Gaines Lyons was born in Little Rock and grew up in Cleveland. He served in the Navy for four years, studying Chinese-Mandarin and spending time in Japan and the Philippines. After returning to the U.S., he graduated from the University of California Berkeley with a degree in Japanese Language and Literature. He later worked for […]
Charlotte Lujan is a social worker of Native American heritage at the American Indian Counseling Center in Cerritos, CA. Transcript
Susan Mandel earned her doctorate in psychology from the University of Cincinnati in 1968. She worked as a staff psychologist at Alameda County Hospital prior to becoming Director of Mental Health for the County in 1975. In 1980, she became CEO of Pasadena Child Guidance Clinics, which became Pacific Clinics in 1987, and oversaw its […]
Bruce Saltzer received his law degree from USC and an MBA from the Claremont Graduate School. He began his career in Legal Aid and worked as an advocate for the developmentally disabled. In 1991, he was appointed Executive Director of the Association of Community Mental Health Agencies, and continued in this position when the organization […]
Yadira Ramirez-Flores is one of the Spanish-speaking psychiatric social workers at Edelman Mental Health Center. Transcript
Mark Ragins grew up in Southern California. He graduated from the California Institute of Technology and received his MD from Washington University in St. Louis. After completing his residency in psychiatry at LA County-USC Hospital, he worked for several years in LAC-DMH public mental health clinics and at UCLA-Harbor General Hospital. In 1990, he became […]
Roberto Quiroz was Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health 1984-91. He earned his MSW from Columbia University and worked in New York in family therapy and at the NASW headquarters. In 1972, he was appointed assistant director of a new community mental health center in Pueblo, Colorado, and subsequently served as […]
Andrew Posner learned about mental illness through his own struggles, moved himself out of a board-and-care home to live in the community, and worked at a series of jobs to pay for his own treatment. He became Executive Director of BACUP, Benefits Assistance Clients Urban Projects in 1986. This self-help group assists mental health clients […]
Keris Jän Myrick earned a Master in Business Administration at Case Western Reserve University, a Master in Divinity at Fuller Theological Seminary, and a Master of Science in Organizational Psychology. She is currently completing her Ph.D. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology. After working as a college admissions counselor for many years, she became involved with NAMI, sitting […]
Carl C. McCraven trained as an engineer at Howard University and was working in the aerospace industry in Los Angeles when he became Chairman of the Board of the new Pacoima Memorial Hospital. The Community Mental Health Center was founded as part of the Hospital in 1966. He earned a master’s degree in Health Sciences […]