DSAMH 37th Summer Institute 2008 Faculty

Summer Institute Main   |    Workshops   |    Sponsors&Exhibitors   |    Certification   

KeyNote Speakers

David Mee-Lee, MD, is a board-certified psychiatrist, and is certified by examination of the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM). He trains and consults internationally. Dr. Mee-Lee is Chief Editor of the Revised Second Edition of the ASAM Criteria. He is a Senior Advisor to The Change Companies and is a Senior Fellow for the Co-Occurring Center for Excellence for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Dr. Mee-Lee has over twenty-five years experience in person centered treatment and program development for people with co-occurring mental health and substance use conditions. Dr. Mee-Lee will be speaking on person centered treatment approaches and meeting the challenges of providing co-occurring services.

Stephanie S. Covington, PhD, LCSW, is a clinician, author, organizational consultant, and lecturer. Recognized for her pioneering work in the area of women's issues, Dr. Covington specializes in the development and implementation of gender-responsive services and trauma informed care. Dr. Covington's work focuses on systems change and the development of caring, compassionate, and empowering environments. Dr. Covington has served as a consultant to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in Vienna and the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. She was a workshop chair for both the Women's and the Trauma Treatment Improvement Protocols. Dr. Covington will be addressing how the key to recovery for many individuals may lie in addressing their underlying history of trauma.

Faculty, Listed Alphabetically

Carol Ackley, LADC was educated at the University of Wisconsin and the College of St. Catherine. She is the owner and Director of River Ridge Treatment Center in Minnesota and is the Director of A.C.T., a consulting and training non-profit organization. Ms. Ackley is a local and national speaker on issues of chemical health. She has been closely associated with Dr. Stephanie Covington and the Center for Gender and Justice developing gender-responsive programming for women and girls since 1997.

Taylor B. Anderson, MSW, LSW, CPRP has many years of practice experience in a number of different practice settings and levels of care. She is the Associate Director of Behavioral Healthcare Education, an interdisciplinary continuing education division of the Department of Psychiatry at Drexel University College of Medicine. She has both written curricula for, and taught about, ethical practice in non-traditional settings for the past fourteen years. Her specialty areas include working with persons having co-occurring psychiatric and substance use disorders and defining and evaluating recovery-oriented practice.

Ruth Anderson-Cole CA, CCR is a counselor at Tri-County Youth Services Bureau, Inc. who provides school based mental health and other comprehensive counseling services. She developed and implemented the Victim Services Program for the Charles County Sheriff's Office, a comprehensive on-scene crisis counseling program for victims. She implemented, developed, and managed the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services, Maryland Project Responsibility in 1999, an education service about victim services, impact of victimization on society and ensuring that victims are compensated for their loss because of crimes perpetrated by juveniles. Ruth is a NOVA Certified Crisis Responder, National Credentialed Advocate, and Certified Trainer.

Charles Barber was educated at Harvard and Columbia and worked for ten years in New York City shelters for the homeless mentally ill. The title essay in his first book, Songs from the Black Chair, won a 2006 Pushcart Prize and his most recent book, Comfortably Numb, has received great praise. His work has appeared in The Washington Post, The New York Times and Scientific, American Mind, and on NPR. He is a senior administrator at The Connection, an innovative social services agency, and a lecturer in psychiatry at the Yale University School of Medicine.

Karen L. Barwick, MS, NCC is a counselor with SOAR, Inc., specializing in trauma treatment with adult, adolescent and child survivors of sexual abuse. Karen has completed over 500 hours training in Body-Centered Expressive Therapy, a 1-year internship in Process Painting, 200 hour level yoga teacher training, and is a certified 'Shake Your Soul' and Kripalu Yoga Dance' instructor. Karen is also in the process of completing the requirements to become a Registered Play and Sand Tray Therapist. Through The Open Heart Studio, llc, Karen is an experienced facilitator in the use of expressive art and movement as a tool for healing, growth and wellness.

Gary Brooks, PhD, professor of psychology and neuroscience at Baylor University specializes in post-traumatic stress disorder. A recognized expert on dealing with trauma, Brooks was invited to address the International Conference on Cognitive Therapy in Oslo, Norway. He is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and has been president of APA's division of family psychology and the Society for the Psychological Study of Men and Masculinity. Brooks' research centers around gender studies and masculinity and reveals that contradictory standards exist to define manhood.

Gregory Brown, PhD is a research associate professor of clinical psychology in psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania. He serves as the Co-Director of the Center for the Treatment and Prevention of Suicide at the University of Pennsylvania. His research has focused on developing, evaluating, and disseminating targeted, psychotherapy interventions for individuals who are indicated as being at high risk for suicide. He co-authored the book, Cognitive Therapy for Suicidal Patients: Scientific and Clinical Applications.

Lea Ann Browning McNee is the Outreach & Development Officer for the National Council, where she creates new programs that connect education to policy and practice priorities. Before joining the National Council, she oversaw the external relations programs of the National Mental Health Association. Lea Ann has more than 15 years experience in public education and social marketing and currently serves as adjunct faculty at the George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management.

MaJos'e Carrasco, MPA is the Director of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) Multicultural Action Center. Ms. Carrasco is responsible for NAMI's multicultural initiatives at a national level and for the development and implementation of NAMI's Cultural Competence Plan. She works across NAMI departments to infuse cultural competence throughout the organization. Mrs. Carrasco is an expert on mental health disparities issues and works to raise awareness and address disparities in mental health access and treatment for communities of color. She serves on the expert panel for the National Institute of Mental Health's (NIMH) Outreach Partnership Program and the board of directors for the Latino Behavioral Health Institute.

Nancy Carter is executive director and co-founder of the Urban Los Angeles affiliate chapter of National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Ms. Carter is recognized as one of the country's leading advocates for mental health in communities of color. Ms. Carter was born in a small coal mining town in West Virginia and grew up in Washington, D.C. In 2007, Ms. Carter received the NAMI California Consumer of the Year award of excellence for her contributions to mental health consumers. She serves on several local, state and, national committees for mental health planning, crisis intervention, criminal justice and multi-cultural outreach. Ms. Carter is a certified Family to Family teacher for NAMI. She conducts support groups, workshops and has given presentations for the public at local churches, schools and county agencies. The motto of NAMI Urban says it all "No Family Stands Alone".

Al Condeluci, PhD has been an advocate and catalyst for building community capacities and understanding culture since 1970. He has worked as an attendant, caseworker, advocate, planner, program director and now, CEO of his organization, UCP/CLASS of Pittsburgh. He speaks annually to international audiences reaching some 15,000 people annually. His books, Interdependence , Beyond Difference , Cultural Shifting , Advocacy For Change: A Manual For Action, The Essence Of Interdependence, and Together Is Better have won awards for their approach to culture and community and are now used at many colleges, universities, and in-service settings.

Shelly DeBerry, MA, LPC has worked in the field of counseling for over 25 years in various settings with a variety of populations. She is a licensed professional counselor in West Virginia. Ms. DeBerry is currently employed as a high school guidance counselor in Martinsburg West Virginia. Shelly is a trainer for Impact Therapy Associates under the direction of Dr. Ed Jacobs and has provided group training at Delaware's Summer Institute several years.

Vicki L.Esham, CADC, ADS has worked as a counselor at Ellendale Detoxification Center since October 1991. She has been an acupuncture detoxification specialist since 2005.

Tita Gontang, LCSW, CADC, ADS has worked as a psychiatric social worker for Ellendale Detoxification Center (DSAMH) for over 12 years She trained in acupuncture detoxification procedure at Lincoln Recovery Center in New York with Dr. Michael Smith and Carlos Alvarez. She's a National Acupuncture Detoxification Association registered trainer for acu-detox.

Fred J. Hanna, PhD, MEd is the director of the School of Applied Psychology and Counselor Education at the University of Northern Colorado. In addition to many years of therapy practice, he serves as a trainer to community agencies and school systems across America. He has also developed and published many innovative clinical techniques aimed at creating positive change. He is the author of the book, Therapy with Difficult Clients: Using the Precursor Model to Awaken Change.

Paul Hyman is a holistic life skills specialist. He was a therapist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto and is now co-director of Transition Point in San Francisco and Toronto. Paul offers international trainings in Brain Gym, Optimal Brain Organization, Vision Circles, Brain Gym for Educators, and Touch For Health. He has received the "Outstanding Achievement & Contribution" award from Brain Gym International. His interest in effective performance began with his career of 15 years as a professional recording musician for popular entertainers, TV and movie industry.

David Jobes, PhD, ABPP is a member of the American Psychological Association, the American Association of Suicidology, the International Association for Suicide Prevention, and the International Academy of Suicide Research. He is a professor of psychology and Co-Director of Clinical Training in clinical psychology at The Catholic University of America. Dr. Jobes has published extensively in suicide prevention and his clinical practice primarily involves individual psychotherapy with adults and adolescents.

Kent Johnson, MSW has been active in various Delaware social service agencies since 1989. He has served as a behavioral health services social worker since 2000 for the Department of Veteran Affairs. In 2007, he was named the employee of the year at the Wilmington Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

Barbara Kendall CA, CCR is the senior training coordinator at NOVA. She worked in the Boulder, Colorado, District Attorney's Office as the director of the victim/witness Assistance unit and the director of program development where she was instrumental in the passage of Colorado's Victim Compensation legislation, Colorado's Victim's Bill of Rights, and Colorado's Constitutional Amendment for Victim's Rights. She was a NOVA board member and is a previous NOVA president.

Walter Kisthardt, PhD, MSW is internationally recognized as a dynamic, informative, and entertaining educator. He has been a major contributor to the development, evaluation, and dissemination of Strengths-Based, Person-Centered Community Care. Dr. Kisthardt is the Chair/Director and Associate Professor at the newly accredited BSW Program at Park University. He is currently collaborating with Oklahoma and Kansas to provide training and evaluate the effectiveness of Strengths-based, Person Centered practice with those affected by the co-occurring disorders of substance abuse and mental illness.

Susan Mullens MS, LPC, ALPS, CADC has been working in the adult and youth mental health and substance abuse field for the past 16 years as a counselor, psychologist and clinical supervisor. She is a licensed psychologist and certified addictions counselor in West Virginia. She is a senior staff member at the Youth Health Service in Elkins, West Virginia, sits on the Board of Directors for the West Virginia Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors, and is a member of the Substance Abuse Committee of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network.

Twyla Peterson Wilson, MSW established a psychosocial rehabilitation program called Club Nova and was Administrative Director of the Partial Hospital Program and the Centralized Evaluation Unit in the Department of Psychiatry at Duke medical Center. Always an advocate for client-centered treatment she has taught in the Family Studies Program and the Duke Addictions Program. She has a private practice emphasizing compassionate, holistic treatment of women with addictive disease. She is pleased and honored to be training on Dr. Covington's comprehensive, epowering, healing curricula, which she has used extensively in her work.

Annelle B. Primm, M.D., MPH is a board certified psychiatrist and Director of the Office of Minority and National Affairs at the American Psychiatric Association. She is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Dr. Primm is the producer and host of educational videotapes on depression: Black and Blue: Depression in the African American Community and Gray and Blue: Depression in Older Adults. She has published and lectured extensively on community psychiatry, cultural psychiatry, and ethnic and racial disparities in mental health care. She has received numerous awards and honors for her work as a leader in establishing community collaborations to improve the mental health of underserved populations.

Fran Register-Joyner, MED is director of the Targeted Case Management Unit for the Philadelphia Behavioral Health System, where she provides administrative oversight to intensive case management, community treatment, and ACT teams throughout the city. During her 25 years of experience in the field of mental health, she has designed, developed, and implemented training programs for case managers in several states. Ms. Register-Joyner has also participated in program development and systems integration for individuals with co-occurring disorders.

Anthony Tommasello, PHD is an associate professor of clinical pharmacology at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacology, and is founder/director of the Office of Substance Abuse Studies. He is published in the areas of general principles of assessment and treatment, methadone maintenance care, and adolescent drug abuse and addiction.

Wilma Townsend, MSW is a nationally recognized expert and consultant on consumer focused recovery. She is involved in a research project entitled "Actualization of Best Practice Model System-Wide: Examination of Recovery-Oriented Services and Outcomes." Ms. Townsend contributed to the President's New Freedom Mental Health Commission and developed trainings on Recovery Management Plan, a person-centered care roadmap to bring recovery alive in treatment planning. As the author of the Emerging Best Practices in Mental Health Recovery, she has committed her teachings and writing to this practice.

Donna Sudak, MD is a professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the Drexel University College of Medicine and the director of psychotherapy training. Dr. Sudak is a graduate of the Medical College of Pennsylvania, and completed her Psychiatry residency at the University of Washington. She is an adjunct faculty member at the Beck Institute for Cognitive Therapy and Research and has a private practice in Philadelphia. She has an active research interest in psychiatric education, and has played a major role in developing suggested guidelines for resident competency in Cognitive Therapy.

James M. Walsh, PhD is an assistant professor and assistant program coordinator of the Master of Science in Community Counseling program at Wilmington College. As a licensed and board-certified counselor, he provides services to individuals with chronic mental health conditions. He also maintains a private practice in pastoral counseling, and is a psycho-forensic evaluator for the Office of the Public Defender in Delaware.

Pam Whitman, M.A., Life Skills Coach, instructor/consultant and director on the Brain Gym ® International Foundation Board. As co-director of Transition Point in Toronto and San Francisco for 11 years, she is a specialist in whole-brain integrative learning using Brain Gym with children, teens & adults having ADD/HD, delayed development, Autism, Aspergers, Alzheimers, stroke, head injury, and academics/sports/music performance challenges.