Leadership

Steven Tierney, EdD, LMHC

Steven is the Program Chair of the California Institute of Integral Studies graduate counseling psychology concentration in Community Mental Health. He holds an MA in Counseling and Social Psychology from Wayne State University and an EdD from Northeastern University.  Steven also has a postgraduate certificate in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy from Boston University. He is licensed as an LMHC in Massachusetts. He is also a certified addiction specialist who has worked in community-based organizations in Boston and San Francisco for three decades, creating and providing innovative mental health and medical service models for adolescents and transition-aged youth. Steven’s areas of interest include mental health and HIV, adolescent addiction issues, new community therapeutic models, and access to care/poverty issues in mental health.  Steven will continue research in these areas and looks forward to working with others in the CIIS community who share these interests. Steven is a member of the Public Health Commission for the City and County of San Francisco and is co-chair of the Bay Area MFT Educators Collaborative.

Linda L Lawless, MA LMHC LMFT

Linda is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Licensed Marriage Family Therapist specializing in individual, couples and family therapy using a contemplative and positive psychology approach, and maintains a private practice in Vallejo, CA. With over 27 years experience as a counselor and therapist, and as a graduate of J. F. Kennedy University, specializing in a mental health systems approach, s/he is currently serving as private practitioner working with a broad spectrum of clients. Professional Activities and Memberships
include: Clinical Member of AMHCA, CAMFT, and AAMFT
Associate Member of APA Administrator of the Continuing Education Program for Massachusetts Mental Health Counselors
Past President of MaMHCA and MaACA.

David B. Peterson, Ph.D., CRC, NCC

David is an associate professor in the Rehabilitation Education Programs at Cal State LA; he was licensed in 1997 as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Iowa, and in 98 he received a gubernatorial appointment to their licensing board (Behavioral Sciences Examiner's Board).  He has been a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor since 1993, and a National Certified Counselor since 1999. He was active in New York State in supporting passage of their counselor license while teaching at New York University. Currently, in their master's program in counseling at Cal State LA, they are developing  a psychiatric rehabilitation track for their option in rehabilitation counseling, to be consistent with the new CA license. David has 17 years of rehabilitation counseling and psychology-oriented services over the course of his clinical and academic career, with expertise in adjustment to the emotional and physical consequences of disability, and coping with and confronting environmental and attitudinal barriers, stress, and related social adjustment. As a licensed clinical psychologist, David also serves as a Medical Expert in psychology for the Social Security Administration's Office of Disability Adjudication and Review. He just completed his book book, "Psychological Aspects of Functioning, Disability and Health" through Springer publishing, to be release in 2010. His evaluation expertise includes assessment of neuropsychological functioning, functional and environmental assessment, analysis of transferable work skills, and assessment of values and interests for vocational planning. David is developing fluency in Spanish and American Sign Language.

Rita T. Downs, M.Ed., MPA, NCC

Rita is currently the Director of Calaveras County Behavioral Health in the Sierra foothills; she holds a Masters Degree in Counseling from Oregon State University and a Masters of Public Administration from Cal State San Bernardino. She holds an LPC from Oregon, and is working to secure licensure for counselors in California. A past president of CAMHCA and a member of AMHCA, she has specialized in rural mental health issues during her 30 year career. Currently engaged in the development and implementation of California’s Mental Health Services Act, she has been an outspoken advocate for the mental health needs of very small rural counties in California.