David Berkey
Chief Executive Officer, Illinois Health Practice Alliance
David Berkey has a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from The University of Toledo and an MBA in Health Administration from Temple University. He has over 32 years of health care management and business development experience with disproportionate share health care providers and investor-owned enterprises. He has successfully completed several hospital turnarounds; participated in development of a number of provider-owned health plans; lead development of successful provider collaborations that address medical and public health needs; opened and licensed new community-based services and long-term acute care hospitals; completed an array of medical practice acquisitions and lead government and community affairs for several hospitals and health systems. Mr. Berkey is currently Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Illinois Health Practice Alliance an innovative behavioral health independent practice association that has negotiated two value based managed care contracts that have demonstrated significant health outcome improvements and total cost of care savings.
Donell L. Barnett, PhD
Behavioral Health Advisor, IDHS | SUPR
Donell Barnett is a Licensed Psychologist and serves as the Behavioral Health Advisor in the Substance Use Prevention and Recovery Division at the IL Dept. of Human Services. In this role, Donell advises on behavioral health policies and oversees programs to streamline mental health and substance use services.
Dr. Barnett’s interests include trauma, faith, and community development. He is a Past President of The Association of Black Psychologists, where he led the association’s work on the Black Mental Health Workforce.
Kerri Brown, Espq.
President and CEO, Community Counseling Centers of Chicago (C4)
Kerri Brown joined C4 in February of 2021 as Chief Operating Officer and became President and CEO shortly after, in August of that year. Before coming to C4, he took on a number of roles in behavioral healthcare, including Chief Administrative Officer, Vice President of Operations, Director of Human Resources, and Associate Counsel. Brown is a decorated veteran, having served as an officer in the US Army Corps of Engineers. Kerri earned his juris doctorate from the Southern University Law Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and his Master of Laws (LLM) degree in real estate from the John Marshall Law School in Chicago. He is licensed and in good standing with the Illinois Bar Association, with certifications in an array of professional institutes and programs.
Cara Cerullo
Director, University Counseling Center at Western Illinois University
Cara Cerullo is the Director of the University Counseling Center at Western Illinois University. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Certified Alcohol and Other Drug Counselor in the State of Illinois. Cara works as an Adjunct Instructor for Social Work courses at Spoon River College and Western Illinois University. She is currently pursuing her Doctorate of Education at Western Illinois University.
Mauricio Cifuentes, PhD, LCSW
Clinical Director, Family Service and Mental Health Center of Cicero
Mauricio Cifuentes received a J.D. from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Colombia, an MSW and a Ph. D. both from Loyola University Chicago. He has worked as a clinician, supervisor, administrator, and professor for organizations such as Saint Anthony Hospital in Chicago, Augsburg University in Minneapolis, Comunidades Latinas Unidas En Servicio (CLUES) in Minneapolis/St Paul, and Loyola University Chicago where he oversaw the first-in-the-country online, bilingual Master’s in Social Work. Currently, he is the Clinical Director for Family Service and Mental Health Center of Cicero, IL.
Judith A. Cook, PhD
Professor, Department of Psychiatry at UIC
Project Director, Center of Mental Health Services Research and Policy at UIC
SMI Training Director, BHWC
Judith A. Cook, PhD, is Professor of Psychiatry and Director of UIC’s Center on Mental Health Services Research and Policy. She is an internationally recognized authority on mental health services research focused on the study of clinical and rehabilitation outcomes of children and adults receiving community-based care. She directs a federally funded research center along with numerous grants and contracts focused on intervention science, psychiatric epidemiology, and outcomes research. She designs and implements innovative programs to enhance the health and behavioral health of vulnerable populations, and works with federal, state and local authorities on behavioral health service system reconfiguration and alternative financing strategies. Her recent work focuses on randomized controlled trials of evidence-based practice treatments for serious mental illness, and outcomes of individuals with co-occurring mental illness and chronic medical conditions. She consults with federal agencies including the National Institutes of Health, Social Security Administration, Department of Labor, Government Accountability Office, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and Veteran’s Administration. Over the past three decades, she has provided education, training, and policy briefings on serious mental illness in academic settings, community programs, and in state, local and international governmental agencies.
Sherrie Crabb, MS, QMHP
Chief Executive Officer, Arrowleaf
Meet Sherrie Crabb, a dedicated and hands-on leader who tirelessly serves her community by advocating for and educating others about issues and trends related to the rural Illinois human services sector. She firmly believes that a robust human services infrastructure is crucial for improving well-being and benefiting its neighbors at every phase of life. As the CEO of Arrowleaf and a graduate of Eastern Illinois University, Sherrie has served on many local and state boards and committees for 16 years. Her expertise includes human services advocacy, nonprofit management, community development and outreach, grant writing, program development and implementation, public speaking, behavioral healthcare, and leadership development.
Lia Daniels, MPH
Director, Illinois Health and Hospital Association
Lia Daniels is the Director of Health Policy at the Illinois Health and Hospital Association (IHA), a trade association advocating for Illinois’ more than 200 hospitals and nearly 40 health systems. She currently provides leadership on a range of healthcare policy and reimbursement issues at IHA, including behavioral health service delivery and workforce needs, telehealth and other emerging healthcare topics. Serving IHA’s members since 2014, Lia also coordinates a hospital behavioral health leadership forum and statewide constituency section.
Eric S. Davidson, Ph.D., MCHES
Executive Director, Health and Counseling Services at Eastern Illinois University
Director, Illinois Higher Education Center for Alcohol, Other Drug, and Violence Prevention
In his 30 years of experience within the fields of substance use prevention, health education and promotion, college health and student affairs Eric Davidson has developed and led individual, group and population level programs and initiatives addressing a variety of student health and wellness issues.
Davidson earned Bachelors Degrees in Psychology and Speech Communication from Eastern Illinois University, a Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology from Eastern Illinois University, and a Ph.D in Community Health Education from Southern Illinois University – Carbondale.
Jud DeLoss, JD
Chief Executive Director, Illinois Association for Behavioral Health
Gerald (Jud) DeLoss practiced health law for 25 years and during the last 5 years as General Counsel of the Illinois Association for Behavioral Health before accepting the position of Chief Executive Officer of IABH in 2020.
During his legal career, Mr. DeLoss represented behavioral health care providers, health information technology (HIT) solution providers, federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), physicians, hospitals and research organizations, as well as industry trade and professional associations. He has special expertise in Medicaid, grant funding, commercial insurance, and managed care.
Thane Dykstra, PhD
President and CEO, Trinity Services Corporate Center
Thane Dykstra is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist. He has worked for the past 28 years at Trinity Services and has served as CEO for the past 5 years. Thane has a passion for helping people with serious mental illness live full and abundant lives.
Mary E. Garrison, LCSW, ACSW
President and CEO, Heritage Behavioral Health Center
Mary Garrison is the President and CEO of Heritage Behavioral Health Center and brings more than 30 years of experience in mental health services, advocacy, and academia to her work with clinical staff, community stakeholders and participants to advance treatment for all impacted by mental health and substance use disorders. She is an Emeritus Professor of Social Work from Millikin University.
Mary sits the Illinois CCBHC Advisory Committee and a member of the International Initiative for Mental Health Leadership (IIMHL). She is a past recipient of the NASW Illinois Social Worker of the Year Award and a two-time recipient of the Cesar Chavez Social Justice Award.
David Gonzalez
Director of Behavioral Health – MAT Clinic, Heartland Health Services
David Gonzalez is the Director of Behavioral Health with Heartland Health Services serving the greater Peoria area in central Illinois. His desire is to work with culturally diverse populations and he is passionate about learning and working with acute and chronically mentally ill clients with concurrent substance abuse and/or behavioral addictions and/or personality disorders.
David is committed to embracing leadership opportunities, clinical work, and collaborative efforts with colleagues to promote enhanced quality of life.
Jon Grant, MD
Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Billings Hospital University of Chicago
Jon E. Grant is a Professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neuroscience at the University of Chicago where he directs a clinic and research lab on addictive, compulsive and impulsive disorders. Professor Grant is the author of over 400 peer-reviewed scientific articles, 15 books, and his research has been supported by NIMH and NIDA.
Giesela Grumbach, PhD, LCSW, PEL
Chair, Social Work Dept. at Governors State University
Giesela Grumbach is chair of the social work department at Governors State University. She is a graduate of UIC, where she received her Ph.D. She is also the past president of the NASW, IL Chapter. Dr. Grumbach is a seasoned licensed clinical social worker and has over thirty years of experience in the field.
Karel Homrig, M.S.Ed.
CEO, Prevention First
Karel Homrig is the Chief Executive Officer at Prevention First. In her 33 years at Prevention First, she has administered numerous programs and initiatives designed to train and support human service professionals committed to preventing substance use and related issues and promoting health and well-being in individuals, families, and communities.
Honorable Lindsey LaPointe, MSW
State Representative, 19th District
State Representative Lindsey LaPointe has represented the far Northwest Side of Chicago since 2019 and is the current Chair of the Mental Health and Addiction Committee and a member of the Medicaid Working Group. Ten years of direct service social work experience propelled her into social policy work first, and elected office second. She has an MSW from the Jane Addams College of Social Work.
Sonya J. Leathers, PhD
Professor, Jane Addams College of Social Work at UIC
Director, BHWC
Sonya J. Leathers, PhD, is a professor at the Jane Addams College of Social Work at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the director of the Illinois Behavioral Health Workforce Center activities at UIC. Her areas of expertise include the development of effective behavioral health training programs, mental health services research in public service systems, interventions for children and adolescents with complex behavior problems, and implementation methods. She is the director of an evidence-based mental health practices training program and a recipient of the UIC Award for Excellence in Teaching. Her research is focused on the mental health needs of children and adolescents in foster care with complex needs and the development of more effective behavioral health service systems.
Over the past two decades, she has received continuous federal and state funding for multiple research projects and training programs funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration, the National Institute for Mental Health, the Illinois Division of Mental Health, Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, the Administration for Children and Families, and private foundations.
Catherine Melka-Kaffer, LCSW
Initiative Coordinator, BHWC
Catherine Melka-Kaffer serves as an Initiative Coordinator for the Illinois Behavioral Health Workforce Center at UIC, focusing on the needs of Community Mental Health providers across the state. Her passion for improving mental health services arose from other past roles as a social worker in a youth agency, community mental health center, and group home. Ms. Melka-Kaffer is committed to supporting behavioral health providers and improving the quality and availability of services for all those in-need. Ms. Melka-Kaffer is also the Training Director of the Integrated Behavioral Health Care Training Program at the Jane Addams College of Social Work at the University of Illinois Chicago.
Jen McGowan-Tomke
Chief Operating Officer, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Chicago
Jen McGowan-Tomke is the Chief Operating Officer at NAMI Chicago and leads the organization’s operations and policy advocacy platform. Jen’s policy expertise includes the relationship between mental health and insurance coverage, as well as the impact of individual mental health within the criminal court, juvenile justice, and forensic systems.
Jen earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Sociology from the University of Wisconsin at Madison and a Masters Degree in Health Policy and Administration from the University of Illinois at Chicago’s School of Public Health.
Andy Morgan, PhD
Assistant Vice President & Dean of Students, Illinois State University
Dr. Andy Morgan is Illinois State University’s Assistant Vice President and Dean of Students. He brings over 26 years of higher education experience from three different universities focusing on student affairs administration. He has developed and led college student Care teams where he and his team collaborate with a variety of campus departments to help students overcome challenges relating to mental, fiscal, physical, and social wellness.
Clyne Namuo, PhD
President, Joliet Junior College
Dr. Namuo is the 10th president of Joliet Junior College. He was appointed by the Board of Trustees after a national search and assumed the position in July 2022. Previously, he was the interim president of Phoenix College, the flagship college of the Maricopa system serving the students and communities in and around Phoenix, Arizona.
He is active in the JJC district as a member of Joliet Rotary, board member of Will County Center for Economic Development, board member of Grundy Economic Development Council, and board member of the Greater Joliet Area YMCA.
Ginger Ostro
Executive Director, Illinois Board of Higher Education
Ginger Ostro brings extensive policy and finance leadership to the Illinois Board of Higher Education. Since joining the agency in February 2020, she has led IBHE’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic; worked with other agencies and stakeholders to develop a strategic plan for Illinois higher education, A Thriving Illinois; and is currently working on multiple new initiatives, including the Commission on Equitable Public University Funding and the Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity.
Before joining IBHE, Ginger held various leadership roles at Chicago State University, Governors State University, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, Advance Illinois, Chicago Public Schools, and the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget.
Kirk Overstreet, PhD
President, John A. Logan Community College
Dr. Kirk Overstreet serves as President of John A. Logan College. Dr. Overstreet holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Organization Development from Benedictine University and has served in various administrative roles in higher education since 2004. He is a first-generation college student who spent 15 years in the electrical construction industry before returning to school as an adult learner.
Lora L. Passetti
Evidence-based Treatment (EBTx) Center Program Director, Chestnut Health Systems
Lora L. Passetti is the Evidence-based Treatment Center Program Director at Chestnut Health Systems. She oversees the center’s training and certification process for its substance use treatment and recovery support models: Community Reinforcement Approach (CRA), Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach (A-CRA), and Recovery Monitoring and Support (RMS). Ms. Passetti has presented at national conferences and authored or co-authored publications in peer reviewed journals.
Patrick Phelan, MBA, MS
President and CEO, Sinnissippi Centers, Inc.
Patrick Phelan recently joined Center for Youth and Family Solutions as CEO after serving as President and CEO of Sinnissippi Centers for the prior 10 years. Patrick has a master’s in Clinical Psychology from Illinois State University and a master’s in Business Administration from Morehead State University.
Jaimee Ray
Legislative Affairs, Illinois Board of Higher Education
Jaimee Ray is the Senior Associate Director of Legislative Affairs for the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE). She has worked with the legislature since 2001, and came to IBHE in 2016.
Jaimee served on the Behavioral Health Workforce Education Center Task Force that recommended the creation of the center so she has been involved with this work for years.
Lisa A. Razzano, PhD
Professor of Psychiatry and Deputy Director, Center on Mental Health Services Research and Policy at UIC
Director of James Scholar Program, UIC College of Medicine
SMI Training Co-Director, BHWC
Lisa Razzano, PhD is Professor of Psychiatry and Deputy Director for the Center on Mental Health Services Research and Policy in the Department of Psychiatry, UIIC College of Medicine. Dr. Razzano is a funded researcher, and as a member of the COM faculty, she is a leader in curriculum development for medical students, residents, and other trainees, as well as professional development programs for junior faculty. In 2021, Dr. Razzano’s work in partnership with Thresholds to develop materials for the behavioral health workforce on medical conditions received the Institute for Healthcare Advancement’s Award for Innovation in Health Literacy.
Lee Ann Reinert, LCSW
Deputy Director of Policy, Planning and Innovation, Illinois Department of Human Services
Lee Ann Reinert, serves as the Deputy Director of Policy, Planning and Innovation for the Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Mental Health. Her responsibilities include development and implementation of strategic initiatives, as well as serving as the community mental health block grant planner for the state. Ms. Reinert has served as the Principal Investigator for various federal grants awarded to the Division with a current focus on the expansion of the behavioral health crisis program and represents the Division on interagency initiatives at the State and National level. She holds both an MSW and a BS in Psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Her combined 33 years of mental health experience spans community and inpatient settings in a variety of areas including services to adults diagnosed with serious mental illnesses, crisis intervention services across the lifespan, and individual and group therapy, as well as working as a unit social worker, clinical director and admissions coordinator in a state operated psychiatric hospital, prior to coming to DMH Central Office15 years ago.
Joel L. Rubin, MSW, LSW, ACSW, CAE
Executive Director, National Association of Social Workers – Illinois Chapter
Joel L. Rubin received his MSW from Jane Addams College of Social Work at the University of Illinois-Chicago in 1983 and a B.A in Comparative Politics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1981. He has served as the Executive Director of the 5,000-member Illinois Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) since October of 1999. He has over 30 years of non-for-profit management and fundraising experience, including extensive work with boards of directors, committees and volunteers, and advocacy around a wide variety of social work, human service and international political issues, as advocating on behalf of social work workforce issues. In addition to his responsibilities in Illinois, Mr. Rubin served as Acting Deputy Director of Chapter Operations for the NASW from March 2019 to July 2020.
Stephanie Schmitz-Bechteler, PhD
Director, Special Projects and Program Services, Illinois Student Assistance Commission
Stephanie Schmitz-Bechteler is the Managing Director of Program Services and Compliance at the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC), where she oversees the teams responsible for developing and administering ISAC’s grant, scholarship, and loan repayment programs. Prior to her time at ISAC, she worked in social research and policy at the Chicago Urban League as the Executive Director of the Research and Policy Center, and the Associate Director and Research Manager of the Illinois Consortium on Drug Policy at Roosevelt University. Schmitz Bechteler has her Master of Arts in Social Service Administration from University of Chicago and her PhD in Social Work from University of Illinois at Chicago.
Bruce Sewick, LCPC, CADC
Coordinator for CRSS Success Grant and Assistant Professor, College of DuPage Human Services Dept.
Bruce Sewick received his bachelor’s degree in Psychology at UIC in 1974. Before earning his graduate degree in Clinical Psychology from Roosevelt University in 1997, he worked in the transportation industry for 22 years beginning that career as a salesman and working his way up to Vice-President in a privately held company, as well as working at General Electric.
After completing his master’s degree, Mr. Sewick changed careers and received his LCPC licensure in 1999. Currently he is an Associate Professor and Coordinator for CRSS Success Grant at the College of DuPage. He is also a retired CEO of Leyden Family Service and Mental Health Center in Franklin Park and the SHARE Program in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. Read more about Mr. Sewick’s professional experience here.
Carrie Skiles
Director for Healthcare Programs, Illinois Community College Board
Carrie joined the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) as the Director for Healthcare Programs in May 2023. Carrie works specifically with the Pipeline for the Advancement of the Healthcare Workforce (PATH) grant. PATH provides funding to all 39 community college districts in the state of Illinois to create, support and expand the opportunities of individuals in the nursing pathway and select healthcare pathways to obtain credentials and degrees that allow them to enter and/or advance their careers in the healthcare industry.
Carrie has almost twenty years of experience working in various healthcare settings, including a critical access hospital, public health administration and in long term care. Carrie has an Associate of Arts Degree from Spoon River College, a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Services Management from Western Illinois University and a Master’s Degree in Health Administration from McKendree University.
Doug Smith, PhD, LCSW
Professor and Director at the Center for Prevention Research and Development (CPRD), School of Social Work at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Doug Smith is Professor of Social Work at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Both his practice and research focus on adolescents and young adults with substance use disorders (SUD). He is a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT), and has been involved in a variety of workforce training initiatives.
Abdi Tinwalla, MD, CCHP
Forensic Psychiatrist
Immediate Past President, Illinois Psychiatric Society
Dr. Abdi Tinwalla is a board certified Forensic Psychiatrist, Immediate Past President of the Illinois Psychiatric Society, and a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association (DFAPA). He has experience working with several major Medicaid plans as well as working in the forensic area of correctional psychiatry and the treatment of sex offenders.
Luke Tomsha, BE
Executive Director, The Perfectly Flawed Foundation
Luke Tomsha is the Founder and Director of the harm reduction and recovery community non-profit, The Perfectly Flawed Foundation. Luke wears his passion on his sleeve and advocates to reduce the stigma of substance use and to ensure that people with lived experience have a meaningful seat at the table in systems and services designed for them.
In addition to these roles, Luke serves on multiple committees including the appointed person with lived expertise of OUD on Governor Pritzker’s Opioid Overdose Prevention and Recovery Steering Committee as well as a member of the The National Council for Mental Wellbeing’s Lived Experience Subject Matter Expert Workgroup.
Linda Xochitl Tortolero, JD
President and Chief Executive Officer, Mujeres Latinas En Accion
Linda Xochitl Tortolero is delighted to serve as President and CEO of Mujeres Latinas en Accion, the nation’s longest standing Latina organization. She has dedicated much of her professional career in fundraising, building strategic relationships, and organizational and program management in the nonprofit sector.
Under Linda’s leadership, Mujeres is a fierce advocate on key issues such as gender-based violence, women’s health and economic security, immigration, and reproductive justice.
DeAnne White, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
VP/Chief Administrative Officer, Sinnissippi Centers in Northwestern Illinois
DeAnne White, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, is the VP/Chief Administrative Officer at Sinnissippi Centers in Northwestern Illinois. She has been in HR/administrative roles there since 1997 and considers the development of Sinnissippi’s Community Behavioral Health Rural Training Center of Excellence to be one of her most significant accomplishments. Sinnissippi currently employs 282 employees providing service to over 8,500 clients working out of 14 sites in 8 counties.
Lori Williams
Associate Provost, Office of External Relations at SIU SOM
COO, BHWC
Lori Williams has spent over 30 years working on behalf of rural health, community, and economic development in Illinois. She spent 14 years in state government working in the Office of the Governor, Office of the Lieutenant Governor, and as the Executive Director of the Governor’s Rural Affairs Council. Since leaving state government in 2004, Lori has served as the Executive Director of the Illinois Rural Health Association, Vice President of Membership for the Illinois Hospital Association and is currently the Associate Provost for External Relations at SIU School of Medicine. In that capacity, Lori oversees the business operations of the Behavioral Health Workforce Center.
Kari M. Wolf, MD
Professor and Chair, Department of Psychiatry at SIU SOM
Co-Executive Director, SIU Neuroscience Institute
CEO, BHWC
Dr. Kari M. Wolf joined SIU School of Medicine in 2016 to serve as Chair of Psychiatry. Previously, she served as an Associate Professor of medicine at Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin as well as President and CEO of the Seton Mind Institute in Austin and Chief Medical Officer for Seton Shoal Creek Hospital. Dr. Wolf also served as the chair of the Austin campus for the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Texas-Southwestern. She completed a psychiatry residency at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City (2001) after earning her medical degree at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine (1997). She earned a bachelor’s degree at William Smith College in Geneva, N.Y. (1992).
Since coming to SIU, Dr. Wolf has served as a content expert for numerous pieces of legislation, created innovative psychiatric services to expand access in the region, served for 3 years as the Psychiatric Director for Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Service’s Behavioral Health Division, and participated in numerous national and regional talks on medical education, leadership, mental health policy, telehealth, and behavioral health workforce development. She currently serves as the PI or co-investigator on several grants related to workforce development and is actively working with multiple partner organizations to enhance the behavioral health system of care in the region.
The Evanston, IL native is board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. She is a member of numerous organizations, including the American Psychiatric Association, the Association for Academic Psychiatry, the American Association of Medical Colleges Group on Women in Medicine and Science, and the American Association of Chairs of Departments of Psychiatry where she serves in a leadership position. Dr. Wolf has experience as a prior residency program director, medical student clerkship director, and has significant expertise in curriculum development, mentoring, quality improvement processes, health policy development, change management and strategic planning. Dr. Wolf’s interests include workforce development, population health, and health delivery science.
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David Albert, PhD
Director of the Division of Mental Health, Illinois Department of Mental Health
David Albert is Director of the Division of Mental Health at the Illinois Department of Human Services. Prior to assuming the role of Director in January 2020, Dr. Albert served as the division’s Deputy Director for Clinical Operations. From 2013-2019, David was Director of the Student Counseling Service at the University of Chicago, and before that spent six years as Director of Counseling and Psychological Services at the University of Hartford. During that time, he also founded the Child and Adolescent Ambulatory Psychiatry Clinic at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. He spent time working as a Consulting Psychologist with the Connecticut Department of Children and Families, and completed a post-doctoral fellowship providing trauma-focused interventions to children, adolescents, and families affected by exposure to traumatic stress. David earned a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Northwestern University Medical School and a B.A. in Russian Studies from Amherst College. He is a licensed psychologist with extensive teaching, research, training and publication credits to his name.