Leader: Emily Treichler, Ph.D. (etreichler@health.ucsd.edu)
Emily Treichler, PhD [she/her] is a licensed clinical psychologist. She leads the Collab Lab, a team of researchers, clinicians, and people with lived experience working to improve quality of care and quality of life for adults with psychosis and serious mental illness. Her work prioritizes increasing patient power and participation in treatment, research, and community. In her research, she works with communities in usual care settings using mixed methods and implementation science. In her clinical work, she combines evidence-based practice with a recovery-oriented, trauma-informed, and culturally-humble framework, empowering people to live meaningful and enjoyable lives on their own terms.
Emily works as a Research Psychologist in the Desert Pacific Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC) at the VA San Diego, and Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). She also provides clinical services in private practice. Emily completed her Ph.D. at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2016, along with an internship at the University of Maryland Medical Center/VA Maryland Consortium in the serious mental illness track. She completed a fellowship in psychosis research at the Desert Pacific MIRECC/UCSD in 2019 and a fellowship in aging and positive psychiatry in 2020 at the UCSD Stein Institute for Healthy Aging.
Leader Emeritus: Charlie Davidson, Ph.D. (SMIResearchGroup@gmail.com )
Charlie A. Davidson, Ph.D., licensed clinical psychologist in Atlanta, is currently working with Akin Mental Health, a small family-owned and operated digital service supporting families and friends of people with SMI. He was trained at University of Nebraska-Lincoln in Dr. William Spaulding’s SMI Research Group. He completed internship at the V.A. in West Haven, CT, primarily mentored by Dr. Joanna Fiszdon, then completed a T32 fellowship directed by Dr. Morris Bell, with Dr. Fiszdon, Dr. Jason Johannesen, and Dr. Scott Woods as co-mentors, then completed a one year clinical fellowship with Dr. Elaine Walker at Emory University. He has since worked as a private practitioner, professor for PsyD trainees, scientist at a digital therapeutics company, and now Clinical Lead at Akin.
Charlie’s clinical/theoretical orientation is rooted in psychosocial rehabilitation and recovery, evidence-based practice, and practice-based evidence. 2022 is his 13th year as a member of ABCT’s PASS SIG. He is also on the Research & Practice Committee of the SMI Specialty Council and a member of APA Division 18’s SMI/SED section, ISPS-US, and North American CBTp, and he has trained as a Hearing Voices Network – USA facilitator. Professionally and personally, Charlie is working to advocate for and amplify the voices of discriminated or disadvantaged people, especially those with and for whom he has focused his research – people with lived experience of SMI, psychosis, and extreme states, and their communities. His primary role in life is “Dad” and “husband.” He is also not a bad bass player, loves being bad at competitive sports, and loves cooking, being outdoors, and connecting with anyone who will talk to him.
Treasurer: Genesis Saenz Escalante (gms207@miami.edu)
Genesis Saenz Escalante is the treasurer for the Psychosis and Schizophrenia Spectrum Special Interests Group. She is currently a graduate student at the University of Miami under the supervision of Dr. Amy Weisman de Mamani.
Administrative Officer: Julia M Longenecker, Ph.D. (longenecker.julia@gmail.com)
Julia M. Longenecker, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist based in Pittsburgh, PA. She provides telehealth clinical care to people with SMI across the country via her private practice. She also works to expand digital therapeutics for SMI as a scientific manager at Click Therapeutics. Dr. Longenecker received her PhD from University of Minnesota. She completed clinical internship/residency and postdoctoral training at VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System. She holds a PSYPACT certification, which allows her to practice telehealth therapy with clients in over 30 U.S. states. Across both her professional roles, she aims to expand high quality, culturally informed care for people with SMI.
VA Liaison: Jared Bernard, Ph.D. (jared.bernard3@va.gov)
Jared Bernard, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist working at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston, TX.
Social Media Organizer: Bryan Stiles, B.A. (stilesb@unc.edu)
Bryan Stiles is a third-year student in the Clinical Psychology PhD program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill under the mentorship of Dr. David Penn. He is particularly interested in the development and implementation of recovery-oriented best practices for persons experiencing early psychosis and their caregivers – particularly in underserved communities.
Website/Newsletter Moderator:
Merranda McLaughlin, M.S. (merrandamclaughlin@gmail.com)
Merranda McLaughlin is a fifth-year Ph.D. candidate in the Adult Clinical PhD program at the University of Miami under the mentorship of Dr. Amy Weisman de Mamani. She is particularly interested in how integrating spirituality into treatment and implementing Culturally Informed Therapy (CIT) within the community may improve recruitment and retention for individuals high in religiosity. Her current research involves adapting CIT for Muslims in the US with general mental health concerns as well as serious mental illness (SMI).
Faculty Representative to the SMI Specialty Council: Alia Warner, Ph.D., ABPP
Alia Warner, PhD, ABPP, is a licensed psychologist and Assistant Professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Alia currently provides psychological services to individuals with SMI in a state hospital setting and is engaged in teaching and supervision of psychology and psychiatry trainees. She is the Director of a sub-acute inpatient program for individuals with SMI at the UTHealth Harris County Psychiatric Center (HCPC), and she will soon be implementing and directing a new intensive outpatient program at UTHealth for individuals with SMI.
Alia completed her PhD in Counseling Psychology from Florida State University and completed her pre- and post-doctoral training at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center. She is board certified in Clinical Psychology and is on the board of directors of the new SMI ABPP specialty, the American Board of Serious Mental Illness Psychology (ABSMIP).
Student Organizer: Calvary Fielden (calvary.r.fielden@uth.tmc.edu)
Calvary Fielden is currently a research assistant and psychology services coordinator at UT Health Houston, under the supervision of Dr. Alia Warner.
Student Representative: Katrina Rbeiz, BS, BA, (katrina.rbeiz@vanderbilt.edu)
Katrina Rbeiz is a PhD student in the Clinical Science program at Vanderbilt University. Her ultimate goal is to pursue a career in research and clinical science that helps to address disparities in measurement, diagnosis, and treatment across racial/ethnic groups with clinical high-risk disorders. She also hopes to increase the representation and visibility of Middle Eastern and North African populations in clinical research
Listserv Moderator: Jen Snyder, Ph.D. (snycock@gmail.com)