Professional Background
References are available upon request.
Academic Appointments
Adjunct Professor of Clinical Psychiatry
Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California (2021–present)
Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry
Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California (2005–2021)
Assistant Clinical Professor
UCLA Department of Psychiatry (1990–2005)
Taught psychiatric assessment and treatment of children, adolescents, and adults, with a focus on trauma and adversity. Supervised medical students, psychiatry residents, and child psychiatry fellows.
Clinical Leadership Roles
- Director, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Trauma Program, USC (2006-2021)
- Co-Ward Chief, Adolescent Inpatient Psychiatry, USC (2013-2015)
- Chief, Child and Adolescent Crisis, Emergency and Consultation Service, USC (2006-2013)
- Ward Chief, Adolescent Inpatient Unit, USC (2005-2006)
- Chief of Psychiatry, Hathaway Children and Family Services, Sylmar, California (1989-1991)
Research
- Founding Director, Hathaway Children’s Clinical Research Institute (1999-2004)
- Published research on trauma, PTSD, dissociation, and child psychiatry
- Developed assessment tools for child trauma and adversity
Forensic Work
Practiced as a forensic psychiatric expert witness since 1990. Evaluates cases for plaintiffs and defendants in civil and criminal matters.
Case types include:
- Institutional sexual abuse
- Effects of trauma and adversity on child development
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD
- Chronic physical, sexual, or emotional abuse
- Psychological trauma in the workplace
- Date rape and internet-initiated sexual exploitation
- Post-traumatic loss, grief, and depression
- Psychological effects of injury to the body or brain
- Psychiatric medical malpractice
Workers’ Compensation
Conducted over 250 psychiatric evaluations of injured workers from 1989 to 2001. He developed a structured assessment instrument and was “grandfathered” as a Qualified Medical Examiner (QME).