Eating Disorders & Mental Health Conference

Speakers

• 

  Ken Weiner, MD, CEDS, FAED

  Founding Chairman

Ken Weiner, MD, CEDS, FAED
Founding Chairman

+



Ken Weiner has been active in the treatment of Eating Disorders in Denver for more than 30 years. Recognized as a national expert in the treatment of Eating Disorders, he lectures extensively in the United States. He continues to be instrumental in designing and delivering state-of-the- art, high quality patient care. Dr. Weiner created and directed Columbine Psychiatric Center Eating Disorders Program from 1988-1992, Bethesda Eating Disorder Program from 1992-1998 and Eating Disorder Center of Denver from 2001-2007. Eating Recovery Center was established October 2008 in Denver, Colorado as a joint effort with colleague Dr. Emmett Bishop.

Dr. Weiner was named Regional Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2013. He is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University Of Colorado School Of Medicine and has received the prestigious Gold Apple Teaching Award from the medical school and The Best Teacher Award from the Psychiatric Residency Training Program (2007). He has been named a Fellow of the Academy of Eating Disorders, a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, and received the National Eating Disorders Award (2006) for co-founding the Eating Disorders Foundation in Colorado. A dedicated clinician and teacher, Dr. Weiner has co-authored numerous articles on eating disorders.

• 

  Goran Dragolovic

  CEO

Goran Dragolovic
CEO

+



Prior to joining ERC Pathlight Goran Dragolovic served as the Chief Executive Officer at Covenant Physician Partners. At Covenant Goran led a complete revamp and transformation of an Ophthalmology and GI private practice management and surgery center network which operated across 19 states and over 60 partnerships. The transformational efforts included elevating physician net promoter score, employee engagement score, improving operating overhead burden and profitability margin while organically growing the portfolio. Prior to CPP Goran served as CEO at Women’s Health USA where he grew WUSA into the second largest Women’s Health platform in the country. Before WUSA Goran spent 7years at Surgical Care Affiliates (SCA), and then at Optum following SCA’s acquisition by Optum. Goran served in several capacities there, including management of a $500M portfolio of surgery centers and specialty hospitals in the western US, leading enterprise-wide strategic service line expansion and leading Practice Growth and Transformation which was designed to help aggregate and organize specialty and surgical physician groups into market-leading “CINs,” “High-performance IPAs,” and “Value-based Narrow Networks.” These aggregation efforts were enabling private surgical practices to participate in, and take advantage of, innovative payment models on an episodic or population risk basis, either under upside gain-sharing arrangements, or on a full-risk basis. These alignment models empowered independent physicians to take greater control of value-based care delivery within their respective markets, ensured attendant economic benefits, and enabled physician groups to grow and thrive within the existing volatile healthcare environment. Goran received his BS in Management Sciences and his MBA at Pepperdine University

1.5 CE/CNE/CME

Speakers

• 

  Matthew Pierson, MD

  Regional Medical Director - East Region

Matthew Pierson, MD
Regional Medical Director - East Region

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Dr. Matthew Pierson is the Regional Medical Director of the East Region at ERC Pathlight, overseeing the Maryland, Illinois, and Ohio facilities. He also serves as the National Director of Neuromodulation at the organization. Dr. Pierson earned his MD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and completed his residency training in psychiatry at Duke University Hospital, where he also specialized in child and adolescent psychiatry and neuromodulation techniques. He is board-certified in both Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, reflecting his extensive training and expertise in these fields.

His clinical focus encompasses child and adolescent psychiatry, treatment-resistant mood disorders, and innovative neuromodulation therapies, including electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and ketamine treatments. Dr. Pierson has co-authored several significant publications on ECT use in adolescents and novel approaches for treating depression, contributing to the advancement of knowledge in psychiatric care.

Before joining ERC Pathlight, Dr. Pierson served as an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Utah, where he treated children, adolescents, and adults facing severe mental health challenges. He was the medical director of the Comprehensive Assessment and Treatment program, providing specialized care for youth with complex presentations in a 6-week inpatient setting. As the lead physician for TMS, he administered ECT, TMS, and ketamine treatments to patients in the Treatment Resistant Mood Disorders clinic. Dr. Pierson is also dedicated to education, having lectured extensively and received the Award for Clinical Teaching twice for his outstanding mentorship of trainees.

1.5 CE/CNE/CME

Speakers

• 

  Maryrose Bauschka, MD, CEDS

  Medical Director

Maryrose Bauschka, MD, CEDS
Medical Director

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Dr. Maryrose Bauschka is the Medical Director for our Chicago Downtown locations. She has been an integral part of ERC Pathlight and ACUTE since 2019 and recently relocated to Chicago in February 2024 to work at our Downtown locations.

Dr. Bauschka earned her medical degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and completed her adult psychiatry residency at the University of Utah. She spent two years as an adult inpatient psychiatrist at the Huntsman Mental Health Institute before joining the Eating Recovery Center in Denver, where she worked with the ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders & Severe Malnutrition. She has extensive experience treating adults with mood and anxiety disorders, eating disorders, PTSD, personality disorders, and substance use disorders.

A passionate educator, Dr. Bauschka has held faculty positions at Rush Medical College, the University of Utah, and the University of Colorado School of Medicine. She is a member of the American Psychiatric Association and the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals, earning her Certified Eating Disorders Specialist (CEDS) certification in 2022.

• 

  Adee Levinstein, MS, RD, LD, CEDS-C

  Collegiate & Telehealth Partnership Manager

Adee Levinstein, MS, RD, LD, CEDS-C
Collegiate & Telehealth Partnership Manager

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Adee Levinstein, MS, RD, LD, CEDS-C, is an eating disorders dietitian with extensive experience across multiple levels of care. She has a strong background in working with student-athletes on college campuses, where she has developed a deep understanding of the unique challenges they face. Adee's expertise extends to training staff in a variety of settings, and she is adept at navigating the nuances of eating disorders treatment in those environments.

In her role, Adee supports campus professionals in overcoming barriers and helping their students achieve their goals, bringing a collaborative approach to her work. She also supports education and resource efforts for additional settings, including virtual-first companies. She is actively engaged in professional memberships and boards, including the International Association for Eating Disorder Professionals (iaedp), the International Federation of Eating Disorders Dietitians (IFEDD), the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), the Heartland iaedp chapter, and NetworkED. Adee frequently presents at conferences to share insights and strategies on various eating disorder and nutrition-related topics.

Prior to joining Eating Recovery Center, she was selected to join the Gatorade Sports Nutrition Immersion Program Fellowship. Adee earned her MS in Exercise Physiology from Auburn University and a BS in Medical Dietetics from the University of Missouri.

1.5 CE/CNE/CME

Speakers

• 

  Elizabeth Wassenaar, MS, MD, DFAPA, CEDS-C

  Regional Medical Director

Elizabeth Wassenaar, MS, MD, DFAPA, CEDS-C
Regional Medical Director

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Dr. Elizabeth Wassenaar is the Regional Medical Director for the Mountain and West regions at Eating Recovery Center and Pathlight Mood & Anxiety Center.  Dr. Wassenaar grew up in central Iowa, where her early fascination with the intricacies of human behavior led her to pursue a graduate degree in Pharmacology at the University of Pennsylvania. After earning her master’s, she transitioned to medical school at Thomas Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. Dr. Wassenaar completed her residency in a unique triple board program, encompassing Pediatrics, Adult Psychiatry, and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Her commitment to deepening her expertise in psychotherapy has included extensive training in psychodynamic approaches and psychedelic-assisted therapy.

Dr. Wassenaar is passionate about supporting individuals and families as they navigate complex emotional landscapes. She finds fulfillment in guiding patients towards reclaiming their lives and achieving a sense of balance. With experience treating a range of diagnoses, she appreciates the intricacies of human experience and the potential for growth and healing, which inspires her work every day.

Before joining her current role, Dr. Wassenaar served as medical director at a residential treatment facility in Cincinnati, where she integrated diagnostic evaluations with comprehensive psychiatric care. She is board certified in Obesity Medicine and is a certified Eating Disorder Specialist Supervisor, highlighting her dedication to providing informed and compassionate care to those she serves.

• 

  Megan Ladowski, MSN, FNP-BC

  Nurse Practitioner

Megan Ladowski, MSN, FNP-BC
Nurse Practitioner

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Megan Ladowski is based at our Chicago, IL location and is a dedicated Family Nurse Practitioner with a strong commitment to helping individuals struggling with eating disorders and related mental health conditions. Originally from near Green Bay, Wisconsin, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Viterbo University and began her career in healthcare working as a registered nurse on an adult inpatient psychiatric unit at Illinois Masonic Medical Center in Chicago. Megan then transitioned to a school nurse role, supporting early childhood through middle school students. Inspired by her experiences, she returned to school to obtain her Master of Science in Nursing, becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner.

Megan joined the Eating Recovery Center in 2016 as part of the team that helped open the Eating Disorder Residential unit. Her professional journey has been deeply shaped by her passion for supporting patients with eating disorders, and she has dedicated much of her career to this area of care. In 2019, she completed her MSN-FNP and began providing care for both adult and adolescent patients at ERC Pathlight. Her expertise includes treating eating disorders, anxiety, depression, and co-occurring mental health conditions, using a compassionate and holistic approach to recovery.

Outside of her professional life, Megan enjoys spending her free time gardening, working with ceramics, reading, biking, and experimenting in the kitchen with new cooking and baking recipes. She finds that these hobbies offer a sense of relaxation and creativity, helping her maintain a balanced and fulfilling life. Megan is dedicated to fostering recovery and wellness in her patients, and she believes that providing comprehensive care is essential to helping individuals thrive both physically and emotionally.

• 

  Julia Cassidy, MS, RD, CIEC, CEDS-C

  Regional Director of Nutrition

Julia Cassidy, MS, RD, CIEC, CEDS-C
Regional Director of Nutrition

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Julia is the Regional Director of Nutrition- West, for Eating Recovery Center. Julia Cassidy is a highly experienced dietitian with over 20 years of dedication to weight-inclusive and nutrition-sensitive care within the behavioral health field. Her leadership roles have included Vice President of Clinical Nutrition and Senior Director of Nutrition and Wellness. She is a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist Consultant, a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, certified in Nutrition Psychiatry, and a Licensed Body Positive Facilitator.

An active leader in the community, Julia has served on the Behavioral Health Nutrition (BHN) board for six years and was the Nutrition SIG Co-chair for the Academy of Eating Disorders (AED) from 2016 to 2018. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics from California State University, Long Beach, in 2006, and her Master’s in Exercise Science from California University of Pennsylvania in 2009.

Julia’s expertise includes presenting nationally and internationally on topics related to mental health and eating disorders, such as nutrition interventions and strategies in the treatment of ARFID, the impact of nutrition on brain function, the crossover of ADHD and eating disorders, integrating nutrition psychiatry into eating disorder treatment, intuitive eating, and food exposures. She is deeply committed to supporting individuals in healing their relationships with food and their bodies, emphasizing weight-inclusive and comprehensive nutrition care.

• 

  Kaila Peak-Rishel, LCSW, LMFT, CEDS-S

  Clinical Director of At Home Programming for Child and Adolescents & BEDs At Home Programming

Kaila Peak-Rishel, LCSW, LMFT, CEDS-S
Clinical Director of At Home Programming for Child and Adolescents & BEDs At Home Programming

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Kaila Peak-Rishel is a licensed clinical social worker, licensed marriage and family therapist, and a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist Supervisor. Kaila has about 10 years of eating disorder experience with children and adolescents as well as gender and sexuality therapy across the lifespan.

Kaila is passionate about social justice, advocacy, and helping patients find accessible treatment. She is the lead for Eating Recovery Center & Pathlight's Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Council in the virtual space. Kaila presents and consults about inclusive care for marginalized populations including University of Colorado Psychiatry Hospital Grand Rounds. She uses these skills to grow inclusive and evidence-based programming for children and their families in VIOP.

Kaila obtained her undergraduate degree in Psychology, Women's Studies, and LGBT Studies. She went on to receive her Master of Social Work from University of Denver and earned her Marriage and Family Therapist Certification from Denver Family Institute where she specialized in couples and families within the LGBTQ+ and polyamorous population. At this same time, Kaila was training at Children's Hospital in Colorado on the Eating Disorder Unit, specializing in the Modsley Method.

Speakers

• 

  Ken Weiner, MD, CEDS, FAED

  Founding Chairman

Ken Weiner, MD, CEDS, FAED
Founding Chairman

+



Ken Weiner has been active in the treatment of Eating Disorders in Denver for more than 30 years. Recognized as a national expert in the treatment of Eating Disorders, he lectures extensively in the United States. He continues to be instrumental in designing and delivering state-of-the- art, high quality patient care. Dr. Weiner created and directed Columbine Psychiatric Center Eating Disorders Program from 1988-1992, Bethesda Eating Disorder Program from 1992-1998 and Eating Disorder Center of Denver from 2001-2007. Eating Recovery Center was established October 2008 in Denver, Colorado as a joint effort with colleague Dr. Emmett Bishop.

Dr. Weiner was named Regional Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2013. He is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University Of Colorado School Of Medicine and has received the prestigious Gold Apple Teaching Award from the medical school and The Best Teacher Award from the Psychiatric Residency Training Program (2007). He has been named a Fellow of the Academy of Eating Disorders, a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, and received the National Eating Disorders Award (2006) for co-founding the Eating Disorders Foundation in Colorado. A dedicated clinician and teacher, Dr. Weiner has co-authored numerous articles on eating disorders.

• 

  Goran Dragolovic

  CEO

Goran Dragolovic
CEO

+



Prior to joining ERC Pathlight Goran Dragolovic served as the Chief Executive Officer at Covenant Physician Partners. At Covenant Goran led a complete revamp and transformation of an Ophthalmology and GI private practice management and surgery center network which operated across 19 states and over 60 partnerships. The transformational efforts included elevating physician net promoter score, employee engagement score, improving operating overhead burden and profitability margin while organically growing the portfolio. Prior to CPP Goran served as CEO at Women’s Health USA where he grew WUSA into the second largest Women’s Health platform in the country. Before WUSA Goran spent 7years at Surgical Care Affiliates (SCA), and then at Optum following SCA’s acquisition by Optum. Goran served in several capacities there, including management of a $500M portfolio of surgery centers and specialty hospitals in the western US, leading enterprise-wide strategic service line expansion and leading Practice Growth and Transformation which was designed to help aggregate and organize specialty and surgical physician groups into market-leading “CINs,” “High-performance IPAs,” and “Value-based Narrow Networks.” These aggregation efforts were enabling private surgical practices to participate in, and take advantage of, innovative payment models on an episodic or population risk basis, either under upside gain-sharing arrangements, or on a full-risk basis. These alignment models empowered independent physicians to take greater control of value-based care delivery within their respective markets, ensured attendant economic benefits, and enabled physician groups to grow and thrive within the existing volatile healthcare environment. Goran received his BS in Management Sciences and his MBA at Pepperdine University

1.5 CE/CNE/CME

Speakers

• 

  Kim Anderson, PhD, CEDS

  Regional Clinical Director

Kim Anderson, PhD, CEDS
Regional Clinical Director

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Dr. Kim Anderson is the Regional Clinical Director of the East Region at Eating Recovery Center/Pathlight Mood and Anxiety Center. She currently oversees clinical programming at all Maryland, Illinois, and Ohio locations. Dr. Anderson is a licensed clinical psychologist who has focused her career on the treatment for individuals with eating, mood, and anxiety disorders. She has developed and directed Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Programs for eating disorders at all levels of care. Dr. Anderson’s research and clinical interests focus on empirically supported treatments for eating disorders, anxiety disorders, and PTSD. She provides individual and family psychotherapy and participates in the development of novel clinical research. Dr. Anderson has been caring for patients in the Baltimore area for 30 years.

• 

  Steven F. Crawford, MD

  National Medical Director Physician Training and Development

Steven F. Crawford, MD
National Medical Director Physician Training and Development

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Dr. Steven Crawford is the National Medical Director of Physician Training and Development. He previously served as the Regional Medical Director overseeing the Illinois, Maryland, and Ohio regions, as well as the Medical Director at Eating Recovery Center and the Assistant Chief of Psychiatry at the University of Maryland-St. Joseph Medical Center. Dr. Crawford earned his medical degree from the University of Maryland School of Medicine and completed his psychiatry training in the University of Maryland Department of Psychiatry. He received fellowship training in eating disorders at the Center for Eating Disorders and has dedicated over twenty-five years to this field, including serving as Co-Director of the Center for Eating Disorders.

Dr. Crawford is a Past-President of the Maryland Psychiatric Society and currently chairs the Scientific Council of Med-Chi, the Maryland State Medical Society. He actively participates in the Multi-disciplinary Peer Review Committee at the University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center and leads Schwartz Center Rounds, fostering discussions among doctors, nurses, and caregivers about the human aspects of healthcare. 

His expertise and contributions have earned him recognition as a Top Doctor in both local and national professional surveys.

• 

  Caitlin Royster, RD, LDN

  Nutrition Director

Caitlin Royster, RD, LDN
Nutrition Director

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CAITLIN ROYSTER is the Nutrition Director at Eating Recovery Center Hunt Valley and Bethesda locations.  She earned her BS in Nutritional Sciences from Cornell University and completed her dietetic internship with a concentration in clinical nutrition research at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center.

Prior to joining ERC Pathlight in 2020, Caitlin served as nutrition care coordinator for inpatient, PHP, and IOP programming at The Center for Eating Disorder at Sheppard Pratt. Her areas of specialization include family-empowered nutrition care for adolescent eating disorders and ARFID treatment in higher levels of care.  Caitlin is passionate about developing competent and caring eating disorder dietitians. She is a member of the International Federation of Eating Disorder Dietitians (IFEED).

1.5 CE/CNE/CME

Speakers

• 

  Natalie Goodwin, PhD

  Regional Clinical Director

Natalie Goodwin, PhD
Regional Clinical Director

+



I am a native Seattle-ite who loves living in the Pacific Northwest and taking advantage of all the natural beauty it has to offer. I left Seattle for a short period of time to journey to the south for my graduate training. I received my PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Alabama, Birmingham. I completed my pre-doctoral internship and post-doctoral fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. Following the completion of my graduate training, I returned home to Seattle. I served as a clinical manager and clinical director at Eating Recovery Center Bellevue for 6 years and then spent 3 years in private practice. My professional focus is in the area of treatment of eating disorders. I enjoy providing therapeutic intervention with clients and their families, as well as supporting others who are providing care through teaching, supervision and general support. Therapeutically my favorite interventions are Family Based Treatment, Emotion Focused Family Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. I am certified in Exposure and Response Prevention treatment for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and also have training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Prolonged Exposure for PTSD. In my personal life, I enjoy hanging out with my partner and my cats, and spending time being an extroverted introvert who loves yoga, dancing, rollerblading, reading, the sunshine, nature, food and her friends.

• 

  Kelsey Estry, MS, RD, LDN

  Regional Director of Nutrition

Kelsey Estry, MS, RD, LDN
Regional Director of Nutrition

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Kelsey Estry, MS, RD, LDN, is a graduate of Michigan State University. She completed her Dietetic Internship at Loyola University of Chicago and her Master of Science in Human Nutrition at Eastern Michigan University. Kelsey has been a Clinical Dietitian with Eating Recovery Center (ERC) since 2011 and is currently a Regional Director of Nutrition for the Midwest and East Region. Her previous experience at ERC includes working in all levels of care at various treatment centers, including inpatient, residential, partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs. Kelsey aims to provide an approach that is collaborative, compassionate, empowering and patient centered for a comprehensive treatment model. She strives to create a welcoming, engaging and fun environment whenever possible. Outside of work, Kelsey enjoys spending time with family, connecting to nature and exploring through travel.

1.5 CE/CNE/CME

Speakers

• 

  Philip S. Mehler, MD, FACP, FAED, CEDS

  Chief Science Officer

Philip S. Mehler, MD, FACP, FAED, CEDS
Chief Science Officer

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Dr. Philip Mehler, MD, FACP, FAED, CEDS founded the ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders and Severe Malnutrition in 2001 and serves as its Executive Medical Director. He began his career at Denver Health more than 35 years ago and was formerly its Chief of Internal Medicine and then Denver Health’s Chief Medical Officer (CMO) until he was promoted to its Medical Director, a position he held until his retirement in 2014. Dr. Mehler is also the Glassman Professor of Medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and has for decades conducted research into the optimal medical treatment of the most severe cases of Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia. He has authored more than 600 scientific publications, including five textbooks published by Johns Hopkins University Press. Dr. Mehler was the recipient of the Academy of Eating Disorders 2012 Outstanding Clinician Award, has been recognized among the “Best Doctors in America” for the past 23 years in a row, and was voted the “Top Internal Medicine physician in Denver” multiple times by 5280 Magazine up to and including 2004. In 2023 was honored by Iaedp with its Lifetime Achievement Award. He is a member and fellow of the Eating Disorders Research Society and the Academy of Eating Disorders, as well as a member of the editorial board of the International Journal of Eating Disorders and serves as the Senior Editor of The Journal of Eating Disorders. Since the early 1990s, Dr. Mehler has lectured extensively on a national and international level as the leading medical expert on the topic of the medical complications of eating disorders.

• 

  Megan Riddle, MS, MD, PhD

  Medical Director

Megan Riddle, MS, MD, PhD
Medical Director

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Megan Riddle, MS MD PhD, serves as the Medical Director for both the ERC Pathlight centers in Bellevue and Seattle, Washington where she leads comprehensive treatment teams in the care of individuals with eating disorders. She is Board Certified in both Adult Psychiatry and Consult Liaison Psychiatry. Dr. Riddle earned her Bachelor of Arts in Spanish, with minors in Latin and English, from Western Washington University before shifting her focus to medicine and research. She later completed a Master’s in Biology at the same institution, emphasizing genetics, before attending Weill Cornell Medical College, where she received her Medical Degree and a PhD in Neuroscience.

Dr. Riddle completed her residency training in Psychiatry at the University of Washington, where she served as Chief Resident, and subsequently pursued a fellowship in Consult Liaison Psychiatry. She is also a Courtesy Clinical Instructor with the University of Washington Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, where she enjoys teaching and supervising residents.

With a longstanding passion for eating disorders, Dr. Riddle's PhD thesis investigated the effects of dietary restriction on anxiety-like behavior, contributing to our understanding of the neuroscience behind eating disorders. During her residency, she developed an eating disorder curriculum that she now teaches to residents, fellows, medical students, and attending physicians, aiming to enhance provider awareness and improve patient access to treatment. Dr. Riddle is particularly committed to increasing inclusivity in eating disorder research and treatment and has published several articles on gender diversity in this field.

Outside of her professional pursuits, Dr. Riddle enjoys training and showing her German Shepherds in various sports and spending quality time with her wife. 

• 

  Douglas W. Bunnell, PhD, FAED, CEDS-S

  Clinical Advisor

Douglas W. Bunnell, PhD, FAED, CEDS-S
Clinical Advisor

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Douglas W. Bunnell, PhD, FAED, CEDS-S is a clinical psychologist in Fairfield, Connecticut. He has specialized in the treatment of people with eating disorders for the past 30 years.  Dr. Bunnell has helped to design, develop and manage PHP and residential programs for several national eating disorder programs. He is a Fellow of the Academy for Eating Disorders and Certified Eating Disorder Supervisor for IAEDP. Dr. Bunnell has co-authored numerous chapters and journal articles on the treatment of eating disorders and the training of clinicians. He is particularly focused on the integration of evidence-based treatment into higher levels of eating disorder treatment programming. More recently, Dr. Bunnell has been working on clinical protocols for addressing eating disorders and co-morbid psychiatric issues such as PTSD.

Dr. Bunnell is a co-editor, along with Dr. Margo Maine and Dr. Beth McGilley, of Treatment of Eating Disorders: Bridging the Research Practice Gap.

• 

  Leah Graves, RDN, LDN, hon CEDRD-S, FAED

Leah Graves, RDN, LDN, hon CEDRD-S, FAED


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Leah Graves has been treating eating disorders for over 30 years providing direct client care as well as leadership for a variety of eating disorders organizations. Leah is a founding member of the Academy for Eating Disorders where she has served on the Academy’s Executive Team, Board of Directors and chaired the North American Teaching Days for the International Conference on Eating Disorders in addition to serving the Academy on the Nominating, Fellowship Selection, and Membership Recruitment and Retention Committees. She has also been honored with the distinction of Fellow of the Academy for Eating Disorders and honorary Certified Eating Disorder Specialist by the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals.

Leah has been involved in eating disorders advocacy with the National Eating Disorders Association as a member of the Clinical Advisory Council. Additionally, she serves as a co-editor for Eating Disorder Review and on the Advisory Board for both Rock Recovery and the National Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders. She also served the Oklahoma Eating Disorders Association as President and Governance Committee Chair.

Leah has been invited faculty at many eating disorders conferences including the International Conference on Eating Disorders, Hispano-Latin American Congress on Eating Disorders, Renfrew Foundation Conference, Multi-service Eating Disorders Association Conference, and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Food and Nutrition Conference, as well as numerous regional and local conferences. She has written several publications pertaining to nutrition and eating disorders and is highly respected within the eating disorders field for her expertise in medical nutrition therapy, nutrition counseling, and clinical supervision.

1.5 CE/CNE/CME

Speakers

• 

  Anne Marie O'Melia, MS, MD, FAAP, CEDS-C

  Chief Clinical and Quality Officer

Anne Marie O'Melia, MS, MD, FAAP, CEDS-C
Chief Clinical and Quality Officer

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As Chief Clinical and Quality Officer, Dr. O’Melia is responsible for the oversight of clinical excellence delivered by ERC Pathlight’s therapists, dietitians and nurses nationwide. Dr. O’Melia is a board certified pediatrician and a child and adolescent psychiatrist. She has more than 30 years of experience serving children and adults with mental health problems especially those with comorbid exacerbating medical conditions. 

Prior to attending medical school, she earned her Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of Kentucky (UK) and practiced as a psychologist in rural community mental health settings. She earned her Medical Degree with Distinction from the UK College of Medicine and completed residency training at the University of Utah Triple Board Program. 

She went on to serve on faculty in the Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry at the University of Utah and then at the University of Cincinnati before joining the medical staff at ERCPL in 2014. 

Dr. O’Melia has co-authored multiple articles and book chapters on eating disorders and served as a co-investigator for various clinical trials related to psychopharmacology in the treatment of eating disorders and mood disorders. 

Anne took on the role of ERCPL’s Chief Medical Officer in 2018 and then assumed the additional responsibility of Chief Clinical Officer in 2019. Last year, she once again refined her role to now include responsibilities as our Chief Clinical and Quality Officer.

• 

  Mazella Fuller, PhD, MSW, LCSW, CEDS-C

Mazella Fuller, PhD, MSW, LCSW, CEDS-C


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Dr. Mazella Fuller (she/her) is a clinical advisor and passionate advocate for social justice and mental health whose extensive career has focused on dismantling systems of oppression, supervision training, and community outreach. With 29 years of dedicated service at Duke University’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), Dr. Fuller has made significant contributions to college mental health before her retirement. 

Dr. Fuller earned her Master of Social Work (MSW) from the Smith College School for Social Work in Northampton, MA, and completed her clinical training at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. She is a Duke-trained integrative health coach and a Clinical Consultant for the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals (iaedp). Additionally, Dr. Fuller is certified in the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program through Duke Integrative Medicine.

 As a co-editor of “Treating Black Women with Eating Disorders” (Routledge, 2020) and “Antiblackness and the Stories of Authentic Allies: Lived Experiences in the Fight Against Institutionalized Racism” (Oxford Press, 2024), Dr. Fuller is committed to amplifying the voices of marginalized communities. She is also a co-founder of the African American Eating Disorders Professionals (AAEDP) Committee and the principal of The Institute of Antiracism and Equity. Dr. Fuller’s areas of interest include BIPOC-focused integrative wellness, social justice, anxiety, young adult development, and LGBTQ+ inclusive care, drawing from psychodynamic and feminist theories.

 In her personal life, Dr. Fuller enjoys spending quality time with friends and family, exploring culinary delights as a self-proclaimed foodie, and listening to jazz music. Originally from North Carolina, she has also lived in Massachusetts, enriching her understanding of diverse communities and cultures.

Speakers

• 

  Ken Weiner, MD, CEDS, FAED

  Founding Chairman

Ken Weiner, MD, CEDS, FAED
Founding Chairman

+



Ken Weiner has been active in the treatment of Eating Disorders in Denver for more than 30 years. Recognized as a national expert in the treatment of Eating Disorders, he lectures extensively in the United States. He continues to be instrumental in designing and delivering state-of-the- art, high quality patient care. Dr. Weiner created and directed Columbine Psychiatric Center Eating Disorders Program from 1988-1992, Bethesda Eating Disorder Program from 1992-1998 and Eating Disorder Center of Denver from 2001-2007. Eating Recovery Center was established October 2008 in Denver, Colorado as a joint effort with colleague Dr. Emmett Bishop.

Dr. Weiner was named Regional Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2013. He is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University Of Colorado School Of Medicine and has received the prestigious Gold Apple Teaching Award from the medical school and The Best Teacher Award from the Psychiatric Residency Training Program (2007). He has been named a Fellow of the Academy of Eating Disorders, a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, and received the National Eating Disorders Award (2006) for co-founding the Eating Disorders Foundation in Colorado. A dedicated clinician and teacher, Dr. Weiner has co-authored numerous articles on eating disorders.

• 

  Goran Dragolovic

  CEO

Goran Dragolovic
CEO

+



Prior to joining ERC Pathlight Goran Dragolovic served as the Chief Executive Officer at Covenant Physician Partners. At Covenant Goran led a complete revamp and transformation of an Ophthalmology and GI private practice management and surgery center network which operated across 19 states and over 60 partnerships. The transformational efforts included elevating physician net promoter score, employee engagement score, improving operating overhead burden and profitability margin while organically growing the portfolio. Prior to CPP Goran served as CEO at Women’s Health USA where he grew WUSA into the second largest Women’s Health platform in the country. Before WUSA Goran spent 7years at Surgical Care Affiliates (SCA), and then at Optum following SCA’s acquisition by Optum. Goran served in several capacities there, including management of a $500M portfolio of surgery centers and specialty hospitals in the western US, leading enterprise-wide strategic service line expansion and leading Practice Growth and Transformation which was designed to help aggregate and organize specialty and surgical physician groups into market-leading “CINs,” “High-performance IPAs,” and “Value-based Narrow Networks.” These aggregation efforts were enabling private surgical practices to participate in, and take advantage of, innovative payment models on an episodic or population risk basis, either under upside gain-sharing arrangements, or on a full-risk basis. These alignment models empowered independent physicians to take greater control of value-based care delivery within their respective markets, ensured attendant economic benefits, and enabled physician groups to grow and thrive within the existing volatile healthcare environment. Goran received his BS in Management Sciences and his MBA at Pepperdine University

1.5 CE/CNE/CME

Speakers

• 

  Cynthia M. Bulik, Ph.D., FAED

Cynthia M. Bulik, Ph.D., FAED


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Cynthia M. Bulik, Ph.D., FAED holds the first endowed professorship in eating disorders in the United States. She is Distinguished Professor of Eating Disorders in the Department of Psychiatry in the School of Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she is also Professor of Nutrition in the Gillings School of Global Public Health, and founding director of the UNC Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders.

Dr. Bulik is also professor in the Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics and director of the Centre for Eating Disorders Innovation at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden. She is passionate about translating science for the public.

A clinical psychologist by training, Dr. Bulik has been conducting research and treating individuals with eating disorders since 1982. She received her BA from the University of Notre Dame and her MA and PhD from the University of California, Berkeley. She completed internships and post-doctoral fellowships at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic in Pittsburgh, PA and developed treatment services for eating disorders both in New Zealand and in the United States. She is Honorary Professor in the Department of Psychological Medicine at the University of Otago, Christchurch School of Medicine. Her research includes treatment, laboratory, epidemiological, twin, and molecular genetic studies of eating disorders and body weight regulation. She has active research collaborations throughout the United States and in over twenty countries around the world.

Dr. Bulik is a prolific writer having penned more than 600 papers and 50 chapters on eating disorders. She is author of seven books including Crave: Why You Binge Eat and How to Stop, The Woman in the Mirror, Midlife Eating Disorders: Your Journey to Recovery, and Binge Control: A Compact Recovery Guide.

Throughout her career, Dr. Bulik has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors for her research, mentorship, and advocacy work including the Eating Disorders Coalition Research Award, the Hulka Innovators Award, the Academy for Eating Disorders Leadership Award for Research, the Price Family National Eating Disorders Association Research Award, the Carolina Women’s Center Women’s Advocacy Award, and the Women’s Leadership Council Faculty-to-Faculty Mentorship Award, IAEDP Honorary Certified Eating Disorders Specialist Award, the František Faltus Award from the Czech Psychiatric Society, the AED Meehan/Hartley Award for Advocacy and the Don and Melissa Nielsen National Eating Disorders Association Lifetime Achievement Award.

Dr. Bulik has held many leadership positions in her field including president of the Academy for Eating Disorders, Vice-President of the Eating Disorders Coalition, Associate Editor of the International Journal of Eating Disorders, Founding Chair of the Scientific Advisory Council of the Binge Eating Disorder Association, member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of F.E.A.S.T. and the Global Foundation for Eating Disorders, and member of the clinical advisory committee of Project Heal.

Her work life is enriched by being happily married, the mother of three adult children, a gold medalist in ice dancing, and an avid ballroom dancer.

1.5 CE/CNE/CME

Speakers

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  Jodi Halpern, MD, PhD

Jodi Halpern, MD, PhD


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Jodi Halpern MD, PhD, Chancellor’s Chair and Professor of Bioethics at UC Berkeley, is an international leader on empathy in healthcare and the ethics of innovative technologies including AI, gene editing and neurotechnology. Halpern’s book, From Detached Concern to Empathy: Humanizing Medical Practice catalyzed a wave of change in medicine. Her book, Remaking the Self: Finding Self-Empathy in the Wake of Illness (expected 2025) illuminates post-traumatic growth. Her newest project Artificial Companions and Artificial Empathy examines how AI is changing the nature of human relationships. Halpern co-founded and co-directs the Kavli Center for Ethics, Science and the Public and the Berkeley Group on the Ethics and Regulation of Innovative Technologies. She has taught thousands of students and mentored hundreds of leaders and influenced health, science and technology ethics in areas like genome editing, AI, and human rights for research subjects. She advises NGOs and governments. Her recent policy work incudes helping draft the 2025 California Companion Chatbot Safety for Minors Bill. She has been interviewed by CNN, CBS, NPR, PBS, CBC, Corriere Della Sera, New Scientist, Wired, the Washington Post, The Observer and multiple other outlets. She received the Guggenheim Award in Health and Medicine in 2022 and the Inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award from The International Network for Empathy in Healthcare in 2024.

1.5 CE/CNE/CME

1.5 CE/CNE/CME

Speakers

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  Casey Tallent, PhD

  Director of Collegiate and Telehealth Partnerships

Casey Tallent, PhD
Director of Collegiate and Telehealth Partnerships

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Casey N. Tallent, PhD is the Director of Telehealth Development for ERC and Pathlight Mood and Anxiety Center. Dr. Tallent co-founded ERC and Pathlight’s virtual IOP program in 2016 and has been instrumental in expanding those services nationwide while also developing ERC and Pathlight’s virtual PHP program in response to the current pandemic. In addition to her virtual work, Dr. Tallent conducts trainings for universities and schools across the nation on improving eating disorders treatment services on campus. She has helped many colleges and school districts establish eating disorders treatment teams, guidelines, and response plans. Dr. Tallent is the co-founder of the Nebraska Eating Disorders Network, a non-profit organization focused on providing eating disorders resources to professionals, clients, and families in Nebraska. Before joining Eating Recovery Center, Dr. Tallent was a staff psychologist and Eating Disorders Treatment Team Coordinator at University of Nebraska – Lincoln’s Counseling and Psychological Services. During her tenure at University of Nebraska, she provided counseling to students, coordinated the university’s multidisciplinary eating disorders treatment team, advised student groups, and served as faculty in the graduate counseling psychology program. Dr. Tallent received her BA and Masters in Counseling from University of Missouri-Kansas City, and her PhD in Counseling Psychology from University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

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  Jenna Tregarthen

Jenna Tregarthen


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Jenna Tregarthen is the CEO of Bright Therapeutics, a digital health platform that engages behavioral health patients in the between-session work of evidence based treatment and equips care teams with insightful patient progress information and the tools to build and maintain strong patient relationships. Bright apps have been used by over 35,000 behavioral health treatment providers and 1.5 million people in their treatment and recovery. Prior to founding Bright, Tregarthen trained in Clinical Psychology and taught patient-centered design and healthcare innovation at Stanford University.

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  Jorge Palacios, MD, PhD, MD, PhD

Jorge Palacios, MD, PhD, MD, PhD


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Dr. Palacios drives the research and scientific strategy for Bright Therapeutics, working on leading DTx products like Recovery Record for eating disorders and Recovery Path for substance use disorders. His focus is on building the evidence base for effectiveness, engagement, and successful implementation of Bright’s products, as well as building successful partnerships with academic and clinical institutions. Prior to joining Bright, he completed his Medical Degree in Mexico City and his PhD at King’s College London. He then helped shape and grow the research agenda at SilverCloud Health, an online behavioral health platform, through its acquisition by Amwell. A global advocate for digital therapeutics, his work has been featured in top academic journals, and he speaks widely on expanding access to evidence-based digital interventions at international academic and industry conferences alike.

1.5 CE/CNE/CME

Speakers

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  Leah Young, LCPC

  Clinical Manager

Leah Young, LCPC
Clinical Manager

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LEAH YOUNG, LCPC is a Clinical Manager at Eating Recovery Center and Pathlight Mood and Anxiety Centers. Leah has been with ERC Pathlight since 2016. Leah earned her Master’s from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology in 2007. Upon graduation, Leah was hired at Resurrection Behavioral Health as a clinician, running evening IOP groups for patients with substance use disorders. She was promoted to the position of Program Manager at the re-named Presence Behavioral Health which she ran for several years before coming to ERC Pathlight in order to reconnect with clinical work. She lives in Chicago with her exuberant daughter and their cat, Hank, all of who enjoy some good punk rock music. Maybe with the exception of Hank.

1.5 CE/CNE/CME

Speakers

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  Wendi Kozlowski, LPC-S

  Executive Director

Wendi Kozlowski, LPC-S
Executive Director

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Wendi Kozlowski, LPC-S has worked in a variety of positions in the mental health field for 20 years. She obtained her Master of Arts in Professional Counseling from Texas State in 2010 and has been with Pathlight Mood and Anxiety since 2017. In 2021, Wendi became the Clinical Director for ERCPL's Round Rock location. Wendi’s passion is working with youth and their families in intensive treatment and believes that connection, repair, and therapeutic relationships are primary foundations required for a person to grow and thrive throughout their lives. In her free time, Wendi enjoys being outside, especially around water, reading, and exploring new places with her family.

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  Timothy Saeed, DO

Timothy Saeed, DO


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Dr. Saeed completed his undergraduate studies in Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and earned his medical degree at the Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine. He finished his Psychiatry Residency at the University of Miami and pursued further training in Addiction Psychiatry at UT Southwestern. Dr. Saeed was drawn to Addiction Psychiatry because of the significant impact and severity of addiction in the community, particularly among those with mental health issues. He began working at Pathlight Mood and Anxiety Center, providing care at the PHP level in Woodlands and Fort Worth.

1.5 CE/CNE/CME

Speakers

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  Alyssa Lucker, DO

  Medical Director

Alyssa Lucker, DO
Medical Director

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Alyssa Lucker, DO, serves as the Medical Director for our Pathlight and Child and Adolescent Eating Disorders programs in Denver, CO. Dr. Lucker attended Luther College, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Nursing, and then completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Miami, participating in the Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Medical Program. She earned her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Colorado. Dr. Lucker completed her Psychiatry residency program and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship program at Creighton University School of Medicine and the University of Nebraska Medical Center. 

In addition to her clinical responsibilities, Dr. Lucker has demonstrated a strong commitment to leadership and community service. She served as Chief Resident during her fellowship and was a Psychiatry Representative for the Creighton University House Staff Council. Dr. Lucker has actively participated in community initiatives, including volunteering with Siena Francis House and Habitat for Humanity. She has also contributed to research on improving opioid prescribing practices, presenting her findings at prestigious conferences like the American Psychiatric Association.

Dr. Lucker enjoys an active lifestyle with her husband, Andrew, including activities such as biking, hiking, and camping. They have two dogs: an Aussiedoodle named Henry, and a Standard Poodle named Louie. In her free time, Dr. Lucker loves gardening, particularly trying to grow vegetables, and cooking delicious meals. She also enjoys traveling to visit friends across the country.

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  Cordelia Loots-Gollin, LCSW

  Clinical Director

Cordelia Loots-Gollin, LCSW
Clinical Director

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Cordelia graduated with her Master of Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania. Cordelia has worked in a variety of settings including various Chicago neighborhoods as a community social worker, level 1 trauma centers, a community mental health center, and outpatient private practice. Cordelia brings a wealth of experience to ERC Pathlight, which includes her work with a diverse range of client populations, including pediatric survivors of gun violence, individuals with severe and persistent mental health, and with individuals and families in outpatient private practice. Cordelia loves to use data to improve mental health services and patient outcomes and is motivated by working together with her colleagues to solve complex problems. Cordelia brings her passion for training and supervising clinicians and expanding access to care to her work as a clinical leader. Cordelia started working at Pathlight Mood and Anxiety Center location in the heart of Downtown Chicago in 2023. She values the opportunity to connect with referring providers from a range of settings, as well as her colleagues at ERCP sites across the country.

1.5 CE/CNE/CME

Speakers

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  Charles Brady, PhD, ABPP

  Consultant for Mood & Anxiety Program

Charles Brady, PhD, ABPP
Consultant for Mood & Anxiety Program

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Dr. Brady is the founder of Kitsap Peninsula OCD And Anxiety Services in Silverdale, WA. He is a nationally recognized board-certified clinical psychologist who has helped people conquer anxiety since 1992. In April of 2020, he left his positions as associate professor in the University of Cincinnati's Department of Psychiatry and Director of the OCD and Anxiety Services program at the Lindner Center of HOPE and moved to the Kitsap Peninsula.

He started the Lindner Center's OCD & Anxiety Services program in 2008 and served as clinical director of the Center's outpatient services, leading more than 40 psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists, and advance practice nurses to provide over 35,000 annual patient visits.

In addition to helping to launch and serving as vice-president of OCD Midwest, a regional affiliate of the International OCD Foundation, Dr. Brady has served as faculty for the IOCDF's Behavioral Therapy Training Institute and is a frequent presenter at the national conferences of the IOCDF and the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.

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  Alexis Canfield, LCSW

  Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Alexis Canfield, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker

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Alexis Canfield (she/her) is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of Illinois and works as a Primary Therapist at Pathlight Mood and Anxiety in Chicago. She currently works with adult patients navigating mood and anxiety disorders (including post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder). Alexis has worked in residential and partial hospitalization levels of care with mood and anxiety disorders. Alexis has previous experience working in non-profits providing therapy and case management to survivors of sexual violence and intimate partner violence. Alexis completed her Bachelor's of Social Work at Colorado State University. She then completed her Master of Social Work at Boston University. Alexis is passionate about creating safe and brave spaces for patients, supporting patients to challenge themselves and grow, and has special interest in working with queer and trans patients. Alexis’s preferred treatment modalities and areas that she is curious about continuing to learn about include Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy (RODBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Acceptance and Commitment (ACT), trauma-informed therapy, and somatic- based techniques.

1.5 CE/CNE/CME

Speakers

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  Leslee Marcom, PhD, CEDS-C

  Regional Clinical Director

Leslee Marcom, PhD, CEDS-C
Regional Clinical Director

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Leslee Marcom grew up in the Dallas area and attended Texas State University for her undergraduate degree. After obtaining her Bachelor’s, she entered directly into a doctoral program at the University of North Texas. She graduated from the University of North Texas with her PhD in Counseling Psychology in 2014. Leslee completed her postdoctoral fellowship at Children’s Medical Center, where she specialized in Eating Disorders and worked with patients and their families to effect change at the individual level as well as within the family system. She started working with Eating Recovery Center (ERC) in 2015 and has held many positions throughout her time there, both in direct care and leadership. Leslee became CEDS certified in 2018 and obtained her CEDS consultant certification in 2022. Currently, she is the Regional Clinical Director of the South Region at ERC and is involved with training within a multidisciplinary team, upholding clinical quality across the sites in Texas, and community education at both a local and national level.

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  Jennifer Vittitow, RD, LD, CEDS-C

  Regional Nutrition Director

Jennifer Vittitow, RD, LD, CEDS-C
Regional Nutrition Director

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Jennifer Vittitow received her degree in nutrition from the University of Texas at Austin in 2005 and completed a dietetic internship in North Carolina in 2006. She then went into private practice as a registered dietitian, joining Eating Recovery Center in 2015 in order to work with patients in higher levels of care and to be a part of an interdisciplinary team. In 2021, she became Nutrition Director of ERC’s South Region.

Jennifer says she enjoys working at ERC because “we are the best of the best in the field of eating disorder treatment.” She is thankful to play a role in ERC’s mission to help patients recover while working with experienced and supportive clinicians. Jennifer finds joy in educating the dietitians on her team, and patients’ families, friends and caregivers, about how to provide the very best support to those in treatment and recovery.

1.5 CE/CNE/CME

Speakers

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  Deborah M. Michel, PhD, CEDS-C, FAED

  National Clinical Director of Virtual Care

Deborah M. Michel, PhD, CEDS-C, FAED
National Clinical Director of Virtual Care

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Dr. Michel is a licensed clinical psychologist with 30 years of experience in the treatment of eating disorders and related conditions. She is also a Certified Eating Disorders Specialist Supervisor. She has been involved in prevention, education, and advocacy efforts throughout her career.

In 2008, Dr. Michel founded and directed The Woodlands Eating Disorders Center in The Woodlands, Texas, a clinic specializing in the treatment of eating disorders. She partnered with Eating Recovery Center in 2015 to expand the scope of services in the greater Houston area and later opened Pathlight Mood and Anxiety Center. She has served as a Regional Clinical Director, South Region, and Regional Clinical Director of Virtual Services. She was most recently appointed to National Clinical Director of Virtual Care.

Dr. Michel presents educational lectures to professionals, schools, and the general community. She founded eating disorder post-doctoral psychology fellowship programs in her region as well as programs for psychiatry fellows in the Texas Medical Center. She also publishes articles on eating disorders in professional journals as well as in community magazines and co-authored the book, When Dieting Becomes Dangerous: A Guide to Understanding Anorexia and Bulimia. Dr. Michel maintains her status as a clinical faculty member at Tulane University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. She is a founding member and Past-President of Houston Eating Disorders Specialists and continues to serve on the Executive Board. She is an elected Fellow in the Academy for Eating Disorders (AED). She has served on the AED Medical Care Standards Committee as a member and advisor. She was also past Co-Chair of AED’s Advocacy and Communications Committee. Dr. Michel is also a member of The International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals (IAEDP) in addition to other professional organizations.

1.5 CE/CNE/CME

Speakers

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  Kaitlin Slaven, MD

  Psychiatrist

Kaitlin Slaven, MD
Psychiatrist

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Kaitlin Slaven, MD, is a psychiatrist working in our Bethesda, Maryland location, where she provides compassionate care to patients in the PHP setting. With extensive experience in various treatment environments, including inpatient, residential, PHP, and IOP care, Dr. Slaven specializes in treating eating disorders and has a particular interest in trauma, borderline personality disorder, and perinatal mental health. She is passionate about building strong, meaningful connections with her patients and takes great joy in understanding their individual needs. Additionally, Dr. Slaven frequently lectures medical students, residents, and healthcare professionals to raise awareness about eating disorders and mental health.

Dr. Slaven earned her undergraduate degree in psychology from Iowa State University and went on to medical school at the University of Iowa. She completed her psychiatry residency at George Washington University, where she served as Chief Resident, and later pursued a fellowship in Eating Disorders at the University of Maryland/Sheppard Pratt. Her academic achievements include graduating magna cum laude and receiving the Resident Professionalism Award. Dr. Slaven has also contributed to various research projects, particularly in women’s mental health and the intersection of physical and psychological well-being.

Outside of her clinical work, Dr. Slaven is a dedicated runner, having completed two marathons and numerous half marathons. She is also a certified yoga instructor and enjoys spending time with her family, being outdoors, and exploring new restaurants. With a well-rounded approach to both her professional and personal life, Dr. Slaven is committed to providing high-quality, compassionate care to her patients.

 
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  Laura Briz, MD

  Psychiatrist

Laura Briz, MD
Psychiatrist

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Dr. Laura Villavicencio Briz is a psychiatrist practicing in ERC Pathlight's Downtown Chicago location, where she provides comprehensive mental health care to a diverse patient population. She completed her Adult Psychiatry Residency at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) College of Medicine, where she also earned her Doctor of Medicine. Prior to her medical studies, Dr. Villavicencio Briz pursued a Master of Science in Medical Sciences with a focus on Anatomy from the University of South Florida and dual Bachelor’s degrees in Economics and Biology from the University of Florida. Her multidisciplinary background informs her holistic approach to mental health, integrating insights from social determinants of health with evidence-based psychiatric care.

During her residency, Dr. Villavicencio Briz held the distinguished APA SAMHSA Minority Fellowship, supporting her focus on underserved populations and contributing to her expertise in women's mental health through a fellowship in this specialized area. Actively involved in academic psychiatry, she participated in the Clinician Educator Track, further enhancing her skills in patient-centered education and collaborative care. Her research and presentations reflect a commitment to addressing complex psychiatric cases, including her work on immigrant mental health and the nuanced treatment of intellectually disabled patients.

In addition to her clinical and research contributions, Dr. Villavicencio Briz is a member of various professional societies, including the American Psychiatric Association (APA), where she served on the Ethics Committee, and the Illinois Psychiatric Society. A native Spanish speaker, she provides culturally sensitive care to her patients and is an advocate for accessible mental health services. Outside of work, she enjoys practicing yoga, baking, and gardening, balancing her professional life with personal passions that contribute to her well-rounded approach to wellness.

1.5 CE/CNE/CME

Speakers

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  Lindsey Reed, LCSW

  Clinical Director

Lindsey Reed, LCSW
Clinical Director

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Lindsey Reed graduated from Texas A&M Commerce with a Bachelors in Psychology and then obtained a Masters in Science of Social Work from University of Texas at Arlington. Lindsey is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and has experience in several different settings such as Disability Services within the college system, psychiatric inpatient hospital, nonprofit organization that provided both eating disorder treatment and education to the community. Lindsey is EMDR trained and is passionate at providing trauma informed care and assisting families in supporting their loved ones in healing from trauma and eating disorders. She has facilitated EMDR with some patients, trained staff, and given several presentations on this topic. She is also passionate about working with the LGBTQIA community and substance use disorders. Lindsey began at ERC Dallas in 2015 as a Milieu Coordinator, moved to Primary Therapist in 2017, and Clinical Manager in 2019. She is excited to move into this new role as she is invested in continuing to help newer clinicians grow, work with interdisciplinary teams, and consider patient care from a systemic lens. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her wife, two children, and dog. She also is very much looking forward to baseball season.

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  Kris Ramos, LCSW-S, CEDS-C

  Executive Director

Kris Ramos, LCSW-S, CEDS-C
Executive Director

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Kris Ramos is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), born and raised in the Rio Grande Valley, and identifies as a proud queer Latina. Kris serves as the Clinical Executive Director at Eating Recovery Center and Pathlight Mood & Anxiety Center of San Antonio. She received her bachelor’s degree in social work from The University of Texas at Austin in 2016 and her Master of Social Work from Texas A&M University-Kingsville in 2017. Throughout her education, she always carried a fascination for abnormal behavior. Kris initially began her career working as an inpatient psychiatric social worker, treating acute psychotic disorders. She joined ERC and Pathlight as a Primary Therapist in 2019 and was promoted to Clinical Manager in early 2022 then director later that year. In addition to direct patient care and clinical supervision, Kris provides training on eating disorders, mood and anxiety disorders, stress awareness, and related issues to professional and community groups. Kris is also a Certified Eating Disorders Specialist (CEDS) and enjoys providing consultation on complex eating disorder cases. 

1.5 CE/CNE/CME

Speakers

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  Anna Brown, PsyD

  Clinical Director

Anna Brown, PsyD
Clinical Director

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Dr. Anna Brown is a licensed clinical psychologist and primary therapist for Eating Recovery Center of The Woodlands. Dr. Brown has had a specific interest in improving the treatment of eating disorders since college. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the treatment of eating disorders in a residential setting. Before joining Eating Recovery Center, Dr. Brown was a psychologist for a hospital-based eating disorder program treating patients across the continuum of care from inpatient to outpatient. She enjoys providing individual, group, and family therapy and education for the Eating Recovery Center and has a particular interest in the application of mindfulness in the recovery process.

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  Delia Aldridge, MD, FAPA, CEDS-C

  Medical Director

Delia Aldridge, MD, FAPA, CEDS-C
Medical Director

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Dr. Delia Aldridge is the Medical Director at the ERC Pathlight in Northbrook and Oakbrook, Illinois. A Board-Certified Psychiatrist with extensive experience, Dr. Aldridge specializes in treating adults and adolescents with eating disorders, PTSD, personality disorders, substance abuse, self-injury, mood, and anxiety disorders. Her background in psychiatry allows her to provide compassionate care tailored to each patient's unique needs while guiding individuals and families on their journey to recovery.

Born and raised in Romania, Dr. Aldridge earned her medical degree from Victor Babeş University of Medicine and Pharmacy. She completed her psychiatric residency at Rosalind Franklin University (formerly Finch University) / The Chicago Medical School, graduating with Academic Honors. During her residency, she served as Academic Chief Resident, Instructor in Psychiatry, and Psychiatry Clerkship Coordinator, receiving the Resident Teacher of the Year Award in 2001 and the Distinguished Service Award in 2002. Dr. Aldridge’s dedication to education continues as she is now a Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Rosalind Franklin University and an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Rush Medical College, where she teaches medical students, residents, and fellows about the complexities of eating disorders.

In recognition of her outstanding contributions to the field, Dr. Aldridge received the Lifetime Achievement Award from The Kirsten Haglund Foundation at their inaugural Finding Freedom Gala in November 2023. She has co-authored numerous articles and poster presentations and published a chapter titled “Eating Disorders and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury: From Primary Care to Inpatient Hospitalization” in the 2014 book “Non-Suicidal Self-Injury in Adolescents.” Additionally, she contributed to “Self-Injury: Simple Answers to Complex Questions,” providing practical insights for psychiatrists treating this challenging behavior. 

Outside of her professional commitments, Dr. Aldridge enjoys traveling, cooking, and exploring new restaurants with her family and friends.