Faculty Directory

Counseling and Family Sciences

Nichola Ribadu, DMFT, LMFT
Nichola Ribadu, DMFT, MS, LMFT
Chair, Counseling and Family Sciences
Assistant Professor, Counseling and Family Sciences
Areas: at-risk youth; group homes for at-risk youth; program development; staff development and trainings (group home, managed care, community mental health); community mental health; professional mentoring; narrative therapy; diversity; self-of-therapist
Email: nribadu@llu.edu
Phone: 909-558-4547, ext. 47005
Michelle Minyard-Widmann, MS, CCLS
Michelle A. Minyard-Widmann, MS, CCLS
Associate Chair, Department of Counseling and Family Sciences
Assistant Professor, Counseling and Family Sciences
Director, Child Life Specialist MS Program
Areas: child development; stress and coping in the hospital environment; grief and loss; program development
Email: maminyard@llu.edu
Phone: 909-558-4547, ext. 47072
Heather Beeson, DMFT, MA, LMFT
Heather Beeson, DMFT, MA, LMFT
Assistant Professor, Counseling and Family Sciences
Director, Doctor of Marital and Family Therapy (DMFT) Program
Areas: program evaluation research; program design and development; community mental health; clinical work with sexual and gender minority populations; prevention and early intervention programs; professional mentoring; self-of-the-therapist
Email: hbeeson@llu.edu
Phone: 909-558-4547, ext. 47018
Bryan Cafferky, PhD, MS, MDiv
Bryan Cafferky, PhD, MS, MDiv
Assistant Professor, Counseling and Family Sciences
Areas: meta-analysis; structural equation modeling; qualitative research; Bowen family systems; family violence; military families
Email: bcafferky@llu.edu
Phone: 909-558-4547, ext. 47002
Chyrene Cutting, DMFT, MA, LMFT, LMHC
Chyrene Cutting, DMFT, MA, LMFT, LMHC
Assistant Professor, Counseling and Family Sciences
Areas: emotionally focused couples therapy; spirituality and integrative treatment; clinical advocacy and policy; intimate partner violence; cultural considerations, ethics, and practice; MENA populations; PHP, IOP, and inpatient hospitalization, training and supervision, program development
Email: tccutting@llu.edu
Phone: 909-558-4547, ext. 47018
Brian Distelberg, PhD, MA
Brian J. Distelberg, PhD, MA
Professor, Counseling and Family Sciences
Areas: health; chronic illnesses; translational research; family systems; research methodologies; statistics; multivariate analysis
Email: bdistelberg@llu.edu
Phone: 909-558-4547, ext. 47019
Elizabeth J. James, DMFT, MA, LMFT, LPCC
Elizabeth J. James, DMFT, MA, LMFT, LPCC
Assistant Professor, Counseling and Family Sciences
Coordinator, Marital and Family Therapy MS Online Program
Areas: child and adolescent; pregnancy, prenatal, and postpartum depression; attachment and bonding; family systems; relationship issues; trauma and EMDR; neurodevelopmental disorders (ASD, ADHD); behavioral issues; DIR/Floortime and ABA; clinical supervision and mentorship; advancement of marriage and family therapy; person of the therapist
Email: ejames@llu.edu
Phone: 909-558-4547, ext. 47009
Zephon D. Lister, PhD, MS, MA, LMFT
Zephon D. Lister, PhD, MS, MA, LMFT
Professor, Counseling and Family Sciences
Director, Systems, Families, and Couples PhD Program
Areas: couples and chronic illness; medical family therapy/integrated behavioral health; religion and family functioning; global mental health; low dose interventions for acute and low resource settings
Email: zlister@llu.edu
Phone: 909-558-4547, ext. 47009
Lena Lopez Bradley, PhD, LMFT
Lena Lopez Bradley, PhD, MS, LMFT
Assistant Professor, Counseling and Family Sciences
Director, Marital and Family Therapy MS Program
Areas: couples therapy; at-risk youth; anger management; crisis intervention and trauma; clinical training and supervision; school-based programs; mandated clients; program development
Email: llopezbradley@llu.edu
Phone: 909-558-4547, ext. 47010
Winetta Oloo, PhD, MS, LMFT
Winetta A. Oloo, PhD, MS, LMFT
Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs, School of Behavioral Health
Professor, Counseling and Family Sciences
Areas: recovery-oriented care; clinical supervision; adolescent and transitional-aged youth development; treating severe mental illness
Email: woloo@llu.edu
Phone: 909-558-4547, ext. 42099
Alisha Saavedra, MA, CCLS
Alisha Saavedra, MA, CCLS
Assistant Professor, Counseling and Family Sciences
Director of Clinical Training, Child Life Specialist MS Program
Areas: child development; stress and coping in the hospital environment; grief and loss; clinical training and supervision; promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in child life
Email: asaavedra@llu.edu
Phone: 909-558-4547, ext. 47225
Randall Walker, MS, LMFT
Randall Walker, MS, LMFT
Assistant Professor, Counseling and Family Sciences
Director, LLU Counseling and Family Sciences Clinic
Director, Counseling MS Program, Drug and Alcohol Counseling Certificate, and School Counseling Certificate
Areas: substance use treatment and recovery; mindfulness-based relapse prevention; clinical supervision
Email: rrwalker@llu.edu
Phone: 909-558-4547, ext. 47012
Jackie Williams-Reade, PhD, MS
Jacqueline M. Williams-Reade, PhD, MS, LMFT
Professor, Counseling and Family Sciences
Areas: medical family therapy; adult and pediatric illness; palliative and hospice care; maternal mental health; burnout; grief and loss; qualitative research; women's professional development in academia
Email: jwilliamsreade@llu.edu
Phone: 909-558-4547, ext. 47025
Monique E. Willis, PhD, MS, LMFT
Monique E. Willis, PhD, MS, LMFT
Assistant Professor, Counseling and Family Sciences
Director of Clinical Training, Marital and Family Therapy Programs
Areas: caregivers and chronic illness; intersectional justice, health equity, and wellness; person of the therapist and self-care; black and brown women's leadership in academia; qualitative research
Email: mwillis@llu.edu
Phone: 909-558-4547, ext. 81211

Administrative Staff

Suzie Monell
Suzie Monell
Administrative Assistant Senior
Phone: 909-558-4547, ext. 47001
Office: Griggs Hall, Room 209
Nancy Razo
Nancy Razo
Administrative Assistant
Email: nrazo@llu.edu
Phone: 909-558-4547, ext. 47003
Office: Griggs Hall, Room 202

Psychology

David A. Vermeersch, PhD
David A. Vermeersch, PhD
Chair, Department of Psychology
Professor, Psychology
Areas: psychotherapy outcome; psychotherapy quality management; therapist effects on outcome; effects of therapist/patient feedback on outcome; reducing deterioration in psychotherapy; effectiveness and patient-focused research; outcome test construction
Email: dvermeersch@llu.edu
Phone: 909-558-7116
Kendal C. Boyd, PhD
Kendal C. Boyd, PhD, MA
Associate Chair, Department of Psychology
Professor, Psychology
Director of Clinical Training, PsyD Program
Areas: psychology of religion and spirituality; cognitive behavior therapy
Email: kboyd@llu.edu
Phone: 909-558-8574
Colleen A. Brenner, PhD
Colleen A. Brenner, PhD
Professor, Psychology
Director of Clinical Training, PhD Program
Areas: serious mental illness (focus on schizophrenia and bipolar disorder); clinical neuropsychology; electroencephalography (EEG); resiliency, self-efficacy, overall health, and well-being in serious mental illness; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Psychosis (CBTp)
Email: cbrenner@llu.edu
Phone: 909-558-8617
Hector M. Betancourt, PhD
Hector M. Betancourt, PhD, MA
Distinguished Professor, Psychology
Areas: social, cultural, and health psychology; cognition (attribution)-emotion processes in interpersonal and inter-group behavior; role of culture in psychological processes and behavior; culture, diversity, and behavior in health and social issues; cultural and psychological factors in social inequities and health disparities
Email: hbetancourt@llu.edu
Phone: 909-558-8708
Maya Boustani, PhD, MS
Maya Boustani, PhD, MS
Associate Professor, Psychology
Areas: child and adolescent evidence-based treatments; mental health prevention and promotion; community-based research; dissemination and implementation research
Email: mboustani@llu.edu
Phone: 909-558-7680
Patricia M. Flynn, PhD, MPH
Patricia M. Flynn, PhD, MPH
Associate Professor, Psychology
Areas: cultural and health psychology; health disparities and inequities; cultural and psychological factors in both health behavior and outcome; cultural competence training in graduate medical education; implicit bias in patient-provider clinical interactions
Email: pflynn@llu.edu
Phone: 909-558-7738
Richard E. Hartman, PhD
Richard E. Hartman, PhD
Professor, Psychology
Areas: behavioral neuroscience with an emphasis on improving the brain's resiliency against neurodegenerative conditions (e.g., Alzheimer's, stroke, traumatic brain injury) via a variety of therapeutic strategies, but especially diet/nutrition
Email: rhartman@llu.edu
Phone: 909-558-8709
Grace J. Lee, PhD
Grace J. Lee, PhD, MA
Associate Professor, Psychology
Areas: clinical neuropsychology; cognitive aging; neurodegenerative disorders; neuroimaging correlates of cognition and behavior
Email: gracelee@llu.edu
Phone: 909-558-8710
Holly E.R. Morrell, PhD
Holly E. R. Morrell, PhD, MA
Professor, Psychology
Areas: combustible cigarette use; e-cigarette use; video game addiction; advanced multivariate analysis
Email: hmorrell@llu.edu
Phone: 909-558-7221
Kelly R. Morton, PhD
Kelly R. Morton, PhD, MA
Professor, Psychology
Professor, Family Medicine, School of Medicine
Areas: relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), negative emotions, and physical health outcomes; stress and health; social support and health; religion and health; care quality in primary care; primary care psychology; dietary intake and morbidity and mortality
Email: kmorton@llu.edu
Phone: 909-558-8721
Aarti Nair, PhD, MA
Aarti Nair, PhD, MA
Assistant Professor, Psychology
Areas: autism spectrum disorder; early-onset psychosis; neuroimaging; social cognition; translational neuroscience; pediatric neuropsychology
Email: anair@llu.edu
Phone: 909-558-8707
Cameron L. Neece, PhD
Cameron L. Neece, PhD, MA
Professor, Psychology
Areas: developmental psychology; childhood disorder (emphasis on intellectual disabilities, autism, and disruptive behavior disorders); parenting and family processes; treatment outcome research (focus on mindfulness approaches)
Email: cneece@llu.edu
Phone: 909-558-8615
Bridgette J. Peteet, PhD, MA

Bridgette J. Peteet, PhD, MA
Professor, Psychology
Areas: multicultural psychology; substance use prevention and intervention; health disparities and inequities; cultural consciousness/equity and inclusion training
Email: bpeteet@llu.edu
Phone: 909-558-8717

Janet Sonne, PhD, MA

Janet Sonne, PhD, MA
Emeritus Professor, Psychology
Areas: ethical and legal issues in professional practice of clinical psychology (ethical/legal standards; ethical/legal decision-making; therapist misconduct); interpersonal dynamics in the psychotherapy dyad; supervision/consultation; adult and child sexual abuse; adult and adolescent eating disorders; adult and adolescent suicide
Email: jsonne@llu.edu
Phone: 909-214-4327

Tori R. Van Dyk, PhD
Tori R. Van Dyk, PhD, MA
Associate Professor, Psychology
Areas: pediatric health psychology; pediatric health behavior promotion and intervention; sleep; pediatric pain and headache/migraine; child and adolescent mental health; integrated behavioral health
Email: tvandyk@llu.edu
Phone: 909-558-7412

Administrative Staff

Lesley Taylor
Lesley Taylor
Senior Administrative Assistant to the Chair
Clinical Training Coordinator
Email: litaylor@llu.edu
Phone: 909-558-8706
Office: Central Building, Suite 101
Karen Saul
Karen Saul
Senior Administrative Assistant
Admissions
Email: ksaul@llu.edu
Phone: 909-558-8577
Office: Central Building, Suite 106

Social Work

Beverly Buckles, DSW
Beverly J. Buckles, DSW
Dean, School of Behavioral Health
Chair, Department of Social Work and Social Ecology
Professor, Social Work and Social Ecology
Email: bbuckles@llu.edu
Phone: 909-379-7572
Kim Freeman, PhD, MSW
Kimberly R. Freeman, PhD, MSW
Executive Associate Chair, Department of Social Work and Social Ecology
Professor, Social Work and Social Ecology
Director, Master of Social Work (MSW), Gerontology MS, and Doctor of Social Work (DSW) Programs
Areas: child mental health; assessment; childhood trauma; adolescent self-harm; community based wellness
Email: kfreeman@llu.edu
Phone: 909-379-7589
Qais Alemi, PhD, MPH, MBA
Qais Alemi, PhD, MPH, MBA
Professor, Social Work and Social Ecology
Areas: psychosocial needs of populations affected by political violence; stigma, prejudice, racial, and religious discrimination; immigrant and refugee acculturation, adjustment, identity, and resiliency; mental health help-seeking behaviors
Email: qalemi@llu.edu
Phone: 909-379-7592
Kelly Baek, PhD, MSW
Kelly Baek, PhD, MSW
Assistant Professor, Social Work and Social Ecology
Areas: mental health; culturally-grounded interventions; program development and evaluation; community-based research
Email: kbaek@llu.edu
Phone: 909-379-7583
Christi Bell, MSW, LCSW
Christi Bell, MSW, LCSW
Assistant Professor, Social Work and Social Ecology
Director, Field Education
Areas: child welfare; child abuse and neglect; LGBTQ+ youth in the foster care system; trauma-informed parenting; trauma-informed practice with children; trauma-informed management in the workplace; preventing burnout and compassion fatigue in social work settings
Email: cebell@llu.edu
Phone: 909-379-7572
Monte Butler, PhD, MSW
Monte Butler, PhD, MSW
Professor, Social Work and Social Ecology
Areas: social work administration; Medicare
Email: mdbutler@llu.edu
Phone: 909-379-7584
Talolo Lepale, MSW, MBA, LCSW
Talolo Lepale, MSW, MBA, LCSW
Assistant Professor, Social Work and Social Ecology
Director, Criminal Justice MS Program
Assistant Director, Master of Social Work (MSW) Program
Areas: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT); Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR); Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT); individual psychotherapy; team building; psychosocial oncology; medical social work; working with adults and older adults; trauma, anxiety, depression, grief, and end-of-life
Email: tlepale@llu.edu
Phone: 909-379-7581
Susanne Montgomery, PhD, MPH, MS
Susanne B. Montgomery, PhD, MPH, MS
Associate Dean for Research, School of Behavioral Health
Head, Division of Interdisciplinary Studies
Director of Research, Behavioral Health Institute
Professor, Social Work and Social Ecology
Areas: research design and analyses; translational research (clinical and applied); community-involved and -based research; health disparities research; program evaluation and evaluation research
Email: smontgomery@llu.edu
Phone: 909-651-5881
Larry Ortiz, PhD, MSW
Larry Ortiz, PhD, MSW
Professor, Social Work and Social Ecology
Areas: race and ethnic studies; critical theory; Latino/a issues; community practice; program evaluation; social justice practice
Email: larryortiz@llu.edu
Phone: 909-379-7585
Lynn Raine, PhD, MSW, LCSW
Lynn Raine, PhD, MSW, LCSW
Associate Professor, Social Work and Social Ecology
Areas: mental health; trauma; psychodynamic therapy; Latino/Latina therapy; social work education
Email: lraine@llu.edu
Phone: 909-379-7586

Administrative Staff

Doreen Flores
Doreen Flores
Administrative Assistant Senior
Email: doflores@llu.edu
Phone: 909-379-7572
Office: Social Work, Room 115A
Monica Pacheco
Monica Pacheco
Administrative Assistant Senior
Admissions
Email: monicapacheco@llu.edu
Phone: 909-379-7590
Office: Social Work, Room 202A

Interdisciplinary Studies

Susanne B. Montgomery, PhD, MPH, MS
Susanne B. Montgomery, PhD, MPH, MS
Associate Dean for Research, School of Behavioral Health
Director of Research, Behavioral Health Institute
Head, Division of Interdisciplinary Studies
Professor, Social Work and Social Ecology
Areas: research design and analyses; translational research (clinical and applied); community-involved and -based research; health disparities research; program evaluation and evaluation research
Email: smontgomery@llu.edu
Phone: 909-651-5881
Alex Dubov, PhD, MDiv
Alex Dubov, PhD, MDiv
Associate Professor, Division of Interdisciplinary Studies
Areas: mHealth interventions; behavioral economics; medical decision-making; conjoint analysis; HIV prevention; implementation science
Email: adubov@llu.edu
Phone: 909-558-5463