OUR STAFF
Paisha Allmendinger, B.A.
Fiscal Analyst
Gayley Executive Offices
Paisha Allmendinger, B.A., is the fiscal analyst at TIES. She graduated from UCLA in 2004 with a degree in Economics. At TIES, Ms. Allmendinger coordinates all budgets and contracts between UCLA and the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health.
Araceli Barajas
Billing Assistant
UCLA Medical Rehabilitation Building
Araceli Barajas has been part of the administrative staff at TIES since May 2004. She completes the Department of Mental Health (DMH) billing functions for the TIES program. As the Billing Assistant for TIES, Ms. Barajas processes a high volume of claims, organizes them and prepares regular reports.
Eraka Bath, M.D.
Psychiatrist
UCLA Medical Rehabilitation Building
Eraka Bath, M.D., is board certified in child and adolescent, adult and forensic psychiatry who is on the faculty as an assistant professor in the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute. She specializes in diagnostic assessment, forensic consultation and working with high risk youth, including those with histories of trauma, juvenile delinquency and foster care placement. Dr. Bath attended UC Berkeley, Howard University College of Medicine, and completed her child psychiatry and forensic training at NYU School of Medicine where she was on the faculty for three years prior to joining UCLA and the TIES program.
Alysha Cabrera, B.A.
Case Manager
UCLA Medical Rehabilitation Building
Alysha Cabrera, B.A., is the case manager at TIES. She graduated from UCLA in 2009 with a degree in Psychology. At TIES, she facilitates linkage to internal and external resources, coordinates the psychiatry and infant mental health clinics, and manages data for TIES research projects.
Marlon Duarte, B.A.
Child Development Associate
UCLA Medical Rehabilitation Building
Marlon Duarte, B.A., is our bilingual (Spanish-speaking) Behavioral Rehabilitation Specialist and APSS Mentor at TIES. He graduated from CSU Northridge College of Social and Behavioral Science with a degree in Psychology. His work experience is in Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), Therapeutic Behavioral Services (TBS) and Family Crisis Interventions. Mr. Duarte’s primary focus has been working with children and adolescents with Severe Emotional Disorders (SED), Learning Disabilities and Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD).
Susan Edelstein, LCSW
Director
Gayley Executive Offices
Susan Edelstein is a licensed clinical social worker in the UCLA Center for Healthier Children, Families, and Communities and an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the UCLA Department of Pediatrics. She received her BA from UCLA, and her MSW from USC. She began her career in child protective services and adoption in Los Angeles County, and in 1979 began her work at UCLA Medical Center directing service, training, and research projects involving interdisciplinary collaboration in the areas of child abuse and neglect, parental chemical dependency and prenatal substance exposure, foster care and adoption, and comprehensive early intervention approaches. She has published extensively in these areas. Ms. Edelstein is the founder of UCLA TIES for Adoption, and has served as its director since its development twelve years ago. In April of 2000, Ms. Edelstein received the Daniel E. Koshland Award for California’s Outstanding Practitioner in Social Services by the National Association of Social Workers, California Chapter.
Scott Hartman, Ph.D.
Clinical Director
South Bay TIES Satellite
Scott Hartman, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist with broad and varied training in child clinical psychology. He received his doctorate from the University of Denver’s child clinical Ph.D. program after earning his Master’s at the same institution. In the last few years, he has focused on child maltreatment and trauma, working with children of all ages in both outpatient and residential treatment settings. Dr. Hartman divides his time at TIES by conducting individual, group, and family therapy with his clients, conducting psychological evaluations with children and adolescents (including learning disability and neuropsychological evaluations), and parent training and consultation. Dr. Hartman’s work in child maltreatment and trauma is supplemented by his extensive research background in couples issues and addiction/substance abuse.
Wendy Hui, M.D.
Pediatrician
South Bay TIES Satellite
Wendy Hui, M.D. is a pediatrician who provides medical consultations for South Bay TIES. Dr. Hui completed her pediatric residency at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center after receiving her medical degree from the University of California, San Diego. When not at TIES, Dr. Hui sees patients at Long Beach Comprehensive Health Center and the K.I.D.S. (Kids In Dependency System)-HUB Clinic at Harbor-UCLA. She also teaches medical students and residents. Her interests include children in foster care, children with disabilities and special health care needs, adolescent health, and helping families and other professionals navigate the complex network of public and private agencies that serve children.
Ahab Liskin, LCSW
Therapist, Licensed Clinical Social Worker
UCLA Medical Rehabilitation Building
Ahab Liskin, LCSW, earned an MSW from USC in 1995 and has been licensed since 2000. He has worked with children and families in multiple settings, including Seneca Center (residential treatment in the Bay Area), DCFS Adoptions Division, LA Child Guidance Clinic Day Treatment and Early Intervention programs, and JFSLA (outpatient psychotherapy, clinical supervision of MSW interns). At TIES, he provides psychotherapy to children, families, and parents. He also co-facilitates therapy groups and provides outreach, consultation, and training to parents in the process of fostering and adopting. He is bilingual and provides services in English and Spanish.
Caroline Miranda, LCSW
Social Worker
South Bay TIES Satellite
Caroline Miranda, LCSW, is a bilingual and bicultural licensed clinical social worker who has worked with children in foster care and adoption for over four years. She received her MSW from UC Berkeley School of Social Welfare. Her primary interest is working with children of all ages, including adolescents. Ms. Miranda has gained invaluable perspective from adoptive children and parents who share a strong passion to create meaningful lives in society.
Cameron Neece, M.A.
Mental Health Consultant
UCLA Franz Hall
Cameron Neece, M.A. is a mental health consultant at TIES and a doctoral student in the UCLA Clinical Psychology Training Program. She completed her undergraduate education at UC Berkeley. Her primary research interests are in the development of psychopathology among children with developmental disabilities. Her clinical interests are in assessment, behavior management, parent training, and child therapy. At TIES, Cameron conducts infant developmental testing and provides group psychotherapy.
Po Sam Ng, B.S.
Billing and Finance Administrator
South Bay TIES Satellite
Po Sam Ng received her B.S. in Finance and Accounting from California State University, Long Beach. In the past, Ms. Ng has worked for the Department of Children and Family Services. At TIES, Ms. Ng provides clerical support to the Mental Health/Adoption Unit. She also manages all client referrals, client records, and client files and processes billing claims.
Emilie Paczkowski, Ph.D.
Waivered Psychologist
Gayley Executive Offices
Emilie A. Paczkowski, Ph.D. received her doctoral degree from the UCLA Department of psychology in 2009. Following her graduate training, Dr. Paczkowski completed a clinical internship at The Help Group, providing outpatient mental health services to children and families, school-based counseling in a therapeutic milieu, and home visiting services to DCFS referred families with children ages 0-5 and high-risk pregnant women. Her areas of clinical and research interest are parenting and family functioning. At TIES, she conducts interdisciplinary consultation and psychological testing, leads support groups for children and parents, and provides individual, family and group psychotherapy.
Gabriela Parra, MSW
Social Worker
South Bay TIES Satellite
Gabriela Parra, MSW, is a bilingual clinical social worker with a professional background in public child welfare and medical social work. She has a BA in Psychology and earned her MSW in 2003, both from UCLA. Ms. Parra has completed internships as a children's therapist at the LA Co. Department of Mental Health, Long Beach Child & Adolescent Program and as an adoptions social worker at the LA Co. Department of Children and Family Services. Post-MSW, she has worked for DCFS as an emergency response investigator and case carrying children's social worker, gaining direct experience in the areas of child maltreatment, domestic violence, parental substance abuse, and placement of dependent children into fost-adopt homes. Her interests include children exposed to family violence, parent-child interaction therapy, and infant mental health. Ms. Parra is currently working towards clinical licensure and provides individual, group, and family therapy to our TIES children and families.
Brenda Pitchford
Billing Specialist
UCLA Medical Rehabilitation Building
Responsibilities at TIES include organizing, planning and supervising the operations of the L.A. County Department of Mental Health (DMH) contract to ensure compliance at local, state and federal levels, oversees billing functions, and participates in implementing program policies and procedures to meet both University and DMH standards.
Desarae Powell, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
UCLA Medical Rehabilitation Building
Desarae Powell, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker who specializes in consultation and therapy with families adopting children with special needs. She received her degree from Tulane University School of Social Work in 1997. Her areas of interest include counseling adoptive parents, kinship care and family resource center development. Ms. Powell is currently coordinating the Mentoring Project at TIES, matching experienced adoptive parents with new parents to provide pre-adoptive support and guidance as children transition to their new families.
Karen Rathburn, Ph.D.
Program Manager-TIES South Bay
South Bay TIES Satellite
Karen Rathburn, Ph.D. is the program manager for the TIES for Adoption, South Bay site. She is an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and a licensed psychologist. Dr. Rathburn graduated from the University of Southern California where she obtained her master and doctorate degrees. She completed internships at Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) and Cedars Sinai Medical Center. The focus of her postdoctoral fellowship training at Harbor-UCLA was pediatric psychology, infant assessment and adolescent medicine. She later served on the faculty at Childrens Hospital, Los Angeles where she worked with children diagnosed with medical disorders including HIV and craniofacial abnormalities. Her expertise is in the areas of infant mental health, prenatal substance exposure, infant and child assessment, children exposed to violence, foster children and adoption.
Martha A. Rios, Ph.D.
Clinical Psychologist
UCLA Medical Rehabilitation Building
Martha A. Rios, Ph.D. received her doctoral degree from the USC Department of Psychology in 2005. Her areas of interest are parenting and infant mental health. Before joining the TIES staff, Dr. Rios worked in community mental health settings with high-risk children and families. At TIES, she conducts interdisciplinary consultation and psychological testing, leads support groups for children and parents, and provides individual, family and group psychotherapy both in English and Spanish.
Karen Saywitz, Ph.D.
Associate Director
UCLA Medical Rehabilitation Building
Karen J. Saywitz, Ph.D., is a developmental and clinical child psychologist who has been a Professor at the UCLA School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences for nineteen years. Currently, she is the Associate Director at TIES. She has authored numerous articles regarding children involved in the legal system. In her research on interviewing child witnesses and preparing them for court, she develops and tests innovative interventions to enhance children's memory performance, communicative competence, emotional resilience, and resistance to suggestion. Dr. Saywitz has won awards for her pioneering research, outstanding teaching, and distinguished clinical service. In 2006, she was awarded the Nicholas Hobbs Award for Child Advocacy by a Division of the American Psychological Association (APA). In 2003, she was awarded the Research Career Acheivement Award from the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children. Dr. Saywitz has served as the President of the APA's Division of Child, Youth, and Family Services. Currently, she chairs the APA Interdivisional Task Force on Child and Adolescent Mental Health.
Joanna Tol, B.A.
Administrative Coordinator
UCLA Medical Rehabilitation Building
Joanna Tol received her B.A. in Anthropology from UCLA in 2009. At TIES, she processes client referrals and maintains client records. Ms. Tol also provides administrative support to TIES staff and oversees our team of undergraduate workstudy students.
Eugenia Hsu Tsao, Ph.D.
Director of Clinical Services
UCLA Medical Rehabilitation Building
Eugenia Hsu Tsao, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist who specializes in developmental psychopathology and working with children and families where child trauma has occurred. She received her doctorate degree from the University of Nebraska. The focus of her internship at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and postdoctoral fellowship training at Harbor-UCLA was pediatric psychology and child abuse and neglect. Dr. Tsao has presented in the areas of child trauma, understanding mental health needs of Asian Americans, working with children in foster care, and adoption. At TIES, she is the Director of Clinical Services. She is actively involved in the Infant Mental Health Team and development of the adolescent mental health model. She supervises clinical psychology doctoral students, conducts interdisciplinary consultation and psychological testing, leads support groups for children and parents, and provides individual, family and group psychotherapy.
Lori Waldinger, M.A.
Educational Consultant
Lori Waldinger, M.A. is an Educational Consultant with TIES. She has worked with our project since 1998. She has earned a Master’s Degree and holds California teaching credentials in General Education and Special Education. She has special education teaching experience and since leaving teaching in 1980, Ms. Waldinger has been in private practice as an advocate and educational consultant. She provides educational consultation and in-service trainings to TIES staff and clients. For TIES families, Ms Waldinger attends school-based meetings, participates in IEP meetings, and conducts school observations. She provides direct educational and mental health input and advocacy services to the families in the TIES project.
Claudia Wang, M.D.
Pediatrician
Claudia Wang, M.D. is an Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at UCLA and our TIES healthcare consultant. At TIES, she provides medical consultation for referred cases by reviewing available medical records, identifying possible additional medical information which may be sought in order to assist in the evaluation, providing a medical summary, and giving feedback to the providers. The pediatrician may be requested to attend a child's developmental assessment in order to see the child and discuss the caregiver's medical concerns. Dr. Wang's other interest is in child protection. She has been the Medical Director of the UCLA Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect Team since 1992 where her primary role is evaluating child abuse and neglect cases, which include prenatally substance exposed infants. She also focuses on education regarding child endangerment within the UCLA Medical Center and within Los Angeles County Department of Social Welfare. The TIES pediatrician's role is for consultation and unfortunately is not able to become the primary care physician for our TIES children.
Jill Waterman, Ph.D.
Mental Health Coordinator
UCLA Franz Hall
Jill Waterman, Ph.D. is Adjunct Professor of Psychology at UCLA. She has been with TIES for Adoption since its inception and was key in helping develop its treatment model. Currently, Dr. Waterman is the Training Director of TIES for Adoption. Having begun her professional career as an adoptions social worker, she has maintained a deep interest in adoption. In addition, Dr. Waterman is Coordinator of the UCLA Psychology Clinic, the training clinic for the Ph.D. program in clinical psychology at UCLA. Dr. Waterman has published two books and many articles on child sexual abuse and other areas of child trauma, as well as a school-based empirically supported treatment manual for high-risk young adolescents. She is also a practicing clinician, specializing in treatment of young children and their families.
Natalie Wieland, M.A.
Mental Health Consultant
UCLA Franz Hall
Natalie Wieland, M.A., is an extern at TIES and a doctoral student in the UCLA Clinical Psychology Training Program. Prior to coming to UCLA, she received her B.A. and M.A. in Child Development at Tufts University. Her areas of clinical and research interest are parenting and treatment outcomes for childhood disorders. At TIES, Natalie conducts infant developmental and psychological testing, leads groups for children and parents, and provides individual psychotherapy.