I am a Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Director of the Behavioral Health & Wellness Program and Co-Director of the interdisciplinary Wellness Leadership Institute. I have been the principal for over 100 grants and contracts to study and implement effective organizational, psychosocial, and pharmacologic wellness strategies across the age range. I have had the privilege of providing clinical, public policy and program evaluation consultation across more than 35 states and internationally. I am a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT), and have served on a number of Boards including the American Psychological Association’s Council of Representatives, Colorado Psychological Association, National Association for the Treatment of Tobacco Use and Dependence, and North American Quitline Consortium. I currently serve on the Larimer County Behavioral Health Policy Council.

I received my Doctorate in Counseling Psychology in 1998 from Colorado State University and went on to complete a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Public Psychiatry at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. As a licensed psychologist, I began my career studying and treating major psychiatric disorders including bipolar disorder and schizophrenia as well as providing public policy consultation to Colorado state departments. While this work was very rewarding, I had the personal realization that it doesn’t matter what psychiatric healthcare services are offered if people face unnecessary health disparities due to unhealthy habits and social determinants of health. Therefore, in 2006, I created the Behavioral Health & Wellness Program. At BHWP, our interdisciplinary team specializes in translational research, consultation, and training. In a parallel process, we focus on the whole health needs of patients, clients, and healthcare providers. I believe that wellness demands both individual commitment and institutional transformation. I believe strongly that when you meet individuals, agencies, and communities where they are at in a culturally sensitive fashion, there is both willingness and enthusiasm for working toward healthy behavior change. I have the great pleasure of playing a role in facilitating this growth.