ALTA MIRA - Key Persons
Ann has earned two Master's degrees; one in theology from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary at Northwestern University and the other in counseling from National-Louis University. She is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC), a state-certified alcohol and drug counselor (CADC), a nationally-certified multiple addiction therapist with certifications in sex addiction as well as work addiction and financial disorders (CMAT), and a certified Daring Way™ facilitator (CDWF). She is also fully trained in EMDR Therapy.
Ann's practice consists of individual and group counseling with a specialty in experiential therapy. Her main objective is to offer the recovering individual a safe place to express feelings and heal traumatic wounds. Ann sat on the Advisory Board for the International Institute of Trauma & Addiction Professionals (IITAP) for many years. IITAP oversees the CSAT certification and its curriculum, developed by Dr. Patrick Carnes, author and pioneer in sex addiction treatment.
She has also received certification from Brené Brown's organization, The Daring Way™ and facilitates individual sessions and workshops with this new and ground-breaking curriculum.
In addition to over two decades of clinical experience, Ann brings over forty years of personal experience in the recovery field. She believes that, no matter what a person's problems are, healing and freedom are possible. There are no hopeless cases.
Arielle Werblun, LMFT Therapist Arielle is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with several years of experience in both the clinical and administrative fields of mental health. Specializing in substance abuse, eating disorders, co-occurring disorders, and interpersonal effectiveness, Arielle works collaboratively and diligently with her clients to ensure all feel heard and safe, while also feeling challenged and empowered. Having worked primarily in treatment centers over the years, Arielle has vast experience with individual, couples, group, and family therapy. Arielle received her Masters of Science in Psychology from California State University, Northridge in 2015, and has embraced her passion to help those who want to be the best version of themselves ever since. Arielle feels authenticity is key in her practice. Believing wholeheartedly in the expression "You get out what you put in," she meets her clients with humility, openness, and transparency to ensure a comfortable and safe space for growth.
Dr. Abby Medcalf is a psychologist and addiction expert who has helped thousands of individuals create meaning and happiness in their lives through counseling, training, and her relationship programs and books. With over 30 years of experience, Abby is a recognized authority and sought-after speaker known for her unique blend of comprehensive research, hands-on experience, and humor. She motivates individuals to break through in every relationship (starting with the relationship they have with themselves) so they can lead more enthusiastic and fulfilled lives.
Job Titles:
- Addiction Medicine Physician
Dr. David E. Smith is recognized as a national leader in the treatment of addictive disease, the psychopharmacology of drugs, new research strategies in the management of drug abuse problems, and appropriate prescribing practices for physicians. He teaches that addiction is a primary medical illness that is best treated in a multidisciplinary fashion, utilizing the group process, individual psychotherapy, and the 12-Step programs of Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous and Cocaine Anonymous. Dr. Smith has over 45 years of experience treating addiction as a medical disease.
At Alta Mira, Dr. Smith lectures to our clients on the neurobiological aspects of addiction, treating addiction as a brain disease, and the medical management of psychoactive drug dependence, including cocaine, alcohol and prescription drugs. Dr. Smith founded the Haight Ashbury Free Clinics in 1967, inaugurating the principle of "Health Care is a Right, not a Privilege." He is a Fellow and former President of The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM). He lectures extensively and is the author/co-author of over 350 professional articles and books, including Unchain Your Brain: 10 Steps to Breaking the Addictions that Steal Your Life, with Dr. Daniel Amen.
Dr. Tracy has been conducting Professional and Family Interventions for over 20 years. He is a nationally recognized speaker and educator in the areas of Impaired Health Care Professionals, Opiate Addiction secondary to Chronic Pain and Systemic Family Interventions. He is an expert in providing extensive monitoring services and family case management. He has experience in program development and facilitating family programs for some of the most respected treatment centers in the country.
Dr. Jim Tracy graduated in 1979 from the Georgetown University School of Dentistry and he practiced General Dentistry for 18 years. Before making a change to help Families through Systemic Family Interventions while continuing work in helping Impaired Health Professionals.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director and Founder of Alcohol Recovery Solutions, Inc
Gigi is Executive Director and founder of Alcohol Recovery Solutions, Inc., a licensed clinic offering care to adults struggling with alcohol and drug dependency.
Job Titles:
- Consulting Physician: Internal Medicine and Addiction Medicine
Consulting Physician: Internal Medicine and Addiction Medicine
Dr. Driscoll serves as our primary independent consulting medical physician and is responsible for the detoxification and medical needs of our clients. She is board certified in both Internal and Addiction Medicine. Dr. Driscoll has 15 years of experience at Alameda County Medical Center in Oakland where she completed her residency and later served as an attending hospitalist instructing a team of residents, interns, and medical students. She has cared for over 7,500 patients suffering from medical complications caused by addiction. Dr. Driscoll earned her medical degree from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia and Bachelor's in Human Biology at Brown University. She is an Advisory Board Member at Stepping Stone Residential Recovery Program for Women in San Francisco and a member of ASAM and CSAM.
Ian Wolds, PsyD Executive Director Ian Wolds, PsyD, Alta Mira's Executive Director, is a licensed clinical psychologist. Dr. Wolds has spent his entire career working in the care and treatment of clients with addiction and co-occurring disorders. He brings an integrative psychology framework to his work that emphasizes the interdependence of physical, psychological, social, cultural, spiritual, developmental and systemic dynamics in each individual's life. Dr. Wolds has worked with a wide variety of clinical populations dealing with addiction, mental illness and other co-occurring disorders across individual, group, and family settings. He trained in residential and outpatient treatment environments while he completed his dissertation studying the spiritual components of 12-step recovery from a variety of cultural viewpoints. He received extensive post-doctoral training at Hanbleceya, a therapeutic community-based treatment program in La Mesa, CA, working with individuals and families dealing with severe mental illnesses and dual diagnoses. Dr. Wolds worked in a variety of clinical roles at BrightQuest (formerly Hanbleceya) before becoming the clinical director of its start-up treatment center in Seattle, WA, in 2011. At its core, Dr. Wolds' work aims to foster recovery, growth, wholeness, and well being through the integration of complementary paths of healing. He believes in individualizing treatment to fit each client's unique needs and interests. Dr. Wolds' passion lies in supporting understanding and self-discovery, resiliency, and ultimately the creation of more meaningful relationships and a more satisfying life. Dr. Wolds has a BA from the University of Southern California, and he received both his masters and doctorate degrees in clinical psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University in San Diego, CA. Blog: A Higher Vision of Addiction Treatment: An Interview with Alta Mira's Executive Director, Dr. Ian Wolds
Karen Spedowfski, Ph.D., Alta Mira's Clinical Director, is a licensed clinical psychologist. Dr. Spedowfski's career has been exclusively focused on the treatment of Substance Use and Co-Occurring Disorders and she has held multiple leadership positions within the programs she has worked.
Dr. Spedowfski brings a compassionate, evidence-based and practical approach to assisting clients and their families who are recovering from addictions and other mental health issues. Her work approaches the individual as a whole person with physical/biological, psychological, spiritual and social/cultural needs, issues and challenges that occur within various systems in the person's life. As such, she believes that involving family members in the treatment process whenever possible is crucial to client success as well as the health and wellbeing of those around them.
Prior to coming to Alta Mira, Dr. Spedowfski worked in multiple outpatient treatment settings including several Kaiser Permanente Chemical Dependency Services/Recovery Programs and at the Northern Illinois University Counseling and Student Development Center where her experience included the assessment and treatment of those with eating disorders as well as leading campus-wide efforts to reduce the incidence of sexual assault among student residents. Her dissertation focused on exploring disordered eating symptoms in both men and women recovering from Substance Use Disorders to better understand how both issues can be effectively and simultaneously addressed within an outpatient setting.
Dr. Spedowfski served in various leadership roles throughout her 20-year career at Kaiser Permanente, including her most recent as the Program Director of the Chemical Dependency Recovery Program in Vallejo, California from January 2010 through August 2018. From 2012-2015 she simultaneously served a three-year period as Chair of the Chemical Dependency Program Directors for the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Region.
Dr. Spedowfski is passionately dedicated to helping those in recovery from Substance Use Disorders and other mental health issues. She believes in the fundamental resilience of individuals and families who dedicate themselves to the learning and change process of recovery that results in vastly improved lives and overall wellness. She strives to balance the application of proven therapeutic techniques and practices with an individually-tailored approach to best ensure that the unique needs of each individual and family are met.
Dr. Spedowfski holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the California State University - East Bay (formerly Hayward) and received both her masters and doctorate degrees in clinical psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology in Alameda, CA.
Job Titles:
- Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Kelley L. Callahan, PhD is a licensed Clinical Psychologist in private practice in Albany, Ca and in the process of becoming a trainer for the Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute. Her doctoral training included an internship at the National Center for PTSD at Dartmouth Medical School and a two-year post-doc at Harvard Medical School, Victims of Violence Program. She has served as adjunct faculty for John F. Kennedy University and California Institute of Integral Studies teaching courses on somatic approaches to the treatment of trauma as well as attachment informed psychotherapy. She is passionate about helping folks understand the interplay of trauma and addiction and how survival strategies, although at one point adaptive, can keep individuals, families, and society stuck in patterns they are wanting to move beyond. Her clinical work and teaching are grounded in the neurobiology of trauma and mindful awareness, with the goal of supporting individuals in regulating their nervous systems - thereby having a choice about how they live in the present moment.
Job Titles:
- Director of Neuropsychological Assessment
Laura Natta, PhD is the Director of Neuropsychological Assessment and is responsible for the individually-designed, comprehensive assessment of all Alta Mira Clients, as well as supervision of Ph.D. and Psy.D. Resident Psychologists and MFT Interns. She obtained a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with a specialization in Clinical Neuropsychology from Pacific Graduate School of Psychology at Palo Alto University. Her dissertation work was conducted as a joint effort of the Palo Alto VA and Stanford School of Medicine and she has presented research at regional and national conferences. She has been working with addiction-compromised individuals for over 15 years in a variety of settings, including residential, inpatient, acute and specialty clinics.
Dr. Natta has been with the VA Healthcare System since 2009 and has received specialty training in assessment of trauma, behavioral sleep medicine, traumatic brain injury assessment, cognitive rehabilitation, and pain. She serves as Associate Assessment Faculty at various psychology programs in the Bay Area, is a Supervising Assessment Clinician at El Camino Hospital, and serves on the Board of Directors of The Northern California Neuropsychological Forum.
Job Titles:
- Admissions Advisor
- Advisor
Mallory has worked as an admissions advisor in the behavioral health field for over 15 years. She has a tremendous passion for providing an empathetic and nonjudgmental ear to all those seeking treatment. Her role at Alt Mira is to guide clients, family members, and referring professionals through each step of the admission process with compassion, understanding and the utmost respect.
Job Titles:
- Experiential Program Manager
After earning his BA at UCLA, Nico began his career in adventure travel as an international white water rafting and sea kayaking guide, a job that took him from the mountains of Colorado, down the Grand Canyon, and to far off places like New Zealand, Zimbabwe, and Patagonia. Ready to get back on dry land but never far from a trailhead, Nico returned to his home state of Connecticut to serve as Program Director at High Watch Recovery Center, a 78-bed dual-diagnosis treatment facility where he helped the team integrate the latest breakthroughs in addiction medicine into the time-tested spiritual teachings of the 12 Steps.
At Alta Mira Recovery Programs Nico collaborates with our multidisciplinary clinical team to implement and manage our therapeutic Experiential Program for individuals seeking freedom from addiction. He tailors the incredible array of activities that the Bay Area offers to meet the individual interests and abilities of our clients. With Marin's unfettered access to breathtaking hiking and trail running, biking, sailing, surfing, kayaking, and stand-up paddle boarding - not to mention equine therapy, indoor rock climbing, world class museums and sightseeing - the opportunities at our disposal are endless. Nico is committed to his own program of successful long-term recovery, and to sharing his personal journey for the benefit of our clients while providing compassionate care to everyone who walks through our door.
When he's not out trail running, paddling or skiing, Nico is working to complete a Masters in Social Work from Columbia University.
Rainey Temkin, PhD, is a Therapist at Alta Mira Recovery Program. She obtained a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with a specialization in Serious Mental Illness and Diversity and Community Mental Health from Pacific Graduate School of Psychology at Palo Alto University as well as an MA in Counseling Psychology from the Wright Institute in Berkeley. She has been working with dual-diagnosed and chemically dependent individuals in a variety of settings, including inpatient, public hospital, and community mental health clinics. Dr. Temkin has received specialty training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Psychosis.
Sandra facilitates the Alta Mira outreach and Alumni programs, including ongoing weekly support groups and Quarterly Tune-up events. She oversees all aspects of the Alumni Program.
Stephen Cook has been involved in the culinary world for the past 15 years. After graduating from The California School of Culinary Arts, Le Cordon Blue Pasadena, he worked for seven years at the Mission Bistro as the Chef de Cuisine under former instructor Chef Richard Hanna. He moved on to work at the Anaheim Marriott as Lead in the Banquet Kitchen, before coming to work at Alta Mira in 2013. Stephen loves being able to share his passion for food with the clients and staff at Alta Mira. He's always loved food, and knew he wanted it to play a big part in his life. The bond between chef and patron, he says, is sacred. "Food and sharing food with others holds power, it creates comfort. Conversations and open sharing are a constant at the dinner table." He is proud to put his culinary skills to use here, providing high-quality, delicious meals that delight and fortify clients during their stay. In his spare time, you'll probably find Stephen at a farmers' market or food show. When he's not thinking about food, he also enjoys baseball, camping, snowboarding, and reading.
Stephen McDonough, LMFT, is a Therapist at Alta Mira. After a 20+ year career researching protein biochemistry and related topics, Steve returned to school and received his Master's in Integral Counseling Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco. His approach to therapy and psychoeducation represents his unique synthesis of Western science and a more spirituality-inspired psychotherapy. He utilizes a direct and often humorous approach to therapy which still allows his empathy for his clients and his passion for the work to shine through.
Job Titles:
- Addiction Psychiatrist
- Consulting Physician: Psychiatry, Addiction Psychiatry, and Addiction Medicine
Dr. Steven Batki is listed in US News and World Report as one of the top doctors in the field of Addiction Psychiatry. Through a peer nomination process, he currently ranks in the top 10% for the entire United States. He is also listed as one of the Top Psychiatrists in San Francisco.
As our primary consulting Addiction Psychiatrist, Dr. Steven Batki is responsible for the psychiatric and addiction medicine needs for Alta Mira clients. Dr. Batki has 30 years of medical and psychiatric experience and is Board Certified in Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine. He is currently a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine and Chief of the Substance Abuse Programs at the San Francisco VA Medical Center. Dr. Batki is also the Director of the Addiction Research Program and the Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship Program. Prior to his current positions, Dr. Batki was the director of the division of substance abuse and addiction medicine at San Francisco General Hospital.
Dr. Batki earned his undergraduate degree from Columbia University, and received his medical degree from the State University of New York Upstate Medical University. Dr. Batki completed both his psychiatry internship and residency at the UCSF School of Medicine. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, and is board-certified in both Psychiatry and Addiction Psychiatry. Dr. Batki is also a diplomate of the American Board of Addiction Medicine.
Dr. Batki is an active medical researcher studying addiction treatment. He has received funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, and the Department of Defense. Dr. Batki's research and clinical interests focus on improving the treatment for alcohol, opioid, and stimulant dependence. His current work includes studies of alcohol dependence in patients with traumatic brain injury and PTSD.
Raised in the Virgin Islands, Stewart moved to the US to pursue education on the East Coast and has lived in New York City, Tampa Bay, and Vail Colorado before moving to California. Leaving behind a career in Operations Management, he pursued in-depth Buddhist and Mindfulness Meditation studies, becoming a Certified Mindfulness Meditation Teacher and a Buddhist Meditation Facilitator.
Stewart completed his MA in counseling psychology and has been providing relational counseling in the Bay Area. He approaches therapy from an East/West synthesis, focusing on evidence-based practices in combination with spiritual approaches to wellness. He is a Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist and a Registered Associate Professional Clinical Counselor.
Certified by the California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals as an Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC-III), Stewart has many years of experience specializing in Substance Use counseling.
Tarik Boukhari is Alta Mira's Operations Director and is responsible for the day to day operations of the facility.
Tarik has over 20 years' experience in financial and operational management. Prior to joining Alta Mira, he was Vice-President-General Manager at Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco where he oversaw finance, budgeting, and day-to-day operations as well as regulatory reporting. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics, an MBA in Finance, and speaks five languages fluently.
He believes in taking care of his staff, focusing on the client, and acting swiftly on what matters.