Leadership

Olivia Altamirano, Ph.D. (oaltamir@stanford.edu)
Leader

Dr. Altamirano is a Clinical Psychologist at Stanford University’s INSPIRE Training Program, specializing in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Psychosis (CBTp). She works in both outpatient and inpatient settings, with primary clinical appointments at the INSPIRE Clinic, which focuses on early psychosis, and La Clínica Latina, which serves Spanish-speaking individuals of Latin American background experiencing anxiety and mood disorders. As a native Spanish speaker, Dr. Altamirano blends her expertise in psychotic-spectrum disorders with an understanding of the cultural influences shaping Latinx/a/o clinical presentations.

Dr. Altamirano's main research and clinical interests center on cultural adaptations to psychosocial treatments for psychotic-spectrum disorders. As part of the EPI-CAL initiative, she serves as a CBTp trainer for community clinicians and provides ongoing consultation, contributing to the development of a network of early psychosis programs across California. Through Stanford’s INSPIRE Training Program, she also delivers CBTp training and consultation that extends beyond California.

Dr. Altamirano is a dedicated educator and mentor. She co-teaches the undergraduate course "Destigmatizing Psychosis: I Thought I Heard My Name," and is planning to expand this course into community and graduate student settings. She serves as an academic mentor and postdoctoral supervisor within the Stanford Clinical Psychology Fellowship program, and advises graduate students in the PGSP-Stanford PsyD Consortium.

She additionally serves as the Chair of the Psychosis and Schizophrenia Spectrum Special Interest Group (PASS SIG) at the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) and as the co-chair of the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion team at the North America CBTp Network. Reflecting her commitment to educational equity, Dr. Altamirano is also a Board member of the South County California Student Opportunity and Access Program (Cal-SOAP), where she supports efforts to promote higher education opportunities for underserved students—a mission informed by her own experience navigating the K-12 to higher education pipeline as a Cal-SOAP alumna. Her dedication to expanding access extends internationally: she co-taught a version of the "Destigmatizing Psychosis" course in Mexico, mentors visiting international research interns, and is actively working to develop CBTp training in Mexico, reflecting her commitment to expanding culturally responsive, evidence-based mental health care across borders. Students and colleagues interested in these efforts are encouraged to reach out.

Emily Treichler, Ph.D. (etreichler@health.ucsd.edu)
Leader Emeritus

Emily Treichler, PhD [she/her] is a licensed clinical psychologist. She leads the Collab Lab, a team of researchers, clinicians, and people with lived experience working to improve quality of care and quality of life for adults with psychosis and serious mental illness. Her work prioritizes increasing patient power and participation in treatment, research, and community. In her research, she works with communities in usual care settings using mixed methods and implementation science. In her clinical work, she combines evidence-based practice with a recovery-oriented, trauma-informed, and culturally-humble framework, empowering people to live meaningful and enjoyable lives on their own terms.

Emily works as a Research Psychologist in the Desert Pacific Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC) at the VA San Diego, and Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). She also provides clinical services in private practice. Emily completed her Ph.D. at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2016, along with an internship at the University of Maryland Medical Center/VA Maryland Consortium in the serious mental illness track. She completed a fellowship in psychosis research at the Desert Pacific MIRECC/UCSD in 2019 and a fellowship in aging and positive psychiatry in 2020 at the UCSD Stein Institute for Healthy Aging. 

Charlie Davidson, Ph.D. (SMIResearchGroup@gmail.com)
Leader Emeritus

Charlie A. Davidson, Ph.D., [he/him] is a licensed clinical psychologist in Atlanta currently working in private practice and part time for Good Samaritan Health Center, where he provides evidence-based therapy and assessment for uninsured and unhoused individuals. He was trained at University of Nebraska-Lincoln in Dr. William Spaulding’s SMI Research Group. He completed internship at the V.A. in West Haven, CT, primarily mentored by Dr. Joanna Fiszdon, then completed a T32 fellowship directed by Dr. Morris Bell, with Dr. Fiszdon, Dr. Jason Johannesen, and Dr. Scott Woods as co-mentors, then completed a one-year clinical fellowship with Dr. Elaine Walker at Emory University. He has since worked as a private practitioner, professor for PsyD trainees, scientist at a digital therapeutics company, and as the Clinical Lead at a start-up focused on providing family support for SMI.

Charlie’s clinical/theoretical orientation is rooted in psychosocial rehabilitation and recovery, evidence-based practice, and practice-based evidence. 2025 is his 16th year as a member of ABCT’s PASS SIG. He is also on the Research & Practice Committee of the SMI Specialty Council and a member of APA Division 18’s SMI/SED section, ISPS-US, and North American CBTp, and he has trained as a Hearing Voices Network – USA facilitator. Professionally and personally, Charlie is working to advocate for and amplify the voices of discriminated or disadvantaged people, especially those with and for whom he has focused his research – people with lived experience of SMI, psychosis, and extreme states, and their communities. His primary role in life is “Dad” and “husband.” He is also not a bad bass player, loves being bad at competitive sports, and loves cooking, being outdoors, and connecting with anyone who will talk to him.

Genesis Saenz Escalante, B.A. (gms207@miami.edu)
Treasurer

Genesis Saenz Escalante, B.A., [she/her] is the treasurer for the Psychosis and Schizophrenia Spectrum Special Interests Group. She is currently a graduate student at the University of Miami under the supervision of Dr. Amy Weisman de Mamani.

Julia M. Longenecker, Ph.D. (longenecker.julia@gmail.com)
Administrative Officer

Julia M. Longenecker, Ph.D., [she/her] is a licensed clinical psychologist based in Pittsburgh, PA. She provides telehealth clinical care to people with SMI across the country via her private practice. She also works to expand digital therapeutics for SMI as a scientific manager at Click Therapeutics. Dr. Longenecker received her PhD from University of Minnesota. She completed clinical internship/residency and postdoctoral training at VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System. She holds a PSYPACT certification, which allows her to practice telehealth therapy with clients in over 30 U.S. states. Across both her professional roles, she aims to expand high quality, culturally informed care for people with SMI. 

Jared Bernard, Ph.D., ABPP (jared.bernard@gmail.com)
VA Liaison

Jared Bernard, Ph.D., ABPP, [he/him] is a licensed clinical psychologist with expertise in the assessment and treatment of serious mental illness (SMI), including psychotic disorders and bipolar disorder. He is an Associate Professor in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine, is board certified in SMI psychology, and is the creator and program coordinator of the Bipolar and Schizophrenia Treatment (BeST) Clinic at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston, TX. Dr. Bernard is also a nationally-recognized expert in multiple psychosocial interventions for SMI, including an expert clinician in cognitive behavioral therapy for psychosis (CBTp) within the VA National Expert Consultation and Specialized Services – Mental Health (NEXCSS-MH), as well as a trainer and consultant for the Life Goals intervention for Bipolar Disorder national team.

Mary Pacheco, M.A. (MaryPacheco@stanfordhealthcare.org)
Community Outreach Coordinator

Mary Pacheco, M.A. [she/her] is one of the Community Forum Organizers. She is currently the Supported Education and Employment Specialist at the INSPIRE 360 Coordinated Specialty Care program for early psychosis at Stanford Psychiatry. She will be matriculating into the PAU-Stanford PsyD Consortium beginning September 2026. 

Shelby Tkacik, B.S. (stkacik@paloaltou.edu)
Student Representative

Shelby Tkacik, B.S., [she/her] is a Doctoral Student in Clinical Psychology at the PAU-Stanford PsyD Consortium. She is interested in the relationship between trauma and the phenomenology of psychosis and hopes to work with individuals across the lifespan.

Alex Needham, B.A. (aneedham@paloaltou.edu)
Student Representative

Alex Needham, B.A., [she/her] is a Doctoral Student in Clinical Psychology at the PAU-Stanford PsyD Consortium. She is interested in early intervention for psychosis and culturally-informed treatment for individuals experiencing clinically high risk disorders. 

Jessica Badawi, Ph.D. (jessica.c.badawi@uth.tmc.edu)
Faculty Representative to the SMI Specialty Council

Jessica Badawi, Ph.D., [she/her] is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UT Health Houston McGovern Medical School. She also is the director of the recovery-oriented treatment program, which is a 90-day inpatient program providing intensive interventions for individuals with SMI.

Denise Chung-Zou, M.S. (denisechung-zou@miami.edu)
Community Forum Organizer 

Denise Chung-Zou, M.S., (she/her) is currently a 4th year predoctoral doctoral trainee with the Culture, Psychopathology, and Wellbeing Lab at the University of Miami. Currently her research interests include isolation, loneliness, and struggles to make meaningful social connections (via social skill and metacognitive deficits), for persons with serious mental illness (SMI). She has been part of PASS-SIG for a year, so far. She is looking forward to organizing the community forum with Mary at ABCT’s 60th Annual Convention in Baltimore!

Katrina Rbeiz, M.S. (katrina.rbeiz@vanderbilt.edu)
SMI FATE Liaison 

Katrina Rbeiz, M.S., [she/her] is a PhD candidate in the Clinical Science program at Vanderbilt University. Her ultimate goal is to pursue a career in research and clinical science that helps to address disparities in measurement, diagnosis, and treatment across racial/ethnic groups with clinical high-risk disorders. She also hopes to increase the representation and visibility of Middle Eastern and North African populations in clinical research.