Informed Organizational Excellence
Rev. Dr. Xenia Barnes is a Brooklyn-based Social & Behavioral Scientist whose groundbreaking "Trauma-to-Triumph Framework" is revolutionizing how institutions approach leadership development, employee well-being, and community engagement. With over two decades of experience working with survivors of domestic abuse, gun violence, and chronic illness, Dr. Barnes brings both academic rigor and authentic lived experience to her transformational work.
Dr. Barnes' journey toward becoming a leading trauma expert was forged through profound personal challenges. The 2017 murder of her nephew, Melquain Jatelle Anderson—a sociology student at John Jay College—catalyzed her mission to transform trauma into systemic change. Her 2021 diagnosis with pulmonary fibrosis and lupus, terminal illnesses requiring a double lung transplant, deepened her understanding of resilience and inspired her most powerful frameworks for institutional healing.
As founder and CEO of Gold Mind Thoughts LLC since 2008, and co-founder of the Melquain Jatelle Anderson Foundation, Dr. Barnes has developed evidence-based methodologies that bridge academic research with practical community intervention, making scientific insights accessible and applicable to real-world institutional challenges.
