Our Team
Carla Gerber
Position: Background Support
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Pets: 4 cats named Jessmina, Happy, Sputnik & Eddie.
2 dogs named Kiba & Heidi.
1 Rabbit named Benny.
1 Horse named Copper
3 Favorites: Women’s national team, Thorns & Timbers
Something I like to do outside work: Hiking
Something interesting about me: I speak Thai.
Why I do what I do: I love it! I am always amazed by the strength and resiliency of our participants.
Favorite intervention you do with clients: Cooking meals together.
Michael Haines
Position: Vocational and Educational Support
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Pets: Dog named Milo & Cat named Biscuit
3 Favorites: Bears, beets & Battlestar Galactica
Something I like to do outside work: Disc golf
Something interesting about me: They say the best offense is a good defense. FALSE. The best offense is offense.
Why I do what I do: I am passionate about it.
Favorite intervention you do with clients: Community integration
Tom Akins
Position: Prescriber
Pronouns: He/Him
3 Favorites: Chocolates, disorganization, sci-fi, & piano
Something I like to do outside work: Climbing & hiking
Something interesting about me: I’m ambidextrous
Why I do what I do: It’s important work.
Favorite intervention you do with clients: Not prescribing medication.
Laura Schulte
Position: Family Therapist
Pronouns: She/hers
Pets: One masked and eagle-taloned kitty, Zorro
3 Favorites: Cake, Thrifting, Crafting
Something I like to do outside work: Baking and Biking
Something interesting about me: I biked across the state of Iowa five summers in a row and consumed an extraordinary amount of homemade pie in the process; I pie-ly recommend it!
Why I do what I do: I believe a crucial part of coping and healing lies in making connections. I'm a connector at heart and find it rewarding to build connections with participants and their families, supportive resources, and the wider community
Favorite intervention you do with clients: Internal Family Systems
Nichole Jackson
Position: Administrative Specialist III
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Pets: Labradoodle named Sadie
3 Favorites: Labradoodles, traveling & Christmas
Something I like to do outside work: Crafting
Something interesting about me: I’ve lived in multiple states (Oklahoma, Oregon & Tennessee).
Jessica Swensen
Position: Occupational Therapist
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Pets: Two tortie cats - Penny & Trixie
3 Favorites: Hippos, Chai Lattes & Play-doh
Something I like to do outside work: Going to the movies alone.
Something interesting about me: Puns are my passion.
Why I do what I do: I want to help people realize they can engage in activities that are meaningful to them regardless of their symptoms.
Favorite intervention you do with clients: Providing deep pressure input (squishing people).
Chainé Mabray
Position: Family Therapist, Team Lead
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Pets: Two dogs - Kaito (Pit/Shephard) & Mia (Pit/Husky)
3 Favorites: The color blue, melty cheese, traveling
Something I like to do outside work: Socializing with friends/family & gardening
Something interesting about me: I love grey, cloudy, rainy days.
Why I do what I do: I hope to use my curiosity of our world and the people in it to inspire and assist others in finding their inner strength and capacity for growth. As well as use my voice, experience, and passion to bring mental health to the forefront of our understanding.
Favorite intervention you do with clients: Looking for exceptions to the problem, love languages, and communication mirroring.
Alyssa Leal
Position: Behavioral Health Clinician
Pronouns/ LGBTQIA Oriented: She/her
Pets: A cat named Skunk
3 Favorites: Studio Ghilbli, cute cats, the color green
Something I like to do outside work: I like to go for walks in the community while playing Pokémon go!
Something interesting about me: I used to dance in wooden shoes in high school for my hometown’s Tulip Time Festival.
Why I do what I do: : I believe that everyone deserves equitable access to care that is person-centered and trauma-informed. Also, EASA is a wonderful support that does not exist everywhere, and I feel honored to be a part of a program that provides such intentional support to its participants. Favorite intervention you do with clients: Strengths-based approach and practicing dialectical behavioral therapy coping skills.
David Young
Position: BH Clinician/Intake Coordinator
Pronouns/LGBTQIA Oriented: He/Him
Pets: 2 dogs, Cody Pendant (8), Fergus Finnegan (2), and 1 cat, Pumpkin Pie (15)
3 Favorites: Basketball cards, Schwinn Stingray Bicycles, and cheddar cheese
Something I like to do outside work: Oregon Ducks hockey fan. Sco Ducks!
Something interesting about me: I could and VII after my name. I represent the sevent generation of William D. Youngs. We all go by our middle names
Why I do what I do: When I was a lot younger, there was nothing like an EASA program that could educate my parents about why I was struggling
Favorite intervention you do with clients: I love Motivational Interviewing. I like to call it, “the healthy hustle.”
Tawnya Soong
Position: Intake Coordinator
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Pets: Four dogs: Pepper, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Bella, & Roscoe. One cat: The Cat.
3 Favorites: The color grey, warm rain, & being a mom.
Something I like to do outside work: Gardening and home improvement projects.
Something interesting about me: I have two kids, four dogs, and one cat.
Why I do what I do: I believe that people and communities deserve health and happiness.
Favorite intervention you do with clients: Right now my favorite intervention is CBT..
Ally Kinsman
Position: Peer Support Specialist
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Pets: One dog: Copper
3 Favorites: Indoor plants, Cows, True crime podcasts
Something I like to do outside work: Getting tea and going for walks with friends
Something interesting about me: For my 25th birthday my friends through me a chicken nugget party complete with 12 different types of chicken nuggets! It was the best birthday party I’ve ever attended.
Why I do what I do: Because everyone deserves authentic and supportive relationships in their lives.
Favorite intervention you do with clients: Meeting folks where they’re at and working together to build a community their truly happy in.
Aaron G. Jacobs
Position: Therapist
Pronouns: He/him/his
Pets: I’m an uncle to Annie the olden golden retriever
3 Favorites: Sushi, going on adventure, hot springs
Something I like to do outside work: Snowboarding
Something interesting about me: I love to make up songs in the moment about almost anything. Try me!
Why I do what I do: Because everyone deserves help healing their hearts and minds
Favorite intervention you do with clients: Internal Family Systems Therapy
Coleen Hudkins
Position: Clinical Research Coordinator
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Pets: An old cat named Bebe
3 Favorites: celebrity crush (Justin Timberlake), Thanksgiving dish (mashed potatoes), Winne the Pooh character (Eeyore)
Something I like to do outside work: Yoga
Something interesting about me: I was once seated next to Henry Winkler (The Fonz) at a pizza place.
Why I do what I do: I find research fascinating and like being a part of new ways to help people now and in the future.
Favorite intervention you do with clients: Reframing when they catastrophize.
Brett Barnes
Position: Clinical Research Coordinator
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Pets: Leia, a shepherd mix with a lot of sass..
3 Favorites: Dogs, wildflowers, macarons & gelato.
Something I like to do outside work: Photography
Something interesting about me: In college, I studied abroad in Spain. I lived and went to school in a town right outside of Madrid.
Why I do what I do: It’s rewarding to contribute to the development of new treatments. I like being able to offer clients the opportunity to participate in studies that can determine and shape future interventions.
Shane Roberts
Position: Peer Support Specialist
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Pets: No pets right now!
Something I like to do outside work: Golfing
Something interesting about me: I can juggle
Why I do what I do: Some of the main reasons are I love to aid people in helping themselves, and I love to learn about what makes people want to improve themselves.
Favorite intervention you do with clients: I love going into the community with people and practicing CBT skills with them.