Anthony pursued his Master’s in Social Welfare to work on social justice issues and reform the criminal justice system. As director of government affairs for Californians for Safety and Justice the past two years, Anthony has been responsible for strategizing and advocating for Safe and Just’s legislative and budget agenda in the California Capitol. Anthony began his career as an administrative analyst for the City of Long Beach working on violence prevention and intervention programs. After working at the City of Long Beach, Anthony became the grant writer for the Los Angeles Mayor’s Office of Gang Reduction and Youth Development. After working in local government for several years, he was selected to be a California State Assembly Fellow and placed in the office of Assemblywoman Shirley Weber. After completing his Fellowship, Anthony transitioned into the role of Legislative Assistant for Assemblywoman Weber and then was promoted to the role of Legislative Director for Assemblymember Weber. In his four years in Assemblywoman Weber’s Office, Anthony successfully worked on numerous bills signed into law on issues of police and criminal justice reform and education reform. Anthony is an alum of both the National Juvenile Justice Network’s Youth Justice Leadership Institute and the New Leaders Council Fellowship. In addition, Anthony is a certified personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Anthony received his B.A. in Psychology from the University of Redlands and his MSW from UCLA.
Eric C. Frank, LCSW
Eric C. Frank, LCSW, attended Southwest Texas State University for an undergraduate degree in Applied Sociology and obtained his MSW at Our Lady of the Lake University, concentrating his studies in mental health. Mr. Frank is a 3rdgeneration social worker and was initially inspired by his grandfather’s work in youth and community programs in the 1950’s. During the last 22 years, he has had the opportunity to practice clinical social work in a variety of settings, having considerable experience with adolescents & families, alcohol & drug dynamics, and persistent mental health issues.
Mr. Frank began his career working with youth and families in San Antonio, Texas which eventually led to opportunities to work in the communities of South Boston, MA as well as the East County of San Diego. During these experiences, he pursued training opportunities at the Mental Research Institute in Palo Alto and the Centro di Terapia Strategica in Arezzo, Italy, learning from many of the great systemic thinkers and practitioners of Solution Focused, Brief, Strategic Family, and Brief Strategic Therapies.
After years of focusing on adolescent and family issues, Mr. Frank transitioned into leading a project of integrating mental health into alcohol & drug treatment programs with Mental Health System, Inc. He continues to serve as a Clinical Supervisor and Field Instructor across their Assertive Community Treatment program as well several Drug Courts. He also maintains an active private practice working with active duty military & veterans, specializing the in the treatment of anxiety and panic, and anger issues.
Mr. Frank’s has previous teaching experience at the University of Southern California’s San Diego Academic Center from 2013-2017 and then on to the Virtual Academic Center from 2017-2019. Teaching in the Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work afforded him the opportunity to lead course in Human Behavior & the Social Environment; Crisis Intervention & Brief Therapy; Advanced Clinical Theory & Practice, and Leadership.
Claudia Gonzalez, LCSW
Claudia Gonzalez is the lead child and adolescent mental health clinician at a Federally Qualified Health Center in South San Diego. She has a Master of Social Work and Pupil Personnel Services Credential from San Diego State University. She has over 10 years of experience working along the U.S.-Mexico border close to her hometown of San Ysidro. She considers herself a fronteriza (border identity) due to being raised between both countries. Her personal experience and work in the border region have afforded Claudia the opportunity to understand the intersection of the communities social, sexual, and family ties in both countries. Claudia is also a first-generation college student and is passionate about inspiring others to achieve academic success.
Anya Nevarez, LCSW
Anya Nevarez, LCSW is a San Diego State University graduate where she received her B.S. In Criminal Justice Administration. She later obtained her MSW from the University of Southern California. She began her career at a San Diego non-profit where she worked for a juvenile diversion program that highlighted the collaboration and interdependency between the judicial system, human services, and law enforcement. It was in this position that she developed an interest and passion for forensic social work.
Nevarez has over 15 years of experience in the field of social work and has practiced in both the non-profit and government sectors. She has experience working with juveniles, families, older adults, and criminal justice-involved populations. She is currently employed through the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation at Richard. J. Donovan Correctional Facility (RJDCF) where she serves as a Supervising Psychiatric Social Worker. She currently oversees the MSW practicum student program and supervises unlicensed staff. Her clinical expertise encompasses the treatment of mood, psychotic, substance use, and personality disorders of offenders within a correctional environment. Her clinical interests and areas of focus include substance use and trauma, and characterological disorders. With a trauma informed approach, and application of dialectical behavioral and cognitive behavioral interventions, she believes that rehabilitation is possible. LCSW Nevarez has a passion for the training and development of both staff and students. She has been a field instructor at RJDCF since 2017 and joined the field faculty team at SDSU in the Fall of 2021. LCSW Nevarez currently serves as an SDSU field advisory board member and is a steering committee member for the California Society for Clinical Social Work, San Diego Chapter.
Lilian Nguyen, MSW
Ms. Nguyen received her BA in Psychology in 2001 and her MSW in 2005 from San Diego State University. In 2002, she began working for the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA), Child Welfare Services (CWS) and has experience working and supervising in the areas of safety and risk assessment, emergency response, court intervention, family reunification, family maintenance, and permanency, including work with transitional aged youth (TAY). In 2015, Ms. Nguyen promoted to Protective Services Program Manager. As a Protective Services Program Manager, Ms. Nguyen assumed the dual role of Child Welfare Services Executive Assistant, in addition to having direct operational oversight of the Office of the Ombudsman. In her role as Child Welfare Executive Assistant, Ms. Nguyen was the Child Welfare Services media specialist, liaison to the County Board of Supervisors and Agency Executive Office, and was responsible for the Child Welfare Services business and operational plan. Presently, Ms. Nguyen serves as the Chief of Agency Operations in Child Welfare Services. She is one of seven Chiefs responsible for the oversight of policy and practice around case decision-making to improve consistency across HHSA-CWS regional operations and specialty programs.
In addition to her work with the County of San Diego, Ms. Nguyen is a trainer with the Academy for Professional Excellence-Child Welfare Development Services (CWDS) in the areas of safety and risk assessment, Safety Organized Practice and Structured Decision Making/critical thinking skills through Advanced Simulation trainings for line workers, supervisors and managers in all of Southern California counties. Ms. Nguyen participated in the TribalSTAR workgroup focusing on best practices in addressing disproportionality and providing culturally relevant services to tribal youth and families. Ms. Nguyen also taught undergraduate studies at the University of Phoenix in the Human Services and Psychology departments and enjoyed teaching courses in child development, cultural diversity and special populations, and interviewing skills.
Shelly Paule, MSW, LCSW
Shelly Paule, MSW, LCSW is currently a Health Planning and Program Specialist with the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency, Child Welfare Services. Shelly graduated with her BS in Psychology and her MSW at San Diego State University, completing her final degree in 1998. Shelly has 23 years of experience with Child Welfare Services, including positions as a front line worker, supervisor, policy analyst focusing on mental health and a manager.
Shelly obtained her LCSW in 2004 and began working as a clinician part time. Shelly greatly enjoys using her clinical skills and knowledge as a Field Instructor for multiple undergraduate and graduate programs. She had the pleasure of running an intern unit for two years, completing individual and group supervision. In total, she has provided supervision for over 40 interns. In addition, Shelly has provided group and individual supervision for more than 50 LCSW/MFT Candidates. Shelly trains for the Academy for Professional Excellence, currently focusing on the Child Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) Assessment as well as Child Interviewing. Starting in Fall 2021, Shelly is instructing a course at SDSU’s School of Social Work.
Shelly considers the social worker’s role critical to the outcomes that our families experience. Her goal is to collaboratively and respectfully support staff as they engage families and children in a way that allows us to support the family in meeting their unique needs and building on their strengths. Shelly is proud to be heading up the CANS roll out in San Diego. We are already seeing the positive impact that completing the CANS in the Child and Family Team Meeting is having on the children and families we serve.
Kayla Whaley, MSW, LCSW
Kayla Whaley obtained her MSW at San Diego State and her B.A. in sociology and history from University of California Santa Cruz focusing on political and social movements. She has a background in trauma awareness and PTSD recovery psychotherapy; supporting individuals in navigating effects of daily living and mental health. Prior to this she worked in the non-profit sector for 7 years providing trauma-informed care to the community working with veterans, those experiencing homelessness, substance abuse and domestic violence.
Kayla has continued to support the BIPOC and LGBTIA+ communities, bringing awareness to intergenerational trauma, the stigmas of mental health and equal access to mental health care. Currently, she provides individual psychotherapy utilizing somatic experiencing (SE) and is pursuing her SE certification.
