I have been a licensed psychologist for over 23 years, and have worked with ethnically and culturally diverse group of individuals in multiple settings and have provided treatment, crisis intervention, as well as psychological evaluations.

I started working in the medical field when I was a Junior in high school, since I was planning to become a physician and wanted to have that firsthand experience. Very soon, I started noticing that some patients would come in frequently for different ailments and were unable to obtain relief; these were individuals who as I came to know them, were also grappling with multiple stressors in their lives. While I was attending UCLA, I decided to change my major to Psychology in order to assist others with coping more effectively, and understand how their view and perspective of events impact their feelings and ability to deal with them. I went on and obtained my Doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University, and in 1997, I started working for County of Los Angeles. I have been in the position of the Chief of Psychological Services whereby I manage Psychological Services Unit as well as being the Director of Employee Assistance Program (EAP) since 2004. This position has offered me an opportunity to not only work with others indirectly by planning and expanding our services and psychoeducation trainings via EAP, but also by providing consultation to departments, so that we can have a healthy workforce.

Given that I have always enjoyed teaching and mentoring, I have also been assistant clinical professor at UCLA, Geffen School of Medicine; and adjunct professor at several other universities including Pepperdine Graduate School of Education and Psychology, and California State University, Fullerton.

As the Supervising Psychologist on the team, I support both the Psychological Services Unit (PSU) and Employee Assistance Program (EAP). I grew up in Queens, New York, Seattle, Washington and Ann Arbor, Michigan. My college education includes the University of Washington and Kent State University, and my specialized training includes medical psychology and forensic psychology.

Since 1992, I have been on the faculty of the USC Institute of Psychiatry, Law and Behavioral Science, as a fellow, lecturer and supervisor. I have also been a consultant to the legal system, evaluating pre-trial defendants and juveniles. Before 2013, I worked for the California Department of Correction and Rehabilitation, treating parolees adjusting to their release from prison.

I joined the County in 2013; I was drawn to work with the County because it also involves providing psychological evaluations and consultation regarding legal issues including employment, fitness for duty and suitability in safety-sensitive positions. My work with EAP staff has been an exciting addition, providing staff supervision and help in developing our expanding program and services.

I earned my doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the University of Oslo/ Norway in 1992. My dissertation title was: “Allocation of Attentional Resources in Patients with Parkinson’s Disease”. I have been a licensed psychologist since 1992 and in 1997, I completed my training in Clinical Neuropsychology.

In 2005, I obtained a second doctorate from California Graduate Institute. The second dissertation title was: “Memory Functions in a Patient with Dense Amnesia Following Herpes Simplex Encephalitis”.

My professional history includes experience with children, adults, and elders in outpatient, inpatient, residential, and in correctional settings, and well as in public service. I specialize in fitness-for-duty assessments and neuropsychological evaluations of individuals with industrial injuries, traumatic brain injuries, strokes, and progressive diseases.

Since the start of the Covid-19 Pandemic, I studied psychological aspects of pandemics. I was invited as a speaker on this topic on numerous occasions. I also presented on the subject matter of “Implicit Bias” and civil unrest. In recent months, OHP’s Psychological Services Unit (PSU) has been involved in developing training programs related to wellness and managing stress during these unprecedented times.

I earned my doctorate degree from Alliant University in Clinical Psychology and have worked in a variety of government and business settings as a consulting and forensic psychologist providing mental health services as well as psychological assessment for pre-employment, fitness-for duty evaluations, and mental health treatment.

I have been providing counseling and consulting services for over 15 years, and I currently provide psychological services and training as part of DHR’s OHP Psychological Services Unit. As a U.S. Navy veteran, I gained experienced in providing and managing the delivery of psychological services to veterans and their families in crisis. I specialized in PTSD because my passion lies in working collaboratively with clients to heal from traumatic experiences by discovering their unique strengths and passions to help the healing process

At the age of 25, following my father’s death from cancer, I felt a desire to help others who were struggling with similar circumstances. This led me to volunteer as a support group facilitator, and I quickly realized that helping people who need emotional support gave me great fulfillment. Through this lens, I developed a much deeper appreciation for how caring, giving, strong, resilient, and courageous people can be, even in the most trying circumstances. This inspired me to learn more about human behavior

My experiences facilitating support groups eventually led me to the University of Missouri – St. Louis where I received my doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology. Over the last 20 years, I have been fortunate to work as a psychologist with individuals of all ages doing psychological assessment and functional behavior assessment, group and individual therapy, and supervision and consultation. I have worked in a variety of settings including a VA hospital, state mental hospital, juvenile justice facilities, community clinics, and private practice. My assessment experience spans a wide variety of referral questions and diagnoses. With respect to therapy, I have the most experience treating depression, anxiety, trauma, grief, anger, ADHD, and issues with self-esteem and relationships.

I am a nonjudgmental, patient person who collaborates with his clients to understand their struggles and feelings, help them achieve their goals, realize their full potential, and create their most fulfilling life. I believe a trusting, collaborative relationship where a client feels accepted, appreciated, supported, and hopeful is the foundation for change. Being a psychologist is rewarding in so many ways, but for me, one of the most inspirational aspects of my work has been the privilege of coming to know so many strong, courageous people who have persevered in the face of significant challenges, learned to cope with adversity, and transcended their difficulties and obstacles to change.

I am a licensed psychologist and one of the clinicians for the County of Los Angeles’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP). My  interest in psychology dates back to my undergraduate years; I took The Science of Psychology in order to fulfill a science requirement at Columbia, and enjoyed it so much that I ended up taking additional psychology courses and eventually changed my major to Psychology. After working in psychological research and pursuing a couple of corporate gigs, I returned to graduate school to pursue my doctorate in Clinical Psychology. I have worked with adolescents and adults in a variety of settings. I enjoy helping people reframe problems and take positive steps toward healthier living and overall wellbeing through individual counseling, supervisor consultation, and training.

I obtained my Master’s Degree in Social Work from San Diego State University.  I have been a social worker for the past 30 years, and have worked my entire career for the County of Los Angeles.  I started out working for the Department of Health at LAC-USC Medical Center as a Medical Social Worker in 1989, and worked there for over 16 years.  For the last 14 years, I have been a Psychiatric Social Worker with OHP’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP).