Her Story
About Tiana
Tiana Oaks serves as Assistant Director of Behavioral Health Services at Douglas ESD in Roseburg, Oregon, and has been Interim Director since 2024. She brings 12 years of experience in behavioral health, including work completed while pursuing her education. Tiana began her studies in early childhood education and family studies at Appalachian State University before earning her master's degree there in special education, with a dual focus on emotional and behavioral disorders and intellectual and developmental disabilities. As a qualified mental health professional, she is passionate about rural behavioral health and works to support underserved communities through direct services, systems innovation, and grant-funded initiatives. She was recently awarded a Rural Health Transformation Program grant to develop billable mental health services in rural districts at no cost to families. Tiana attributes her success to her inherent stubbornness, self-efficacy from seeing outcomes, and her ability to articulate needs and advocate for those without a platform. She values social responsibility, approaching behavior with curiosity rather than frustration, and maintaining hope for change in complex situations.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Tiana
01What do you attribute your success to?
I think I am very inherently stubborn and I've seen that if you see an outcome on something you've tried, you're more likely to continue to try. That self-efficacy really protects against burnout. I realized I could articulate things that maybe my peers couldn't, and I had the courage to say things that maybe my colleagues didn't feel empowered to say. It's my obligation because I have the passion, the opportunity, and the continued wins that I have to keep going and fighting for all of those people that don't have the same access and platform.
02What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Social responsibility and the recognition that what we do matters and the actions that we take don't just change today, but also tomorrow. Curiosity - get curious, not furious about the behavior. Hope that there can be change in even the most difficult and complex of situations, and it's never too late for a family and for a kiddo.
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