CAPS staff is comprised of professionals from diverse cultures and backgrounds. All clinicians are trained to provide culturally-sensitive treatment. CAPS clinicians speak a range of languages: American Sign Language, Chinese-Cantonese, Chinese-Mandarin, Dutch, Farsi, French, Hindi, Malay/Indonesian, Korean, Spanish, and Urdu. All CAPS clinicians are experienced with college mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, stress, and adjustment to college life. Clinical staff are licensed in the state of California through their respective boards:
- Medical Board of California (for physicians)
- California Board of Psychology (for psychologists)
- California Board of Behavioral Sciences (for LCSWs and LMFTs)
Leadership
The Leadership Team is responsible of all the programs and services provided at CAPS. We provide supervision and support to our staff, coordinate our services with campus partners, and support innovation in our programs and services to adapt to the evolving needs of our student body. Many of our Leadership Team members also provide direct clinical care to students seeking services at CAPS.
Nicole Presley (Green), Ph.D.
Executive Director
Tanya Brown, Ph.D.
Training Director
Johanna Canlapan Rigor
Administrative Services Director
Ancy Cherian, Ph.D.
Clinical Director
Deborah Green, L.C.S.W.
Assistant Clinical Director
Michael Friedmann, Ph.D.
Assistant Clinical Director
Elizabeth Hernandez, Ph.D.
Assistant Training Director
Kathleen Lambird, Ph.D
Quality, Client Safety and Risk Manager
Drea Letamendi, Ph.D.
Assistant Clinical Director, CORE Program
Hope Levin, M.D.
Psychiatry Director
Mia Power, Psy.D.
Assistant Clinical Director, Triage Team
Chris Praetzel, Psy.D., CMPC
Director of Student-Athlete Mental Health Programs, UCLA Athletics/ Assistant Clinical Director
Tara Tehrani, Psy.D.
Assistant Clinical Director, Community Engagement
Clinical Coordinators
Clinical Coordinators provide a variety of different support to students. We assist with connecting to off-campus resources when using private insurance, collaborate with campus partners regarding student needs, and respond to clinical emergencies. When unique challenges come up at CAPS, Clinical Coordinators are here to help!
Triage Team
Our team of triage clinicians are the first providers students meet with at CAPS. We conduct a brief assessment to learn more about your reasons for coming to CAPS and help connect you to appropriate resources.
Therapy Team
CAPS Therapists provide tailored treatment to each student. We aim to promote resilience and healing utilizing a short-term treatment model.
Staff Psychiatrists
CAPS psychiatrists provide medication management as we work alongside our team of CAPS therapists, providing comprehensive treatment in support students' mental health.
Clinicians in Training
CAPS has a robust training program for future social workers, psychologists, and psychiatrists, representing the full range of training stages. Our trainees provide therapy services to our students under the supervision of a licensed clinician and are dedicated to the wellness of our UCLA students.
Kristen Chu
Practicum Student
Tara Erfan
Social Work Intern
Aaron Finley
Doctoral Intern
Melissa Gavilanes, Psy.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Jennifer Ghandhi, M.D., Ph.D.
Psychiatry Fellow
Tin May (Tamy) Lin
Doctoral Intern
Miral Malik
Postdoctoral Fellow
Pooja Mamidanna
Doctoral Intern
Philip (Gus) Mayopoulos
Doctoral Intern
Maite Reece, Psy.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow (Athletics)
Ben Weitzel
Social Work Intern
Kelly Zellner
Social Work Intern
Administrative Support
Our administrative staff at CAPS work to support both clinicians and students in their work to improve student mental health across campus.
Alejandro Barba
Logistics Coordinator
Lucas Ciaccio
Clinic Support Specialist
Cecilia Colon
Clinic Assistant
Tiffany Cooper
Clinic Support Specialist
Doreen Gonzales
Clinic Assistant
Kenny Goodman
Executive Assistant
Gabriel Ha
Clinic Support Specialist
Jennifer Ramirez
Insurance and Referral Coordinator
Mikel Yi
Administrative Specialist
Quality Assurance
Our team of quality assurance staff work to uphold consistent adherence to state and university standards of care.
Kathleen Lambird, Ph.D.
Quality, Client Safety and Risk Manager
Johanna Canlapan Rigor
Administrative Services Director
Jason Thornton
Quality Analyst