Bailey Needham (she/her) is a Santa Barbara County native raised in Santa Maria and recently graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Her passion for social justice stems from her experiences as a first-generation college student, advocate for sex education, consumer of mental health resources, and employee in the human services and health care sectors.
Bailey studied social sciences at UCSB, earning her Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology and Bachelor’s of Arts in Sociology in 2020. While attending university she was also a Director of First Impressions and Kitchen Assistant for Santa Barbara Hillel, Research Assistant for the UCSB Cultural Psychology Lab, Peer Mentor for the Educational Outreach Program (EOP), and Writer and Outreach Team Member for SexInfo Online. Both Bailey’s professional roles and formal education have expanded her passion for sex education, mental health awareness, and racial justice.
Bailey currently works as a Direct Support Professional for Behavior Respite in Action (BRIA) in Santa Maria where she provides specialized, in-home care services to children and young adults with developmental disabilities. This position has been personally fulfilling and has expanded her knowledge regarding behavioral health, providing/receiving health care services, and disability rights and inclusion. In her free time, Bailey enjoys reading, painting, and doing yoga.